NY Times Editorial: …….The army is under fire at home for holding back the democratic tide, abusing civilians even more than Mr. Mubarak and failing to govern effectively, so it is using America as a scapegoat. The confrontation is poisoning relations with a key ally at a time when Egypt needs all the friends it can get. It is diverting attention from solving the country’s profoundly serious problems: continued political turmoil and looming economic meltdown.
On Dec. 29, security forces raided as many as nine nongovernmental groups in Cairo, including three American-financed democracy-building groups — the International Republican Institute, the National Democratic Institute and Freedom House. Employees were hauled in for questioning in a bogus criminal investigation.
Since then, 43 foreign and local activists — including Sam LaHood, son of the transportation secretary, and 18 other Americans — were barred from leaving Egypt and their cases referred to a criminal court. On Wednesday, one judge overseeing the probe vaguely outlined some charges. The Obama administration and Congress have rightly warned that aid may be cut because Egypt doesn’t meet pro-democracy conditions in United States law.
Categories: Africa, Egypt, Human Rights, Human values
The way these ‘investigations’ were done may not be quite correct, however, that a country should not let every foreign Tom, Dick and Harry do whatever they like in the country is also correct. NGOs should get their projects approved and their presence as well before work is carried out. Projects should be within the priority of the host government.