Morsi using Ethiopia dam crisis to boost popularity: 'Rebel'

Ahram Online , Tuesday 11 Jun 2013

Opposition campaign group dismisses President Morsi's calls for unity over Ethiopia dam crisis, vows to launch mass protests on election anniversary

Rebel Campaign
Campaigners sign confidence-withdrawal forms (Photo: Al-Ahram Arabic-language news website)

President Mohamed Morsi should put aside the Renaissance Dam crisis and concentrate on the 30 June crisis, Rebel campaign spokesperson Mahmoud Badr said in a statement on Monday, in reference to mass protests planned for the anniversary of Morsi's inauguration.

The president's speech on Monday calling for "national reconciliation" over Nile dam issue is an effort to distract the people's attention from other problems, Badr added.

The president should resign, Badr insisted.

'Rebel' campaign central committee member Mohamed Abdel-Aziz said,“Morsi and his people are worried. They fear the popular support of the Rebel campaign and our will to mobilise on 30 June to bring down the president.”

“Morsi is using the Nile water crisis to combat his loss of popularity, people’s anger towards him and the opposition’s boycott [of his calls for dialogue],” Abdel-Aziz added.

At a conference on Monday organised by Islamist forces to discuss the issue, Morsi said, "The country demands that we stand united."

The 'Rebel' campaign was launched in May to "withdraw confidence" from President Morsi by collecting 15 million signatures by the anniversary of his inauguration on 30 June, topping the number of votes he won in the election. The campaign announced on 29 May that it has collected seven million signatures.

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