ElBaradei Hopes Islamist Sit-ins End Before Eid

Egypt’s Vice President for Foreign Affairs Mohamed ElBaradei has said that he hopes the sit-ins by supporters of deposed president Mohamed Morsi will “end or be scaled  down” by the end of the week.

“I hope the issue is dealt with before the Eid,” ElBaradei said in an interview with pan-Arab daily MENA news agency on Tuesday.

The Islamic festival of Eid Al-Fitr will start on Thursday and last for three days. The festival marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.

ElBaradei said that are “intensive efforts” to end the large pro-Morsi sit-ins, led by the Muslim Brotherhood, at Rabaa Al-Adawiya Mosque in Cairo’s Nasr City district and at Al-Nahda Square in Giza.

Last week there was speculation that the sit-ins, which have been in place for several weeks, would be forcibly dispersed by security forces after the cabinet authorized the interior ministry to do so, but no action has been taken so far. Instead, the interior ministry has issued several statements calling on demonstrators to leave and guaranteeing those that are not guilty of crimes a “safe exit.”

“This situation cannot continue as this is not a peaceful sit-in,” ElBaradei said. “The state cannot allow any group, whether they have legitimate demands of not, to use violence.”

ElBaradei cited international and interior ministry reports on incidents of torture inside the sit-ins that have killed at least nine people.

However, recently discussions have been ongoing on alternatives to forcibly disperse the sit-ins.

ElBaradei argued that the state is working to end the situation “peacefully” and will seek “controlled” violence only as a last resort.

“We need to protect everyone’s life…and avoid as much as possible deaths and injuries,” he said.

ElBaradei has been widely criticized recently by the Egyptian media and some political figures for his refusal to back forced dispersal of the sit-ins.

In a post on his official Twitter account on Tuesday he said: “It seems my work to prevent Egypt from slipping into a cycle of violence does not reach governmental newspapers, but only articles about ‘dangers’ I pose for the people and state. We face a long and difficult path.”

He told Al-Sharq Al-Awsat that he is aware that the public sentiment is in favor of “crushing the Brotherhood.” However, he argued that this is not a solution, adding that the Brotherhood are “part of the Egyptian people” who should be guaranteed freedom and dignity like everyone else.

“If we succeed in making these sit-ins peaceful and limited to a location without the demonstrators taking to surrounding streets repeatedly, we will then start discussing with the Brotherhood how to include them in political life,” he said.

He also spoke of the transitional period, saying that the Brotherhood have to realize that there is “no way back” and that the people demanded a change in government.

Morsi, who hails from the Brotherhood, was deposed by the army on 3 July amid mass nationwide protests against him. Since his ouster, his supporters have been protesting against what they describe as a “military coup” against Egypt’s first democratically-elected president.

Supporters of the president and his opponents or security forces have clashed numerous times in recent weeks, leaving about 200 civilians dead and hundreds injured.