Egypt's activists ask West to guarantee reform
CAIRO – Some of the young activists who launched the Egyptian uprising that toppled President Hosni Mubarak said Monday they are skeptical about the military's pledges to hand over power to a democratically elected government.
Their concerns came as British Prime Minister David Cameron arrived in Cairo to meet with top Egyptian officials and "make sure this really is a genuine transition" to civilian rule.
In a meeting with Western diplomats in Cairo, the activists appealed to the U.S. and Europe to change their policies toward governments in the Middle East.
Many activists in the 18-days of mass protests that toppled Mubarak on Feb. 11 complain that Western governments have long supported dictators who back their interests at the expense of local democracy.
"It is time that United States and Europe to revise and correct their policies in the region," said Bahey al-Din Hassan, director of the human rights institute that hosted the meeting. "This has always been our message, and we hope it won't fall on a deaf ears."
The seven activists, representatives of a broad coalition of youth groups, warned the diplomats that remnants of Mubarak's regime that still hold power could overturn the uprising's accomplishments
While the Egyptian army seized power when Mubarak stepped down, it has allowed a Cabinet he appointed to remain in place as a caretaker government until elections can be held.
The activists also asked for help in tracking down assets belonging to Mubarak and his associates that were acquired illegally — rumored to be in the billions of dollars.
"When Egypt gets back that money, it won't need the foreign aid, and you will be relieved of that burden," said Islam Lutfi, who represent the Muslim Brotherhood on the activist coalition.
The meeting took place as senior U.S. and European officials arrived in Egypt to meet with the country's military leaders.
U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns arrived Monday for three-day visit. And British Prime Minister David Cameron came to meet Egypt's Defense Minister Hussein Tantawi, Prime Minister Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq and members of the country's opposition groups.
He told reporters on the plane to Cairo that he would to "talk to those currently running Egypt to make sure this really is a genuine transition from military rule to civilian rule."
Cameron told Tantawi, the head of the military council running the country, that Britain wanted to support Egypt's transition to democracy. "As old friends of the Egyptian people, we come not to tell you how to do things but to ask how we can help you do what we know you want to do," Cameron said.
Cameron said he would not meet with representatives of the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's largest and best organized opposition group, which was banned but tolerated under Mubarak.
Cameron will not visit Libya or Bahrain — whose government's have both violently repressed recent protests calling for democratic reform — on his four-day Middle East tour.
But addressing recent anti-government protests around the region, Cameron called on Middle Eastern governments to respond with "reform not repression."
Recent anti-government demonstrations have led to the ouster of presidents in Tunisia and Egypt, while governments have violently tried to suppress similar protests in other countries including Yemen, Bahrain and Libya.
Libya's response has been particularly brutal, with human rights groups and Libyan medical sources reporting more than 200 people killed by security forces in seven days of protests.
Cameron called Libya's treatment of protesters "completely appalling and unacceptable."
Their concerns came as British Prime Minister David Cameron arrived in Cairo to meet with top Egyptian officials and "make sure this really is a genuine transition" to civilian rule.
In a meeting with Western diplomats in Cairo, the activists appealed to the U.S. and Europe to change their policies toward governments in the Middle East.
Many activists in the 18-days of mass protests that toppled Mubarak on Feb. 11 complain that Western governments have long supported dictators who back their interests at the expense of local democracy.
"It is time that United States and Europe to revise and correct their policies in the region," said Bahey al-Din Hassan, director of the human rights institute that hosted the meeting. "This has always been our message, and we hope it won't fall on a deaf ears."
The seven activists, representatives of a broad coalition of youth groups, warned the diplomats that remnants of Mubarak's regime that still hold power could overturn the uprising's accomplishments
While the Egyptian army seized power when Mubarak stepped down, it has allowed a Cabinet he appointed to remain in place as a caretaker government until elections can be held.
The activists also asked for help in tracking down assets belonging to Mubarak and his associates that were acquired illegally — rumored to be in the billions of dollars.
"When Egypt gets back that money, it won't need the foreign aid, and you will be relieved of that burden," said Islam Lutfi, who represent the Muslim Brotherhood on the activist coalition.
The meeting took place as senior U.S. and European officials arrived in Egypt to meet with the country's military leaders.
U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns arrived Monday for three-day visit. And British Prime Minister David Cameron came to meet Egypt's Defense Minister Hussein Tantawi, Prime Minister Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq and members of the country's opposition groups.
He told reporters on the plane to Cairo that he would to "talk to those currently running Egypt to make sure this really is a genuine transition from military rule to civilian rule."
Cameron told Tantawi, the head of the military council running the country, that Britain wanted to support Egypt's transition to democracy. "As old friends of the Egyptian people, we come not to tell you how to do things but to ask how we can help you do what we know you want to do," Cameron said.
Cameron said he would not meet with representatives of the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's largest and best organized opposition group, which was banned but tolerated under Mubarak.
Cameron will not visit Libya or Bahrain — whose government's have both violently repressed recent protests calling for democratic reform — on his four-day Middle East tour.
But addressing recent anti-government protests around the region, Cameron called on Middle Eastern governments to respond with "reform not repression."
Recent anti-government demonstrations have led to the ouster of presidents in Tunisia and Egypt, while governments have violently tried to suppress similar protests in other countries including Yemen, Bahrain and Libya.
Libya's response has been particularly brutal, with human rights groups and Libyan medical sources reporting more than 200 people killed by security forces in seven days of protests.
Cameron called Libya's treatment of protesters "completely appalling and unacceptable."
