Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has called for the United States authorities and all parties to exercise restraint amid intensified protests over the killing of a black American teenager in the Missouri town of Ferguson.
In a statement, the spokesperson of Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs echoed earlier calls by the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to exercise “restraint and respect for the right of assembly and peaceful expression of opinion,” adding that Egypt is closely following the “mounting protests” in Ferguson.
Referring to the Secretary General’s statements, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs added that protests, which erupted after 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot by a police officer in Ferguson, should be dealt with by authorities “according to American and international standards.”
The statement also quoted the Secretary-General, urging a full investigation to reveal the ‘full light on the killing of the American teenager’ in order to achieve justice.
The latest statement by Egypt echoes similar statements by the United States calling on Egyptian authorities to exercise restraint and to respect the right of people to freely and peacefully assemble.
Egypt’s relationship with the United States has been strained since the ouster of deposed President Mohammed Morsi. The US, which has unofficially considered Egypt’s ousting of Morsi as a coup, had temporarily frozen military aid to Egypt in protest to ‘an undemocratic’ atmosphere.
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi recently rejected an invitation to attend the first US-African Summit in Washington DC, held earlier this month. The newly elected President, who was only invited three weeks before the event, sent Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb in his place.
Protests escalate in Ferguson
Amid escalating tensions, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon had declared a state of emergency and a curfew in Ferguson, deploying the National Guard to assist with the lifting of the curfew on Monday.
US police have arrested at least 31 during the latest night of angry protests in the town of Ferguson. Police and protesters have clashed on multiple occasions, with heavily armed police forces firing tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the protesters.
Police Captain Ron Johnson defended the police’s use of tear gas, stating that officers were attacked with Molotov cocktails and bottles.
However, activists have condemned police tactics in Ferguson as ‘aggressive.’ At least three journalists have been detained in the past week by police while covering the demonstrations.
“The US can’t tell other countries to improve their records on policing and peaceful assembly if it won’t clean up its own human rights record,” tweeted Amnesty International in a strong condemnation of the response towards the demonstrations in Ferguson.
US President Obama meanwhile stated that he is closely following the “passions and anger” provoked by the killing of Mr Brown, adding that there is a “gulf of mistrust” between locals and law enforcement.
Comments (11)
Smart move by Egyptian govt. and a good ‘snub’
The Egyptian government is contradicting itself. After what happened in Raba Square and the arrested reporters, i don’t think Egypt can make any call regarding violence against protests. They’re just making Egypt look stupid, a civilization that’s been there for thousands of years cannot make those small mistakes, following these demands that they have for the worldwide protest in your country is your first priority, not giving advise regarding other countries. Egypt has a lot of options to become a first world country, it’s just the minds that needs to be changed. I saw a video about an engineer talking bravely in front of the Mayor in Cairo regarding Mustafa El-Nahas, and the guards just shoved him out! he was right about everything regarding the whole disaster the did to Mustafa El-Nahas rd.
By the way, I know some people may disagree with me because they support the new president, but i’m not on any side! i’m just an Egyptian who’s hoping for a decent life in his own country.
Are you sure you not on any side ? Come on!
Yes I’m sure. Supporting a person doesn’t mean that you could even back him up while he kills people, nor does it mean to let him use religion for his political income. I was against Morsi and still am, but also against Sisi as well.
I believe that Egypt will change to the best if we had a president that’s under 40 years old, that’s the only way he’ll stop living in fairy tales and start realizing the suffering of the people.
You do realize that your just repeating silly media propaganda by blaming Sisi for the killing of people in Rabaa! Thats why nobody is paying attention to what your saying nor to any of the crap international media has been spreading! Even if we assume that the people killed are so called “Peaceful Protestors”, the President of Egypt at the time was Adly Mansour, the Minister of Interior was Mohamed Ibrahim, and the Prime Minister was Elbeblawy. Elsisi was Minister of Defense during that time, and according to accounts by all international observers, the force that dispersed the Raba “Peaceful” protestors was a Police Force – the only presence of Military personal during that day was the poor old soldiers operating the tractors who had to lift tones of waste and garage left behind by the Raba “Peacful” protestors. So again, im not sure on what grounds you or media insist of claiming Elsisi killed protestors. What im sure of is that if Elsisi is gaining this much hatred from the West then the guy is actually doing the right things!
I think you misunderstood, i didn’t even relate Raba to Elsisi. When i mentioned Raba i said the government, Not Sisi specifically. Nowadays, all Egyptians have this mentality that if someone says what happened in Raba they will always say Elsisi is responsible or they will defend him without anyone saying anything about him.
All i said exactly was i’m against ElSisi and Morsi Because of what’s happening in Egypt, and if i must say, in all the years Mubarak was president, the electricity never been cut off this much.(I’m DO NOT!! support Mubarak, just making a point.)
To Bassam Metwally – “After what happened in Raba Square and the arrested reporters, i don’t think Egypt can make any call regarding violence against protests.” If we were to apply your statement as international standard than NO state should ever make any statements about anything anywhere as they all have their negative records. Especially the US should hang their heads in shame and be quiet. Not only do they actively meddle in every State’s internal affairs, back every dictator in the book as long as he serves the interests of the US and/or Israel, support the killing of the Palestinian in Gaza, have the very black stain of Guantanamo, invade countries at whim if there’s something the US wants, etc. … but they also neglect (and that’s a nice term I use) their very own citizens. Just check out what they still do today to the Native Americans for a start.
Your remark though “… in all the years Mubarak was president, the electricity never been cut off this much.” shows that you obviously are a person who is gullible and very easy to manipulate. In 2008 – this was under Mubarak’s regime, was it not???? – there was a report published extensively outlining exactly the situation we have today with all the power cuts!! Not only did the report specify the energy shortage we face today but much more important it specified in detail the havoc the deep seated corruption did to our power supply network. For decades there was practically no real maintenance – just patch work here and there. For decades the modernization of the power stations and sub-stations had been neglected; one big power plant was built for an exorbitant amount of money but way below the technical specifications, it was accepted nevertheless and after a short life it all collapsed never to be operated again.
Now – who did you say is to blame for the enormous power cuts we have today??
You people are just funny – you dispose a dictator who knowingly, willingly and systematically destroyed together with his cronies not only a country but its people too and if not everything after his disposal runs smoothly … you blame the new guy for the neglect of decades and praise the one who’s responsible for having destroyed Egypt! Go figure – I’ll never understand.
Give Pres Sissi a chance, support him and his government but be vigilant. Hold the new government accountable and demand “checks and balances”. Stop supporting corruption as it is a deadly cancer to every society, participate in the political life, make informed decisions and help rebuild the country so Egypt can raise one more time like the Phoenix from the ashes. We all should be active in public life and not just sit in our arm chairs and complain. That way never ever does anything get done!
Go Egypt go!!!!
That’s what’s needed and not hanging on to a dictator in nostalgia and because the new start is very difficult.
Not like there were any contenders … Egypt has to come up with some good new presidents for the future hope there are some that will show some interest and have the ability to be a good president. It is not an easy job.