A number of young revolutionaries and activists have launched an initiative preparing for an Egypt without President Mohamed Morsy in power, just weeks ahead of mass anti-government protests planned by opposition groups.
Young people from a range of liberal groups launched their “After Departure” campaign, discussing the transition of power that could follow if the Muslim Brotherhood were removed from power, at a press conference at the Leadership and Management Development Centre in Cairo on Tuesday.
Delegates called for a wide-ranging summit with all national political forces between 18-19 June.
“President Mohamed Morsy will fall sooner or later, we are confident of that,” Shady al-Ghazaly Harb, a founding Dostour Party member, said. “The aim of this initiative is to prevent the revolutionary youth from falling into the unknown after his departure.”
“We will not exclude anybody. We are seeking unity and will not be intimidated by threats from the Brotherhood and their allies,” he added.
Nasser Abdel Hamid, another Dostour Party member, said revolutionary youths had no appetite for violence against pro-Morsy elements.
Israa Abdel Fatah, an independent activist, stressed the need for coordination between activist groups, political parties and the National Salvation Front, Egypt’s leading opposition group.
Mahmoud Al-Alayli, a NSF leader, said the most likely scenario after Morsy's removal would be for the military to take over until a presidential assembly drafted a new constitution.
In another meeting on Tuesday in Ismailia with activists from the Suez Canal region, Alayli said the 30 June demonstrations should break out across every Egyptian province.
Conference participants stressed protests would remain peaceful, meanwhile condemning what they called “Brotherhood intimidation and threats towards peaceful protesters.”
Activists urged state authorities to protect demonstrators from Islamist violence, accusing President Morsy of attempting to harness state apparatus to serve the aims of the Brotherhood.
Muslim Brotherhood members would not take to the streets on 30 June unless protests reached party headquarters and branch offices, a Brotherhood spokesperson said earlier this week.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
