Egyptian Uprising

[Guest howyousawtheworld]

Personally I think Western Media .. facebook groups have stirred this up even more.

We need to be more mindful before interfering or making comments about how another country runs it house.

No one can dare say anything about US and some Euro countries, as we seem to think we are above them, maybee we are not !!

 

Yes I would agree. I do think the international media has stirred this up and has given the protesters great momentum.

 

What I'm disappointed with is why wasn't Barack Obama's administration not so keen to side with the protesters in the Green movement in Iran in 2009? Why? Because he was siding with the wrong side. Obviously didn't want to upset Iran further and increase the distance in relations between the two countries which was very disappointing. Not a great moment there for Mr Obama.

[chuck kottke]

Unfortunately, the U.S. government tries to play it "safe", which really isn't safe in the end, nor progressive in promoting human rights and democracy. It's foolish, but yes, Obama seems to do that - placate existing powers, and only in the end does he come around to supporting citizen movements. But as he said, we will have to "make him do the right thing" - referring to the need to put pressure, so he can justify his actions which may run against the business interests wishes.

I believe the Egyptian people need to be in charge of their own country, but inputs from people from other countries needn't be a bad thing - indeed, if not for Thomas Paine, the U.S. may never have occurred - when one thinks of Paine, one sees someone who wasn't American, but passionately believed in the potential of a new democratic nation, and got the citizen's passion roused for revolution and success against a global superpower.

[chuck kottke]

World Wide Tahrir Square!!

worldwidetahrir

:sunny:

We are One

[coldplay_is_louve.]

This. Is. SCARY.

 

I have a friend from college, and her whole family lives in Egypt. Things are getting much worse every day, that's the sad part.

 

And I couldn't believe Anderson Cooper was beat up! Who could beat Andy? :sad: I love him, hope he's safe.

[the_gloaming09]

They really need to get control of the country with these protests and riots, though I could understand the frustration of the people with having he same person in power for like 30 years.

 

The last the we need is even more instability in the Middle East, and I fear that if a terrorist type group takes over it's going to be really bad especially since Egypt and Israel have a peace treaty in place, and to have that gone would just create more chaos.

[nancyk58]

Egyptian Uprising - on 4 February 2011

 

Egyptian Uprising - on 4 February 2011

 

Egypt's defense minister Tantawi visited the Tahrir Square and asked the protesters to go home as their demands were well-known - and the unrest is against Egypt's interests.

 

1 million are protesting against the Mubarak and his regime in ALEXANDRIA - Egypt's second-largest city.

 

Hundred thousands are participating in a peaceful massive demonstration in CAIRO at Tahrir Square. The army is present and controlled everyone who came to the the demonstration at Tahrir Square.

 

The Egypt army was ordered by Egypt's Prime Minister to support / protect the foreign journalists from the thugs / groups of people maltreating foreign journalists in the streets.

 

One of the Danish journalists reporting from the Tahrir Square moved to another area of the square and was surrounded by pro-MUBARAK people, and they started to ask who he was and what he was doing there. He made up a profession scared of the consequences if he said that he was a journalist in action! Some people came and said - "come with us - we will escort you home". He came to the area of his hotel and was again met by pro-Mubarak people asking him who he was. And he made up a new profession and got away.

 

The Swedish journalist who was kidnapped Friday and missing for a few hours was found again. He was severely injured with stabs in the back and a fractured skull.

 

A Greek journalist was attacked with a screw driver.

 

A Danish paper wrote that Mubarak and his family are getting 51% of profits made by foreign companies. Mubarak, wife Suzanne and his 2 sons all have foreign (Swiss, UK and US) bank accounts with billions of dollars. The family has houses in England, USA and Egypt and more.

 

I read in an care 2 cause article that 40% is poor, 21% nearly poor and 3.8% extremely poor in Egypt.

 

One of the participants in Friday Prayers in Copenhagen was on the television saying that Mubarak taken Egypt's money and that last Wednesday 25 billion UK pound was withdrawn in Egypt.

 

According to New York Times, the US administration is negotiating with Egypt high officials. The US administration wants Mubarak to resign and vice president Suleiman to take over and lead a transition government supported by Egypt's army. The opposition is to be invited to the transition government.

 

 

The task of the transition government is to reform the Egyptian election system so that fair and free elections can be held in September.

 

 

CNN: Egypt's economy is suffering - 310 million dollar lost per day due to the unrest in Egypt.

 

The Egyptian banks will open again on Sunday after being closed for 12 days.

 

 

Yesterday, Christiane Amanpour interviewed vice president Suleiman and suddenly she saw Mubarak and asked him if it was not time for him to resign.

 

Mubarak answered something like: "After 62 years in public service I would like to resign, but I cannot because then there will be chaos. I fear the Moslem Brotherhood and the islamistic movement." He also said that he wanted to die on Egyptian soil.

 

Italy's Prime Minister Berlusconi has said that he hopes for a democratic solution - a transition - in Egypt, but he does not want Hosni Mubarak to resign.

 

DR reporter said that it will be dangerous to go out in Cairo tonight - so he does not dare go back to the hotel after work.

 

Evening: Thugs have taken al-Jazeera's office in CAIRO by storm. Thugs burned and destroyed furniture and equipment.

 

At a press conference tonight with US President Obama and Canada's Prime Minister, Obama also commented on the situation in Egypt:

 

Violence against reporters and peaceful protesters are unacceptable. A transition is important and should start now. The Egyptian government and opposition should ask what it takes to make the transition effective and lasting. In this moment of unrest, this "MOMENT of OPPORTUNITY" should be seized. Obama called for "an orderly transition" with "broad representation of the opposition".

 

Dr. Mohamed Elbaradei who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005 has declared that he is prepared to run for president if the Egyptian people want him.

[Crests]

Who thinks Mubarak will get assassinated?

[nancyk58]

Who thinks Mubarak will get assassinated?

 

 

I do not think so. Vice president Suleiman is more or less prepared to take over so Mubarak is soon a ghost from the past.

[Crests]

Oh, cool. :surprised:

[Megalomania]

Who thinks Mubarak will get assassinated?

 

I think so. :|

[The Final Track]

If Mubarack gets assassinated people will die. Just resign already.

[Karencorpse]

I heard they want to overthrow the NWO dictatorship and replace it with a more democratic government. There is 40% unemployment, but 70% for people under 30 years old. I heard this from talk radio.

[Megalomania]

I heard they want to overthrow the NWO dictatorship and replace it with a more democratic government. There is 40% unemployment, but 70% for people under 30 years old. I heard this from talk radio.

 

We were talking about this in history today, and my teacher said that the Egyptian population is something like 52% under the age of 30? :thinking: So that would probably lead to numbers like that.

[nancyk58]

From CNN: Heavy gunfire was heard for a few minutes about one hour ago at 2:30 Egyptian time at the Tahrir Square. It turned out that the army had shot in the air when some pro-Mubarak supporters tried to enter the Tahrir Square.

 

Now it is quiet again.

[deaths_friend]

the people were really hoping that something would've happened today. but it didnt and i've got the feeling that a lot of people will give up now and try and go back and live their normal lives again. at least until september when mubarak has agreed to step down.

[nancyk58]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12371479

 

5 February 2011 Last updated at 01:00 GMT

 

Obama seeks quick Egypt handover

 

Barack Obama has reiterated his demand for an "orderly transition that begins now" in Egypt and urged President Hosni Mubarak "to make the right decision".

 

The US president said he hoped "to see this moment of turmoil turned into a moment of opportunity".

 

He spoke as huge crowds demonstrated across Egypt for an 11th day calling for Mr Mubarak to resign immediately.

 

Despite the protests, Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq told the BBC that it would be impractical for the president to go.

 

He insisted Mr Mubarak's declaration that he would not seek re-election in September was tantamount to him standing down.

 

"In effect, the president has stepped down already," Mr Shafiq said. "We need him during these nine months."

 

He separately told al-Arabiya TV that it was unlikely Mr Mubarak would hand over power to his new Vice-President, Omar Suleiman, because the president was needed "for legislative reasons".

 

Meanwhile, there were suggestions that the protesters would reduce their presence in central Cairo, holding big demonstrations only on Fridays, with smaller numbers there at other times.

 

'World is watching'

 

More than 100,000 people - including large numbers of women and children - gathered in Tahrir Square in the centre of Cairo on Friday for what was being called the "day of departure".

 

At noon, thousands paused for Friday prayers with one cleric declaring: "We want the head of the regime removed."

 

As the prayers finished, demonstrators renewed their chants of "Leave! Leave! Leave!", singing patriotic songs and waving flags.

 

Some people left as darkness fell, but thousands remained the square.

 

There were also demonstrations in Egypt's second city, Alexandria, and in the towns of Suez, Port Said, Rafah, Ismailiya, Zagazig, al-Mahalla al-Kubra, Aswan and Asyut.

 

In Washington Mr Obama told reporters: "The whole world is watching."

 

He said he had been encouraged by the restraint shown by both the authorities and the protesters after two days of clashes which have left eight people dead and more than 800 injured.

 

The UN believes more than 300 have died across Egypt since the protests began on 25 January, with about 4,000 hurt.

 

Mr Obama did not insist that Mr Mubarak step down immediately, but repeated his call for a "transition period that begins now".

 

"He needs to listen to what is voiced by the people and make a judgment about a pathway forward that is orderly, that is meaningful and serious," he said.

 

"The key question he should be asking himself is: how do I leave a legacy behind in which Egypt is able to get through this transformative period? My hope is he will end up making the right decision."

 

BBC North America editor Mark Mardell says Mr Obama went further than before in suggesting that the Egyptian president should go, but could not quite bring himself - no doubt for very good diplomatic reasons - to say the words.

 

The Obama administration is relieved that Friday's huge protests did not turn nasty, because violence is the biggest threat to the change it wants, our correspondent says.

 

There were real nerves in Washington that the army would be forced to choose between their commander-in-chief and the people, he adds. Instead they remained neutral, keeping the rival groups of demonstrators apart.

 

Opposition talks

 

The opposition has so far refused to attend any talks on a future government unless President Mubarak steps down, while the government says protesters must go home for talks to be held.

 

A US official told the BBC a meeting could be held in the coming days, and that the US was urging the government to move ahead with the dialogue.

 

It is thought that the banned Islamist movement, the Muslim Brotherhood, will not attend the potential talks.

 

But a senior member of the Brotherhood, Issam al-Aryan, denied Mr Mubarak's assertions that the movement would exploit the chaos if he stood down to seize power, saying it would prefer the opposition to nominate a consensus candidate.

 

"We want a civil state, based on Islamic principles. A democratic state, with a parliamentary system, with freedom to form parties, press freedom, and an independent and fair judiciary," he told the BBC.

 

Opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei also took issue with the president's fear of the Brotherhood, saying such an attitude was "symptomatic of a dictatorship".

 

One of the leaders of the protesters, George Ishaq of the Kifaya (Enough) movement, told the BBC they intend to reduce their presence in Tahrir Square, holding big demonstrations on Tuesdays and Fridays.

 

"Protesters will remain in Tahrir Square on all days of the week," he said on Friday. "But each Friday, there will be a demonstration like today."

 

Mr Ishaq said the new arrangement would remain in place until the president stepped down - he said it was time to let people go back to work and get on with their lives.

 

 

John Simpson

 

World Affairs Editor, BBC News, Tahrir Square

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So the "day of departure" has not after all ended with President Mubarak leaving, which makes him - for the time being at least - the winner of the stand-off here.

 

It would require something much bigger from the demonstrators now to shift him, and it is hard to see what that might be.

 

Still, as the country's new prime minister told the BBC, President Mubarak is in the process of standing down; it is just taking a bit of time.

 

He was much too respectful to add that what is really at stake is an old man's pride, which has been offended by the demands that he should step aside. He will go, but it will be in his own time.

 

The cost of all this has been ferocious. One bank has estimated that Egypt has been losing $310m a day in lost revenue, around two billion pounds in total, because of the turmoil. And this is not a rich country.

[chuck kottke]

Egyptians need change, and if the cost of change is time lost with their economy for a few days, but they gain a free country with free and fair elections, guarantees of rights, and a more prosperous long-term economy, then that seems like a change worth making.

Washington's inner circle is finding this transition in Egypt difficult because the U.S. can no longer control Egypt (for both business interests and political interests), and there is the concern of what this might mean for Egypt's peace with Israel. But I think this Egyptian revolution is a good thing for Egyptians, Americans, and Israelis in the long run - because it allows for the possibility of a prosperous Egyptian economy, unhampered by leadership that both skims the profits off the top & makes unfair trade deals that swamp Egypt's farm economy. Just imagine if the U.S., instead of sending billions in military aid to Egypt and bribes to Mubarak would help the Egyptian people establish civic institutions, wind and solar farms in the desert (with employment and profits going to the Egyptians), and provide a huge boost to the educational system there, what that could do for Egypt and the world would be amazing! People in Egypt could start to work for livable wages, and the Egyptian farmers, unhampered by trying to compete with subsidized American food staples, could earn a decent living too. With that economic boost might then arise in time desalination plants to provide more fresh water for Egyptians, and a blooming of the desert. Egypt could become the leader in a solar revolution that would change the whole of the Middle East, if the not the world!

I believe the Egyptian people will continue their struggle, and that many moderate voices will become more visible, to form a new constitution, and a new government. Taking a breather is not losing hope but waiting for the next Tuesday and Friday to regain momentum. Egyptians are committed to changing their country for the better I believe.

[Cobalt]

Obama(our government in general too) are petrified of losing our puppet dictators in the middle east. It's hard being the world police, isn't it?

 

-_-

 

America, heroes and supporters of world democracy! Hoorah!

[indanomati]

Mubarak family fortune could reach $70bn, say experts

Egyptian president has cash in British and Swiss banks plus UK and US property

 

Phillip Inman

 

 

Gamal and Hosni Mubarak are reported to have built up huge fortunes, including properties in London. Photograph: Cris Bouroncle/AFP/Getty Images

President Hosni Mubarak's family fortune could be as much as $70bn (£43.5bn) according to analysis by Middle East experts, with much of his wealth in British and Swiss banks or tied up in real estate in London, New York, Los Angeles and along expensive tracts of the Red Sea coast.

 

After 30 years as president and many more as a senior military official, Mubarak has had access to investment deals that have generated hundreds of millions of pounds in profits. Most of those gains have been taken offshore and deposited in secret bank accounts or invested in upmarket homes and hotels.

 

According to a report last year in the Arabic newspaper Al Khabar, Mubarak has properties in Manhattan and exclusive Beverly Hills addresses on Rodeo Drive.

 

His sons, Gamal and Alaa, are also billionaires. A protest outside Gamal's ostentatious home at 28 Wilton Place in Belgravia, central London, highlighted the family's appetite for western trophy assets.

 

Amaney Jamal, a political science professor at Princeton University, said the estimate of $40bn-70bn was comparable with the vast wealth of leaders in other Gulf countries.

 

"The business ventures from his military and government service accumulated to his personal wealth," she told ABC news. "There was a lot of corruption in this regime and stifling of public resources for personal gain.

 

"This is the pattern of other Middle Eastern dictators so their wealth will not be taken during a transition. These leaders plan on this."

 

Al Khabar said it understood the Mubaraks kept much of their wealth offshore in the Swiss bank UBS and the Bank of Scotland, part of Lloyds Banking Group, although this information could be at least 10 years old.

 

There are only sketchy details of exactly where the Mubaraks have generated their wealth and its final destination.

 

Christopher Davidson, professor of Middle East politics at Durham University, said Mubarak, his wife, Suzanne, and two sons were able to accumulate wealth through a number of business partnerships with foreign investors and companies, dating back to when he was in the military and in a position to benefit from corporate corruption.

 

He said most Gulf states required foreigners give a local business partner a 51% stake in start-up ventures. In Egypt, the figure is commonly nearer 20%, but still gives politicians and close allies in the military a source of huge profits with no initial outlay and little risk.

 

"Almost every project needs a sponsor and Mubarak was well-placed to take advantage of any deals on offer," he said.

 

"Much of his money is in Swiss bank accounts and London property. These are the favourites of Middle Eastern leaders and there is no reason to think Mubarak is any different. Gamal's Wilton Place home is likely to be the tip of the iceberg."

 

Al Khabar named a series of major western companies that, partnered with the Mubarak family, generated an estimated $15m a year in profits.

 

Aladdin Elaasar, author of The Last Pharaoh: Mubarak and the Uncertain Future of Egypt in the Obama Age, said the Mubaraks own several residences in Egypt, some inherited from previous presidents and the monarchy, and others the president has commissioned.

 

Hotels and land around the Sharm el-Sheikh tourist resort are also a source of Mubarak family wealth.

 

Original Article

[indanomati]

And this is while almost 40% of the population live under 2-dollars a day.

[nancyk58]

The EU leaders issued a statement at the end of EU's summit in Brussels / Bruxelles Friday. It read that the DEMOCRATISATION in Egypt must start NOW. The work in connection with the creation of a new, Egyptian government with BROAD POPULAR SUPPORT must start NOW. The EU leaders demand that Egypt's inhabitants be protected by Egyptian authorities so that they can demonstrate freely and peacefully. The EU leaders fully support the process towards an Egyptian society with more "democratic rule" and with better opportunities for economic welfare.

 

 

Swedish SVT: al-Jazeera employees arrested: The Egyptian authorities have arrested the head of al-Jazeera in Cairo and one of its journalists.

 

al-Jazeera has been forbidden in Egypt since Sunday after having reported from the unrest in EGYPT. This week al-Jazeera's Cairo office was destroyed and its website hacked. Yesterday, 9 other al-Jazeira journalists were arrested.

 

 

An Egyptian cameraman who was shot at earlier this week, died on Friday - the first death among journalists.

 

Last night armed soldiers were posted at Hotel Merriott where most foreign journalists are staying.

 

 

2 of Amnesty International's people were released late yesterday evening in Cairo. 3 other people were released some hours later. They were arrested together with 30 Egyptian and international activists, lawyers and journalists during a raid on Thursday. Amnesty International demands the release of all arrested.

 

 

A gas pipeline in the northern Egyptian peninsula, SINAI close to the GAZA border exploded. At first it was reported that it had been attacked by Moslem bedouins, but later it was said that the explosion was caused by a leak. The gas flow to Israel and Jordan stopped for precautionary reasons.

 

 

Today's New York Times writes about rumours that the leadership around vice president Omar Suleiman should consider asking president Hosni Mubarak to have his annual medical examination in Germany already now - but that he should stay longer in Germany this time. This should be a worthy exit out of the crisis. Another possibility is that President Mubarak should retire to his house in the seaside resort Sharm el-Sheikh. The newspaper had this information from source(s) working for the US government.

 

 

There are still 10,000 protesters at the Tahrir Square, and they have said that they will continue their protests until Mubarak has retired. This is the 12th consecutive day of protests against Hosni Mubarak and his regime.

 

Danish Television reporter in Cairo had been at Tahrir Square and talked to protesters. Their reaction to the resignation of the ruling party's politbureau was that "another slice had been peeled off the apple, but the apple is still rotten. We will continue our demonstrations everywhere in the world".

 

 

Consequences of the unrest:

- 1 million fewer tourists

- the cotton industry is brought to its knees

- prices on food and provisions gone up

- banks and businesses closed. On Sunday the banks will be open for 3 hours after having been closed for 12 days.

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12374753

 

5 February 2011 Last updated at 18:25 GMT

 

EGYPT UNREST: HOSNI MUBARAK MUST STAY - US ENVOY

 

US special envoy Frank Wisner has said that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak should remain in power to oversee a transition to democracy.

 

The remarks appear to contradict previous US calls for Mr Mubarak to begin an immediate transition.

 

The State Department has not yet commented.

 

Mr Wisner also welcomed the RESIGNATION OF EGYPT's RULING PARTY POLITBURO. SENIOR FIGURES INCLUDING Mr MUBARAK's SON Gamal have LEFT THEIR POSTS.

 

Mr Wisner, a former ambassador in Egypt, was sent by US President Barack Obama to Cairo on Monday, apparently to urge Mr Mubarak to announce his departure.

 

"I believe that President Mubarak's continued leadership is crucial - it's his chance to write his own legacy," he told the Munich Security Conference by video link.

 

He urged people to control their rhetoric - the more Egyptians hear demands from outside the country for Mr Mubarak to stand down, he argued, the more it could have negative consequences.

 

--------------

 

Today, in many cities around the world there have been peaceful demonstrations in support of the anti-Mubarak protesters. In Copenhagen, Denmark several hundred demonstrated and carried signs saying "Give Egypt back to the people" and "Egypt' forever, Mubarak never". One of the demonstrators in Copenhagen has relatives in Cairo, and he has talked to several of them: A 13-year-old cousin had been shot in his arm, and a friend of the cousin had been killed during the protests in Cairo.

 

Iran's ayatollah Ali Khamenei has expressed support to the protesters in Egypt. He called the protests a popular, islamic movement, and he called upon the citizens of Egypt to focus on religion and to go against the West.

Egypt's foreign minister condemns Khamenei's rude interference in Egypt's internal affairs.

[nancyk58]

News in relation to the Egyptian Uprising - Saturday evening Central European Time

 

Frank Wisner, former US ambassador to Egypt, earlier called Mubarak "a good friend of the USA" and he said that Mubarak should be allowed to stay until the election (to be held in September) as he had an important role to play in connection with the necessary changes.

 

Later the US administration let the world know that Frank Wisner did not coordinate his comments with the US government and Frank Wisner's statement was his own views.

 

On TV2, News it was said that last week Frank Wisner, the US administration's envoy, met President Mubarak and let him know that the USA demanded his immediate resignation. Mubarak's response was to throw Frank Wisner out.

 

 

An army general spoke to the Egypt protesters at the Tahrir Square and appealed to them to leave the square - according to al-Jazeera. The masses' reply was "We are going nowhere, but he (Mubarak) must go". The army has tried to negotiate with the protesters to make them remove the barricades around the Tahrir Square.

 

Several demonstrations are announced for Sunday - "the Day of the Martyrs" according to al-Jazeera. Even Christian Copts are planning to join the demonstrations.

 

US secretary of state Hillary Clinton: It is important to support the Egyptian reform process headed by vice president Suleiman.

 

Today there have been calm protests in Cairo.

 

Earlier today, a human chain of protesters stopped tanks at Tahrir Square.

[chuck kottke]

The extremely unequal distribution of wealth is mind boggling; Mubarak should be tried in international court for crimes against humanity, and have his assets confiscated & returned to the Egyptian people, as compensation for putting up with his dictatorial ways for 30 years plus.

I hope the Egyptian people never let up, until they get what they want and shape their own futures! What I heard on Tahrir square sounded a little like this:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGaOlfmX8rQ&feature=related]YouTube - we will rock you by QUEEN with lyrics[/ame]

[Cobalt]

People here have protested Mubarak too - on the day that we had massive rainfalls and flooding, they were out on the city streets supporting the anti-Mubarak protesters whilst getting drenched.

[chuck kottke]

Cool! :cool3:

And I saw footage of the flooding in Australia - those are some determined protesters!!

Interesting profile of Mohamed ElBaradei from the BBC: BBC News - Profile: Mohamed ElBaradei