News
Tahrir Square protests continue despite army warnings
from Almasryalyoum English Edition
Protesters insist they will continue protesting in Tahrir Square until Ahmed Shafiq’s government is removed, ignoring the army’s nightly warning of the consequences of staying out past curfew.
After the army used violence to evacuate them late Friday night, hundreds went back to the square on Saturday to begin a protest now entering its third day.
A high-ranking officer told the protesters at 11:30 last night that those staying in the square after the midnight curfew would be arrested. Protesters surrounded him yelling, “We won’t leave.” After they insisted on spending the night, another officer said they could stay as long as they don’t block traffic.
The square seems to be turning back into the campsite it was during the 18 days of the revolution. Dozens of tents, food outlets and even a medical center are back.
Osama Doweib, an emergency doctor from Upper Egypt, says that the medical center was re-established to deal with the protesters' medical emergencies after Qasr al-Eini and Azhar hospitals turned them over to the army when they went for treatment after Friday’s attack. “We will be here as long as protesters are here,” Doweib said.
Protesters are also resorting to popular committees again to protect the square after midnight from thugs and government-affiliated intruders. Mona Moussa, a protester, says the committees caught people trying to access the square with alcohol and drugs and turned them over to the army.
The protesters are not satisfied with the army’s efforts so far and believe that the old regime is still in place.
“Nothing has changed. Our demand was the fall of the regime--not just Mubarak--and this has not happened yet,” says Khaled Ibrahim.
They are also worried that the old regime figures' holding on to power is giving them time to destroy evidence of corruption to make it difficult to prosecute them.
“Every day that they spend in power brings new losses for us. They keep getting stronger while our numbers decrease,” says Moussa, to explain that Shafiq’s government must be immediately removed.
Protesters are also demanding the release of all political prisoners, the lifting of the Emergency Law, the dismantling of the state security apparatus and the prosecution of those guilty of corruption.
Some protesters hold grudges against the army because of Friday’s violence, but others believe it was orchestrated by the old regime to cause friction between the army and the people.
To make amends, the army apologized on its official Facebook page on Saturday and replaced the martyrs' memorial destroyed during the attack early on Sunday.
Protesters say their presence is meant to send a message to authorities.
“It seems that many are not taking this revolution seriously. We are here to show them that we can no longer be silenced and we can persevere longer than our rulers,” said Bahaa, a protester.
“Our presence proves that the people are still here. This is the only tool we have to pressure them,” said Moussa.
The perseverence of many of those still in the square is caused by having lost loved ones in the revolution. Zein Zakareya, who lost his brother on January 28 ("the Friday of Anger"), says that his brother’s final advice--that he must not abandon his rights--is tying him to the square.
The number of protesters is expected to rise during the week as many activists and youth groups have called on people to join.
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Tahrir Square protests continue despite army warnings
from Almasryalyoum English Edition
Protesters insist they will continue protesting in Tahrir Square until Ahmed Shafiq’s government is removed, ignoring the army’s nightly warning of the consequences of staying out past curfew.
After the army used violence to evacuate them late Friday night, hundreds went back to the square on Saturday to begin a protest now entering its third day.
A high-ranking officer told the protesters at 11:30 last night that those staying in the square after the midnight curfew would be arrested. Protesters surrounded him yelling, “We won’t leave.” After they insisted on spending the night, another officer said they could stay as long as they don’t block traffic.
The square seems to be turning back into the campsite it was during the 18 days of the revolution. Dozens of tents, food outlets and even a medical center are back.
Osama Doweib, an emergency doctor from Upper Egypt, says that the medical center was re-established to deal with the protesters' medical emergencies after Qasr al-Eini and Azhar hospitals turned them over to the army when they went for treatment after Friday’s attack. “We will be here as long as protesters are here,” Doweib said.
Protesters are also resorting to popular committees again to protect the square after midnight from thugs and government-affiliated intruders. Mona Moussa, a protester, says the committees caught people trying to access the square with alcohol and drugs and turned them over to the army.
The protesters are not satisfied with the army’s efforts so far and believe that the old regime is still in place.
“Nothing has changed. Our demand was the fall of the regime--not just Mubarak--and this has not happened yet,” says Khaled Ibrahim.
They are also worried that the old regime figures' holding on to power is giving them time to destroy evidence of corruption to make it difficult to prosecute them.
“Every day that they spend in power brings new losses for us. They keep getting stronger while our numbers decrease,” says Moussa, to explain that Shafiq’s government must be immediately removed.
Protesters are also demanding the release of all political prisoners, the lifting of the Emergency Law, the dismantling of the state security apparatus and the prosecution of those guilty of corruption.
Some protesters hold grudges against the army because of Friday’s violence, but others believe it was orchestrated by the old regime to cause friction between the army and the people.
To make amends, the army apologized on its official Facebook page on Saturday and replaced the martyrs' memorial destroyed during the attack early on Sunday.
Protesters say their presence is meant to send a message to authorities.
“It seems that many are not taking this revolution seriously. We are here to show them that we can no longer be silenced and we can persevere longer than our rulers,” said Bahaa, a protester.
“Our presence proves that the people are still here. This is the only tool we have to pressure them,” said Moussa.
The perseverence of many of those still in the square is caused by having lost loved ones in the revolution. Zein Zakareya, who lost his brother on January 28 ("the Friday of Anger"), says that his brother’s final advice--that he must not abandon his rights--is tying him to the square.
The number of protesters is expected to rise during the week as many activists and youth groups have called on people to join.
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CAIRO:
Legal procedures to establish two political parties, based on principles of a
civil state and social justice and inspired by the January 25 Revolution, are
to start soon, according to the founders.
In
their second meeting last Friday, labor leaders from independent labor
syndicates and workers' groups agreed on starting legal procedures for
establishing the "Labor Democratic Party" and approved its primary
founding statement.
The
party membership would be open to anyone who works with a salary including
workers, employees, peasants and professionals to act as a channel for
workers to voice their demands and defend their interests, according to its
founders.
"Businessmen
and political elites have their own parties and groups while workers, despite
their critical role in the revolution, don't have a political party to
represent and lead them in the struggle for power," read the founding
announcement of the party.
Some
dissidents from Al-Tagammu leftist party, along with other leftist and
socialist activists, agreed on Saturday to name their new party the
"Popular Coalition Party". It would act as a platform for a new
leftist and socialist stream capable of attracting the public into political
life and promoting freedom and social justice.
"The
people's will for change was aligned with leftist streams that represent the
heritage of people's struggle for democracy and social justice during the
revolution," said the founding announcement of the party.
The
party aims, according to its founders, to integrate the public in political
life, unite various leftist streams and give priority to the youth in its
activities.
Both
parties gathered signatures from their founding members and are set to hold
their first conferences within months.
The
founding goals of both parties include the complete achievement of the
revolution's demands by getting rid of the past regime and establishing a
civil, democratic state, as well as fighting capitalist policies and
promoting the rights of lower social classes.
"Our
ideology is the same as the revolution’s; we only paraphrase its demands of
freedom, social justice and civil state from the point of view of
workers," said Kamal Khalil, spokesperson of the proposed Labor
Democratic Party.
"Existing
parties are state-made and have never adopted or defended workers in their
struggle; so under the pressure of workers we decided to form a party of our
own," he added.
Founders
of the Popular Coalition Party criticized the Tagammu Party, citing its
"pro-state" policies and authoritarian leadership as a reason for
establishing a new leftist party.
"We
are a democratic, open party whose decisions and policies aren't imposed but
coordinated among its streams allowing for diversity of opinions," the
founding announcement said.
Both
parties' economic programs involve setting a minimum and maximum wage,
putting an end to privatization and monopoly policies, and redirecting
development plans to benefit underserved social classes.
Workers
called for the unconditioned nationalization of major companies, as well as
agricultural reforms in favor of peasants.
Earlier
this month, the constitutional court approved the foundation of Al-Wasat
Party as the first political party to represent the Islamic stream.
The
Muslim Brotherhood (MB), the strongest, best organized opposition stream
according to analysts, announced their plans to establish a political party
under the name of “Justice and Freedom Party.”
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