Violence Overshadows Egypt Vote

07/12/2005| IslamWeb

At least four people have been killed in poll violence in the final round of month-long Egyptian parliamentary elections, with polling again plagued by violations that have drawn US condemnation.

The four were killed on Wednesday during clashes that erupted when police attempted to prevent voters from casting ballots in the Damietta governorate, Aljazeera's correspondent in Egypt reported.

Of the four, two were Muslim Brotherhood supporters, said an organisation spokesman.

A third man was killed in the village of al-Khiyata, near the Mediterranean city of Damietta, when police fired live rounds, said the independent Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights.

Another person died of injuries sustained when he was shot by security forces in front of a polling centre in al-Sharqiya governorate, Aljazeera said.

There was no immediate comment from the Interior Ministry, which has previously denied using live rounds against voters.

If the four deaths are confirmed, it will bring to seven the number of Egyptians killed in election-related violence since the polls kicked off on 9 November.

Concerns

Scores of polling stations were sealed off by police, especially in areas where candidates representing the banned Muslim Brotherhood were contesting the final runoffs. 

The US State Department voiced its concern on Tuesday over the electoral abuses, charging that they sent "the wrong signal about Egypt's commitment to democracy and freedom."

The Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights reported that 355 polling stations had been closed.

"EOHR expresses deep concern over the continued closure by security of many polling stations, barring access to voters and candidates," it said in a statement.

"Only NDP supporters have been allowed to enter polling stations using their party IDs," it said, referring to the ruling National Democratic Party of President Hosni Mubarak.

Gains

The Muslim Brotherhood made spectacular gains in the first two phases.

It has already secured 76 seats in the People's Assembly, nearly five times its 2000 tally.

It hopes to reach the 100-seat mark in the run-offs in 121 seats on Wednesday.

It complained after failing to win any seats outright in last week's round that the NDP had rigged the results.

The two-thirds majority of the NDP is not at risk, as many of Wednesday's runoffs are contested by two members of the party.

So far, only four women and one Coptic Christian have won seats.

PHOTO CAPTION

A supporter of Egypt's government, armed with a machete, stands along with others at the site where clashes between supporters of the government and supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood broke out in Zagazig 80 kilometers (50 miles) northeast of Cairo, Egypt, Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2005. (AP)