From the financial times today. I copied this from pay site so you can read it free. The brutality of Egypt’s regime Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the former Egyptian army chief, took power in a coup nearly one year ago. He has driven Egypt relentlessly down the road towards autocracy, running a regime with a human rights record that seems determined to match that of Hosni Mubarak, his former master, for its brutality. With much of the Middle East in turmoil, many in the west have ignored the injustices being meted out by the Sisi regime, not least the death sentences imposed on hundreds of its opponents. But the jailing of three journalists working for Al Jazeera, the Qatari-owned news channel, has thrown another bright spotlight on the regime’s wrongdoing. Peter Greste, an award-winning Australian correspondent, and two Egyptian-born colleagues were on Monday sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment by a court in Cairo for spreading false news and supporting the now banned Islamic group, the Muslim Brotherhood. Many analysts say their imprisonment amounts to political revenge by the Sisi regime against the rulers of Qatar, which backed Mohamed Morsi, leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, who was ousted in last year’s coup. There is no evidence that the three men committed any offence. Mr Greste, for example, is not a Muslim and had spent little time in the Arab world before his arrest. This was a farcical trial overseen by a kangaroo court. These men were guilty of journalism – nothing more. Their plight is one more example of the ruthlessness of the Egyptian regime. The country’s besuited generals fear the Muslim Brotherhood and reject any reconciliation with political Islam. They killed more than 1,000 Islamists after their takeover and 16,000 people have been arrested. This crackdown also raises questions about the west’s approach towards Mr Sisi. Last weekend, John Kerry, US secretary of state, was in Egypt, restoring Washington’s “historic partnership” with Cairo. He said the US would soon provide the military aid that was withheld after the coup. US regional realpolitik appears to have trumped any commitment to human rights. US policy in the Middle East faces immense challenges. A jihadist emergency is sweeping the region, and the US regards Mr Sisi as a stable ally in the fight against Islamist extremism. The US needs Egypt to maintain security in the restive Sinai peninsula, a breeding ground for al-Qaeda militants. Still, the US and its allies should rethink their approach to Egypt. They should urge Mr Sisi to end his vicious intolerance of dissent, be it from the Muslim Brotherhood or from secular liberals who have also felt the wrath of his rule. The sole effect of his policies is to push the Brotherhood underground. This can only encourage those Islamist extremists who argue that violence is the only valid response to the regime’s crackdown – and that jihadist acts of terror are therefore the way to fight back. The west should also take a tougher approach towards Mr Sisi and his Gulf patrons. The US should make any future transfer of military aid to Egypt dependent on a more inclusive approach to the regime’s opponents. David Cameron, the UK prime minister, should reconsider his decision to investigate the security risks posed by the Muslim Brotherhood. This is little more than a PR stunt to appease the Gulf states and risks sending the wrong message to Mr Sisi – namely that the west is relaxed about his crackdown. Egypt has been through turmoil since the 2011 revolution. But the west needs to rid itself of the notion that all will be well if Egypt settles under a strongman. Egypt will only be stable if it becomes an inclusive society, responsive to its citizens. The starting point should be to free all those innocent of trumped-up charges levied by an increasingly authoritarian state.
Posted on: Tue, 24 Jun 2014 15:15:22 +0000