While squares are crowded with both supporters and opponents of the constitution and the constitutional declaration, groups of youth have gone through villages and offices to educate ordinary people about the meaning behind the constitution’s articles and the importance of voter participation.
While squares are crowded with both supporters and opponents of the constitution and the constitutional declaration, groups of youth have gone through villages and offices to educate ordinary people about the meaning behind the constitution’s articles and the importance of voter participation.
In Khattara village, Naqada District (Southern Qena), a campaign has been launched in cooperation between the Rowad Association and the Independent Rights and freedoms Committee, entitled “Know Your Constitution!” Separate from any initiative organized by the Constituent Assembly, this campaign moves over villages and offices, explaining the constitution’s articles and responds to inquiries about the constitution’s weaknesses and strengths.
“The Campaign aims at neutrally explaining the constitution without pushing citizens into a certain orientation or position,” said Muhammad Orabi, the Campaign Coordinator. “A wide variety of presentation and explanation tools are used; printed materials, banners, and data shows installed in squares and youth centers.”
Every day, the campaign holds seminars in a village and a popular meeting in one of the youth centers, to which a large number of youth centers figures at the level of the governorate; civil societies are invited. “Such activities aim at impartially explaining different viewpoints, without affecting decisions of citizens,” Orabi added.
Educational campaigns
Gamal Muhsen, a participant in a seminar held by the campaign said he attended the activity to know the truth after he said he felt largely disturbed by the analyses and discussions of the constitution on TV channels, each adopting a position siding with a certain party. “I’ll need a long period of time to comprehend the constitution articles,” he said.
Shamaa Ramadan has a different opinion about the constitution and decided to vote against it. She says it does not serve all society segments alike and does not address simple women and their usurped rights. “Some of its articles are intended to serve a certain current,” she said, which she said caused her to lose her trust in it.
Opposing campaigns
Revolutionary forces, on the other hand, have organized of “Your Constitution is Null and Void!” explaining the constitution’s controversial articles and weaknesses, and attempting to convince citizens to vote no.
Abdullah Matouk, the Campaign Coordinator, suggests that the campaign aims at revoking the new constitution by voting ‘no’ in the referendum, saying it has many flaws.
Posters placarded on walls of crowded centers like at the university, large coffee houses and clubs were also referred to by Matouk. Written on these posters was either the campaign’s title, or the constitution’s flaws, as perceived by the campaign.
In Qena, there is also the “Knock Doors!” Campaign, which aims at introducing the negative aspects of the constitution. Political activist Gamal Farid, member of the Nasserist Party in Qena, said: “The campaign is not anti-Sharia’ as some try to promote among ordinary people. We stand for Islam, the religion of tolerance, freedom, justice and equality, but we are against the bad image some try to promote about Islam, which depicts it as a religion of violence. Where was Sharia when the blood of their Muslim Brothers were shed in front of the presidential palace? And where was it when they attacked their brothers?” Coffee houses and public areas are the focus points of the campaign, while all people are its audience, as Farid said.
Differing opinions
Ahmad Muhammad Hussein, a doctor at Khattara Healthcare Unit said that while reading the constitution, articles about judging citizens before military courts, which he refuses, drew his attention. “No matter the situation, citizens should be judged by competent judges.” Other than that, however, he considers the constitution very good, and finds 70% of it acceptable, saying “I will vote ‘yes’.”
Hisham Muhammad, a teacher who is also known as Haikal, shares the same position as Hussein since all he really wants is a stable country, despite having reservations about the articles defining the president’s authorities. He stresses that some articles need more explanation so that they are not misinterpreted.
Amna Syaed, an elderly woman, says she knows nothing about the constitution as it is different from that of her time, but she certainly knows what will result from it. “If it is in favor of the poor, I will vote yes; otherwise, I will vote no,” she explained.
At the level of public institutions, Qena Culture Centre organizes seminars entitled “The Constitution … Communal Dialogue”, in which some articles are read and discussed by all attendants, including a large number of activists and those concerned with national political affairs.
