20

What Happened in the Parliamentary Elections 2005?
Who will defend farmers rights inside the Egyptian parliament?

This report is considered issue no. 20 of LCHR's Civil Society series. It tries to evaluate the results of the last parliamentary elections that have happened in November/December 2005 that have ended with unexpected results, like the winning of the Muslim Brothers with 88 chairs. The report is an attempt to present LCHR's view through its' following to some rural constituencies, trying to answer some important questions, like who will defend farmers rights inside the Egyptian parliament? Who will protect citizens rights in health, economic, social and educational care, especially their rights in suitable working opportunities, safe land possession and decent living?
The report tries to undertake the composition of the new parliament, as the majority of its' members are businessmen and people who own large areas of agrarian lands. These people are from a totally different social classes, how could they defend and protect the interests and rights of poor groups and producers like "farmers, workers and people with low incomes"?
In the First Section, the report tries to present the political, economic and social scenario in Egypt during the year 2005, starting from the unexpected rise of the Muslim Brothers and obtaining 20.4% of the parliamentary chairs, in addition to dominating some professional syndicates and some CSOs. This section also presents the problems that Egyptian political parties face. This section also undertakes the risks of the continue in working with the emergency law, some exceptional laws and the continue of imprisoning thousands of people without any court rulings issued against them, which lead to the mistrust of citizens in the reform presented by the government. This section also undertakes the conditions of the economic and social rights in Egypt in 2005.
In the Second Section, the report tries to present the legal background of the las parliamentary elections, starting with the amendment of clause no. 76 of the Egyptian constitution to form a supervising judicial committee on the elections, and the amendments to the law of practicing political rights no. 173 for the year 2005 that has organized the last parliamentary elections. In addition to presenting the most important remarks and notes on the performance and role of the supervising judicial committee on the elections, as it is considered a consultative committee, its' only role is to provide opinions, suggestions and discussing some decisions of the execution authority.
In the Third Section, the report tries to present some of the violations that have happened in the last parliamentary elections in some constituencies followed up by the LCHR especially in the countryside, like the security interferences, using some of the state foundations in publicizing candidates of the national party, bribing voters … etc. this section also discusses some of the farmers reasons for participating in the voting process, like support provided by a family to its' candidate, courtesy or fear from powerful and rich people … etc, and that maybe goes back to the absence of farmer organizations or farmer representatives inside the Egyptian decision making authority.
In the Fourth Section, the report presents the social structure of the current members of the people's council, considering tat the majority of these members are rich and powerful people. This section also undertakes the view of the Muslim Brothers and their position and attitude of trade agreements that they must ratify when in the people's council, and their position of the economic and social rights. The report shows that there aren't any contradictions between the view of the Muslim Brothers and the government's economic, social and political programs, in addition to presenting their views about women, Copts and culture.
In the Fifth Section, the report presents some recommendations that could support the democratic transformation process, support farmers rights in political participation and guarantee them decent living. The most important of these recommendations are:
· Punishing all of those responsible of the death of some citizens and endangering the lives and safety of some judges and representatives of CSOs, in addition to punishing all of those who have violated he laws, especially in the last parliamentary elections.
· Implementing a new voting system, which will be done by the ID card's local number without the need for electoral cards. In addition to the necessity of using modern technology in preparing the electoral tables and rolls, and the necessity of sorting (counting) the electoral boxes inside the headquarters of the branch committees, and announcing the result of every box in the general committee by the head of the branch committee.
· Amending the laws of the electoral system in a way that guarantees the strengthening and participation of all political parties and forces, in addition to canceling the emergency law and all freedom restrictive and limitative laws, releasing all detainees and guaranteeing citizens rights in gathering, organizing, striking and freedom in establishing political parties and associations.
· Supporting the fair representation of women inside the parliamentary and local councils, so that the memberships in these councils include no less than 20% of women.
· Providing full judiciary supervision on the electoral process from the beginning to the end, and activating the role of the supervising committee so that it consists of Egyptian nongovernmental elected citizens who provide more than consultation.
· Enabling Egyptians living abroad to vote in these elections, by forming special electoral committees inside the Egyptian embassies and consulates, so tat these people could practice their right in participation.
· Issuing a legislation that guarantee farmers rights in safe land possession and decent living, in addition to provide them and their families with social, health and educational care and solving their problems with agriculture and irrigation for the advancement of the Egyptian countryside.
This report will be distributed to our mailing list after finishing its' translation.