US embassy cable - 05CAIRO8546

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CAIRO 008546 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR S/ES-O AND NEA/ELA 
NSC STAFF FOR SINGH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, KDEM, EG, Parliamentary Elections 
SUBJECT: EGYPT PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS -  NOV 9 ROUND - 
SITREP #1 
 
REF: A. CAIRO 8501 
 
     B. CAIRO 8392 
     C. CAIRO 8274 
     D. CAIRO 8112 
 
Sensitive but Unclassified.  Please protect accordingly. 
 
1. (SBU) Appearing on State TV on the evening of November 8, 
President Mubarak urged citizens to excersise their right to 
vote, characterizing it as a "national duty."  On the morning 
of November 9, polls opened at 8 AM in eight of Egypt's 26 
governorates.  According to Embassy teams deployed in five 
governorates, turnout as of midday has been generally light 
in urban areas but significantly heavier in rural areas. 
There have been scattered reports of domestic election 
monitors encountering difficulties in accessing polling 
stations.  Emboff witnessed an incident at a polling station 
in rural Giza in which a group of domestic observers were 
roughed up by a much larger group of thugs, of uncertain 
affiliation.  Some more detailed snapshots from the field are 
presented below. 
 
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Snapshots from the Field 
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2. (SBU) Polls in the Central Cairo Qasr al-Nile 
constituency, where the Embassy is located, were relatively 
quiet in the mid-morning with more campaign workers than 
voters in attendance at around 9:30 AM local time.  At two of 
the stations, large banners hung promoting Muslim Brotherhood 
candidates running as independents and with the slogan, 
"Islam is the Solution."  The banners dwarfed the smaller NDP 
banners.  MB workers stood outside wearing t-shirts with the 
candidate,s image.  There were multiple posters for NDP and 
independent candidates.  Of note are the paraphernalia that 
are liberally distributed to voters and observers alike. 
 
3. (SBU) (Note: The Qasr Al Nil district, where the U.S. 
Embassy is located, features an interesting three-way race 
between the ruling party nominee Hossam Badrawy, a strong 
reform advocate and associate of Gamal Mubarak, and 
independent (NDP) candidate Hisham Mustafa Khalil, and Muslim 
Brotherhood candidate Gamal Abdel Salam. Khalil is rumored to 
be the NDP,s "true choice" even though Badrawy is the 
official party nominee. Badrawy's defeat would likely be 
interpreted as a setback for the NDP's reform camp.  End 
note.) 
 
4. (SBU) Menoufiya Governorate (in the Nile Delta northwest 
of Cairo) -- Embassy observers reported a high voter turnout 
before 10 AM local time.  Active campaigning is in force with 
car megaphones and print materials abounding.  Large numbers 
of banners are strewn everywhere, even along small dirt 
roads.  MB banners are prevalent.  There is a large presence 
of riot police ) 10 large trucks and officers in full riot 
gear although there has been no sign of unrest.  At least one 
candidate's banner has been sighted using the forbidden term 
of 'General' as a professional title, Ali Shawky Miqlud. 
Poloff received a call from a local observer from the NCME, 
National Campaign for Monitoring Elections in the town of 
Betanoun who noted that voters are using ink pads rather than 
dipping their thumbs in the required ink. 
 
5. (SBU) In Qawaz, a rural constituency in Giza province, 
emboff witnessed a group of 30-50 thugs, of uncertain 
identity, attack a group of domestic observers attempting to 
access a polling station.  The observers were violently 
jostled and shoved, emboff did not stay to witness the 
outcome - an observer affiliated with the group told emboff 
just before this incident that he had been roughed up at 
another 
 
6. (SBU) Zeitoun Constituency -- Embassy observers reported 
heavy voter turnout from Zeitoun, (35 KM north of Beni Suef). 
 The obvious front runner is Zakaria Azmy (the President,s 
Chief of Staff).  Some Muslim Brotherhood banners were also 
hung on the wall of the polling station.  At the station, 10 
transparent ballot boxes were in use and voters were dipping 
their thumbs in ink.  Security was low key. 
 
7. (SBU) Shubra, in the northern suburbs of Cairo ) Embassy 
observer reported low turnout, orderly scenes at polling 
stations, and a heavy presence of MB campaign workers several 
of whom described themselves as "monitors" affiliated with 
the MB,s "Sawasiya Center for Human Rights." Banners from 
ruling NDP candidates coexisted with multiple banners from 
various opposition candidates, including MB candidates.  At 
one Shubra polling site, MB "monitors" told us the station 
had no ink.  The MB "monitors" went out and bought their own 
at a stationary store and supplied it to the electoral 
officials inside, where it was being used.  They noted they 
were unsure how to make the ink "phosphorescent" in 
conformity with national election standards. 
 
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Press Guidance 
-------------- 
 
8. (SBU) As polling stations will still be open in Egypt at 
the time of the noon press briefing, we recommend any 
official remarks on the elections be brief, possibly along 
the following lines: 
 
Begin text 
 
Egypt's parliamentary elections, which opened today, are 
another step on Egypt's path toward democratic reform. 
President Mubarak has encouraged the Egyptian people to 
increase their participation in public life, as an essential 
step toward a fully democratic Egypt.  We support this goal. 
We have been following closely today's voting, and we will 
continue to do so during the two subsequent rounds and any 
runoffs. 
 
End text. 
 
 
RICCIARDONE