EGYPT DAY 4 THE REVOLUTION IS ON. NEW SENSE OF UNITY EMERGED. THE RELIGIOUS ONE

EGYPT DAY 4 THE REVOLUTION IS ON. NEW SENSE OF UNITY EMERGED. THE RELIGIOUS ONE
HUGE CROWDS IN THE DAY OF DEPARTURE IN TAHRIR SQUARE. FEB 4-11

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/blog/2011/feb/04/egypt-protests-day-departure-live#block-51

Here some extract from The Guardian

3.38pm: Detailed news on the attack on “Al-Jazeera office attacked in Egypt”
Cairo office of Arabic language news channel ransacked as intimidation of journalists continues.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/feb/04/al-jazeera-office-attacked-egypt-protests

3.11pm A video of the huge crowds in Tahrir Square today.

2.52PM: European Union 1ST STATEMENT . The EU's 27 leaders issued this joint statement during a summit in Brussels: “The European council is following with utmost concern the deteriorating situation in Egypt. All parties should show restraint and avoid further violence and begin an orderly transition to a broad-based government. The European council underlined that this transition process must start now”.
[[My view: more of the same: they do not request the immediate resignation of Mubarak]]

2.22pm: A video of Egyptians in London protesting against Hosni Mubarak.

2.13pm: Alexandria pro-democracy. There are hundreds of thousands of people on the streets of Alexandria, according to Channel 4's Lindsey Hilsum: @lindseyhilsum: Alexandria protestors singing 'there's an end to every dictator' to the tune of the national anthem

2.03pm: No foreigners in Tahrir Square?. Simon Hardy, a British man who we spoke to yesterday, called in to say he too has failed to get entrance to Tahrir Square: “We tried to get through various checkpoints but it's very intimidating....Literally just down the road there is probably a million people protesting against the regime but around the area if you're not Egyptian getting anywhere is very difficult at the moment.”

1.49pm: The Muslim Brotherhood has said it would not field a presidential candidate or seek ministers in a new cabinet, ABC reports.

1.43pm: There are reports of skirmishes in Talaat Harb Square in Cairo
@evanchill, an al-Jazeera producer, tweets

1.34pm: Mubarak thugs hit Al Jazeera. Is reported that their Cairo office has been stormed by "gangs of thugs". The news channel says its office and the equipment inside has been set fire.

1.25pm: Egypt likely short term scenarios. Ian Black, the Guardian's middle east editor, writes that President Hosni Mubarak faces four possible scenarios in the short-term future: See: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/feb/04/hosni-mubarak-day-departure-impact

Short-term scenarios include:

Climbdown The Obama administration arm-twists Mubarak into quitting immediately and handing over power to a transitional government headed by his deputy, Omar Suleiman.

Protests subside The Egyptian government plays the stability card, arguing that an "orderly transition" is already under way, that constitutional changes will take time, and that Mubarak's sudden departure will only make matters worse.

Violence escalates Large-scale bloodshed today or on subsequent days hardens the mood in the US, which suspends or halts its annual $1.3bn (£808m) in military aid to Egypt – a grave and likely game-changing blow to the position of the military. Likely to be accompanied by warnings about crimes against humanity so that continued repression carries a personal price tag for key regime figures.

Standoff Protests continue without either serious violence or Mubarak's formal departure while dialogue between government and opposition gathers momentum and constitutional changes start to look convincing, leading to splits in an already divided and largely leaderless protest movement. The opposition has only a negative platform – that the president leave. Negotiations over a transition would be complex.

1.14pm: Another candidate? Amr Moussa's presence in Tahrir Square today. Brian Whitaker provides some context: He served Mubarak for many years as Egypt's foreign minister before becoming head of the Arab League. There were suggestions at the time that Mubarak had kicked him sideways because the president was becoming jealous of Moussa's popularity (he was generally regarded as adopting a fairly tough position regarding Israel). In 2009, Moussa hinted that he might run for the Egyptian presidency in the 2011 election. In February last year, he also had a meeting with Mohamed ElBaradei which aroused a good deal of speculation.

1.10pm: Today, religious leaders have stressed their unity. We told at 12.41pm how at Friday prayers in Tahrir square, the Catholic cardinal in Egypt reportedly linked hands with a Muslim cleric. Al-Jazeera English now reports that Christians in Alexandria formed a security cordon around the Muslims while they knelt for Friday prayers.

1.01pm: Damascus pro-democracy. Al Jazeera is reporting that more than 100,000 protesters have gathered in Damanhour, about 100 miles north west of Cairo, to demand that Mubarak resigns.

12.55pm: Beirut view on Egypt, Guardian correspondent, has sent this analysis of how the events this week in Egypt are playing out across the region: “One Egyptian embassy official put his hands on his knees and said with a shy smile: "You know the president thinks he is like a big father. He treats the people like they are his children: 'go to sleep', and they all sleep, 'wake up', and they all wake up. Things have changed: the people are no more children, and you can't boss them around. If you don't talk to them in the language of democracy you will be swept away."

Arab kings and presidents are scrambling to appease their people: Jordan's king dismissed his government, Algeria's president said he will end emergency laws, the Yemeni president pledged not to run again. But for us Arabs, the biggest change has already happened. The holy image of deity for rulers, has been shattered.

12.41pm: Egypt new national sense of unity emerged, the religious one. The Catholic Cardinal in Egypt was witnessed hand in hand with a Muslim cleric, both in their religious dress with the pro-democracy demonstrators. He was speaking about national unity, stating that the myth of sectarian strife is only made by the failing government security apparatus and urge people to unite as Egyptians. The Muslim cleric also stated the same.

12.35pm: In the name of their security foreign journalists are humiliated. I've just spoken to Peter Beaumont, whose efforts to get into Tahrir Square have been frustrated by both the army and armed vigilantes. He and Jack Shenker were picked up by the army, made to kneel facing a wall and interrogated. “We were taken at a checkpoint and led to the ministry of the interior … We were held for two hours … and we were both warned that if we came anywhere near the square again, things wouldn't go so nicely for us.”

12.21pm: Al-Jazeera is investigating the hacking of its news website and other dirty attacks: “For two hours this morning (from 6.30am–8.30am Doha time), a banner advertisement was taken over and replaced with a slogan of "Together for the collapse of Egypt" which was linked to Al Jazeera.” A spokesman for Al Jazeera said that their engineers "moved quickly to solve the problem".

12.19pm: Two pro-democracy leaders emerge. The putative opposition figurehead Mohamad ElBaradei and another prominent opposition figure, Amr Moussa, secretary general of the Arab League, have both been seen either in or on their way to Tahrir Square, according to a number of accounts.

12.11pm: The Guardian lunch time summary:

• Hundreds of thousands of anti-Mubarak protesters have gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square. Protesters are calling today the "day of departure", as they continue to demand the Egyptian president step down. The Egyptian army is manning checkpoints at all entrances to the square, searching people for weapons before allowing them in. No pro-Mubarak protesters are being allowed into the square, following days of clashes between the two groups.

• After Friday prayers in the square this morning, protesters have now begun to call for Mubarak to leave, but there is a relaxed atmosphere so far, in contrast to the scenes from previous days. Protesters are listening to speeches and prayers, while others are playing music. Many are engaged in preparing rudimentary shields and helmets, mindful of the violence seen in the square yesterday.

• EU leaders are meeting in Brussels for the first time since the Middle East unrest began. The summit is to charge Lady Ashton, the Labour peer and EU's foreign policy chief, with coming up with a policy package for promoting and entrenching democracy in Egypt. Going into the summit David Cameron said the Mubarak regime would lose all credibility if it cracked down forcefully on today's protests, while Silvio Berlusconi faced criticism after he said he hoped for "continuity in government", describing Mubarak as "the wisest of men".

• The US and senior Egyptian officials are reportedly in talks over replacing Mubarak. The New York Times reported that the White House, the state department and the Pentagon have been involved in discussions that include an option in which Mubarak would given way to a transitional government headed by the Egyptian vice-president, Omar Suleiman.

• However Mubarak has warned that "if I resign today, there will be chaos". In his first major interview since protests began, the embattled Egyptian told ABC news last night: "I am fed up. After 62 years in public service, I have had enough. I want to go." He said Barack Obama, by calling for Egypt to begin the transition to democracy "now", did not understand Egyptian culture, warning that trouble would ensue if he left office immediately.

12.06pm: Mohamed ElBaradei statement. The Egyptian opposition figurehead who some see as a potential next president, has just been on al-Jazeera. “It is time for Mubarak to leave now. It is time that you listen to your people's demands. Leave with dignity … We will secure your exit. The whole world wants Mubarak to step down. He has no legitimacy … No Egyptian wants what's happening to continue. He served his country, made mistakes, but now it is time to leave … Mubarak is a military man; he should be able to tell when it's time to leave”.

11.50am: Khamanei does not understand what is going on in Egypt. Tsalem, who identifies him/herself as an Egyptian, says he/she is "dismayed" by Ayatollah Khamanei's comments (see 11.03am). “I do not think he understands what is going on in Egypt - and that these kinds of statements just inflame things further. No major political entity (including the Muslim Brotherhood) are advocating for the setting up of an "Islamic" regime in the style of Iran. No one I know personally or online or have heard in the media has mentioned anything resembling this. This is just the Iranian establishment kicking the secular regime that supported the Shah in Sadat's days.

Also as a Muslim - I do not agree with his comments at all. I believe we have the necessary institutions that keeps Islamic thought alive and pervasive in society, whilst embracing a range of views and our Coptic brothers and sisters. I do not believe we need an Islamic leadership (which incidentally is against my personal Islamic beliefs).

The entire episode in Egypt is centered around corruption, cronyism, free speech, and social injustices that exist in Egypt. And the uprising is about forcing the government of the day to deal with these issues, and asking them to step down to make way for future politicians that advocate and espouse the ideas that will address these issues.”

11.37am: Pro Mubara supporters out of Tahrir Square. The Guardian's Mustafa Khalili is in Tahrir Square, where he says there is a much more relaxed atmosphere than in the previous few days. Mustafa reports that there are "hundreds of thousands" of protesters there waiting to pass the checkpoints, and says the army checkpoints leading to the square are so far succeeding in keeping pro-Mubarak supporters out, meaning this is why there have been no clashes so far.Inside the square demonstrators are listening to prayers and speeches, while others are playing musical instruments in what Mustafa describes as a "carnival atmosphere".

11.25am: Day 4 PEACE succeed says AP news. The Associated Press news agency has more detail of the protests going on today in Cairo: “Protesters demanding President Hosni Mubarak's ouster packed Cairo's central square in huge numbers Friday, waving Egyptian flags, singing the national anthem and cheering, appearing undaunted and determined after their camp withstood two days of street battles with regime supporters trying to dislodge them.

Thousands more flowed over bridges across the Nile into Tahrir Square, a sign that they were not intimidated after fending off everything thrown at the protesters by pro-Mubarak attackers stones, firebombs, fighters on horses and camels and automatic gunfire. The protesters passed through a series of beefed-up checkpoints by the military and the protesters themselves guarding the square.

The crowd, well over 10,000, was the biggest since Tuesday, when a quarter-million turned out. They chanted, prayed and unfurled a long banner in the national colors of red, black and white. A man sitting in a wheelchair was lifted wheelchair and all over the heads of the crowd and he pumped his arms in the air. The atmosphere is peaceful, the news agency reports.”

11.03am: Ayatollah Khamenei statement on Egypt: Mubarak betrayed his people. At Friday prayers in Tehran, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told worshippers Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak betrayed his people and the uprising against his rule is the appropriate response.

Khamenei accused Mubarak of making Egypt, a close US ally, do America's bidding, particularly in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"America's control over Egypt's leaders has ... turned Egypt into the biggest enemy of Palestine and turned it into the greatest refuge for Zionists," Khamenei said.
"This explosion we see among the people of Egypt is the appropriate response to this great betrayal that the traitor dictator committed against his people," Khamenei said, without mentioning Mubarak by name.

10.54am: European Union too weak position on Egypt. My colleague Ian Traynor in Brussels sends this report on the EU's reaction to the upheaval in Cairo: Martin Schulz, the leader of the centre-left in the European parliament, lambasted the EU for its perceived weakness.

"On foreign policy issues, the EU too often behaves like a frightened rabbit in the headlights of a car," he said. "The EU summit should make a clear statement that Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak's time is up. They need to be much tougher and make it clear that Europe will not tolerate Mubarak clinging desperately to office."Going into the summit, David Cameron said the Mubarak regime would lose all credibility if it cracked down forcefully on today's protests. Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, made similar comments.

10.50am: ELBaradei said piecemeal transition won’t add trust to this regime. Trust is gone. He suggested that a transition starts with his resignation and a temporary Presidential Council . Mohamed ElBaradei (left), the Egyptian opposition figurehead who some see as a potential next president, has said Hosni Mubarak should now step down with dignity. Mubarak "should hear the clear voice coming from the people and leave in dignity", the former UN International Atomic Energy Agency chief said.

ElBaradei dismissed concessions so far by Mubarak, calling them "piecemeal", adding "it's a question of trust, and the trust is gone."

He told reporters that there should be a year-long transition to democracy under a temporary constitution with a presidential council of several people, including a military representative.

10.39 am. Anti-Mubarak protesters who remain in Tahrir Square overnight are heroes. The Daily News Egypt is reporting that the numbers flocking to Cairo's Tahrir Square exceed those attending last Tuesday's "million man march". Protesters claimed over a million people attended that protest in the square. See video.