Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire, featured on Press TV World News on August 20, 2012. Azikiwe is a writer and broadcast journalist on African and world affairs., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
To watch this interview with Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire, just click on the website below:
http://www.presstv.com/detail/2013/01/28/286077/morsi-must-bring-unity-by-genuine-dialogue/
Mon Jan 28, 2013 7:16PM GMT
A political analyst tells Press TV that President Morsi has to pioneer genuine dialogue with the opposition forces and take measures to repeal the Constitution.
Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has announced a state of emergency in the cities of Port Said, Suez, and Ismailia following deadly clashes in the country as thousands of anti-government Egyptians staged demonstrations in Cairo, Alexandria, Suez, Port Said, and many other cities and towns to call on Morsi, who took office in June 2012, to fulfill his election promises. Following Morsi’s declaration of state of emergency a few hundred people took to the streets in Ismailia and clashed with the police.
Press TV has conducted an interview with Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire, to further discuss the issue of clashes in Egypt. What follows is an approximate transcription of the interview with Abayomi Azikiwe.
Press TV: A state of emergency has been declared in three areas for thirty days. State of emergency is what brings back to mind for many Egyptians Mubarak era policies.
Do you think this is going to result in calm returning to the streets of Egypt?
Azikiwe: It remains to be seen, it is if the country has come full circle. Two years after the uprisings of January 25th of 2011 it does not appear as if the President has won the hearts and minds of the Egyptian masses.
Just over the last three days we have seen unprecedented demonstrations throughout the country as if the situation is still the same as it was during the Mubarak era.
I believe that President Morsi has to embark upon genuine dialogue with the opposition forces. Just saying that he must talk to the opposition is not going to be enough. And he should definitely take measures to repeal the Constitution and to bring about some type of government of national unity in order to create stability inside of Egypt.
Press TV: Well speaking of talks with the opposition, what are these talks going to accomplish? Because on the one side, he is calling for dialogue, saying that he is willing to compromise but on the other hand, he is also threatening protesters with decisive measures as well. It is sort of the carrot and stick policy now, isn’t it?
Azikiwe: Yes he has to be very clear in regard to what his political objectives are in regard to dealing with the opposition forces inside the country.
It is not going to resolve the widespread anger that exists because on the one hand people feel that nothing has really been accomplished over the last two years since the toppling of the National Democratic Party government of Hosni Mubarak and at the same time people feel that the same security measures are being utilized to deal with opposition forces. Then the disaster that we saw that took place on Saturday in Port Said with dozens of people killed as a result of this verdict that was handed down by the Egyptian courts.
So he has to be very clear in regard to what are the political aims and objectives of his government.
His government has to make some very swift decisions and they cannot make those decisions on their own. They have to bring in other political forces from throughout the body politic inside of Egypt.
Press TV: And very quickly if you can, what do you make of those assertions that are put forward by supporters of Morsi which say that the protests that we are seeing on the streets of Egypt right now are just a minority of a very small chunk of the population. That there is a large silent majority which is sitting quietly right now who do agree with his policies, who do like the way things have progressed so far in Egypt?
Azikiwe: It does not appear as if this is the case. Even if we look at the elections in June of last year, a minority of the electorate participated in those elections. The same situation existed with the national referendum on the draft Constitution.
The overwhelming majority of people in Egypt are not involved in the political process and this is what President Morsi has to take into consideration.
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