Egypt in transition – Sunday 13 February

After the euphoria of Hosni Mubarak’s exit Egypt is beginning a new era but already there are reports of skirmishes between protesters and the army ترجم هذه الصفحة إلى العربية 10.48am: It sounds like the army’s behaviour in Tahrir Square has provoked many people back into action, with thousands reportedly on their way to the central plaza to show solidarity with the protesters who have refused to be forced out by the army. Reuters reports: Thousands of protesters streamed back into Tahrir Square on Sunday after the army sought to disperse them from the heart of Cairo where they have vowed to stay to hold the army to its promises of reform, witnesses said. “The army and people are united” and “Revolution, revolution until victory,” they chanted, after military police had earlier told them to take down tents and let normal life return. As military police corralled protesters in the centre of the square to allow traffic flow, protesters in other parts of the square guided cars. Some swept the ground and others painted curbs, which protesters say shows their desire to rebuild Egypt. 10.30am: Some of the prominent activists and chroniclers of the protests have already begun voicing their scepticism about the army on Twitter: @estr4ng3d If the army does not release all those arrested since #Jan25 TODAY, I have no reason to trust them on any of their promises. #Egypt @Sandmonkey It may seem very paranoid but what if the military played us all ? 10.24am: The Guardian’s Chris McGreal is in Tahrir Square where there have been scuffles between protesters and soldiers trying to remove them. He said : “Soldiers moved into the square shortly after dawn this morning and opened it up to traffic and began pressing the protesters who remain here to take down their tents and leave. Some of them did begin to do that, the rest refused and the army then moved in and began tearing those those tents down. Then a protest began on the other side of the roundabout, right at the heart of the square, really where the original protests began] against both the army trying to force people out and also [in favour of] demands that this military government immediately move towards some civilian interim administration and and other measures such as dissolving the discredited parliament, dropping the state of emergency. And at the heart of this really is a hardcore of protesters, I mean, several thousand, [who believe] that the revolution hasn’t been won yet, all that’s happened is that Mubarak has left and they are intent on staying until they see a genuine change of administration.” – 10.01am: A press conference from the Egyptian government is expected within the next hour. The cabinet appointed by Mubarak is expected to meet today. A spokesman said: The shape of the government will stay until the process of transformation is done in a few months, then a new government will be appointed based on the democratic principles in place. The main task of this government is to restore security and order and also start the economic process, and to take care of day-to-day life. 9.51am: There was unconfined joy on Friday when people power forced Hosni Mubarak from office after 30 years of authoritarian rule, leaving the army in charge to oversee the transition to democracy. With the military occupying a special place in the heart of many Egyptians, protesters were happy to entrust it with such a heavy responsibility but there is widespread acknowledgement that transition will not be plain sailing. There have already been signs of discord this morning. As so often over the past 20 days, the focus is once more on Tahrir Square, where protesters have been resisting army attempts to clear the plaza, Reuters reports: Hundreds of Egyptian soldiers shoved pro-democracy protesters aside to force a path for traffic to start flowing through central Cairo’s Tahrir Square on Sunday for the first time in more than two weeks. Protesters chanted “Peacefully, peacefully” as the soldiers and military police in red berets moved in to disperse them. Scuffles broke out and some soldiers lashed out with sticks. The military police chief told protesters to clear tents from the square and not to disrupt traffic. “We do not want any protesters to sit in the square after today,” Mohamed Ibrahim Moustafa Ali, the head of military police, told protesters and reporters, as soldiers removed tents from the square. The army has said it respects the demands of protesters, whose mass action drove Hosni Mubarak from power. But it has also called on them to go home and let normal life resume. Protests erupted on Jan. 25 and traffic stopped flowing through Tahrir after Jan. 28. The square became the epicentre of nationwide demonstrations, with many protesters camping there. The early morning violence did not last long, but the army action, backed by dozens of military police, split demonstrators who had previously controlled the square into smaller groups. “In the square, in the square, we demand our rights in the square,” some chanted as soldiers corralled the crowd. About 2,000 demonstrators remained in the square and some tents were still pitched in the grassy central area. Although Mubarak’s resignation on Saturday met the key demand of protesters, many said they planned to stay in the square to ensure the military council now in charge of Egypt made way for civilian rule and democracy as it had promised. Protesters demand the abolition of emergency law that has been used to stifle dissent for three decades, the release of all political prisoners, and free and fair elections. “The army is the backbone of Egypt. The solution is not to remove us from the square. They must respond to our demands,” said a protester over loudspeakers. Protesters said soldiers had detained some of their leaders and that more than 30 people had been taken to an army holding area around the Egyptian Museum, next to the square. Troops were ordered onto the streets on Jan. 28 after police fought street battles to try to contain protests but lost control. The army has taken a largely neutral role, but has detained some protesters and journalists, often briefly. “There is no enmity between the people and armed forces … We ask you not to attack our sons. This is not the (behaviour) of the armed forces. This is a peaceful protest,” one protester said on loudspeakers. “We demand that the armed forces release all our sons that have been arrested in Tahrir.” Some passersby felt the time for protests was over. “Haven’t they got what they want? Can someone explain to me what is left of their demands?” asked one bystander. But Jihad Laban, an accountant, said much work remained to make sure the revolution did not squander what it had gained. “We stood by the army in their revolution,” he said, alluding to the 1952 coup that toppled the British-backed king. “They need to stand with us in ours. “The goal was never just to get rid of Mubarak. The system is totally corrupt and we won’t go until we see some real reforms. I am going to be buried in Tahrir, I am here for my children. Egypt is too precious to walk away now.” A 38-year-old industrial worker who gave his name only as Mohamed, said he had changed his mind about going home. “I was going to leave today, but after what the military has done, the millions will be back again. The corrupt system still stands. It has gone back to using the only thing it understands – force. If we leave, they won’t respond to our demands.” Egypt Middle East Hosni Mubarak Haroon Siddique guardian.co.uk

Posted by on February 13, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry