The popular uprising against the Hosni
Mubarak government continues. On Sunday morning the sun rose over
another tense day following a night of mass defiance and anti-government
protests that turned the curfew into a dead letter. This fact
strikingly exposes the real situation.
Day five of the revolution and the
movement continues to grow in size and intensity. Last night’s curfew
was ignored, and today there are more people on the streets than
yesterday. A new curfew was called for four o’clock Egyptian time, but
this is no more effective than the previous one. Even before the curfew
came into effect, larger numbers of protestors were gathering on the
streets.
Friday, 28 January 2011. The
flames of anger are spreading through all Egypt and nothing can stop
them. The fate of the Mubarak regime hangs in the balance. Today there
were violent clashes on the streets of Cairo and other Egyptian cities
as the struggle for power has entered into a new stage. The call went
out for mass protests after Friday prayers. The regime warned that any
protests will be met with the full force of the state. The stage was set
for a dramatic confrontation.
Finally, after a long wait, prime
minister Gannouchi announced changes in the government of national unity
which was formed in Tunisia after the overthrow of Ben Ali. The masses
of workers and youth, for two weeks, have been demanding the overthrow
of this government, which they consider as a continuation of the old
regime. They have staged massive regional strikes and demonstrations and
a sit-in outside the government’s office. This new government of
Gannouchi must also be rejected and the people take power into their own
hands.
The mass demonstrations demanding the
resignation of President Hosni Mubarak have continued to rage since
Tuesday across several cities, including Cairo and Suez. Debkafile’s
sources report that the situation in Cairo Wednesday was extremely tense
after thousands of demonstrators poured into the streets and made for
the Tel Talat Harb Square on the way to Liberation Square city centre,
where 30,000 protesters demonstrated on Tuesday.
UK readers of this site should note that there is a demonstration outside the Eygptian embassy (26 South Street, London, W1K 1DW) in London planned for 12.00 midday on Saturday.
Wednesday, January 26 was marked by
yet more massive demonstrations throughout Tunisia against the “national
unity” government, whose key ministers come from the government of the
hated dictator Ben Ali. The same dictator that the masses forced to flee
two weeks ago.
A tense calm settled over Cairo after Tuesday’s street demonstrations. But if there is a truce it will not
last long. That night some 15,000 protesters decided to stage a
vigil in Liberation Square in protest against police violence. News
reports speak of three people killed yesterday, of which one was a
policeman. The real figure may be higher.
The thousands of leaked documents ("The Palestinian Papers") relating to
the negotiations between the representatives of the Palestinian Authority and
Israel over the past few years blows out of the water any remaining credibility
that the so-called ‘peace process’ might have had.
Dramatic events are unfolding in the
Middle East. Today (Tuesday) Egypt was rocked by a wave of nationwide
demonstrations demanding the end of the Mubarak regime, which has
oppressed the people of this proud nation for nearly 30 years. This was
the biggest protest movement Egypt has seen for decades. In Cairo and
other cities thousands of anti-government protesters demonstrated on the
streets and fought with police.
The news has just broken that Brian Cowen has resigned as Fianna Fáil
leader, but insists that he intends to fight the General Election as
Taoiseach. FF is split from top to bottom and those among the leadership
who aren’t intending to resign with a fat pension in a few weeks time
are maneouvering for position.
Amid scenes of confusion embattled
Taoiseach Brian Cowen finally has finally hauled up the white flag and
announced the General Election date for March 11th. His intention to get the finance bill passed through the Dáil was in serious trouble this morning after his attempt to organise
a cabinet reshuffle threatened to be the final straw for the Green
Party who despite supporting the government through thick and thin over
the past period have suddenly developed a survival instinct.
Wednesday 19th and Thursday 20th saw the
continuation of mass demonstrations all over Tunisia against the “new”
national unity government and demanding an end to the RCD ruling party.
Tens of thousands marched throughout the country under the slogan “RCD
degagé” (Out with the RCD), clearly identifying the national unity
government as a continuation of the old regime.