#socialistworker

January 30, 2013

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On January 27, Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi declared a state of emergency and curfews for three cities along the Suez Canal--Port Said, Suez and Ismailia--after thousands of people took to the streets for explosive anti-government protests.

January 25 marked the second anniversary of the revolution that swept the hated U.S.-backed dictator Hosni Mubarak from power. The following day, a Cairo court announced death sentences for 21 soccer fans involved in a riot two years ago that turned deadly. The verdict sparked outrage because the court has yet to convict any Egyptian security personnel who sought to use the violence as a means to punish anti-government protesters.

Since the beginning of the protests, more than 50 people have been killed and many more injured, as security forces have tried to defeat the revolt. Across Egypt, protesters are comparing Morsi's declaration of emergency laws to the authoritarian regime of Hosni Mubarak that the revolution was supposed to transform. In this statement, the Revolutionary Socialists of Egypt challenge Morsi and his attempts to crush this latest wave of struggle.

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IN A speech that crossed over from threats to incitement of murder, the dictator Mohamed Morsi confronted us this evening with the ugliest of faces. In his statement, he praised the conduct of the police and the army, while their hands were still soaked with the blood of dozens of Egyptians killed and injured across the country during the past two days. These crimes were based on Morsi's directives--his instructions to protect his throne, his regime and his party.

In so declaring, Morsi initiated his war against the Egyptians and declared a state of emergency and a curfew, beginning with the heroic cities of the Suez Canal. He and his inner circle admitted that the curfew would be unenforceable, but it would become the justification for spilling even more blood and arresting thousands of demonstrators in the ensuing days. Popular anger has exploded in the three cities, where the population has come out for funerals for the martyrs.

Morsi deliberately overlooks all the true reasons behind the uprising on the anniversary of the revolution, such as the lack of justice for the martyrs. Morsi had previously declared he would provide this, but instead, he lied to deceive the nation. He ignores the absence of social justice that is the result of the policies of his own tired government. While soliciting loans from the International Monetary Fund and securing the interests of Mubarak's businessmen, he has disregarded the rise in prices for basic commodities, has failed to implement a just maximum and minimum wage, and has failed to reclaim the wealth stolen from the people.

The families of Port Said mobilized to reject the rulings of the court, whose rulings on the Constitutional Court Morsi and his brotherhood had previously questioned, fearing the issuing of a ruling against their interests and the appointment of a general prosecutor. After a meeting with a U.S. military delegation on the morning of January 29, during which he offered assurances regarding the security of the Suez Canal, Morsi and the leaders of his army received the green light from their masters in Washington to impose this collective punishment.

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BUT SUEZ, which ignited the revolution that toppled Mubarak, the revolution that--unfortunately--placed Morsi on the seat of power, will explode again. Suez and Port Said and all the cities of Egypt are a volcano of revolutionary anger, starting with the marches of thousands only minutes after your idiot speech, defying your state of emergency and your curfew, your military and your police, asserting revolutionary steadfastness.

The people will not respond to the lies of Morsi and his brotherhood by providing stability and security. The only stability that Morsi stands for is never-ending stability for his seat of power, for security to steal the wealth of the people without penalty. Just as the container ship workers, for example, struck in solidarity with the popular movement, we call upon the workers of the canal, the ports and the companies in the canal cities to go on strike. We call upon all the people of the nation to join in solidarity with the canal cities in opposing the assaults of this new Pharaoh and his Brotherhood.

We demand the youth of the parties and political groupings defy and condemn any leadership that accepts dialogue with the murdering regime under the shadow of emergency law. How can they negotiate with a regime that kills the people and threatens that worse is yet to come?

We call upon the people to work together in every street, factory and village, every mosque and church, every university and school, in order to expose this bloody regime. For this is the true battle, the true and difficult path to the change we believe in--change by the masses. It will not come via debates on satellite TV or individual adventurist violence, which damages and discourages more than it benefits.

Glory to the martyrs, victory to the revolution, power and wealth to the people.