23/5/2012

In the days leading up to the presidential election, we began hearing members of some groups saying: “If we don’t win the election, it must have been rigged!”

More voices added: “And then we will flock to Tahrir Square and elsewhere to ignite fires!”

I was deeply disappointed to find among these some Muslim Brotherhood (MB) figures that I used to admire like Eng. Khairat El Shater and Dr. Mohamed El Beltagui, executive members of the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP). For them, democracy means only that their candidate must win. From their point of view, if the people select another candidate as their president, that can only indicate a flaw in the democratic process. So, if they don’t win the election, they want to take to the streets in protest as a way to invalidate the outcome. What these dissenters intend to do would be a blow to the legitimacy that the ballot box will bring to the winning candidate.

I know that many people are worried that a victory by someone with a military background or who served under the former regime could mark the beginning of renewed chaos and upheaval. In fact, this fear is probably motivating the voting choices of some citizens who want to prevent such disturbances.

The role of the State in protecting election results

Those who plan to create chaos if the election results don’t go their way should keep one thing in mind: the State is bigger than they are, and the law is stronger. The Egyptian Armed Forces and their Supreme Council have guaranteed that the will of the voters will be respected. We will also depend on our Police Force to protect us in the case of riots, yet another reason to avoid demoralizing the police! And if we eliminate our National Security Service, where will we get the information necessary to arrest those who want to destroy the country?

I understand the desire of FJP members in parliament to punish police and security agents, considering the way that that some of them treated the MB in the past. Still, correcting past mistakes should not be based on revenge and conducted by destroying entire institutions, rather it should be an investigative and judicial process that singles out the perpetrators, and leaves the institutions intact so that they may protect us. As for the National Security Service, I believe in the abilities and integrity of its new director, General Magdi Abdel-Ghaffar, and I think we should give him a chance to do his job.

translated from Al-Akhbar