Egypt must pull back from dangerous violence

A dangerous situation is building up in Egypt as the opposition continues to use violence on a regular basis, making murder and mayhem an expected part of its stance against the government. Last weekend, dozens of people were killed when thousands of supporters of ousted Islamist president Mohammad Mursi fought with security forces in Cairo in the most intense violence in several weeks. In the past two days, at least 10 Egyptian soldiers and police officers have been killed in two attacks in southern Sinai and Ismailiya, while a rocket attack was launched on the government-run satellite station in Cairo.

This is not the way Egypt has traditionally managed its politics and the continuing violence is a danger on several fronts. It is introducing a new and polarising force into Egypt’s traditionally more negotiated and discussive politics. There has been a long history of repression, but opposition did not spill into tens of people being killed every day, which builds a cult of martyrs and resentments that will last for generations.

There has been a distinct difference between Islamists like the Muslim Brotherhood that would work with social and political forces and the radical Islamists that attacked tourists in the 1990s and assassinated president Anwar Sadat in 1981. However, last month’s government ban on the Brotherhood, and the Brotherhood’s decision to resist the government to the point of violence has blurred the distinction between the constitutional and radical strands of Islamist politics.

It does not help that the government is willing to use harsh methods to maintain security. The government should instead look at how to regain the participation of the Islamist movement in normal politics. It should stick to its promise to draft a new inclusive constitution and use that success to break the developing cycle of violence and move forward. Such a success will put the Brotherhood on the back foot and force them to reconsider their total rejection of ongoing political life in Egypt.