Protest Interrupts Speech of Egyptian Finance Minister and Calls for “No More Business as Usual” with the Egyptian Military Regime
The Egyptian military government is one that US corporations should not do business with: “No more business as usual.” That was the message of a CODE PINK protest inside and outside of the US Chamber of Commerce when the Egyptian Finance Minister, Hany Kadry Dimian, was speaking.
CODE PINK described the Egyptian government as the “Egyptian Junta” and expressed their solidarity with Egyptian people who want real democracy not a military dictatorship. Since the military took over in July 2013 over 2,000 people have been killed who have protested the government; and 16,000 protesters have been imprisoned. On May 24th an Egyptian court sentenced 529 supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood to death for their alleged role in the killing of a policeman. The Guardian reports they were convicted after just two court sessions, most in absentia and without being allowed to present a defense. Egyptian prisons are bursting with political prisoners who are packed up to 40 to a cell and are routinely beaten. The thousands of political activists rounded up in the past eight months consist largely of members of the Muslim Brotherhood, but include secular revolutionary activists as well as journalists.
The Obama administration has been muted in its criticism of the Sisi regime, many think the US aided his rise to power. Secretary of State John Kerry has said Egypt is a “vital partner to the United States and the region” and described the US-Egypt relationship as a partnership. Last November, the day before the trial against former President Morsi was scheduled to begin, Kerry said the democratic roadmap was “being carried out to the best of our conceptions.”
Outside the Chamber of Commerce CODE PINK mocked General Sisi, the dictator of Egypt, who recently resigned his position in the military to run for president in an election that very few will be legitimate. CODE PINK has reported their protest on the twitter handle for the election of Sisi: #VoteForThePimp