رسالة للسيدة كاثرون آشتون مسؤولة السياسة الخارجية فى الاتحاد الأوروبي /من توكل ك

Dear Mrs. Catherine Ashton High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs & Security Policy

First of all, let me thank you for supporting the democratic transformations in the Arab Spring countries. With great interest and appreciation, I have followed up your visit to Egypt and your great efforts to ensure partnership and consensus in the administration of Egypt based on satisfaction and not on coercion and exclusion during this critical period in the history of Egypt.

Dear: When the Arab Spring revolutions broke out, we were hoping, as youth change, to end the ages of tyranny, corruption and the contempt for the principles of citizenship and democracy. We have worked, since the fall of the tyrant regimes, towards fighting the old policies of elimination and marginalization. Gradually, an unfair game has manifested against the Arab spring fed by local, regional, and international parties that don’t welcome democracy and human rights. The Syrian revolution was then dragged into the circle of an armed struggle instead of the peaceful revolution whose results were guaranteed. Other countries like Yemen, Libya and Tunisia were kept busy with marginal issues that diverted them from democratic transformation. In Egypt, the world witnessed how the first civilian elected president who was brought to office through fair elections was overthrown under weak pretexts. What is ironic is that the roadmap drawn by the coup leaders to revive democracy was followed by a slew of policies and procedures that are only conducive to dictatorship and exclusion.

I find it necessary for every person who claims to be defending the principles of democracy and the people’s right to select their rulers to clearly declare their rejection of the coup, oppressive practices and the confiscation of rights and violation of the simplest forms of equity in Egypt. The risks of this coup transcend the issue of deposing a person to the society’s losing its faith in the democratic process which gives the terrorist organizations a chance to come to life again. We can’t allow this sense of disappointment in democracy to grow. This is very terrifying. In addition, any setback will lead to rupturing the societal tissue with all the ensuing waves of displacement and irregular migration. Several experiences have proved that the absence of democracy affects peace building. Hence, it is imperative to push the democratic change forward and not allow the return of the state terrorism and violation of rights and freedoms.

I am very confident that the European Union has the power to influence and exert pressure on the coup government to secure the immediate return to the democratic track and ensure that the basic freedoms remain untouched, the right of peaceful demonstration, expression and assembly is protected. I call upon you to use your influence to end the serious and growing regression in rights and freedoms and across the January revolution gains as a result of the coup policies. We are watching the situation closely and await for the EU to have an effective and constructive role in siding with the values of freedom and democracy.

Yours Sincerely, Tawakkol Karman Nobel Peace Prize Laureate