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Ziad Jaber / NBC News
A government official checks voter ID cards outside a polling station near Cairo, Egypt, on Saturday.
CAIRO -- People across Egypt headed to the polls on Saturday for the second and final round of voting on the country’s controversial Islamist-backed constitution. We visited the Jazeera National School in Giza, minutes from downtown Cairo, where dozens of men and women, young and old turned out to cast their ballots.
With armed soldiers guarding the doors, voters lined up at the school’s two polling places, some flashing “V for Victory” symbols towards our cameras as they stood in line. But while the process appeared to carry on smoothly, the opinions of those we spoke to left little indication if the outcome of today’s referendum will signal an end to the recent political turmoil the country has found itself in.
On Friday, supporters and opponents of President Mohammad Morsi clashed in Alexandria, Egypt’s second largest city, leaving more than 60 people injured.
That didn’t seem to faze Mohammad Abdel Hameed, who voted “Yes” at the school, accompanied by his young son. “I can count the number of people who don’t approve of this constitution with one hand,” he said. “Those in Alexandria, and Tahrir Square. That’s it.” He hoped passing the referendum would lead to economic and scientific prosperity under Morsi’s leadership. “Everything I’ve read in this constitution, from the first round of voting till now, it’s all great. There’s nothing bad for any Muslims, Christians or Jews. I wish people would take the opportunity to understand this constitution.”
Ziad Jaber / NBC News
Ahmad Hussein
Ahmad Hussein echoed his sentiment. “For the first time in Egypt’s history, the constitution explicitly calls for the freedom of religion for Christians and Jews. The Islamist constitution provides those protections,” he said. Hussein argued that opponents of Morsi and the document were simply looking to destabilize the nation. “[The opposition] wants to sabotage the current of political Islam by any means. They want to disrupt the country politically and economically, in addition to its security,” he said. “Dr. Morsi told them to join the discussion about the points they find controversial to solve this issue and they said ‘No!’. What’s wrong with this constitution? Even if there are some sticking points, let’s resolve them.”
Related: Egypt VP quits as vote held
Inside the school’s second polling place, dozens of women -- many donned in traditional hijab and niqab -- packed the polling booths, checking “Yes” or “No” in circles on the ballot. As they emerged one by one into the school yard, many seemed pleased to show off their purple finger prints, markers now ubiquitous with voting in the region.
Nuha Yemeni, a psychologist, and her mother Um Aziza showed off their ink outside the school. “We all voted 'No', we’re with Team 'No',” Yemeni said, laughing as she explained her reservations about the constitution. “Even if it passes, we hope there can be amendments within the parliament,” she said. “I want Egypt to be a calm country, a real democracy. In this moment, I can’t realize the future…with the Ikhwan [Arabic for Muslim Brotherhood], I don’t know what will happen tomorrow.”
That's also why Aziza voted no. “This is our country…our country is gone,” added Aziza. “God protect it. We’re lost.”
Ziad Jaber / NBC News
Um Aziza, far right, and her daughter Nuha Yemeni, center, show that they voted Saturday.
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This will still end in a civil war. The MB would not listen to the opposition minorities in the drafting of this constitution and will damn sure not listen if it's voted in. You cannot possibility have any kind of fair justice system using and antiquated, out dated religious laws that are made and enforced by one group.
A very important lesson learned from the Third World in the last 50 years is that all those new economic powerhouses in the Third World started with political authoritarianism and market liberalization with the focus on developing the economy while the government has a tight control over the people. After the economy becomes better, political liberalization follows.
Maybe Morsi is onto something here with the intention of tight political control. But you never know. Because economic liberation also threatens the power of the authoritarian. The Egyptians can only hope for a benign authoritarian in Morsi. At least Mubarak was not.
What would you know? It's not like you actually read the darn thing!
The Muslim Brotherhood is about as conservative as our current republican/tea party. While many Egyptians may not find it ideal, it is survivable. The key to American Democracy and those in it's legacy is that no one wins all the time. If Egypt can make it through a few election cycles without blowing up then they are on the right track. Having moderately anti-American politicians in power is not ideal for us, but forcing our guys on them will only lead to more Irans and Osama Bin Ladens.
I have read the Egyptian Constitution and I did grow up in a Muslim country. Malaysia. What neither the four of you are realizing is that the MB is not worried about economics and prosperity. It is concerned about controlling the morals of Egyptian society and the place of women in that society. Hard line Islamists would just as soon see their people suffer and starve. Islam is not about financial prosperity although the poor should be taken care of. To swerve from the proper path is to be in conflict with Allah even if that path means poverty and loss of freedom. To be a moderate or to have your foot in both worlds as a good Muslim who is willing to be moderate about obeying Islamic religious law will brand you as a hypocrite or maybe an enemy of Allah. The Egyptian people now this better than anyone and that is why a sizable amount of them are opposed to an Islamist government.
You know, if they would just go vote by mail, it would be easier, and no drama at the polls. Boggles the mind why they did not think of this????
good idea.....but - no universal access to the internet there in Egypt yet....possibly
Why don't they just eat cake?
Voting by mail in Egypt would be chaos at best. How many mail carriers over there would resist bribes to hide or destroy ballots? They simply don't have the infrastructure, and I don't think the voters would trust that system.
How's that "Arab Spring" working out for you Egypt?
I scratched the pyramids and sphinx off my "bucket list" last year. I'll spend my money where it is appreciated.
Ah! The loving Muslim Brotherhood has gotten their Sharia Law constitution rammed down the throats of the rest of Egypt. Welcome to the rule of Sharia Law.
Women will know there proper place as property to be purchased or sold at the whim of men.
Minority religions members, if they are allowed at all to be in the country at all, will be under Dhimmitude, pay a tax and acknowledged that their Muslim betters are to be obeyed. The rights of gays will be a swift public hanging. Ah! The sweet peace of Islam is to prevail once again. Is it any wonder that the Muslim Conquest was known as the dark ages in the then western world.
Stop giving any Muslim nation any USA foreign aid. They hate us anyway and we could use the $30 billion yearly toward paying off our interest on the national debt.
Right, because women and gays have the run of the place in the good old USA, don't they?
Don't pretend that you hate Islam because of the way it treats women and gays. Admit that you hate it because you see it as a threat to Christianity.
They are definitely better off in the USA. In Iran the government hangs them, and then pretend they don't have gays there.
The "Arab Spring" is by far the most positive world event in many generations. It is not about islam vs. democracy, as opportunistic merchants would like to spin it. The Bedouins out in the deserts, both east and west of Egypt, are not nationalists or even monotheists, but adherents of the better Natural religious-social systems that worked for millenia.
OK, I would love to see a complete translation on the constitution. I'd be interested to see if it truly instructs for tolerance of Christians and Jews, or if that's some propaganda that one guy bought into.
Knowing what I do know of Islam, I seriously doubt that a fundamentalist sect would introduce legislation of something like that. Once they get control they tend to deal pretty harshly with Infidels.
You know, pretty much like Catholics used to do a few hundred years ago.
Well, the basic description of the E.C. that's being voted on says
"Human Rights Watch noted that it provides for basic protections against arbitrary detention and torture and for some economic rights but fails to end military trials of civilians or to protect freedom of expression and religion"
Yep, propaganda...Fundamentalist Islamics telling the truth? Didn't really expect it.
Obama will still pump billions more of his borrowed American tax dollars into this hellhole of a nation.
He is not the first President to dump money in third world countries.
Is there anyone left in the US who supports giving these muslim fanatics ever more billions of our US dollars, except obama of course?
lol, a wise man learns, a fool never does... fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me... LOL
Yes because obama is the only president to give money to the middle east. Read a book.
Suppose the worst thing that could happen is the Socialist Dictator wins and takes the peoples freedom away!
And so goes the brotherhood
SSDD in middle east
So little was submited in this news story, how could anyone voice their view.
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Must be how Obama was re-elected--the young and old, the illegal and legal, the citizens of other nations, all getting together to cram ballot boxes
Yes Acmed, when we get Sharia online we will have no more problems with the women and we will be able to work so we men can take many of their jobs to increase our employment.
Semites will never have a real country or a real government until they get rid of Islam.
30% voted and a majority was in favor of the Constitution. 70% didn't vote because they didn't care or were scared. They have what they want. As a tourist don't go if you want to be assured of being able to leave as scheduled. It is VERY easy to violate Sharia law, and an extra weeek or months in their jail is not going to be a fun event.
were talking NBC the Obama network
nothing but a 100% swindle,egyptian style!
As to the photo of the three ignorant, illiterate women proudly holding up their finger who voted, "Hip hip horray! We're officially second class citizens!"