Egypt Opposition Backs “No” Vote in Referendum

Egypt’s opposition has rallied its supporters to vote against the draft constitution backed by President Mohammed Morsi and his supporters in the likely referendum, terming it too Islamist.

Late last month President Morsi passed a decree that gave him new sweeping powers, sparking violent mass protests throughout the country, prompting deployment of military around the presidential palace.

Though he last week annulled the November 22 order, some ruling of the controversial decree, which stripped the judiciary of any right to challenge his decisions still stand and the opposition have dismissed the concession to be political pretense

The opposition National Salvation Front on Wednesday called on its supporters “to go to polling stations to refuse the proposed constitution and to vote “no”, however it said it could still call a boycott if its demand for the ballot were not met.

No clear date has been set for the referendum, with some government sources reporting it could be held over two days, while others say on Saturday. Situation in the country is already confusing over fate of the vote amid the several conditions the opposition has imposed that could prove impossible for the government to meet.

The opposition demand for a judicial oversight of voting, monitoring by both local and international NGOs, sufficient security, voting on single day and detailed results announced once counting is complete.

Hamdeen Sabbahi, a key figure in the opposition told a news conference that the front would still boycott the vote if key conditions were not met. "If these guarantees aren't in place by the day of the referendum on Saturday, we will withdraw from it," he said.

However voting has already begun in Egyptian embassies and consulates abroad but there is still much confusion over the domestic vote over the date, as thousands of judges have already refused to take part.

Elsewhere a national unity meeting planned for Wednesday by the military was postponed to unspecified later date because reactions to it were not at the level wished for, even after the opposition had made it known that it would take part.

On Tuesday protesters both for and against the proposed constitution took to the streets of the capital, Cairo to rally for their courses, though the situation was described calm by Wednesday. 

Army tanks remain deployed outside the presidential palace, as opposition supporters stay camped, with tents pitched at the symbolic Tahrir Square in the capital that was assembly point in last year’s uprising ending President Hosni Mubarak’s rule.

Bamako, Mali

Mali President Names New Premier

Mali’s interim President Dioncounda Traore has named a new prime minister to replace Modibo Diarra who resigned over mounting pressure by the military officers who lead the March coup.

President Traore appointed Diango Sissoko, a long-serving civil servant on Tuesday after Diarra had announced his step-down that was relayed on state television, following his arrest as he tried to leave the country to France.

A spokesman for the former coup leaders, Bakary Mariko said Diarra’s resignation was not a new coup d'etat but follows his arrest as he tried to flee the country after “inciting trouble” and was put under house arrest.

A band of military officers led by Captain Amadou Sanogo outsted President President Amadou Toumani Tourein March 21, over what they claim was in response to the government’s inability to suppress the Tuareg-led rebellion that had launched an uprising seeking autonomy of northern region.

Diarra had served as interim prime minister since April when the military handed back power to civilians. His arrest on account of incitement follows last weekend’s demonstration he organised calling for a UN resolution to back a military intervention planned by African Union (AU), which the former coup leaders strongly oppose.

The UN Security Council has condemned his arrest and renewed its threat to impose sanctions against those obstructing “constitutional order”, saying the action flouts repeated UN calls for the Malian military to stop interfering in the country’s transition.

The council added that it’s “committed to ensuring as soon as possible the deployment of an African-led international support mission in Mali.”

Last week the United Nation recommended a conditional one-year mission by the African Union in Mali, but negotiations have been prolonged following US opposition to sending just an African force in the West African state. France, Mali’s former colonial master is drawing up a resolution that would mandate an international force to supplement the AU plan that was drawn by regional bloc, ECOWAS.

AU has been seeking endorsement of its mission in Mali, mainly led by ECOWAS that had proposed of a 3,300-strong force deployed to northern Mali, setting also for potential training of about 5,000 Malian troops.

Mr. Sissoko told the AFP news agency that he wants to create a government of national unity, with his priorities being “to regain control of the north from Islamists and organise a general election.”

The interim president said a new government would be in place by the end of next week.

Islamist groups and Tuareg rebels seized control of the northern region after Mali's president was overthrown in March, raising fears of the risks extremists pose in the region and beyond.

The secular separatists have since been sidelined by the Islamists, who had little interest in their aspirations for independence of the region which they refer to as state of Azawad, and set about imposing their version of strict sharia law that saw destruction of ancient shrines in Timbuktu, sparking an international outcry.