Egypt

Fire of Liberty

Sad news from Egypt. Based on this report in The Financial Times, Ayman Nour, who is the opposition leader in the Egyptian parliament, has suffered a mild stroke and heart attack. According to his family, Nour, suffered these attacks after being interrogated by Egyptian authorities. Based on the government in Egypt, Nour has been charged with forging some tens of thousands signatures on his petition to establish his party al-Ghad, which is translated as The Tomorrow Party.

While forgery is a serious crime, the Egyptian government has gone too far in its prosecution, which falls well beyond enforcing law & order to just Egypt's attempt to thwart a viable opponent to Hosni Mubarak. Unlike past opposition parties, Mr. Nour and his al-Ghad party has called for more democratic reforms. Amongst the reforms proposed by al-Ghad is a reform of the constitution to allow an open election for Egypt's President instead of the typical yes or no referendum for a single candidate chosen by parliament as well as a call for an atmosphere that allows more freedom of dissent and opinion. Currently, the Egyptian government has had been operating under strict emergency laws since the assassination of Anwar Sadat in 1981. With this in effect, the Egyptian parliament has ensured a 24 year reign for Hosni Mubarak, who wants no part in losing power through an real election.

Mr. Nour needs the same opportunity that the opposition parties of our nation and the rest of the Free World have learned to enjoy. The people of Egypt has a choice of a true democrat who seeks a more democratic instead of an aging dictator or an Islamic fundamentalist like various other Arab nations. I just hope Nour can outlast his jailers and gets well, we'll see. God go with him.

For more info check here, here, and here.