Los Angeles D.A. Trying To Put DREAM Act Protesters In Jail — For A Year
February 11, 2011 No Comment
enlarge Yeah, I get it, Carmen, you’re Tough. On. Crime. Is there anything more predictable than a prosecutor picking on the powerless to enhance his own political future? No, of course that’s not what he’s doing. He just wants “consequences” for “professional protesters”: Los Angeles City Atty. Carmen Trutanich is throwing the book at dozens of people arrested during recent political demonstrations — a major shift in city policy that has him pressing for jail time in types of cases that previous prosecutors had treated as infractions. Some of the activists arrested, including eight college students and one military veteran who took part in a Westwood rally last year in support of the DREAM Act, face up to one year in county jail. Trutanich’s aggressive stance is the latest episode in the city’s decades-long legal struggle over the rights of protesters. The Los Angeles Police Department’s treatment of demonstrators at the 2000 Democratic National Convention and at a 2007 May Day rally at MacArthur Park led to lawsuits against the city. Trutanich said in an interview that recent demonstrations, conducted without permits, had cost the city thousands of dollars for police response and disrupted traffic. Organizers of illegal protests should face consequences, he said. “My whole deal is predictability,” he said. “In order for us to have a civilized society, there has to be a predictable result when you break the law. I want to make sure that they don’t do it again.” The new policy, he added, was designed with an eye on what he called “professional” protesters who demonstrate repeatedly — sometimes for pay, he said — and never seem to be punished for their illegal activities. “There’s a right way and a wrong way” to protest, Trutanich said. “When you break the law, it’s a not a mainstream 1st Amendment activity. You have the right to protest; you don’t have the right to break the law.” John Raphling, an attorney who is representing a protester charged with three misdemeanors after a May 21 demonstration at City Hall over rent hikes, said Trutanich’s approach is aimed at quashing dissent. “It’s saying, ‘You better not step out of line, you better not speak out,’” he said. “Why is he taking an approach that’s a hundred times more harsh than anyone before?” Others accuse Trutanich of acting from political motives, noting that he has flirted with a run for L.A. County district attorney — a motivation Trutanich denies.
Continue reading …Where next for Hosni Mubarak? Wealth and fears of prosecution will dictate future
February 11, 2011 No Comment
Former ruler insists on staying in homeland but charges of corruption and human rights abuses may force relocation Switzerland has frozen all assets belonging to Hosni Mubarak and his family, which could run into hundreds of millions, the government announced. The move came as the former president was reported to have flown to the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, where he has previously chaired summits, received guests and enjoyed the winter sunshine well away from the crowds. Mubarak said in his first speech during the uprising on 1 February that he would not leave his homeland, pledging to “die on the soil of Egypt and be judged by history”. But exploratory discussions involving the Saudis, the US and the UAE have reportedly taken place about him moving to Dubai. One important issue is immunity from any prosecution he might face on charges of crimes against humanity after 300 deaths and documented abuses by the security forces. According to the London-based paper al-Quds al-Arabi, revelations about the Mubarak family fortune and possible legal action over that are also a factor in planning for a post-presidential future. Experts have estimated that the Mubaraks could be worth £43.5bn, with much of the wealth from investment deals in British and Swiss banks or tied up in upmarket real estate in London, New York, Los Angeles and expensive tracts of the Red Sea coast. In Britain, sources say the Bank of England cannot act against Mubarak’s UK assets, which are thought to be considerable, unless it receives a formal request from either the EU, UN or a new Egyptian government. No requests have, as yet, been forthcoming. The president’s half-Welsh wife, Suzanne and their sons, Gamal and Alaa, were able to accumulate wealth through partnerships with foreign investors and companies, dating back to when he was in the military and in a position to benefit from corporate corruption. It had been thought that Mubarak might be persuaded to again seek urgent medical treatment in Germany, where he spent three weeks convalescing after surgery last March. But Omar Suleiman, the vice-president, denied on Wednesday that this option was under consideration. Germany has also denied offering him hospitality. A peaceful retirement in Sharm el-Sheikh would be an unusual outcome for an Arab president in the post-second world war era. Several Lebanese presidents retired after serving their terms in office, but otherwise Arab leaders have mostly either died in office or been murdered. In Tunisia, human rights campaigners are attempting to unravel the former president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali’s web of assets, believed to spread from Canada and South America to the Gulf, and draw a “blacklist” of misappropriated assets. A Tunis prosecutor opened an investigation into the overseas assets of the ousted leader and his family. Much of the fortune, allegedly made from pillaging the economy, is believed to be held in property and secret bank accounts. A number of countries, including France, are examining requests to identify and block any movement of funds belonging to members of the Ben Ali regime, including relatives of his second wife, Leila Trabelsi. She was reported to have fled last week to Saudi Arabia with 1.5
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News of Egyptian president’s departure spread rapidly through region, where other authoritarian rulers are in power Algeria In another military dominated north African state with a long-term authoritarian ruler, the Egyptian drama came on the eve of pro-democracy protests that could turn violent. “Even with Mubarak’s departure, it’s not certain that everything will be immediately resolved,” said historian Daho Djerbal. “But a shockwave is running through all the societies of this region, and other despots will go. There is an idea of the birth of a new republic in which sovereignty is being returned to the people. The people are becoming aware of their power. In Algeria it’s slower than elsewhere because we only have a very young new middle class, after it was destroyed under colonialism.” Tunisia Four weeks after Tunisia’s own revolution, the news from Egypt was received with joy. “There has been an explosion of joy on the streets of Tunis. People are gathering outside the Egyptian embassy to express their happiness,” said Abdelraham Hedidhi, a trade unionist. “There has been a great breath of revolution blowing on the wind across the region and Tunisians are very proud to have played their part in starting it. Mubarak’s departure will help us in our efforts to set up our own democracy. Because of the power and importance of Egypt in the Arab world, other countries will follow: Yemen, Jordan, Algeria. There is a new power to the people.” Jordan Six weeks of calls for political change have led to a tense truce between Jordan’s monarchy and a restless opposition. Central Amman, which has played host to waves of protests in recent weeks, was alive with talk of Egypt and the rapid success of the region’s rage against the regimes. Former deputy prime minister Ayman al-Safidi was confident that the people’s demands could be addressed through reform rather than revolution. “The old guard has been forceful in protecting their interests,” he said. “We have to be much more assertive in pushing for the type of reforms that we are going to have. We cannot stand still in the face of time.” Israel Israel will now be uncertain about future relations with Egypt. The peace treaty between the two countries that has been in place for more than 30 years has not exactly made them warm allies, but the peace has held. Israeli ministers have been warning for almost three weeks that regime change in Egypt could end the “cold peace” between the nations. Their worst fears are that the Muslim Brotherhood will gain in power and influence and Egypt will adopt a hostile attitude towards the Jewish state. There was no immediate reaction to Mubarak’s resignation from the prime minister’s office. Binyamin Netanyahu has been telling international counterparts that Israel expects any future Egyptian government to honour the peace treaty and that the international community should be making that clear. Gaza Hamas called on people to rally all over Gaza on Friday night to celebrate Mubarak’s resignation. People were raising Egyptian flags, and some Hamas fighters have fired weapons into the air since the announcement. Mahmoud Zahar, a senior Hamas leader in Gaza, said Hamas hoped to benefit from the developments, calling for improved relations between Egypt and the Islamic movement. The Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas’s close allies, “are present everywhere”, he said. He would not be drawn on whether a new Egyptian regime may wish to review the peace treaty it signed with Israel more than 30 years ago. “There is no clear picture about the new government, but it will be controlled by the army to begin with,” he said. “We are hoping to benefit.” Lebanon Guns were fired into the air in the Shia Muslim stronghold suburbs of south Beirut last night as residents celebrated the news. Mubarak had been the subject of regular taunts from Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah, particularly over Egypt’s strict control of the Rafah border crossing in southern Gaza, which was rarely opened to allow Palestinians to cross. In the predominantly Sunni Muslim west Beirut, the public reaction was muted, although there was keen interest in cafes and bars where television coverage of the momentous events in Cairo was screening continuously. Middle East Egypt Hosni Mubarak Algeria Tunisia Jordan Israel Gaza Palestinian territories Lebanon Harriet Sherwood Angelique Chrisafis Martin Chulov Hazem Balousha guardian.co.uk
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Jubilant Egyptians celebrate Hosni Mubarak’s resignation Cairo, in Arabic, means “victorious”. Last night the Egyptian capital lived up to its name. The crowds that had been steadily gathering outside the presidential palace all afternoon were swaying with their normal rhythm of quietly controlled passion, pockets of singing here, flags waved there. Word spread that an important announcement was expected, but few held out much hope. They had anticipated triumph the night before and seen it snatched from their hands. This time, though, it would be different. At 6pm, beneath the Belle Époque domes of the building from which President Hosni Mubarak had ruled for so long, a cry went out that he was gone. In an instant the street was convulsed with a wild, directionless surge of energy. For a few moments it was simply a wall of sound, and Egypt’s national colours blurred through the sky from every angle. And then the world came back into focus. “Freedom,” roared a jubilant crush of humanity, as the party got under way. Families and friends were torn apart in the throng, but it didn’t matter; hugs and kisses and dances were being thrown out indiscriminately. People bounced from one circle of cheering youths to another; some put their Egyptian flags down on the floor and began to pray, others fainted – quite overcome with the emotion. “For 18 days we have withstood tear gas, rubber bullets, live ammunition, molotov cocktails, thugs on horseback, the scepticism and fear of our loved ones, and the worst sort of ambivalence from an international community that claims to care about democracy,” said Karim Medhat Ennarah, a protester with tears in his eyes. “But we held our ground. We did it. “My late father was part of a sit-in at the faculty of engineering in Cairo University in 1968 – the first protest seen in Egypt since Nasser took over in 1952,” he added. “His generation tell me that they were not as brave as us, but they started something and played their part. Today, we finished the job for them.” Soon the march back to Tahrir Square, in the centre of Cairo, was under way, serenaded by car horns, onlookers on their balconies punching the air, and a blast of amateur fireworks that shot through the crowd at just above head height and exploded to cheers. Tariq Ashri, a 42-year-old administrative assistant, had spent the morning walking the 10 miles down the road to the palace in a mood of defiance. Now he was walking back in joy. “I feel free at last,” he told the Guardian. “We’ve had 30 years of dreaming about democracy, now tomorrow the dreaming is over and the real work begins.” Around him, a chant went up in memory of the 300 people who have died at the hands of Mubarak’s forces since the protests began 18 days ago, as the 82-year-old president tried to cling on to power. “Be happy martyrs, for today we feast at your victory,” they sang. Military police in red berets were all smiles and thumbs-up to the crowd. Apprehension about what might happen next in a country now under army control was being pushed aside to allow for celebrations, but as the procession reached the high-walled ministry of defence, Egyptians could not resist reminding their new overlords of who now held the balance of power in the Arab world’s most populous nation. “Here, here, the Egyptians are here,” they shouted up at the darkened windows. From one, a senior officer responded with a V-sign peace salute. And so, at last, they reached Tahrir Square, the spiritual home of this revolution that showed the world not just how a western-backed strongman could be brought down by his own people, but how broad-based, non-sectarian and all-inclusive that population could be when doing it. With flares in one corner, an impromptu concert in another, and sheer exhilaration in between, the party was as leaderless as the uprising it celebrated. Haisam Abu-Sabra was in the thick of it. He said: “For the first time in my life tonight, I say proudly: I am Egyptian.” Egypt Middle East Hosni Mubarak Protest Jack Shenker guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Egyptian army calls the shots as nation embarks on democratic transition
February 11, 2011 No Comment
• Veteran commander will steer Egyptian political reforms • Uncertainty over military’s role following years of control Field Marshal Mohammed Hussein Tantawi, the 75-year-old commander of Egypt’s armed forces and head of the Supreme Military Council, is the new face of power in Cairo now that Hosni Mubarak has finally stepped down. Tantawi is in charge of steering the country through political reforms that should change the way Egypt has been ruled for nearly 60 years – a prospect that is already sending shockwaves across the Arab world. It is a task which is also likely to pose problems for an institution that is keen on preserving its own power, privileges and status. The military council is expected to quickly suspend both houses of parliament and rule with the civilian head of the supreme constitutional court for a transitional period of just a few months. A free and fair presidential election has been promised for September. If Tantawi and the generals are still in charge at the end of this year, then the great hopes of the uprising will have been dashed. Last night, Egypt’s military said it would not act as a substitute for a “legitimate” government. A military spokesman, in a brief televised statement, said the armed forces would later announce measures and arrangements to introduce the changes Egyptians want. He also praised Mubarak for his contribution to the nation. It always seemed likely that the army, the most powerful player in Egyptian politics since the 1952 revolution, would step in as the guardian of stability once the unprecedented unrest began. The US, Israel and other Arab regimes will most likely welcome it, keeping their qualms to themselves. And so, for the moment, will many ordinary Egyptians – but only if it is the prelude to far-reaching change. Rule by the military can only be temporary. Mubarak’s exit, the dissolution of what is seen as an illegitimate parliament dominated by the ruling party, key constitutional reforms and abolition of the hated emergency laws are all non-negotiable demands. If those reforms are achieved then Egypt will have witnessed a real, transformative revolution – far beyond the removal of a stubborn 82-year-old president long past his sell-by date. It had seemed clear from the events of recent days – especially the contradictory messages before Mubarak’s last defiant TV address to the nation on Thursday – that the army is divided. Tantawi, privately scorned by younger officers as Mubarak’s “poodle,” is a conservative figure and like his old boss a veteran of wars with Israel. But as the dust cleared, the newspaper al-Ahram reported that the addresses by Mubarak and his vice-president and former spy chief, Omar Suleiman, were in defiance of the wishes of the armed forces. If the military now moves solely to protect its own position, and that of the big businessmen who have done so well out of their links with the regime – then the system will not open up, at least not without repression and bloodshed. Mubarak’s replacement by the military council will mean a resumption of talks that began earlier this week on constitutional and other changes, though they were pronounced dead by opposition groups almost before they began. But with goodwill it should now be possible to amend or rewrite the constitution to allow the election of a new parliament and president. It could, however, all still take months to agree, risking impatience in the streets and new unrest. Egyptian and foreign commentators are sharply aware of how difficult it will be for the military to accept a democratic transition that includes the legalisation of its bugbear, the banned Muslim Brotherhood, the most powerful opposition force in the country. “This is just the end of the beginning,” said Jon Alterman of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. “Egypt isn’t moving toward democracy, it’s moved into martial law and where it goes is now subject to debate.” Analysts also see risks for the army in the new situation, exposed to demands for a civilian transitional government that could challenge or dilute its own authority or launch investigations into corruption or human rights abuses. The army may also want to avoid an armed clash with the Republican Guards that would seriously destabilise the country and further rob the regime of legitimacy. Another danger, commented the Arabist blogger Issandr Amrani, is that the army could become a target of the protesters. “There’s always been a core of activists who want to see the end of military dominance over Egypt,” he wrote. “It’s not clear whether it’s the majority, or even if this sentiment is echoed in the wider, silent Egyptian public. The army’s key problem … is that they suck at communicating. Their battle to retain public legitimacy may be lost because of bad PR and tone-deafness.” Egypt Hosni Mubarak Middle East Ian Black guardian.co.uk
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• President surrenders power to army and flies out of Cairo • Egypt rejoices as 18 days of mass protest end in revolution • Military pledges not to get in way of ‘legitimate’ government When it finally came, the end was swift. After 18 days of mass protest, it took just over 30 seconds for Egypt’s vice-president, Omar Suleiman, to announce that President Hosni Mubarak was standing down and handing power to the military. “In the name of Allah the most gracious the most merciful,” Suleiman read. “My fellow citizens, in the difficult circumstances our country is experiencing, President Muhammad Hosni Mubarak has decided to give up the office of the president of the republic and instructed the supreme council of the armed forces to manage the affairs of the country. May God guide our steps.” Moments later a deafening roar swept central Cairo and protesters fell to their knees and prayed, wept and let loose victory chants. Hundreds of thousands of people packed in to Tahrir Square, the centre of the demonstrations, waved flags, held up hastily written signs declaring victory and embraced soldiers. “We have brought down the regime, we have brought down the regime,” chanted the crowd. Among those in the square was Mohammed Abdul Ghedi, a lifeguard in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, where the former president and his family flew on Friday. Abdul Ghedi held up a sign in English that said: “Mubarak you are nothing, you are heartless, without mind, just youkel, worthless, fuck off.” “This is my first day here and he is gone. Mubarak is a liar. When he promised to leave in three or six months we don’t believe him. We only believe him when he is gone,” he said. “Now Egyptians are free. All of Egypt is liberated. Now we will choose our leaders and if we don’t like them, they will go.” Another protester with tears in his eyes, Karim Medhat Ennarah, said: “For 18 days we have withstood teargas, rubber bullets, live ammunition, Molotov cocktails, thugs on horseback, the scepticism and fear of our loved ones, and the worst sort of ambivalence from an international community that claims to care about democracy. But we held our ground. We did it.” There were similar celebrations across the country, from Alexandria to Suez, among protesters who were often too young to have known any other leader than Mubarak. But the demonstrators were giving little immediate thought to what military rule will mean, and there were few indications from the army as to if and when it intends to meet other demands – including the dissolving of a discredited parliament elected in tainted elections, the lifting of the oppressive 30-year state of emergency, and the installation of a civilian-dominated interim administration. For now, Egypt will be governed by a military council led by the defence minister, Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, who is not a known reformer. But some of the protest organisers said that the dramatic success of the street demonstrations meant that any future administration would be held to account. Mohammed ElBaradei, who on Thursday called for a military takeover, described the change as the liberation of the Egyptian people. “We have a lot of daunting tasks ahead of us. Our priority to make sure the country is restored; socially cohesive, economically vibrant, politically democratic,” he said. “My message to the Egyptian people is you have gained your liberty, the right to catch up with the rest of the world. Make the best use of it.” In the US the Obama administration had schemed to try to keep Mubarak in power until a stable transitional administration was in place. In recent days, however, the Egyptian regime’s failure to make any substantial reforms and defiance of American pressure had become a deepening problem for Washington. The US defence secretary, Robert Gates, has been in regular contact with Tantawi and spoke to him just hours before the military takeover. In Britain, David Cameron called on the new Egyptian administration to ensure a move to civilian and democratic rule. The EU foreign policy chief, Lady Ashton, welcomed Mubarak’s resignation. “It is important now that the dialogue is accelerated leading to a broad-based government which will respect the aspirations of, and deliver stability for, the Egyptian people,” she said. Switzerland immediately froze the assets of the former president. Mubarak’s resignation came after a turbulent 24 hours in which a televised address to the nation that was intended to defuse the crisis only further infuriated the protesters and prompted the largest demonstrations to date. On Thursday evening, after a day in which members of the president’s party and cabinet said they expected him to resign, Mubarak announced that he was handing his powers to Suleiman. That in effect left Mubarak as president in name only, a move he appears to have believed would be enough to satisfy the protesters’ demands for his resignation. But on the streets of Cairo the announcement was interpreted as the regime’s leaders shuffling authority among themselves. Instead of easing the crisis, Mubarak’s statement deepened it. The army appears to have expected more from him, possibly including his complete resignation or the transfer of powers to the military, not Suleiman. Clearly alarmed at the popular reaction it sought to reassure the protesters on Friday morning with a declaration that the promise of free elections would be fulfilled. But that too failed to ease the demonstrations as many in the opposition saw the statement as backing the status quo, although it could also be read as offering an assurance to Egyptians that the military was prepared to ensure Mubarak stood by his commitments. As the protests built up during the day, a determined crowd marched on the state television building, a target of particular ire because of its stream of propaganda and false accusations against the protesters. The station all but went off air as it had to cancel live programmes because it could not get guests into the building. Several hours later it was conducting interviews again – with protesters and victims of the regime. The protesters fanned out to other parts of the city and began a march on Mubarak’s presidential palace. Meanwhile the military’s supreme council held an emergency session to decide how to clearly confront the crisis and concluded that Mubarak had to go once and for all. By lunchtime he was on a plane with his family to Sharm el-Sheikh, where he also has a palace which he periodically lends to Tony Blair. A few hours later came the announcement that had Egypt celebrating in to the night. Egypt Hosni Mubarak Omar Suleiman Middle East Chris McGreal Jack Shenker guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Making history: Jubliation in the streets as Egypt ousts Mubarak, embraces democracy
February 11, 2011 No Comment
Click here to view this media It’s quite the scene in Cairo: “We have brought down the regime, we have brought down the regime,” chanted the hundreds of thousands of people who packed into Tahrir Square for “Farewell Friday.” Egyptians waved flags, cried, cheered and embraced when the news reached them through a public address system. “Finally we are free,” said Safwan Abou Stat, a 60-year-old protester. … The military made clear it also wanted the demonstrators off the streets and for life to return to normal. It was clearly ignored. Hundreds of thousands of people crammed into the area around Tahrir Square. Live television pictures from Alexandria also showed massed ranks of people filling a main boulevard in the city and Al-Jazeera reported there were other demonstrations in Suez, Mahala, Tanta and Ismailia. A group of army officers, including a lieutenant colonel, had also defected to the protesters. “The armed forces’ solidarity movement with the people has begun,” Major Ahmed Ali Shouman told Reuters by telephone just after dawn prayers, saying he had handed in his weapon. “Some 15 officers … have joined the people’s revolution.” From the Guardian : he march from the presidential palace back to Tahrir square was a wall of sound. Car horns blared, amateur fireworks exploded centimetres above our heads,onlookers cheered raucously from the balcony above. Some people fainted, others unfurled their Egyptian flags in the middle of the street to pray, and many, many people had tears in their eyes. Amid the jubilation though, there was a moment of reflection for those who died to make this day possible. ‘Be happy martyrs, for today we feast at your victory,’ sung the crowds. On the ground were military police in red berets, all smiles and thumbs-up to demonstrators. Apprehension about what might happen next in an Egypt now under army control was being pushed aside to allow for celebrations, but as the procession reached the high-walled Ministry of Defence, Egyptians could not resist reminding their new overlords of who now held the balance of power in the Arab World’s most populous nation. ‘Here, here, the Egyptians are here,’ they shouted up at darkened windows, pointing down to the street. “For 18 days we have withstood tear gas, rubber bullets, live ammunition, molotov cocktails, thugs on horseback, the scepticism and fear of our loved ones, and the worst sort of ambivalence from an international community that claims to care about democracy,” said Karim Medhat Ennarah, a protester who has provided the Guardian with updates throughout the uprising. “But we held our ground. We did it.” Isn’t it funny how those tireless and bellicose defenders of “freedom” on our shores — the American Right — are the ones worrying and fearmongering about this outcome?
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Two hours after Hosni Mubarak, Egypt’s president for 30 years, announced his resignation, the party in Tahrir Square – the heart of the revolution – was in full effect. A singer who has been performing in the square for days played a protest song on his acoustic guitar: “The people finally brought down the system.”
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