Clashes in Alexandria
Live reporting:
There are tweet reports today of serious ongoing confrontations taking place between state armed forces and demonstrators in Alexandria around a building called the State Security building, which seems to have been used for state-sponsored torture. The security forces are firing live bullets. The building seems to have been set on fire. The army has supposedly intervened...Same action taking place in Dokki and now also Cairo
News from the Square:
Fri, 04/03/2011
Live reporting:
There are tweet reports today of serious ongoing confrontations taking place between state armed forces and demonstrators in Alexandria around a building called the State Security building, which seems to have been used for state-sponsored torture. The security forces are firing live bullets. The building seems to have been set on fire. The army has supposedly intervened...Same action taking place in Dokki and now also Cairo
News from the Square:
Al-Masry Al-Youm Staff
Protesters started arriving in Tahrir Square Friday morning to
participate in another protest that has taken on a celebratory tone
following the dismissal of Ahmed Shafiq’s government. Former Transport
Minister Essam Sharaf, one of the candidates nominated by the Coalition
of the Youth of the Revolution, was tasked with forming the new
government.
The newly-appointed prime minister announced through state-run newspapers and Facebook that he would go to Tahrir Square to talk to the protesters in an attempt to respond to the people and to assert that he stands with the revolution.
The Coalition of the Youth of the Revolution called for today’s protest, entitled “The people want to continue the journey.” Notably, the youth of Tahrir were divided between two camps; some argued that their demands had been met and called for an end to the sit-in after today’s protest. The other camp viewed the removal of Shafiq’s government as a “partial victory” and called for protests until all demands have been met.
The coalition issued a statement reiterating a number of demands, including the need to dissolve the state security apparatus and restructure the Ministry of Interior under the leadership of a civilian minister. Other demands included the release of political prisoners, the urgent and public trial of all those who issued orders or carried out acts of violence during the revolution, the prosecution of corrupt officials, and the holding of early elections for municipal councils. Finally, the coalition called for social and economic demands including the implementation of a court decision to increase the minimum wage and set a maximum wage with a 1:15 ratio, dissolving the existing trade union federation and reelecting a new federation that represents Egyptians through their independent unions.
The coalition stressed the need to extend the six-month transitional period under the leadership of a presidential council, and to postpone parliamentary and presidential elections, the dates of which are being set by the Supreme Council of Armed Forces. In addition, the coalition called for new public freedoms and an end to the implementation of the emergency law. They also want to ensure the right to establish political parties through notification.
The statement welcomed any potential assistance that the coalition could offer the new government as it works to implement the goals of the revolution and restore calm in Egypt.
New Union Forms
By Tamim Elyan March 3, 2011
A number of independent workers' syndicates announced Wednesday the official launch of the Independent Labor Union as an alternative to the official state-controlled Egyptian Trade Union Federation (ETUF).
The independent union, established by the independent syndicates of real estate tax workers, health technicians, teachers and a pensioners’ union, also held its first general conference.
Ten workers’ unions, including Mahalla Textile, Labor University, Telecom Egypt and 10th of Ramadan factory workers, joined the union during the conference held at the Journalists’ Syndicate, while others are expected to join soon.
Workers demanded the closure of the ETUF and bringing its head, Hussein Megawer, to court over corruption accusations.
"The ETUF has manipulated our rights and worked on spoiling workers’ protests, and now they are trying to conform to the revolution. But today, we are announcing their fall," Kamal Abu Eita, head of the independent syndicate for real estate tax workers.
The ETUF said Wednesday that it supports syndicate freedoms and will allow the establishment of independent labor unions.
Kamal Abbas, general coordinator of the Center for Trade Unions and Workers Services, said that the newly appointed minister of manpower and former treasury keeper at the ETUF, Ismail Fahmy, was assigned to protect the ETUF.
"He has a task of preventing the General Auditing Agency reports on the ETUF from reaching the prosecutor general and ensuring that they receive LE 78 million from the ministry annually which goes to its leaders' pockets," he said.
Workers’ and sector protests swept across Egypt demanding better wages and the appointment of workers on temporary contracts.
The new independent union received solidarity messages from a number of international organizations like the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).
The newly-appointed prime minister announced through state-run newspapers and Facebook that he would go to Tahrir Square to talk to the protesters in an attempt to respond to the people and to assert that he stands with the revolution.
The Coalition of the Youth of the Revolution called for today’s protest, entitled “The people want to continue the journey.” Notably, the youth of Tahrir were divided between two camps; some argued that their demands had been met and called for an end to the sit-in after today’s protest. The other camp viewed the removal of Shafiq’s government as a “partial victory” and called for protests until all demands have been met.
The coalition issued a statement reiterating a number of demands, including the need to dissolve the state security apparatus and restructure the Ministry of Interior under the leadership of a civilian minister. Other demands included the release of political prisoners, the urgent and public trial of all those who issued orders or carried out acts of violence during the revolution, the prosecution of corrupt officials, and the holding of early elections for municipal councils. Finally, the coalition called for social and economic demands including the implementation of a court decision to increase the minimum wage and set a maximum wage with a 1:15 ratio, dissolving the existing trade union federation and reelecting a new federation that represents Egyptians through their independent unions.
The coalition stressed the need to extend the six-month transitional period under the leadership of a presidential council, and to postpone parliamentary and presidential elections, the dates of which are being set by the Supreme Council of Armed Forces. In addition, the coalition called for new public freedoms and an end to the implementation of the emergency law. They also want to ensure the right to establish political parties through notification.
The statement welcomed any potential assistance that the coalition could offer the new government as it works to implement the goals of the revolution and restore calm in Egypt.
New Union Forms
By Tamim Elyan March 3, 2011
A number of independent workers' syndicates announced Wednesday the official launch of the Independent Labor Union as an alternative to the official state-controlled Egyptian Trade Union Federation (ETUF).
The independent union, established by the independent syndicates of real estate tax workers, health technicians, teachers and a pensioners’ union, also held its first general conference.
Ten workers’ unions, including Mahalla Textile, Labor University, Telecom Egypt and 10th of Ramadan factory workers, joined the union during the conference held at the Journalists’ Syndicate, while others are expected to join soon.
Workers demanded the closure of the ETUF and bringing its head, Hussein Megawer, to court over corruption accusations.
"The ETUF has manipulated our rights and worked on spoiling workers’ protests, and now they are trying to conform to the revolution. But today, we are announcing their fall," Kamal Abu Eita, head of the independent syndicate for real estate tax workers.
The ETUF said Wednesday that it supports syndicate freedoms and will allow the establishment of independent labor unions.
Kamal Abbas, general coordinator of the Center for Trade Unions and Workers Services, said that the newly appointed minister of manpower and former treasury keeper at the ETUF, Ismail Fahmy, was assigned to protect the ETUF.
"He has a task of preventing the General Auditing Agency reports on the ETUF from reaching the prosecutor general and ensuring that they receive LE 78 million from the ministry annually which goes to its leaders' pockets," he said.
Workers’ and sector protests swept across Egypt demanding better wages and the appointment of workers on temporary contracts.
The new independent union received solidarity messages from a number of international organizations like the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).
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