Egypt Massacre 2013: Over One Hundred Dead In Cairo
A fresh flurry of violence has erupted in Egypt's capital, and hundreds lie dead after protesters clashed with the army. It is believed that the death toll could be significantly higher than what is currently being reported, as well.
"It's a genocide," said Dr. Yehia Makkayah, who is a medic at Rabaa hospital. "They want us to disappear from the country. I could never imagine that Egyptians would shoot Egyptians using these weapons."
The "us" Makkayah is referring to would be the Muslim Brotherhood, which first rose to international prominence during the "Arab Spring" of 2011. Nothing more than an undergound movement before that, the Brotherhood quickly rose in popularity to take democratic control of the country, culminating in the election of their presidential candidate, Mohamed Morsi.
Since Morsi was elected a year ago, the country has seen tension from within. Morsi was the first democratically elected leader of Egypt, but his appointment soon became far too controversial, as he began to quell dissent in moves his political opponents called authoritarian. Since that time, supporters of his Muslim Brotherhood have come under attack, leading to Morsi being overthrown by the Egyptian army, traditionally a secular force, on Jul. 3.
But international observers and human rights groups fear the cure may be worse than the disease and are afriad the army may be set on once again instituting an undemocratic regime, this time under the watchful eye of military leader Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Morsi himself has already been thrown in jail, as have several of his higher-level associates.
"The world is watching what is happening in Cairo. We urge the government of Egypt -- and all parties in Egypt -- to refrain from violence and resolve their differences peacefully," said White House spokesman Josh Earnest.
After Morsi was overthrown, his supporters immediately began to protest his ouster and congregated in camps throughout Cairo and the rest of Egypt. As of Wednesday, a one-month state of emergency has been declared in the country. Though the U.S. has called for a peaceful resolution to the matter, many believe they have done little to promote the democratic ideals that the U.S. normally supports.
"It is clear that the international community, by supporting the military coup (that ousted Morsi Jul. 3), and remaining silent over previous massacres instead of protecting democracy and constitutional legitimacy in Egypt, has encouraged the current administration to carry out today's intervention. The international community, especially the UN Security Council and Arab League, must act immediately to stop this massacre," observed Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in a statement.
The health ministry has officially said that 149 people were killed on Wednesday, and there are reported to be well over a thousand people injured. It was the most violent day in Egypt for decades and was a clear end to any political power that the Muslim Brotherhood may have had.