Egyptian Researcher Magdi Hammad Criticizes Egyptian President And Constitution

Magdi Hammad, a former researcher with the Arab League criticized Egyptian President Husni Mubark's regime in an interview with Leanese channel, New TV. Following are excerpts:

Magdi Hammad: The principle elements in any real change in Egypt are first and foremost changing the authorities of the president, because in the current Egyptian regime, according to the 1971 constitution, the president stands above the nation, above the constitution, and above the law, and in the recent scenario of [Mubarak's] illness, the president also stands above all flesh and blood.

The Egyptian street, at the end of the day, sees the ruler as a god. This has been the situation ever since Pharaoh secured the Nile waters. Any ruler who secures the river's waters is considered a god. [The people] unite with this god and agree to accept anything from it.

Moderator: It seems as though these are hereditary genes...

Magdi Hammad: Yes, some of them? There are hereditary genes in the way the Egyptian people views Pharaoh, the president, or the former king. Exactly, and it unites with it.

The president of the republic is above mistakes. Only others make mistakes. If a mistake occurs, he may take any measures he wishes. Meaning, he can get rid of the entire country, revolutionize the regime and bring over his supporters and collaborators.

Moderator: According to what he sees fit?

Magdi Hammad: According to what he sees fit. And what does this mean? That the president is above the constitution, and above the law, and the texts are elastic and meaningless. Take, for example, the term, "national unity." Who determines whether or not a certain person threatens national unity? What if the president himself thwarts the functioning of the institutions?

There are signs that the constitution is a crisis constitution. It has created a bizarre hybrid. Imagine an American regime without a congress, a Soviet regime without a party, and a British regime without a prime minister. It is high time we got rid of this hybrid.