Egypt’s Parliament on Tuesday launched fierce criticism against Egypt’s government when Islamists and secular MPs accused of not caring adequately for those who were martyred and injured during the 25 January revolution.
In the past, the People’s Assembly sometimes criticized the ruling regime, but the prior dominance of the National Democratic Party ensured that the criticism was never too harsh.
Tuesday’s session began when Mohamed Attiya, a SCAF-appointed parliamentary affairs minister, read an official statement that detailed government efforts to address demands of martyrs’ families and citizens injured during the 18-day uprising.
Attiya noted that the government established the National Council for Care of Martyrs’ Families and Wounded, disbursed compensation estimated at LE30,000 to each martyr’s family and has committed to providing them with monthly payments of LE1,750.
However, MPs from various political parties rejected the statement and interrupted Attiya.
People’s Assembly Speaker Saad al-Katatny of the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) called on representatives to hold their comments until after the minister finished speaking. However, the representatives refused to let Attiya resume.
Katatny then decided to distribute the statement among the MPs in written form rather than having Attiya read it, so that discussion could begin immediately.
MPs said that the issue is more complicated than simply paying compensation to families of the dead and the injured. They argued that the slow pace of Mubarak’s trial and the trials of Mubarak-era officials prove that the former president’s regime remains in place.
MP Saad Aboud of the Karama Party demanded that the General Intelligence Services (GIS) be held accountable for withholding information from authorities investigating crimes committed under the former regime.
Earlier this month, Mostafa Suleiman, the chief prosecutor in Mubarak’s trial, said that the Interior Ministry and the General Intelligence Services, formerly headed by Omar Suleiman, had refused to cooperate with investigations.
MP Sobhy Saleh of the FJP said that if the intelligence services hadn’t cooperated, that means the state government is implicated in withholding evidence.
The GIS is regulated by law, but traditionally it is referred to as a “sovereign apparatus.” Such criticism of the GIS in a parliamentary session is unprecedented.
The criticism led to a debate in the chamber, during which FJP MP Essam al-Erian stressed the necessity of only discussing topics that could lead to binding decisions.
However, MP Aboud insisted on discussing the shortcomings of the GIS.
“The intelligence apparatus is respected, but it withheld information and thus suspected criminals weren’t brought to justice. It cooperated with the former regime and its head instead of working with state institutions,” he said.
MP Abouel Ezz al-Hariri, from the Revolution Continues Coalition, went further in saying that Parliament has the right to discuss anything, including intelligence services and even the ruling military council.
Hariri added that the MPs should “speak about the responsibility of everyone, including the head of the council, who should be in prison now,” in reference to Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi.
Earlier, independent MP Amr Hamzawy suggested that Parliament form a committee to investigate the killings of protesters since the 25 January unrest first began. None of the perpetrators involved in killing protesters have been brought to justice, he said.
Attiya said that 699 were killed during the 18-day uprising, 22 were killed during the army breakup of the Coptic-led march in front of Maspero in October, 42 were killed during the police crackdown against protestors on Mohamed Mahmoud Street in November, and 16 were killed during clashes between the military and protesters in front of the cabinet building in December. The total number of victims recognized by the state as martyrs is therefore 779, he said.
