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Abdel-Meguid: No Privileges for Military in Constituent Assembly Proposals

Many suggestions submitted to Egypt’s charter-authoring panel urge support to bolster the country’s military forces, to enable them to do their duty positively, guarding its borders and protecting the homeland and the people.

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Dr. Wahid Abdel-Meguid, official Spokesman for the Constituent Assembly (CA) tasked with writing Egypt’s first post-revolution constitution, affirmed that suggestions received by the CA do not demand privileges for the country’s military establishment.

 

Abdel-Meguid explained that most of the proposed ideas submitted by CA members suggest support for this vital institution to enable it to defend Egypt and perform its mission, its crucial national role – protecting the homeland and national security.

 

In a press statement Sunday, July 22, Abdel-Meguid further said that three different ideas have been submitted to the CA regarding the second article of the Constitution, on principles of Sharia.

 

"The first suggests that the article remains unchanged, as it was in the Constitution of 1971.

 

"The second suggests adding a statement to make Al-Azhar the authority to decide the interpretation of 'Principles of Sharia'.

 

"Meanwhile, the third suggestion is that a statement should be added to say 'non-Muslims may appeal to their religious strictures on matters pertaining to personal status and their religious affairs'."

 

Moreover, the CA Spokesman assured that many suggestions can be added to help solve the problem and dispel confusion about this article, especially after the request of Al-Azhar for it to remain as it is – just as it was in the Constitution of 1971 – without reference to Al-Azhar.

 

"Contrary to rumors being circulated in the media, we are not looking at any ideas about the sharing of power. We are careful not to involve the armed forces in political activity.

 

"With regard to the stages and internal process of CA work, in the first phase, we set initial drafts that are now being discussed by the Special Committees.

 

"In the second phase of CA work, the articles of the Constitution will be referred to the Drafting Committee for reshaping and streamlining provisions linguistically and legally. Then, the General Committee will receive the articles after completion of the drafting stage. It refers drafted articles to the general session for final consideration."