UN human rights chief: 300 reported dead in Egypt protests
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, called on Egyptian authorities to change its system that encourages abuses of the country's people, in an unusually frank call from a UN official.
By News Agencies
http://www.haaretz.com/news/international/un-human-rights-chief-300-reported-dead-in-egypt-protests-1.340583
The U.N. human rights chief said on Tuesday she had unconfirmed reports that up to 300 people may have been killed and over 3,000 injured in the unrest that has engulfed Egypt for the past week.
The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, was appalled by reported death toll and injury count, saying, "I urge the Egyptian authorities to ensure police and other security forces scrupulously avoid excessive use of force."
Pillay urged investigations into the role of security forces during the violence and their sudden disappearance from the streets of Cairo, leaving what she described as a "security vacuum."
"People must not be arbitrarily detained, simply for protesting or for expressing their political opinions, however unwelcome those opinions may be to those in power," she added.
The UN's top human rights official praised the protest movement in Egypt on Tuesday and called on authorities to change a system that encourages abuses of the country's people, in an unusually frank call from a UN official.
"The whole world is watching how the president and the reconfigured government will react to the continuing protests demanding a radical change," the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, said in a statement.
Pillay continued, "the population appears to be clearly rejecting a system that has deprived people of fundamental rights, and has committed a range of serious abuses, including widespread acts of torture."
Thousands of people have gathered on the streets of Cairo to demand the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak, who is blamed for ignoring the needs of the poor and allowing corruption and official abuse to run rampant during his nearly 30 years in power.
Pillay said the Egyptian government should stop interfering with communications, internet and transport systems, as well as news organizations covering the protests.
The human rights chief called for calm during Tuesday's protests, in what she deemed to be a potentially "pivotal moment".
miércoles, 2 de febrero de 2011
Egypt’s Revolution: US Imperialism Brought to Heel
Egypt’s Revolution: US Imperialism Brought to Heel
by Finian Cunningham
Global Research, February 2, 2011
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=23051
With up to eight million Egyptian people defying nearly a week of military curfew in that country to insist implacably on the overthrow of the US-backed Mubarak regime, there can be little doubt that this is a people’s revolution.
In this way alone, the people have succeeded already in defying bravely – over 300 have been killed by the regime in the past week – a brutal dictatorship that has ruled their country with an iron fist.
Such is the strength and spread of the popular uprising that the regime, which has enslaved its people under a reign of terror for 30 years, has evidently been overwhelmed by shear numbers of, it has to be said, largely peaceful, but defiant protesters. A huge tribute to the morality and righteousness of their cause. They want nothing less than the immediate overthrow of Mubarak and his entire apparatus of government, and liberation from the conditions of massive poverty, unemployment, elite corruption and embezzlement, and brutal repression that the regime has presided over.
The ancient symbolism of Egypt as a land of freedom from tyranny has suddenly taken on a modern-day twist.
Mubarak is clinging on to whatever remains of his power by his finger nails – his latest ‘concession’ of vowing to stand down at the country’s next election in seven months’ time, after an intense telephone conversation with US president Barack Obama, has only served to infuriate the people further, dismissing his ‘offer’ with angry derision.
There may be a long way still to go for the people to realise their demands for full democracy and liberation, but already they have triumphed in bringing a tyrant and his henchmen to heel.
The Egyptian people’s revolution has also triumphed in bringing the might of US imperialism to heel – at least for the moment. Mubarak’s paymasters in Washington have evidently been overwhelmed by the popular rising too, which was first sparked in Tunisia last month and is fanning out across the Middle East and North Africa.
Such is the enormous spontaneity of these events – a reflection of the depth of grievance under these US-backed regimes – that the puppet masters in Washington have been caught with their pants down in the full glare of the world’s media. Even the pliant Western mainstream media/propaganda machine cannot disguise the embarrassment. Almost comically, Washington is desperately, but vainly, trying to cover its unedifying image exposed to the world. Only days ago, before the revolution in Egypt won the latest battle, Washington was saying that it stood firmly with Mubarak. Now, laughably and hypocritically, Washington is saying it “hears the voice of the people’ and, while still backing Mubarak, the US government is telling him to make an “orderly exit”.
Washington’s sudden aural ability to “hear the people/share their pain” has to be put in the context of American governments having created this regime and assiduously backing it with over $45 billion in military support. The US government, past and present, has willingly colluded with Murbarak’s police state in murder, terror and immiseration of the Egyptian people. The US government has systematically equipped and used Mubarak’s regime as a garrison to project its criminal wars throughout the Middle East and beyond, including the rendition and disappearance of alleged enemies in the giant torture chamber that Egypt has become under US tutelage.
That is the stark, heinous reality of official US involvement with its “important ally”. And the Egyptian public are all too aware of this. That is why they are adamantly not buying any soft option now belatedly being proffered by Washington.
Obama’s call to Mubarak for an orderly transition over the next seven months to some kind of reformist government is nothing but a cynical ploy by the US puppet masters to rearrange the furniture and window dressing in its Middle East torture chamber/garrison. The notion that all the outstanding painful grievances of the people can be addressed merely by the installation of a few moderate individuals, such as Mohammed El Baradei (he who has lived comfortably in Vienna for years), points only to Washington’s incorrigible arrogance and ignorance towards the masses. Do these neocolonialists not get it? Their day is over.
But caution remains the word. While the Egyptian people have won an historic victory – a victory that reverberates for everyone around the world seeking the overthrow of oppression under US-dominated capitalism – the way forward is fraught with dangers. If the protest movement does not quickly formulate a clear programme to represent their political, economic, social needs, there is the danger of vacuum and counter-revolution. That’s why the US government is trying to prolong the life of its Egyptian corpse.
The mass of suffering US public has a crucial role to play. They need to know which side they are on – and it’s not that of their government. As the Vietnam era slogan put it: you are either part of the problem or part of the solution.
by Finian Cunningham
Global Research, February 2, 2011
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=23051
With up to eight million Egyptian people defying nearly a week of military curfew in that country to insist implacably on the overthrow of the US-backed Mubarak regime, there can be little doubt that this is a people’s revolution.
In this way alone, the people have succeeded already in defying bravely – over 300 have been killed by the regime in the past week – a brutal dictatorship that has ruled their country with an iron fist.
Such is the strength and spread of the popular uprising that the regime, which has enslaved its people under a reign of terror for 30 years, has evidently been overwhelmed by shear numbers of, it has to be said, largely peaceful, but defiant protesters. A huge tribute to the morality and righteousness of their cause. They want nothing less than the immediate overthrow of Mubarak and his entire apparatus of government, and liberation from the conditions of massive poverty, unemployment, elite corruption and embezzlement, and brutal repression that the regime has presided over.
The ancient symbolism of Egypt as a land of freedom from tyranny has suddenly taken on a modern-day twist.
Mubarak is clinging on to whatever remains of his power by his finger nails – his latest ‘concession’ of vowing to stand down at the country’s next election in seven months’ time, after an intense telephone conversation with US president Barack Obama, has only served to infuriate the people further, dismissing his ‘offer’ with angry derision.
There may be a long way still to go for the people to realise their demands for full democracy and liberation, but already they have triumphed in bringing a tyrant and his henchmen to heel.
The Egyptian people’s revolution has also triumphed in bringing the might of US imperialism to heel – at least for the moment. Mubarak’s paymasters in Washington have evidently been overwhelmed by the popular rising too, which was first sparked in Tunisia last month and is fanning out across the Middle East and North Africa.
Such is the enormous spontaneity of these events – a reflection of the depth of grievance under these US-backed regimes – that the puppet masters in Washington have been caught with their pants down in the full glare of the world’s media. Even the pliant Western mainstream media/propaganda machine cannot disguise the embarrassment. Almost comically, Washington is desperately, but vainly, trying to cover its unedifying image exposed to the world. Only days ago, before the revolution in Egypt won the latest battle, Washington was saying that it stood firmly with Mubarak. Now, laughably and hypocritically, Washington is saying it “hears the voice of the people’ and, while still backing Mubarak, the US government is telling him to make an “orderly exit”.
Washington’s sudden aural ability to “hear the people/share their pain” has to be put in the context of American governments having created this regime and assiduously backing it with over $45 billion in military support. The US government, past and present, has willingly colluded with Murbarak’s police state in murder, terror and immiseration of the Egyptian people. The US government has systematically equipped and used Mubarak’s regime as a garrison to project its criminal wars throughout the Middle East and beyond, including the rendition and disappearance of alleged enemies in the giant torture chamber that Egypt has become under US tutelage.
That is the stark, heinous reality of official US involvement with its “important ally”. And the Egyptian public are all too aware of this. That is why they are adamantly not buying any soft option now belatedly being proffered by Washington.
Obama’s call to Mubarak for an orderly transition over the next seven months to some kind of reformist government is nothing but a cynical ploy by the US puppet masters to rearrange the furniture and window dressing in its Middle East torture chamber/garrison. The notion that all the outstanding painful grievances of the people can be addressed merely by the installation of a few moderate individuals, such as Mohammed El Baradei (he who has lived comfortably in Vienna for years), points only to Washington’s incorrigible arrogance and ignorance towards the masses. Do these neocolonialists not get it? Their day is over.
But caution remains the word. While the Egyptian people have won an historic victory – a victory that reverberates for everyone around the world seeking the overthrow of oppression under US-dominated capitalism – the way forward is fraught with dangers. If the protest movement does not quickly formulate a clear programme to represent their political, economic, social needs, there is the danger of vacuum and counter-revolution. That’s why the US government is trying to prolong the life of its Egyptian corpse.
The mass of suffering US public has a crucial role to play. They need to know which side they are on – and it’s not that of their government. As the Vietnam era slogan put it: you are either part of the problem or part of the solution.
H CLINTON WANTS MUBARAK IN THE US. EGYPTIAN WANT HIM IN PRISON
H CLINTON WANTS MUBARAK IN THE US. EGYPTIAN WANT HIM IN PRISON
America won’t be America without alternative voices
HAZ, february 2, 2011
Rachel Maddow made another astounding show last night in MSNBC. I wonder how different would have been the perception of Americans on the Sandinist revolution in the 1980s if Rachel and Amy Goodman would have describe what was really going on in Nicaragua. During the Reagan administration the pacific sandinist revolution -lead by brothers Cardenal and father Descoto with the support of the army and the Catholic religious branch Theology of Liberation- was wrongly depicted as communist and terrorist , when just the opposite happens, as the Iran-contra gate demonstrated.
The same happens today in Egypt: “mob of criminals” is the language used by the dictator to describe the revolution of millions of people fed up with oppression, inefficiency and corruption. Now we realize that is not the people but the police supporting Mubarak who infiltrate meeting to promote violence and is using army uniform to loot and kill innocent people. Fortunately Amy and Rachel, and other alternative voices exist and American people can have a more clear picture of reality abroad.
This real reality put against the wall to US leaders like Hillary Clinton, who openly back Mubarak. I was waiting for her to correct her mistake on Egypt and demand the immediate get out of the dictator. It won’t be the case. Mubarak speech is the evidence. I’m very disappointed and I want to put across the reason of my upset.
According to “Politico” website referred in the Maddow Blog:
“Proximity has its perils. In a 2009 interview with Al Arabiya television, Clinton defended the relationship with the Egyptian president and his wife when asked about human rights abuses by the Mubarak regime, saying, “I really consider President and Mrs. Mubarak to be friends of my family. So I hope to see him often here in Egypt and in the United States.”
That led to a Washington Post editorial questioning her ability to challenge autocratic regimes — and raised questions about Clinton’s repeated claim that the administration has long pressured Mubarak to enact much needed democratic and economic reform.
Activists are pressuring the administration to move even more quickly – and publicly acknowledge the pitfalls of helping to prop up corrupt regimes. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0211/48658.html
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0211/48658.html#ixzz1CoMc3k5o
My comment:
Propping up corrupt regimen is Hillary job and she like it. She has not ethical problem with sacrificing innocent life to cover up the White House mistakes. Was she behind the crimes in Yugoslavia to cover up the sex scandal of her husband: the bombing of innocent people there?. How many lives she expect to sacrifice in Egypt, while inside home the events in Egypt are used as smoke screen to cover up another failure to defend the promised dream of best health system for all Americans?. The only time she was right is when recently suggested that there is not difference between the Republican and Democratic parties. Right, both are financed by the same owners of the country and she is a good servant of the dictators inside. What is good for them is good for her, that is her policy. This is why she prop up dictator regimes like Mubarak’s abroad.
America won’t be America without alternative voices
HAZ, february 2, 2011
Rachel Maddow made another astounding show last night in MSNBC. I wonder how different would have been the perception of Americans on the Sandinist revolution in the 1980s if Rachel and Amy Goodman would have describe what was really going on in Nicaragua. During the Reagan administration the pacific sandinist revolution -lead by brothers Cardenal and father Descoto with the support of the army and the Catholic religious branch Theology of Liberation- was wrongly depicted as communist and terrorist , when just the opposite happens, as the Iran-contra gate demonstrated.
The same happens today in Egypt: “mob of criminals” is the language used by the dictator to describe the revolution of millions of people fed up with oppression, inefficiency and corruption. Now we realize that is not the people but the police supporting Mubarak who infiltrate meeting to promote violence and is using army uniform to loot and kill innocent people. Fortunately Amy and Rachel, and other alternative voices exist and American people can have a more clear picture of reality abroad.
This real reality put against the wall to US leaders like Hillary Clinton, who openly back Mubarak. I was waiting for her to correct her mistake on Egypt and demand the immediate get out of the dictator. It won’t be the case. Mubarak speech is the evidence. I’m very disappointed and I want to put across the reason of my upset.
According to “Politico” website referred in the Maddow Blog:
“Proximity has its perils. In a 2009 interview with Al Arabiya television, Clinton defended the relationship with the Egyptian president and his wife when asked about human rights abuses by the Mubarak regime, saying, “I really consider President and Mrs. Mubarak to be friends of my family. So I hope to see him often here in Egypt and in the United States.”
That led to a Washington Post editorial questioning her ability to challenge autocratic regimes — and raised questions about Clinton’s repeated claim that the administration has long pressured Mubarak to enact much needed democratic and economic reform.
Activists are pressuring the administration to move even more quickly – and publicly acknowledge the pitfalls of helping to prop up corrupt regimes. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0211/48658.html
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0211/48658.html#ixzz1CoMc3k5o
My comment:
Propping up corrupt regimen is Hillary job and she like it. She has not ethical problem with sacrificing innocent life to cover up the White House mistakes. Was she behind the crimes in Yugoslavia to cover up the sex scandal of her husband: the bombing of innocent people there?. How many lives she expect to sacrifice in Egypt, while inside home the events in Egypt are used as smoke screen to cover up another failure to defend the promised dream of best health system for all Americans?. The only time she was right is when recently suggested that there is not difference between the Republican and Democratic parties. Right, both are financed by the same owners of the country and she is a good servant of the dictators inside. What is good for them is good for her, that is her policy. This is why she prop up dictator regimes like Mubarak’s abroad.
martes, 1 de febrero de 2011
Los dictadores no dictan, obedecen órdenes
Los dictadores no dictan, obedecen órdenes
Michel Chossudovsky, Global Research
Traducido del inglés para Rebelión por Germán Leyens y revisado por Caty R.
http://www.rebelion.org/noticia.php?id=121483
El régimen de Mubarak podría caer frente a un movimiento nacional de protesta…
¿Cuáles son las perspectivas para Egipto y el mundo árabe?
Los “dictadores” no dictan, obedecen órdenes. Esto es verdad en Egipto, Túnez y Argelia.
Los dictadores son invariablemente títeres políticos. Los dictadores no deciden.
El presidente Hosni Mubarak fue un fiel sirviente de intereses económicos occidentales y lo mismo vale para Ben Alí.
El gobierno nacional es el objeto del movimiento de protesta.
El objetivo es derrocar al títere en lugar del titiritero.
Las consignas en Egipto son “Abajo Mubarak, abajo el régimen”. No se habla de carteles contra EE.UU… La influencia decisiva y destructiva de EE.UU. en Egipto y en todo Medio Oriente sigue sin mencionarse.
Las potencias extranjeras que operan entre bastidores están protegidas contra el movimiento de protesta.
No habrá ningún cambio político significativo a menos que el movimiento de protesta encare directamente el tema de la injerencia extranjera
La embajada de EE.UU. en El Cairo es una importante entidad política que invariablemente resta importancia al gobierno nacional. La embajada no es un objetivo del movimiento de protesta.
En 1991 se impuso en Egipto un devastador programa del FMI en el momento álgido de la Guerra del Golfo. Se negoció a cambio de la anulación de la multimillonaria deuda militar de Egipto con EE.UU. así como de su participación en la guerra. La desregulación resultante de los precios de los alimentos, la arrolladora privatización y las masivas medidas de austeridad llevaron al empobrecimiento de la población egipcia y a la desestabilización de su economía. Elogiaron al gobierno de Mubarak como “alumno modelo del FMI”.
El papel del gobierno de Ben Alí en Túnez fue imponer la mortífera medicina económica del FMI, que durante un período de más de veinte años sirvió para desestabilizar la economía nacional y empobrecer a la población tunecina. Durante los últimos 23 años, la política económica y social en Túnez ha sido dictada por el Consenso de Washington.
Tanto Hosni Mubarak como Ben Alí permanecieron en el poder porque sus gobiernos obedecieron e impusieron efectivamente los dictados del FMI.
De Pinochet y Videla a Baby Doc, Ben Alí y Mubarak, los dictadores han sido instalados por Washington. Históricamente en Latinoamérica, los dictadores fueron colocados en sus sitios mediante una serie de golpes militares patrocinados por EE.UU. En el mundo actual se hace mediante “elecciones libres y limpias” bajo la supervisión de la “comunidad internacional”.
Hillary Clinton y Hosni Mubarak en Sharm el-Sheik, septiembre de 2010
Nuestro mensaje al movimiento de protesta:
Las verdaderas decisiones se toman en Washington DC, en el Departamento de Estado de EE.UU., en el Pentágono, en Langley, central de la CIA, en H Street NW, la central del Banco Mundial, y en el FMI.
Hay que encarar la relación del “dictador” con los intereses extranjeros. Derrocad a los títeres políticos pero no olvidéis que hay que atacar a los “verdaderos dictadores”.
El movimiento de protesta debería concentrarse en la verdadera sede de la autoridad política; debería tener en la mira (de manera pacífica, ordenada y no violenta) a la embajada de EE.UU., la delegación de la Unión Europea, las misiones nacionales del FMI y del Banco Mundial.
Un cambio político significativo sólo se puede asegurar si se abandona la agenda de política económica neoliberal.
Reemplazo del régimen
Si el movimiento de protesta no se plantea el papel de las potencias extranjeras incluidas las presiones ejercidas por “inversionistas”, acreedores externos e instituciones financieras internacionales, no se logrará el objetivo de la soberanía nacional. En cuyo caso, lo que ocurrirá es un proceso limitado de “reemplazo de régimen”, que asegure la continuidad política.
Los “dictadores” son instalados y removidos. Cuando están desacreditados políticamente y ya no sirven a los intereses de sus patrocinadores estadounidenses se les reemplaza por un nuevo líder, reclutado frecuentemente en las filas de la oposición política.
En Túnez el gobierno de Obama ya se ha posicionado. Se propone jugar un papel crucial en el “programa de democratización” (es decir la celebración de las denominadas elecciones limpias). También se propone utilizar la crisis política como medio para debilitar el papel de Francia y consolidar su posición en el norte de África:
“EE.UU., que evaluó rápidamente la oleada de protesta en las calles de Túnez, trata de aprovechar su ventaja para presionar por reformas democráticas en el país, y más allá.
El enviado de más alto rango de EE.UU. para Medio Oriente, Jeffrey Feltman, fue el primer funcionario extranjero que llegó al país después de que el presidente Zine El Abidine Ben Alí fue depuesto el 14 de enero y rápidamente llamó a realizar reformas. Dijo el martes que sólo unas elecciones libres y limpias fortalecerían y otorgaran credibilidad a la dirigencia asediada del Estado norteafricano.
“Ciertamente espero que utilizaremos el ejemplo tunecino”, agregó el secretario adjunto de Estado Feltman en conversaciones con otros Estados árabes.
Fue enviado al país norteafricano para ofrecer ayuda de EE.UU. en la turbulenta transición del poder, y se reunió con ministros tunecinos y personalidades de la sociedad civil.
Feltman viaja a París el miércoles para discutir la crisis con los dirigentes franceses, reforzando la impresión de que EE.UU. dirige el apoyo internacional para un nuevo Túnez, en detrimento de la antigua potencia colonial, Francia…
Las naciones occidentales apoyaron durante mucho tiempo a la dirigencia depuesta de Túnez, por verla como un bastión contra militantes islámicos en la región norteafricana.
En 2006, el entonces secretario de defensa de EE.UU. Donald Rumsfeld, hablando en Túnez, elogió la evolución del país.
Explotando la situación, la secretaria de Estado de EE.UU., Hillary Clinton intervino ágilmente con un discurso en Doha el 13 de enero, advirtiendo a los dirigentes árabes que permitieran más libertades a sus ciudadanos.
“No cabe duda que EE.UU. trata de posicionarse muy rápido del lado bueno…” “AFP: “EE.UU. ayuda a conformar el resultado del levantamiento tunecino,”
¿Tendrá éxito Washington en la instalación de un nuevo régimen títere?
Depende en gran parte de la capacidad del movimiento de protesta al encarar el papel insidioso de EE.UU. en los asuntos internos del país.
No se mencionan los poderes preponderantes del imperio. Con una amarga ironía, el presidente Obama ha expresado su apoyo al movimiento de protesta.
Mucha gente dentro del movimiento de protesta cree que el presidente Obama está comprometido con la democracia y los derechos humanos, apoya la decisión de la oposición de deponer a un dictador, instalado por EE.UU. para comenzar.
Captación de dirigentes de la oposición
La captación de los dirigentes de los grandes partidos de oposición y organizaciones de la sociedad civil en anticipación del colapso de un gobierno títere autoritario forma parte de los cálculos de Washington, aplicados en diferentes regiones del mundo.
El proceso de captación es implementado y financiado por fundaciones basadas en EE.UU. que incluyen la Fundación Nacional por la Democracia (NED) y Freedom House (FH). Tanto FH como NED tienen vínculos con el Congreso de EE.UU., el Consejo de Relaciones Exteriores (CFR) y el establishment de los negocios estadounidense. Se sabe que tanto NED como FH están ligados a la CIA.
La NED está activamente involucrada en Túnez, Egipto y Argelia. Freedom House apoya a varias organizaciones de la sociedad civil en Egipto.
“La NED fue establecida por el gobierno de Reagan después de que el papel de la CIA en el financiamiento clandestino para derrocar gobiernos extranjeros se sacó a la luz, llevando a que los partidos, movimientos, periódicos, libros, revistas e individuos que recibían fondos de la CIA fueran desacreditados… Como fundación bipartidaria, con participación de los dos principales partidos, así como de la AFL-CIO y la Cámara de Comercio de EE.UU., la NED se hizo cargo del financiamiento de movimientos de derrocamiento extranjeros, pero de modo encubierto y bajo la rúbrica de “promoción de la democracia”. (Stephen Gowans, enero de 2011 What's left
Aunque EE.UU. ha apoyado al gobierno de Mubarak durante los últimos treinta años, las fundaciones estadounidenses con vínculos con el Departamento de Estado de EE.UU. y el Pentágono han apoyado activamente a la oposición política, incluido el movimiento de la sociedad civil. Según Freedom House: “La sociedad civil egipcia es al mismo tiempo vibrante y restringida. Hay cientos de organizaciones no gubernamentales dedicadas a expandir los derechos civiles y políticos en el país, que operan en un entorno fuertemente regulado.” (Comunicado de prensa de Freedom House).
En una amarga ironía, Washington apoya la dictadura de Mubarak, incluidas sus atrocidades, mientras respalda y financia a sus detractores, a través de FH, NED, entre otros.
Bajo los auspicios de Freedom House, disidentes egipcios y oponentes de Hosni Mubarak fueron recibidos en mayo de 2008 por Condoleezza Rice en el Departamento de Estado y el Congreso de EE.UU. También se reunieron con el Consejero de Seguridad Nacional de la Casa Blanca, Stephen Hadley, quien fue “el principal consejero de política exterior de la Casa Blanca” durante el segundo período de George W. Bush.
El esfuerzo de Freedom House por empoderar a una nueva generación de propugnadores ha producido resultados tangibles y el programa de Nueva Generación en Egipto ha adquirido importancia local e internacionalmente. Becados egipcios visitantes de todos los grupos de la sociedad civil recibieron [mayo de 2008] atención y reconocimiento sin precedentes, incluidas reuniones en Washington con la secretaria de Estado de EE.UU., el consejero de seguridad nacional y destacados miembros del Congreso. En las palabras de Condoleezza Rice, representan la “esperanza para el futuro de Egipto. Freedom House, http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=66&program=84.
Condoleezza Rice se dirige a Freedom House y a becarios egipcios
Ambigüedades políticas: Charlando con “dictadores”, confraternizando con “disidentes”
En mayo de 2009, Hillary Clinton se reunió con una delegación de disidentes egipcios, varios de los cuales se habían reunido con Condoleezza Rice un año antes. Esas reuniones a alto nivel se celebraron una semana antes de la visita de Obama a Egipto.
La secretaria de Estado de EE.UU., Hillary Clinton, elogió el trabajo de un grupo de activistas de la sociedad civil egipcia con los que se reunió hoy y dijo que correspondía a los intereses de Egipto que se orientara hacia la democracia y mostrara más respeto por los derechos humanos.
Los 16 activistas se reunieron con Clinton y con el secretario de Estado adjunto interino para asuntos de Medio Oriente, Jeffrey Feltman, en Washington al final de una beca de dos meses organizada por el programa Nueva Generación de Freedom House.
Los becados mostraron preocupación por lo que percibieron como el distanciamiento del gobierno de EE.UU. de la sociedad civil egipcia y llamaron al presidente Obama a que se reúna con jóvenes activistas independientes de la sociedad civil cuando visite El Cairo la próxima semana. También instaron al gobierno de Obama a que continúe suministrando apoyo político y financiero a la sociedad civil egipcia y a que ayude a abrir el espacio para organizaciones no gubernamentales que está fuertemente restringido bajo la antigua ley de emergencia de Egipto.
Los becados dijeron a Clinton que ya aumenta el impulso en Egipto a favor de más derechos civiles y humanos, y que se necesita urgentemente el apoyo de EE.UU. en este momento. Subrayaron que la sociedad civil representa una “tercera vía” moderada y pacífica en Egipto, una alternativa a los elementos autoritarios del gobierno y a los que abrazan un régimen teocrático. (Freedom House, mayo de 2009)
Durante sus becas, los activistas pasaron una semana en Washington recibiendo entrenamiento como propugnadores y obteniendo una enseñanza desde dentro del funcionamiento de la democracia estadounidense. Después de su entrenamiento se pudo a los becarios en contacto con organizaciones de la sociedad civil de todo el país con las que compartieron experiencias con sus homólogos estadounidenses. Los activistas terminarán su programa… visitando a funcionarios del gobierno, miembros del Congreso, medios noticiosos y think tanks.” (Freedom House, mayo de 2009)
Estos grupos opositores de la sociedad civil –que actualmente juegan un papel importante en el movimiento de protesta– están apoyados y financiados por EE.UU. Sirven indeleblemente intereses estadounidense.
La invitación de disidentes egipcios al Departamento de Estado y al Congreso de EE.UU. también pretende inculcar un sentimiento de compromiso y fidelidad a los valores democráticos estadounidenses. EE.UU. se presenta como un modelo de Libertad y Justicia. Y se destaca a Obama como un "modelo ejemplar".
Los titiriteros apoyan al movimiento de protesta contra sus propios títeres
¿Los titiriteros apoyan al movimiento de protesta contra sus propios títeres?
La explicación es “apalancamiento político”, “fabricación de disenso”. Apoyo al dictador así como a los oponentes del dictador como medio para controlar a la oposición política.
Estas acciones por parte de Freedom House y la NED por cuenta de los gobiernos de Bush y Obama, aseguran que la oposición de la sociedad civil financiada por EE.UU. no dirigirá sus energías contra los titiriteros tras el régimen de Mubarak, es decir el gobierno de EE.UU.
Esas organizaciones de la sociedad civil financiadas por EE.UU. actúan como un “Caballo de Troya” que se incrusta en el movimiento de protesta. Protegen los intereses de los titiriteros. Aseguran que el movimiento de protesta en la base no encarará el tema más amplio de la injerencia extranjera en los asuntos de Estados soberanos.
Blogueros de Facebook y Twitter apoyados y financiados por Washington
En relación con el movimiento de protesta en Egipto, varios grupos de la sociedad civil financiados por fundaciones basadas en EE.UU. han encabezado la protesta en Twitter y Facebook:
“Activistas del movimiento egipcio Kifaya (¡Basta!) –una coalición de oponentes al gobierno– y del Movimiento Juvenil 6 de Abril organizaron las protestas en las redes sociales Facebook y Twitter. Informes noticiosos occidentales dijeron que al parecer Twitter se bloqueará en Egipto el martes por la tarde.” (Vea Voice of America, Egipto estremecido por mortíferas protestas antigubernamentales)
El movimiento Kifaya, que organizó una de las primeras protestas dirigidas contra el régimen de Mubarak a finales de 2004, está apoyado por el Centro Internacional de Conflicto No Violento basado en EE.UU. Kifaya es un movimiento de amplia base que también ha tomado posición sobre Palestina y el intervencionismo estadounidense en la región.
Por su parte, Freedom House ha estado involucrado en la promoción y entrenamiento en los blogs de Facebook y Twitter en Medio Oriente y en el norte de África:
Los becarios de Freedom House adquirieron pericia en la movilización cívica, liderazgo y planificación estratégica, y se benefician de oportunidades de conexión de redes mediante su interacción con donantes basados en Washington, organizaciones internacionales y los medios. Después de volver a Egipto, los becarios recibieron pequeños subsidios para implementar iniciativas innovadoras como la propugnación de una reforma política a través de mensajes de SMS y Facebook. http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=66&program=84
Del 27 de febrero al 13 de marzo [2010], Freedom House recibió a 11 blogueros de Medio Oriente y del norte de África [de diferentes organizaciones de la sociedad civil] para un Tour de Estudios Avanzados de Nuevos Medios en Washington, D.C.
El Tour de Estudios suministró a los blogueros entrenamiento en seguridad digital,
producción de vídeos digitales, desarrollo de mensajes y cartografía digital. Mientras estuvieron en Washington, los becarios también participaron en una información del Senado, y se reunieron con responsables de alto nivel de USAID, [el Departamento de] Estado y el Congreso así como medios internacionales incluidos Al-Jazeera y Washington Post http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=115&program=84&item=87
Se puede comprender fácilmente la importancia dada por el gobierno de EE.UU. a este “programa de entrenamiento” de blogueros, que va acompañado por reuniones de alto nivel en el Senado de EE.UU., el Congreso, el Departamento de Estado, etc.
El papel de los medios sociales Facebook y Twitter como expresiones de disenso, debe ser evaluado cuidadosamente a la luz de los vínculos de diversas organizaciones de la sociedad civil egipcia con Freedom House (FH), (NED) y el Departamento de Estado.
BBC News World (transmisión en Medio Oriente) citando mensajes egipcios en Internet ha informado de que “EE.UU. ha estado enviando dinero a grupos pro democracia”. (BBC News World, 29 de enero de 2010). Según un informe en The Daily Telegraph, citando un documento secreto de la embajada de EE.UU. (29 de enero de 2011):
“Las protestas en Egipto están siendo impulsadas por el movimiento juvenil 6 de abril, un grupo de Facebook que ha atraído sobre todo a miembros jóvenes y educados opuestos a Mubarak. El grupo tiene unos 70.000 miembros y utiliza las redes sociales para orquestar protestas e informar sobre sus actividades.
Los documentos publicados por WikiLeaks revelan que funcionarios de la embajada de EE.UU. [en El Cairo] estuvieron en contacto regular con el activista entre 2008 y 2009, considerándolo una de las fuentes más fiables para información sobre abusos de los derechos humanos.
La Hermandad Musulmana
La Hermandad Musulmana en Egipto constituye el mayor segmento de la oposición al presidente Mubarak. Según informes, la Hermandad Musulmana domina el movimiento de protesta.
Aunque existe una prohibición constitucional contra partidos políticos religiosos, los miembros de la Hermandad elegidos al parlamento de Egipto como “independientes” constituyen el mayor bloque parlamentario.
La Hermandad, sin embargo, no constituye una amenaza directa para los intereses económicos y estratégicos de Washington en la región. Las agencias de inteligencia occidentales tienen una antigua historia de colaboración con la Hermandad. El apoyo de Gran Bretaña a la Hermandad, organizado a través del Servicio Secreto británico, data de los años cuarenta. Desde los años cincuenta, según el ex funcionario de inteligencia William Baer, “La CIA [canalizó] el apoyo a la Hermandad Musulmana por “la encomiable capacidad de derrocar a Nasser”. 1954-1970: CIA and the Muslim Brotherhood Ally to Oppose Egyptian President Nasser. Esos vínculos encubiertos con la CIA se mantuvieron después de Nasser.
Comentarios finales
La remoción de Hosni Mubarak ha estado, durante varios años, entre los planes de la política exterior de EE.UU.
El reemplazo del régimen sirve para asegurar la continuidad, mientras suministra la ilusión de que ha tenido lugar un cambio político significativo.
La agenda de Washington para Egipto ha sido “secuestrar el movimiento de protesta” y reemplazar al presidente Hosni Mubarak por otro jefe de Estado títere, dócil. El objetivo de Washington es sustentar los intereses de potencias extranjeras, defender la agenda económica neoliberal que ha servido para empobrecer a la población egipcia.
Desde el punto de vista de Washington, el reemplazo del régimen ya no requiere la instalación de un régimen militar autoritario como durante el apogeo del imperialismo de EE.UU. Puede ser implementado mediante la captación de partidos políticos, incluida la izquierda, el financiamiento de grupos de la sociedad civil, la infiltración del movimiento de protesta y la manipulación de elecciones nacionales.
Con referencia al movimiento de protesta en Egipto, el presidente Obama declaró en una transmisión por vídeo en YouTube el 28 de enero: “El gobierno no debe recurrir a la violencia”. La pregunta más fundamental es ¿cuál es la fuente de esa violencia? Egipto es el mayor beneficiario de ayuda militar de EE.UU. después de Israel. Los militares egipcios éstán considerados la base del poder del régimen de Mubarak:
“El ejército y las fuerzas policiales del país están armados hasta los dientes gracias a más de 1.000 millones de dólares anuales de Washington… Cuando EE.UU. describe oficialmente a Egipto como “aliado importante” se refiere sin querer al papel de Mubarak como puesto avanzado para operaciones militares y tácticas de guerra sucia en Medio Oriente y más allá. Existe clara evidencia de grupos internacionales de derechos humanos de que innumerables “sospechosos” entregados por fuerzas de EE.UU. en sus diversos territorios de operaciones (criminales) son arrojados en secreto a Egipto para “interrogatorio profundo”. El país sirve como un gigantesco “Guantánamo” en Medio Oriente, convenientemente oculto al interés público estadounidense y libre de sutilezas legales sobre derechos humanos.” (Finian Cunningham, Egypt: US-Backed Repression is Insight for American Public, Global Research, 28 de enero de 2010).
EE.UU. no es un “modelo ejemplar” de democracia para Medio Oriente. La presencia militar de EE.UU. impuesta a Egipto y al mundo árabe durante más de 20 años, combinada con reformas “de libre mercado” constituye la raíz de la violencia estatal.
La intención de EE.UU. es utilizar el movimiento de protesta para instalar un nuevo régimen.
El movimiento popular debería reorientar sus energías: Identificar la relación entre EE.UU. y “el dictador”. Derrocar al títere político de EE.UU. pero sin olvidar a los “verdaderos dictadores”.
Reorientar el proceso de cambio de régimen.
Desmantelar las reformas neoliberales.
Cerrar las bases militares de EE.UU. en el mundo árabe.
Establecer un gobierno verdaderamente soberano.
Fuente: http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=22993
Michel Chossudovsky, Global Research
Traducido del inglés para Rebelión por Germán Leyens y revisado por Caty R.
http://www.rebelion.org/noticia.php?id=121483
El régimen de Mubarak podría caer frente a un movimiento nacional de protesta…
¿Cuáles son las perspectivas para Egipto y el mundo árabe?
Los “dictadores” no dictan, obedecen órdenes. Esto es verdad en Egipto, Túnez y Argelia.
Los dictadores son invariablemente títeres políticos. Los dictadores no deciden.
El presidente Hosni Mubarak fue un fiel sirviente de intereses económicos occidentales y lo mismo vale para Ben Alí.
El gobierno nacional es el objeto del movimiento de protesta.
El objetivo es derrocar al títere en lugar del titiritero.
Las consignas en Egipto son “Abajo Mubarak, abajo el régimen”. No se habla de carteles contra EE.UU… La influencia decisiva y destructiva de EE.UU. en Egipto y en todo Medio Oriente sigue sin mencionarse.
Las potencias extranjeras que operan entre bastidores están protegidas contra el movimiento de protesta.
No habrá ningún cambio político significativo a menos que el movimiento de protesta encare directamente el tema de la injerencia extranjera
La embajada de EE.UU. en El Cairo es una importante entidad política que invariablemente resta importancia al gobierno nacional. La embajada no es un objetivo del movimiento de protesta.
En 1991 se impuso en Egipto un devastador programa del FMI en el momento álgido de la Guerra del Golfo. Se negoció a cambio de la anulación de la multimillonaria deuda militar de Egipto con EE.UU. así como de su participación en la guerra. La desregulación resultante de los precios de los alimentos, la arrolladora privatización y las masivas medidas de austeridad llevaron al empobrecimiento de la población egipcia y a la desestabilización de su economía. Elogiaron al gobierno de Mubarak como “alumno modelo del FMI”.
El papel del gobierno de Ben Alí en Túnez fue imponer la mortífera medicina económica del FMI, que durante un período de más de veinte años sirvió para desestabilizar la economía nacional y empobrecer a la población tunecina. Durante los últimos 23 años, la política económica y social en Túnez ha sido dictada por el Consenso de Washington.
Tanto Hosni Mubarak como Ben Alí permanecieron en el poder porque sus gobiernos obedecieron e impusieron efectivamente los dictados del FMI.
De Pinochet y Videla a Baby Doc, Ben Alí y Mubarak, los dictadores han sido instalados por Washington. Históricamente en Latinoamérica, los dictadores fueron colocados en sus sitios mediante una serie de golpes militares patrocinados por EE.UU. En el mundo actual se hace mediante “elecciones libres y limpias” bajo la supervisión de la “comunidad internacional”.
Hillary Clinton y Hosni Mubarak en Sharm el-Sheik, septiembre de 2010
Nuestro mensaje al movimiento de protesta:
Las verdaderas decisiones se toman en Washington DC, en el Departamento de Estado de EE.UU., en el Pentágono, en Langley, central de la CIA, en H Street NW, la central del Banco Mundial, y en el FMI.
Hay que encarar la relación del “dictador” con los intereses extranjeros. Derrocad a los títeres políticos pero no olvidéis que hay que atacar a los “verdaderos dictadores”.
El movimiento de protesta debería concentrarse en la verdadera sede de la autoridad política; debería tener en la mira (de manera pacífica, ordenada y no violenta) a la embajada de EE.UU., la delegación de la Unión Europea, las misiones nacionales del FMI y del Banco Mundial.
Un cambio político significativo sólo se puede asegurar si se abandona la agenda de política económica neoliberal.
Reemplazo del régimen
Si el movimiento de protesta no se plantea el papel de las potencias extranjeras incluidas las presiones ejercidas por “inversionistas”, acreedores externos e instituciones financieras internacionales, no se logrará el objetivo de la soberanía nacional. En cuyo caso, lo que ocurrirá es un proceso limitado de “reemplazo de régimen”, que asegure la continuidad política.
Los “dictadores” son instalados y removidos. Cuando están desacreditados políticamente y ya no sirven a los intereses de sus patrocinadores estadounidenses se les reemplaza por un nuevo líder, reclutado frecuentemente en las filas de la oposición política.
En Túnez el gobierno de Obama ya se ha posicionado. Se propone jugar un papel crucial en el “programa de democratización” (es decir la celebración de las denominadas elecciones limpias). También se propone utilizar la crisis política como medio para debilitar el papel de Francia y consolidar su posición en el norte de África:
“EE.UU., que evaluó rápidamente la oleada de protesta en las calles de Túnez, trata de aprovechar su ventaja para presionar por reformas democráticas en el país, y más allá.
El enviado de más alto rango de EE.UU. para Medio Oriente, Jeffrey Feltman, fue el primer funcionario extranjero que llegó al país después de que el presidente Zine El Abidine Ben Alí fue depuesto el 14 de enero y rápidamente llamó a realizar reformas. Dijo el martes que sólo unas elecciones libres y limpias fortalecerían y otorgaran credibilidad a la dirigencia asediada del Estado norteafricano.
“Ciertamente espero que utilizaremos el ejemplo tunecino”, agregó el secretario adjunto de Estado Feltman en conversaciones con otros Estados árabes.
Fue enviado al país norteafricano para ofrecer ayuda de EE.UU. en la turbulenta transición del poder, y se reunió con ministros tunecinos y personalidades de la sociedad civil.
Feltman viaja a París el miércoles para discutir la crisis con los dirigentes franceses, reforzando la impresión de que EE.UU. dirige el apoyo internacional para un nuevo Túnez, en detrimento de la antigua potencia colonial, Francia…
Las naciones occidentales apoyaron durante mucho tiempo a la dirigencia depuesta de Túnez, por verla como un bastión contra militantes islámicos en la región norteafricana.
En 2006, el entonces secretario de defensa de EE.UU. Donald Rumsfeld, hablando en Túnez, elogió la evolución del país.
Explotando la situación, la secretaria de Estado de EE.UU., Hillary Clinton intervino ágilmente con un discurso en Doha el 13 de enero, advirtiendo a los dirigentes árabes que permitieran más libertades a sus ciudadanos.
“No cabe duda que EE.UU. trata de posicionarse muy rápido del lado bueno…” “AFP: “EE.UU. ayuda a conformar el resultado del levantamiento tunecino,”
¿Tendrá éxito Washington en la instalación de un nuevo régimen títere?
Depende en gran parte de la capacidad del movimiento de protesta al encarar el papel insidioso de EE.UU. en los asuntos internos del país.
No se mencionan los poderes preponderantes del imperio. Con una amarga ironía, el presidente Obama ha expresado su apoyo al movimiento de protesta.
Mucha gente dentro del movimiento de protesta cree que el presidente Obama está comprometido con la democracia y los derechos humanos, apoya la decisión de la oposición de deponer a un dictador, instalado por EE.UU. para comenzar.
Captación de dirigentes de la oposición
La captación de los dirigentes de los grandes partidos de oposición y organizaciones de la sociedad civil en anticipación del colapso de un gobierno títere autoritario forma parte de los cálculos de Washington, aplicados en diferentes regiones del mundo.
El proceso de captación es implementado y financiado por fundaciones basadas en EE.UU. que incluyen la Fundación Nacional por la Democracia (NED) y Freedom House (FH). Tanto FH como NED tienen vínculos con el Congreso de EE.UU., el Consejo de Relaciones Exteriores (CFR) y el establishment de los negocios estadounidense. Se sabe que tanto NED como FH están ligados a la CIA.
La NED está activamente involucrada en Túnez, Egipto y Argelia. Freedom House apoya a varias organizaciones de la sociedad civil en Egipto.
“La NED fue establecida por el gobierno de Reagan después de que el papel de la CIA en el financiamiento clandestino para derrocar gobiernos extranjeros se sacó a la luz, llevando a que los partidos, movimientos, periódicos, libros, revistas e individuos que recibían fondos de la CIA fueran desacreditados… Como fundación bipartidaria, con participación de los dos principales partidos, así como de la AFL-CIO y la Cámara de Comercio de EE.UU., la NED se hizo cargo del financiamiento de movimientos de derrocamiento extranjeros, pero de modo encubierto y bajo la rúbrica de “promoción de la democracia”. (Stephen Gowans, enero de 2011 What's left
Aunque EE.UU. ha apoyado al gobierno de Mubarak durante los últimos treinta años, las fundaciones estadounidenses con vínculos con el Departamento de Estado de EE.UU. y el Pentágono han apoyado activamente a la oposición política, incluido el movimiento de la sociedad civil. Según Freedom House: “La sociedad civil egipcia es al mismo tiempo vibrante y restringida. Hay cientos de organizaciones no gubernamentales dedicadas a expandir los derechos civiles y políticos en el país, que operan en un entorno fuertemente regulado.” (Comunicado de prensa de Freedom House).
En una amarga ironía, Washington apoya la dictadura de Mubarak, incluidas sus atrocidades, mientras respalda y financia a sus detractores, a través de FH, NED, entre otros.
Bajo los auspicios de Freedom House, disidentes egipcios y oponentes de Hosni Mubarak fueron recibidos en mayo de 2008 por Condoleezza Rice en el Departamento de Estado y el Congreso de EE.UU. También se reunieron con el Consejero de Seguridad Nacional de la Casa Blanca, Stephen Hadley, quien fue “el principal consejero de política exterior de la Casa Blanca” durante el segundo período de George W. Bush.
El esfuerzo de Freedom House por empoderar a una nueva generación de propugnadores ha producido resultados tangibles y el programa de Nueva Generación en Egipto ha adquirido importancia local e internacionalmente. Becados egipcios visitantes de todos los grupos de la sociedad civil recibieron [mayo de 2008] atención y reconocimiento sin precedentes, incluidas reuniones en Washington con la secretaria de Estado de EE.UU., el consejero de seguridad nacional y destacados miembros del Congreso. En las palabras de Condoleezza Rice, representan la “esperanza para el futuro de Egipto. Freedom House, http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=66&program=84.
Condoleezza Rice se dirige a Freedom House y a becarios egipcios
Ambigüedades políticas: Charlando con “dictadores”, confraternizando con “disidentes”
En mayo de 2009, Hillary Clinton se reunió con una delegación de disidentes egipcios, varios de los cuales se habían reunido con Condoleezza Rice un año antes. Esas reuniones a alto nivel se celebraron una semana antes de la visita de Obama a Egipto.
La secretaria de Estado de EE.UU., Hillary Clinton, elogió el trabajo de un grupo de activistas de la sociedad civil egipcia con los que se reunió hoy y dijo que correspondía a los intereses de Egipto que se orientara hacia la democracia y mostrara más respeto por los derechos humanos.
Los 16 activistas se reunieron con Clinton y con el secretario de Estado adjunto interino para asuntos de Medio Oriente, Jeffrey Feltman, en Washington al final de una beca de dos meses organizada por el programa Nueva Generación de Freedom House.
Los becados mostraron preocupación por lo que percibieron como el distanciamiento del gobierno de EE.UU. de la sociedad civil egipcia y llamaron al presidente Obama a que se reúna con jóvenes activistas independientes de la sociedad civil cuando visite El Cairo la próxima semana. También instaron al gobierno de Obama a que continúe suministrando apoyo político y financiero a la sociedad civil egipcia y a que ayude a abrir el espacio para organizaciones no gubernamentales que está fuertemente restringido bajo la antigua ley de emergencia de Egipto.
Los becados dijeron a Clinton que ya aumenta el impulso en Egipto a favor de más derechos civiles y humanos, y que se necesita urgentemente el apoyo de EE.UU. en este momento. Subrayaron que la sociedad civil representa una “tercera vía” moderada y pacífica en Egipto, una alternativa a los elementos autoritarios del gobierno y a los que abrazan un régimen teocrático. (Freedom House, mayo de 2009)
Durante sus becas, los activistas pasaron una semana en Washington recibiendo entrenamiento como propugnadores y obteniendo una enseñanza desde dentro del funcionamiento de la democracia estadounidense. Después de su entrenamiento se pudo a los becarios en contacto con organizaciones de la sociedad civil de todo el país con las que compartieron experiencias con sus homólogos estadounidenses. Los activistas terminarán su programa… visitando a funcionarios del gobierno, miembros del Congreso, medios noticiosos y think tanks.” (Freedom House, mayo de 2009)
Estos grupos opositores de la sociedad civil –que actualmente juegan un papel importante en el movimiento de protesta– están apoyados y financiados por EE.UU. Sirven indeleblemente intereses estadounidense.
La invitación de disidentes egipcios al Departamento de Estado y al Congreso de EE.UU. también pretende inculcar un sentimiento de compromiso y fidelidad a los valores democráticos estadounidenses. EE.UU. se presenta como un modelo de Libertad y Justicia. Y se destaca a Obama como un "modelo ejemplar".
Los titiriteros apoyan al movimiento de protesta contra sus propios títeres
¿Los titiriteros apoyan al movimiento de protesta contra sus propios títeres?
La explicación es “apalancamiento político”, “fabricación de disenso”. Apoyo al dictador así como a los oponentes del dictador como medio para controlar a la oposición política.
Estas acciones por parte de Freedom House y la NED por cuenta de los gobiernos de Bush y Obama, aseguran que la oposición de la sociedad civil financiada por EE.UU. no dirigirá sus energías contra los titiriteros tras el régimen de Mubarak, es decir el gobierno de EE.UU.
Esas organizaciones de la sociedad civil financiadas por EE.UU. actúan como un “Caballo de Troya” que se incrusta en el movimiento de protesta. Protegen los intereses de los titiriteros. Aseguran que el movimiento de protesta en la base no encarará el tema más amplio de la injerencia extranjera en los asuntos de Estados soberanos.
Blogueros de Facebook y Twitter apoyados y financiados por Washington
En relación con el movimiento de protesta en Egipto, varios grupos de la sociedad civil financiados por fundaciones basadas en EE.UU. han encabezado la protesta en Twitter y Facebook:
“Activistas del movimiento egipcio Kifaya (¡Basta!) –una coalición de oponentes al gobierno– y del Movimiento Juvenil 6 de Abril organizaron las protestas en las redes sociales Facebook y Twitter. Informes noticiosos occidentales dijeron que al parecer Twitter se bloqueará en Egipto el martes por la tarde.” (Vea Voice of America, Egipto estremecido por mortíferas protestas antigubernamentales)
El movimiento Kifaya, que organizó una de las primeras protestas dirigidas contra el régimen de Mubarak a finales de 2004, está apoyado por el Centro Internacional de Conflicto No Violento basado en EE.UU. Kifaya es un movimiento de amplia base que también ha tomado posición sobre Palestina y el intervencionismo estadounidense en la región.
Por su parte, Freedom House ha estado involucrado en la promoción y entrenamiento en los blogs de Facebook y Twitter en Medio Oriente y en el norte de África:
Los becarios de Freedom House adquirieron pericia en la movilización cívica, liderazgo y planificación estratégica, y se benefician de oportunidades de conexión de redes mediante su interacción con donantes basados en Washington, organizaciones internacionales y los medios. Después de volver a Egipto, los becarios recibieron pequeños subsidios para implementar iniciativas innovadoras como la propugnación de una reforma política a través de mensajes de SMS y Facebook. http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=66&program=84
Del 27 de febrero al 13 de marzo [2010], Freedom House recibió a 11 blogueros de Medio Oriente y del norte de África [de diferentes organizaciones de la sociedad civil] para un Tour de Estudios Avanzados de Nuevos Medios en Washington, D.C.
El Tour de Estudios suministró a los blogueros entrenamiento en seguridad digital,
producción de vídeos digitales, desarrollo de mensajes y cartografía digital. Mientras estuvieron en Washington, los becarios también participaron en una información del Senado, y se reunieron con responsables de alto nivel de USAID, [el Departamento de] Estado y el Congreso así como medios internacionales incluidos Al-Jazeera y Washington Post http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=115&program=84&item=87
Se puede comprender fácilmente la importancia dada por el gobierno de EE.UU. a este “programa de entrenamiento” de blogueros, que va acompañado por reuniones de alto nivel en el Senado de EE.UU., el Congreso, el Departamento de Estado, etc.
El papel de los medios sociales Facebook y Twitter como expresiones de disenso, debe ser evaluado cuidadosamente a la luz de los vínculos de diversas organizaciones de la sociedad civil egipcia con Freedom House (FH), (NED) y el Departamento de Estado.
BBC News World (transmisión en Medio Oriente) citando mensajes egipcios en Internet ha informado de que “EE.UU. ha estado enviando dinero a grupos pro democracia”. (BBC News World, 29 de enero de 2010). Según un informe en The Daily Telegraph, citando un documento secreto de la embajada de EE.UU. (29 de enero de 2011):
“Las protestas en Egipto están siendo impulsadas por el movimiento juvenil 6 de abril, un grupo de Facebook que ha atraído sobre todo a miembros jóvenes y educados opuestos a Mubarak. El grupo tiene unos 70.000 miembros y utiliza las redes sociales para orquestar protestas e informar sobre sus actividades.
Los documentos publicados por WikiLeaks revelan que funcionarios de la embajada de EE.UU. [en El Cairo] estuvieron en contacto regular con el activista entre 2008 y 2009, considerándolo una de las fuentes más fiables para información sobre abusos de los derechos humanos.
La Hermandad Musulmana
La Hermandad Musulmana en Egipto constituye el mayor segmento de la oposición al presidente Mubarak. Según informes, la Hermandad Musulmana domina el movimiento de protesta.
Aunque existe una prohibición constitucional contra partidos políticos religiosos, los miembros de la Hermandad elegidos al parlamento de Egipto como “independientes” constituyen el mayor bloque parlamentario.
La Hermandad, sin embargo, no constituye una amenaza directa para los intereses económicos y estratégicos de Washington en la región. Las agencias de inteligencia occidentales tienen una antigua historia de colaboración con la Hermandad. El apoyo de Gran Bretaña a la Hermandad, organizado a través del Servicio Secreto británico, data de los años cuarenta. Desde los años cincuenta, según el ex funcionario de inteligencia William Baer, “La CIA [canalizó] el apoyo a la Hermandad Musulmana por “la encomiable capacidad de derrocar a Nasser”. 1954-1970: CIA and the Muslim Brotherhood Ally to Oppose Egyptian President Nasser. Esos vínculos encubiertos con la CIA se mantuvieron después de Nasser.
Comentarios finales
La remoción de Hosni Mubarak ha estado, durante varios años, entre los planes de la política exterior de EE.UU.
El reemplazo del régimen sirve para asegurar la continuidad, mientras suministra la ilusión de que ha tenido lugar un cambio político significativo.
La agenda de Washington para Egipto ha sido “secuestrar el movimiento de protesta” y reemplazar al presidente Hosni Mubarak por otro jefe de Estado títere, dócil. El objetivo de Washington es sustentar los intereses de potencias extranjeras, defender la agenda económica neoliberal que ha servido para empobrecer a la población egipcia.
Desde el punto de vista de Washington, el reemplazo del régimen ya no requiere la instalación de un régimen militar autoritario como durante el apogeo del imperialismo de EE.UU. Puede ser implementado mediante la captación de partidos políticos, incluida la izquierda, el financiamiento de grupos de la sociedad civil, la infiltración del movimiento de protesta y la manipulación de elecciones nacionales.
Con referencia al movimiento de protesta en Egipto, el presidente Obama declaró en una transmisión por vídeo en YouTube el 28 de enero: “El gobierno no debe recurrir a la violencia”. La pregunta más fundamental es ¿cuál es la fuente de esa violencia? Egipto es el mayor beneficiario de ayuda militar de EE.UU. después de Israel. Los militares egipcios éstán considerados la base del poder del régimen de Mubarak:
“El ejército y las fuerzas policiales del país están armados hasta los dientes gracias a más de 1.000 millones de dólares anuales de Washington… Cuando EE.UU. describe oficialmente a Egipto como “aliado importante” se refiere sin querer al papel de Mubarak como puesto avanzado para operaciones militares y tácticas de guerra sucia en Medio Oriente y más allá. Existe clara evidencia de grupos internacionales de derechos humanos de que innumerables “sospechosos” entregados por fuerzas de EE.UU. en sus diversos territorios de operaciones (criminales) son arrojados en secreto a Egipto para “interrogatorio profundo”. El país sirve como un gigantesco “Guantánamo” en Medio Oriente, convenientemente oculto al interés público estadounidense y libre de sutilezas legales sobre derechos humanos.” (Finian Cunningham, Egypt: US-Backed Repression is Insight for American Public, Global Research, 28 de enero de 2010).
EE.UU. no es un “modelo ejemplar” de democracia para Medio Oriente. La presencia militar de EE.UU. impuesta a Egipto y al mundo árabe durante más de 20 años, combinada con reformas “de libre mercado” constituye la raíz de la violencia estatal.
La intención de EE.UU. es utilizar el movimiento de protesta para instalar un nuevo régimen.
El movimiento popular debería reorientar sus energías: Identificar la relación entre EE.UU. y “el dictador”. Derrocar al títere político de EE.UU. pero sin olvidar a los “verdaderos dictadores”.
Reorientar el proceso de cambio de régimen.
Desmantelar las reformas neoliberales.
Cerrar las bases militares de EE.UU. en el mundo árabe.
Establecer un gobierno verdaderamente soberano.
Fuente: http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=22993
WHERE THE EGYPTIAN REVOLUTION IS GOING TO
EGYPTIAN REVOLUTION UNSTOPPABLE.
The 2nd stage just started.
Haz, February 2, 2011
There are more than 200 videos already circulated all over the world. Only AlJazeeraEnglish has already collected 18,846 videos. I got many debates and speeches but few of them with comments in English, enough to make a craft on future events (see below: Where the Egyptian Revolution is going to).
Listen this speech –translated to English- that start by quoting Thomas Jefferson:
"When the government fears the people there is liberty; when the people fear the government there is tyranny." - Thomas Jefferson. This is the truth. We Egyptian people has lost our fear of the Govt. .. and the speech finish: Freedom for the egyptian people. Mubarak go to the USA!!.
Or this other speech that start quoting Aristotles: "Poverty is the parent of revolution and a crime" Aristotle 384 BC-322 BC.
“Egypt is rebelling because their Gov. is Broke& America DEBTS=$100 Trillion! Most Egyptians are living on $2 per day & Starving, the Gov cut their FOOD aid, then food prices began rising-all because the IMF & World Bank loaned Egypt money at high interest, demanded political favors, when Egypt can't pay, Global Bankers demanded Egypts resources & later high tax & austerity measures on populus.”
Or this other one:
“Egypt revolution is part of the world revolution. It is the new world order vs Puerto Rico and England students, it is the globalization leads by big corporations vs the riots in Greece, revolts in Italy, teachers strikes in the US and ,now is Egypt. There is only one struggle, is the fight against globalization lead by transnationals. And there is only one aim: the united front of all oppressed people. Our struggle will continue till we achieve this goal in our country. We are going to start in Egypt from the bottom up, we are going to build united fronts for democracy in all major cities and towns; and we are going to run our own elections and create our own authorities. Mubarak is a criminal, we are going to bury him in an Egyptian prison for crimes against humanity, for corruption and selling our country and humiliating our nation. Freedom for the egyptian people. Mubarak go now to the USA, later on will be late!!
Similar voices describe a puppet, from different people in different places!
No doubt there is a collective synergy that perfectly fits in one word “revolution”, or in two “UNITED EGYPT”.
This is the energy of freedom and democracy, a type of energy that will go up and up until achieve its goal. Every Egyptian wants to be a subject, wants to make history and after 30 years of repression, missery and humilliation, life won't count. It is totally irresponsible to sacrifice this life in the part of the US by keepping this dictator in power in the name of "transition". Transition to real democracy is something that they should do in their own country, a country ruled by big evil corporations that are causing too much missery all over the world. In Egypt the army should depost Mubarak, put him in prison and call for inmediate elecctions. Keep Mubarak in power will cost to much Egyptian lives and it wont contain people will and decision to achieve freedom and democracy. It will strength and radicalized such spirit instead. The US policiy in favor of Mubarak is wrong and is time to correct it now.
VIDEOS
Open http://english.aljazeera.net/ and go to news and you will find many of them from different sources. It is said that AlJazeeraEnglish has already collected 18,846 videos . In Ahmed Agour blog you will find easily 151 videos. Open (go first to http://english.aljazeera.net/) the ILLUMINA TISA TANIST 151 videos
In the video below you will see one of many killing of innocent people.
Here is shown the execution of a person who walking peacefully from one sidewalk to the other from an American helicopter. This is why they start chanting!!Mubarak go to the USA!! As it was expected, the repression of peaceful demonstration start creating resentment on the US. All the unrest started when Mubarak announced that he won’t resign until next elections, as top US official demanded. Alexandria was the first town that expressed openly their upset. Leaders in the Square of Cairo demanded planned actions, no violence.
Here the Egypt unrest : Video of police killing a teen protesting and his love picking him up Must watch it!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRgJlL1aQbg&NR=1
In another video you will see the rise up of a new leader, the son of historic nationalist Naser. Soon as people knew that Elbaradei was having talks with members of the US embassy, people eyes were looking at Khalid Nasser as potential democratic figure to replace Mubarak. People is looking for new leaders. Khalid was among the demonstrators. See this one is brief and in English.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkqmFegnfMQ&feature=player_embedded
WHERE THE EGYPTIAN REV IS GOING TO?
From the speeches and interviews on the ground we can draft some potential avenues for this revolution. Here the likely options:
1. Civil disobedience with peaceful actions at local level. People will try to organize first a United Local Front for Democracy. Purpose: to disassemble Mubarak power and build up their own one. Focus: the electoral institution and other institutions whose officials will be requested to renounce and invited to collaborate with the United front. Even if they do not give up power, the People Assembly will delegitimize them and recognize the Local Committee set by the People Assembly.
2. Dual Power. Mobilization and actions (either open or clandestine) in all that is concern and interest of the people in the town. The option “clandestine operations” will be the result of police repression.
3. Collection data for the file “Crimes against humanity” against Mubarak and top members of the Police. A committee will be set and contact with judges inside and abroad to indict Mubarak. The Arab league will be push to create a Truth Committee and bring the case to international Courts.
4. Build up the File “corruption” against Mubarak regime. Similar proceeding as above.
It has been scheduled the Friday demonstration. People will avoid any violent confrontation with the police. Banners with people killed, disappeared or tortured will be shown in the streets.
======================
Two documents from Al Jazeera:
1.
Mubarak to stay on till election
Clashes erupt in Alexandria shortly after Egypt president's speech, in which he announces he will not seek another term.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/02/201121191413252982.html
CAIRO, EGYPT - Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian president, has announced in a televised address that he will not run for re-election but refused to step down from office - the central demand of millions of protesters who have demonstrated across Egypt over the past week.
He seemed largely unfazed by the protests during his recorded address, which aired at 11pm local time on Tuesday.
Mubarak mentioned them at the beginning of his speech, and said that "the young people" have the right to peaceful demonstrations. But his tone quickly turned accusatory, saying the protesters had been "taken advantage of" by people trying to "undermine the government".
Until now, officials had indicated Mubarak, 82, was likely to run for a sixth six-year term of office.
Shortly after Mubarak's speech clashes broke out between pro and anti-government protesters in Mahatit Masr square in the port city of Alexandria, Al Jazeera's correspondent there reported.
His announcement follows a week of protests, in which millions of people have taken to the streets in Cairo and elsewhere.
In his address Mubarak said he never intended to run for re-election.
"I will use the remaining months of my term in office to fill the peoples' demands," he said.
That would leave Mubarak in charge of overseeing a transitional government until the next presidential election, currently scheduled for September. He promised reforms to the constitution, particularly article 76, which makes it virtually impossible for independent candidates to run for office. And he said his government would focus on improving the economy and providing jobs.
"My new government will be responsive to the needs of young people," he said. "It will fulfil those legitimate demands and help the return of stability and security."
Mubarak also made a point of saying that he would "die in this land" - a message to protesters that he did not plan to flee into exile like recently deposed Tunisian president, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
But his speech will not carry much weight with protesters: they resumed their "Leave, Mubarak!" chant shortly after his speech, and added a few new slogans, like "we won't leave tomorrow, we won't leave Thursday ..."
None of the protesters interviewed earlier today said they would accept Mubarak finishing his term in office.
"He needs to leave now," Hassan Moussa said in Tahrir Square hours before Mubarak's announcement.
"We won't accept him leaving in September, or handing power to [newly-installed vice president] Omar Suleiman. He needs to leave now."
So the protests continue to feel like a waiting game – as if Mubarak is hoping to simply outlast the crowds amassed downtown.
"When the people of a nation decide something, then it will happen," said Abdullah Said Ahmed, a student from Al-Azhar University.
"The United States chooses its leaders. We're going to choose ours. Our patience can do anything."
"I'll stay here until I die or until the system changes," said Saber Shanan.
Mubarak's announcement comes after pressure from the US, which urged him not to seek re-election. Frank Wisner, a former ambassador to Egypt, met Mubarak on Monday and reportedly told him not to extend his time in office.
Open the above site to see events in different places of Egypt:
Cairo: more than a million people gathered in and around Tahrir Square
Alexandria: Hundreds of thousands of protesters marched in the city
Sinai: Around 250,000 protesters rallied
El-Mahalla el-Kubra: Up to 250,000 people demonstrated
Hundreds of thousands also marched in Port Said, Suez, and Menya
2.
US envoy meets ElBaradei
US ambassador to Egypt holds talks with opposition figure amid ongoing anti-government protests.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/02/201121173116367979.html
Margaret Scobey, the US ambassador to Egypt, has spoken to Egyptian opposition figure Mohamed ElBaradei, according to the US state department.
ElBaradei, a former head of the UN nuclear watchdog turned democracy advocate, returned to Egypt last week and has offered to act as a transitional leader to prepare Egypt for democratic elections amid mounting protests against President Hosni Mubarak.
"As part of our public outreach to convey support for an orderly transition in Egypt, Ambassador Scobey spoke today with Mohammed ElBaradei," PJ Crowley, the US state department spokesman, said in a message on Twitter on Tuesday.
The ongoing turmoil in Egypt is being closely watched by Washington since Mubarak has been a strategic US ally. Analysts say Washington also wields considerable influence over Cairo since Egypt receives $1.5bn in military aid annually from the US.
ElBaradei, 68, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work at the International Atomic Energy Agency, has participated in the recent protests but analysts say he has limited public appeal in the country due to his long absences from the country.
The 2nd stage just started.
Haz, February 2, 2011
There are more than 200 videos already circulated all over the world. Only AlJazeeraEnglish has already collected 18,846 videos. I got many debates and speeches but few of them with comments in English, enough to make a craft on future events (see below: Where the Egyptian Revolution is going to).
Listen this speech –translated to English- that start by quoting Thomas Jefferson:
"When the government fears the people there is liberty; when the people fear the government there is tyranny." - Thomas Jefferson. This is the truth. We Egyptian people has lost our fear of the Govt. .. and the speech finish: Freedom for the egyptian people. Mubarak go to the USA!!.
Or this other speech that start quoting Aristotles: "Poverty is the parent of revolution and a crime" Aristotle 384 BC-322 BC.
“Egypt is rebelling because their Gov. is Broke& America DEBTS=$100 Trillion! Most Egyptians are living on $2 per day & Starving, the Gov cut their FOOD aid, then food prices began rising-all because the IMF & World Bank loaned Egypt money at high interest, demanded political favors, when Egypt can't pay, Global Bankers demanded Egypts resources & later high tax & austerity measures on populus.”
Or this other one:
“Egypt revolution is part of the world revolution. It is the new world order vs Puerto Rico and England students, it is the globalization leads by big corporations vs the riots in Greece, revolts in Italy, teachers strikes in the US and ,now is Egypt. There is only one struggle, is the fight against globalization lead by transnationals. And there is only one aim: the united front of all oppressed people. Our struggle will continue till we achieve this goal in our country. We are going to start in Egypt from the bottom up, we are going to build united fronts for democracy in all major cities and towns; and we are going to run our own elections and create our own authorities. Mubarak is a criminal, we are going to bury him in an Egyptian prison for crimes against humanity, for corruption and selling our country and humiliating our nation. Freedom for the egyptian people. Mubarak go now to the USA, later on will be late!!
Similar voices describe a puppet, from different people in different places!
No doubt there is a collective synergy that perfectly fits in one word “revolution”, or in two “UNITED EGYPT”.
This is the energy of freedom and democracy, a type of energy that will go up and up until achieve its goal. Every Egyptian wants to be a subject, wants to make history and after 30 years of repression, missery and humilliation, life won't count. It is totally irresponsible to sacrifice this life in the part of the US by keepping this dictator in power in the name of "transition". Transition to real democracy is something that they should do in their own country, a country ruled by big evil corporations that are causing too much missery all over the world. In Egypt the army should depost Mubarak, put him in prison and call for inmediate elecctions. Keep Mubarak in power will cost to much Egyptian lives and it wont contain people will and decision to achieve freedom and democracy. It will strength and radicalized such spirit instead. The US policiy in favor of Mubarak is wrong and is time to correct it now.
VIDEOS
Open http://english.aljazeera.net/ and go to news and you will find many of them from different sources. It is said that AlJazeeraEnglish has already collected 18,846 videos . In Ahmed Agour blog you will find easily 151 videos. Open (go first to http://english.aljazeera.net/) the ILLUMINA TISA TANIST 151 videos
In the video below you will see one of many killing of innocent people.
Here is shown the execution of a person who walking peacefully from one sidewalk to the other from an American helicopter. This is why they start chanting!!Mubarak go to the USA!! As it was expected, the repression of peaceful demonstration start creating resentment on the US. All the unrest started when Mubarak announced that he won’t resign until next elections, as top US official demanded. Alexandria was the first town that expressed openly their upset. Leaders in the Square of Cairo demanded planned actions, no violence.
Here the Egypt unrest : Video of police killing a teen protesting and his love picking him up Must watch it!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRgJlL1aQbg&NR=1
In another video you will see the rise up of a new leader, the son of historic nationalist Naser. Soon as people knew that Elbaradei was having talks with members of the US embassy, people eyes were looking at Khalid Nasser as potential democratic figure to replace Mubarak. People is looking for new leaders. Khalid was among the demonstrators. See this one is brief and in English.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkqmFegnfMQ&feature=player_embedded
WHERE THE EGYPTIAN REV IS GOING TO?
From the speeches and interviews on the ground we can draft some potential avenues for this revolution. Here the likely options:
1. Civil disobedience with peaceful actions at local level. People will try to organize first a United Local Front for Democracy. Purpose: to disassemble Mubarak power and build up their own one. Focus: the electoral institution and other institutions whose officials will be requested to renounce and invited to collaborate with the United front. Even if they do not give up power, the People Assembly will delegitimize them and recognize the Local Committee set by the People Assembly.
2. Dual Power. Mobilization and actions (either open or clandestine) in all that is concern and interest of the people in the town. The option “clandestine operations” will be the result of police repression.
3. Collection data for the file “Crimes against humanity” against Mubarak and top members of the Police. A committee will be set and contact with judges inside and abroad to indict Mubarak. The Arab league will be push to create a Truth Committee and bring the case to international Courts.
4. Build up the File “corruption” against Mubarak regime. Similar proceeding as above.
It has been scheduled the Friday demonstration. People will avoid any violent confrontation with the police. Banners with people killed, disappeared or tortured will be shown in the streets.
======================
Two documents from Al Jazeera:
1.
Mubarak to stay on till election
Clashes erupt in Alexandria shortly after Egypt president's speech, in which he announces he will not seek another term.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/02/201121191413252982.html
CAIRO, EGYPT - Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian president, has announced in a televised address that he will not run for re-election but refused to step down from office - the central demand of millions of protesters who have demonstrated across Egypt over the past week.
He seemed largely unfazed by the protests during his recorded address, which aired at 11pm local time on Tuesday.
Mubarak mentioned them at the beginning of his speech, and said that "the young people" have the right to peaceful demonstrations. But his tone quickly turned accusatory, saying the protesters had been "taken advantage of" by people trying to "undermine the government".
Until now, officials had indicated Mubarak, 82, was likely to run for a sixth six-year term of office.
Shortly after Mubarak's speech clashes broke out between pro and anti-government protesters in Mahatit Masr square in the port city of Alexandria, Al Jazeera's correspondent there reported.
His announcement follows a week of protests, in which millions of people have taken to the streets in Cairo and elsewhere.
In his address Mubarak said he never intended to run for re-election.
"I will use the remaining months of my term in office to fill the peoples' demands," he said.
That would leave Mubarak in charge of overseeing a transitional government until the next presidential election, currently scheduled for September. He promised reforms to the constitution, particularly article 76, which makes it virtually impossible for independent candidates to run for office. And he said his government would focus on improving the economy and providing jobs.
"My new government will be responsive to the needs of young people," he said. "It will fulfil those legitimate demands and help the return of stability and security."
Mubarak also made a point of saying that he would "die in this land" - a message to protesters that he did not plan to flee into exile like recently deposed Tunisian president, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
But his speech will not carry much weight with protesters: they resumed their "Leave, Mubarak!" chant shortly after his speech, and added a few new slogans, like "we won't leave tomorrow, we won't leave Thursday ..."
None of the protesters interviewed earlier today said they would accept Mubarak finishing his term in office.
"He needs to leave now," Hassan Moussa said in Tahrir Square hours before Mubarak's announcement.
"We won't accept him leaving in September, or handing power to [newly-installed vice president] Omar Suleiman. He needs to leave now."
So the protests continue to feel like a waiting game – as if Mubarak is hoping to simply outlast the crowds amassed downtown.
"When the people of a nation decide something, then it will happen," said Abdullah Said Ahmed, a student from Al-Azhar University.
"The United States chooses its leaders. We're going to choose ours. Our patience can do anything."
"I'll stay here until I die or until the system changes," said Saber Shanan.
Mubarak's announcement comes after pressure from the US, which urged him not to seek re-election. Frank Wisner, a former ambassador to Egypt, met Mubarak on Monday and reportedly told him not to extend his time in office.
Open the above site to see events in different places of Egypt:
Cairo: more than a million people gathered in and around Tahrir Square
Alexandria: Hundreds of thousands of protesters marched in the city
Sinai: Around 250,000 protesters rallied
El-Mahalla el-Kubra: Up to 250,000 people demonstrated
Hundreds of thousands also marched in Port Said, Suez, and Menya
2.
US envoy meets ElBaradei
US ambassador to Egypt holds talks with opposition figure amid ongoing anti-government protests.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/02/201121173116367979.html
Margaret Scobey, the US ambassador to Egypt, has spoken to Egyptian opposition figure Mohamed ElBaradei, according to the US state department.
ElBaradei, a former head of the UN nuclear watchdog turned democracy advocate, returned to Egypt last week and has offered to act as a transitional leader to prepare Egypt for democratic elections amid mounting protests against President Hosni Mubarak.
"As part of our public outreach to convey support for an orderly transition in Egypt, Ambassador Scobey spoke today with Mohammed ElBaradei," PJ Crowley, the US state department spokesman, said in a message on Twitter on Tuesday.
The ongoing turmoil in Egypt is being closely watched by Washington since Mubarak has been a strategic US ally. Analysts say Washington also wields considerable influence over Cairo since Egypt receives $1.5bn in military aid annually from the US.
ElBaradei, 68, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work at the International Atomic Energy Agency, has participated in the recent protests but analysts say he has limited public appeal in the country due to his long absences from the country.
Protesters flood Egypt streets By Al Jazeera
Protesters flood Egypt streets
At least a million gather in Cairo's Tahrir Square as mass protests against President Mubarak are staged across country. Tuesday Feb 1, 2011
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/02/2011215827193882.html
About 1,000,000 people have gathered for the planned "march of a million" in the Egyptian capital, calling for Hosni Mubarak, the embattled Egyptian president, to step down.
Meanwhile, one of Egypt's oldest parties, Wafd, announced on Tuesday that a number of opposition groups have agreed to form "a national front" to deal with the volatile situation there. In a statement, Wafd said that president Mubarak "has lost legitimacy".
Also on Tuesday, the Muslim Brotherhood, an officially banned but tolerated movement, said it will not negotiate with president Mubarak or his government.
Throngs protest
Thousands of demonstrators began gathering from early on Tuesday morning in Cairo's Tahrir Square, which has been the focal point of protests in the capital and served as the meeting area for the march to begin on the eighth day of an uprising that has so far claimed more than 125 lives.
Another protest in the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria attracted tens of thousands of protesters, as national train services were cancelled in an apparent bid to stymie protests. Protests were also reported in the city of Suez.
Protest organisers have also called for an indefinite strike to be observed across the country.
Soldiers at Tahrir Square have formed a human chain around protesters, and are checking people as they enter for weapons. Tanks have been positioned near the square, and officers have been checking identity papers.
The army has also blocked all major roads in the city, and tens of thousands of protesters are being held at the Kasr al-Nile bridge. They were on their way to the main protest at Tahrir Square.
'Gaining momentum'
Al Jazeera correspondents have described a "festival-like" and "communal" atmosphere at the protest, with protesters from all walks of life represented.
"It is peaceful, people power that has united here in the heart of Egypt's historic square," reported one correspondent.
An Al Jazeera correspondent in Cairo said that there were reports that "thugs in certain parts of the city have been trying to stop people from driving into Cairo".
She said that "increasingly large pockets of pro-government protests" are also taking place at various locations in the city. There are fears that if the two sets of protesters meet, a violent clash could erupt.
Gigi Ibrahim, a political activist who planned to attend the rally, told Al Jazeera the protesters will not be satisfied until Mubarak steps down.
"I think today there will be great numbers on the street ... every day there are more numbers on the street than the day before. I think the protests are gaining momentum. The people ... will literally not leave until Mubarak steps down," she said. In an attempt to discourage people from the protests, Egyptian state television has asked people to stay at home, warning of possible violence.
An Al Jazeera online producer in Cairo said that if today's protest does not go as planned, similar protests could be planned for Friday.
Protests are also taking place in the cities of Mansoura, Damnhour, Arish, Tanta and El-Mahalla El-Kubra.
The new protests come as the police have returned to the streets.
But while the police's posture to be adopted in the face of the strike and marches remains unknown, the Egyptian army stated clearly on Monday that it would not stop protests
Faced with the prospect of massive numbers trying to converge on the capital, Egyptian authorities stopped all train traffic with immediate effect on Monday afternoon, and the state-owned national carrier EgyptAir said it was cancelling all international and domestic flights during curfew hours (3.00pm to 8.00am local time).
Army promise
In a statement on Monday, the army said "freedom of expression" was guaranteed to all citizens using peaceful means.
"To the great people of Egypt, your armed forces, acknowledging the legitimate rights of the people," stress that "they have not and will not use force against the Egyptian people," said the statement.
It was the first such explicit confirmation by the army that it would not fire at demonstrators who have taken to the streets of Egypt and comes a day before Tuesday's "march of millions".
It urged people not to resort to acts of sabotage that violate security and destroy public and private property. It warned that it would not allow outlaws to loot, attack and "terrorise citizens".
The call for the "million-man-march" from the so-called April 6 movement has come as Mubarak swore in a new cabinet on Monday, in an attempt to defuse ongoing demonstrations across the country.
Panic and chaos
On Tuesday, even as Egypt continued to face economic turmoil as a result of protests, the International Monetary Fund said it was ready to put in a place an economic rebuilding policy for the country.
"The IMF is ready to help in defining the kind of economic policy that could be put in place," IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn said.
Meanwhile, chaos has been reported at Cairo's international airport, where thousands of foreigners are attempting to be evacuated by their home countries.
Our correspondent reported on Tuesday that about 1,000 US citizens have been evacuated to Cyprus or Turkey, from where they are expected to make their own way home. She also said that China is sending two additional planes to evacuate its citizens
At least a million gather in Cairo's Tahrir Square as mass protests against President Mubarak are staged across country. Tuesday Feb 1, 2011
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/02/2011215827193882.html
About 1,000,000 people have gathered for the planned "march of a million" in the Egyptian capital, calling for Hosni Mubarak, the embattled Egyptian president, to step down.
Meanwhile, one of Egypt's oldest parties, Wafd, announced on Tuesday that a number of opposition groups have agreed to form "a national front" to deal with the volatile situation there. In a statement, Wafd said that president Mubarak "has lost legitimacy".
Also on Tuesday, the Muslim Brotherhood, an officially banned but tolerated movement, said it will not negotiate with president Mubarak or his government.
Throngs protest
Thousands of demonstrators began gathering from early on Tuesday morning in Cairo's Tahrir Square, which has been the focal point of protests in the capital and served as the meeting area for the march to begin on the eighth day of an uprising that has so far claimed more than 125 lives.
Another protest in the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria attracted tens of thousands of protesters, as national train services were cancelled in an apparent bid to stymie protests. Protests were also reported in the city of Suez.
Protest organisers have also called for an indefinite strike to be observed across the country.
Soldiers at Tahrir Square have formed a human chain around protesters, and are checking people as they enter for weapons. Tanks have been positioned near the square, and officers have been checking identity papers.
The army has also blocked all major roads in the city, and tens of thousands of protesters are being held at the Kasr al-Nile bridge. They were on their way to the main protest at Tahrir Square.
'Gaining momentum'
Al Jazeera correspondents have described a "festival-like" and "communal" atmosphere at the protest, with protesters from all walks of life represented.
"It is peaceful, people power that has united here in the heart of Egypt's historic square," reported one correspondent.
An Al Jazeera correspondent in Cairo said that there were reports that "thugs in certain parts of the city have been trying to stop people from driving into Cairo".
She said that "increasingly large pockets of pro-government protests" are also taking place at various locations in the city. There are fears that if the two sets of protesters meet, a violent clash could erupt.
Gigi Ibrahim, a political activist who planned to attend the rally, told Al Jazeera the protesters will not be satisfied until Mubarak steps down.
"I think today there will be great numbers on the street ... every day there are more numbers on the street than the day before. I think the protests are gaining momentum. The people ... will literally not leave until Mubarak steps down," she said. In an attempt to discourage people from the protests, Egyptian state television has asked people to stay at home, warning of possible violence.
An Al Jazeera online producer in Cairo said that if today's protest does not go as planned, similar protests could be planned for Friday.
Protests are also taking place in the cities of Mansoura, Damnhour, Arish, Tanta and El-Mahalla El-Kubra.
The new protests come as the police have returned to the streets.
But while the police's posture to be adopted in the face of the strike and marches remains unknown, the Egyptian army stated clearly on Monday that it would not stop protests
Faced with the prospect of massive numbers trying to converge on the capital, Egyptian authorities stopped all train traffic with immediate effect on Monday afternoon, and the state-owned national carrier EgyptAir said it was cancelling all international and domestic flights during curfew hours (3.00pm to 8.00am local time).
Army promise
In a statement on Monday, the army said "freedom of expression" was guaranteed to all citizens using peaceful means.
"To the great people of Egypt, your armed forces, acknowledging the legitimate rights of the people," stress that "they have not and will not use force against the Egyptian people," said the statement.
It was the first such explicit confirmation by the army that it would not fire at demonstrators who have taken to the streets of Egypt and comes a day before Tuesday's "march of millions".
It urged people not to resort to acts of sabotage that violate security and destroy public and private property. It warned that it would not allow outlaws to loot, attack and "terrorise citizens".
The call for the "million-man-march" from the so-called April 6 movement has come as Mubarak swore in a new cabinet on Monday, in an attempt to defuse ongoing demonstrations across the country.
Panic and chaos
On Tuesday, even as Egypt continued to face economic turmoil as a result of protests, the International Monetary Fund said it was ready to put in a place an economic rebuilding policy for the country.
"The IMF is ready to help in defining the kind of economic policy that could be put in place," IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn said.
Meanwhile, chaos has been reported at Cairo's international airport, where thousands of foreigners are attempting to be evacuated by their home countries.
Our correspondent reported on Tuesday that about 1,000 US citizens have been evacuated to Cyprus or Turkey, from where they are expected to make their own way home. She also said that China is sending two additional planes to evacuate its citizens
EGYPT LIBERATION SQUARE GOT IT
EGYPT LIBERATION SQUARE GOT IT . Extraordinary!, amazing! show of Rachel Maddow on Egypt
I didn’t know that Mubarak & the top military elite met at the Pentagon (either in the US or Egypt) to settle down their disputes regarding what to do with the uprising in Egypt. That explain why Biden n Hillary Clinton try to keep Mubarak in his post by using repression with the Police force that depends on the Interior Ministry, while the army took a different position: respect mass demonstrations.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#41361217
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#41361283 PART 2 Sharif Abdel Kouddous, Exec producer of Democracy Now, being interview by Rachel Maddow.
No transcript for this interview but just open the site above. Incredible!. You will see a live rev in process.
==================================
Sharif Abdel Kouddous speaks from Egypt
DEMOCRACY NOW! senior producer Sharif Abdel Kouddous is in Egypt now and shares his thoughts on what he's seen there, the transformation of a country he once knew. You can follow his tweets @sharifkouddous.
There is a partial transcript in:
http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/
but other good videos in the above site. For example:
Egypt on the Brink of Revolution?
By Heather. Interview to Mona Eltahawy. Also the voice of a lady in the streets that best represents the feeling of common people in Egypt. Open the video café below.
http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DEMOCRACY NOW, JANUARY 31, 2011
Here the original interview by Amy Goodman to Sharif Abdel Kouddous
http://www.democracynow.org/2011/1/31/sharif_abdel_kouddous_live_from_egypt
AMY GOODMAN: The massive protests in Egypt have entered their seventh day as tens of thousands pack into Tahrir Square in Cairo. Protesters are vowing to stay in the streets until President Hosni Mubarak resigns. A general strike was called for today, and a "million man march" is being organized for Tuesday.
The Egyptian government continues to crack down on protesters and the media. Earlier today, six Al Jazeera journalists were arrested, their equipment seized. On Sunday, Egyptian authorities closed Al Jazeera’s offices in Egypt and removed the news station from the main TV satellite provider.
The internet has been completely shut off across most of Egypt. One of the only internet service providers still operating is the Noor Group, the company that manages the service for the Egyptian Stock Exchange and banks. Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter have been completely shut down.
Well, Democracy Now! senior producer Sharif Abdel Kouddous is in Egypt, and we’ve developed a workaround to circumvent the Mubarak regime’s internet blackout. His round-the-clock tweets are being read around the world. Last night, CNN International highlighted one of them.
CNN INTERNATIONAL: Let’s go to a trends map here that we’re looking at to see the trending topics out of Cairo on Twitter. Now, still at the top here is Mubarak. But what’s interesting to note is how ElBaradei has come up in a popularity so much in the last few hours. That’s referring to Mohamed ElBaradei. Now, let’s see what some Twitter users there are saying about him.
"Baradei seen as non-corrupt, is respected. But he lived away too long, didn’t join earlier protests & this revolt was done w/o his help."
AMY GOODMAN: That was CNN International last night reading one of Sharif’s tweets. Sharif grew up in Mubarak’s Egypt. He was only three years old when the current regime came to power. He comes from a prominent Egyptian family with a long history in the arts, literature, film and politics.
Sharif, you landed in your home city of Cairo just a few days ago, but it was not the same country you grew up in. Describe your feelings and what you have found, but start at the airport.
SHARIF ABDEL KOUDDOUS: Well, Amy, I’ve traveled to Egypt countless times from the United States after I moved there for college and then work, and when my plane from JFK touched down in Cairo International Airport on Saturday, the day after the massive protest where the protesters beat back the Interior Ministry, police and state security forces, I did land in a different country than the one I had known my entire life. Egypt has been reborn. This is not the Hosni Mubarak’s Egypt anymore. And no matter what happens next, it will never be again.
This is a unprecedented popular uprising, the likes of which myself and many others never thought they would see under President Mubarak. They are taking to the streets, men and women, rich and poor, all segments of society. They are defying the curfew for the past few days, packing into Tahrir Square. And their mood is celebratory, and it’s victorious. They are sure. They are sure that they will not leave until Mubarak does. And they are chanting in the streets every day.
They talk about what has taken place over the past week with such pride in what they have done. Tomorrow marks a week from the January 25th National Police Day, when the first protest began, and culminated on Friday. Friday was essentially a battle between the Interior Ministry and the people, and the people won. They talk about how they came up on the bridges leading to Tahrir, faced off with hundreds and hundreds of riot police from the Interior Ministry, from the state security forces, and were met with violence. They talk with how they walked with their hands up in the air, showing that they were coming peacefully, chanting, "Salmiya! Salmiya!" which means "Peacefully." And they were beat down. They were tear-gassed over and over again.
And I’m not talking about, you know, hardcore activists and protesters, which have been taking to the streets increasingly over the last few years; I’m talking about people who had been depoliticized over the last few years, people from the middle class, young, the Facebook generation. What one person told me, this is the revolution of the Facebook generation. They came out in droves, old and young, and they took the streets. And what one person told me was, when they would be beat down and tear-gassed, others would come in and rush the police, and then they would fall down, and others would come back after them. And they said, "We gave each other courage."
And as of 5:30 p.m., the police completely disappeared, reportedly on order, from the streets of Cairo. They were in full retreat, and they have disappeared. There is not a traffic policeman in Cairo. There’s not any police anywhere. They have come down to the streets today.
But since then, the military came in. And as many saw the images on the screens of how the military was greeted warmly on the streets of Cairo, you know, crowds were roaring with approval as tanks rolled in. And what’s important to understand is that, you know, over the past decades, three decades, the state, the security forces and the police have been brutalizing, have been torturing the Egyptian people, have been wrongly imprisoning them, have been corrupt. But the army has not done this.
The army has not had an interaction with the civilian population since the 1973 war with Israel. And so, people trust the army. I’ve seen unbelievable scenes in Tahrir Square, where tanks have been just covered with people riding on the turret of the tank and all over the tanks, chanting. They pray on the tanks. They chant, "Al-gysh al-sha’ab yd wahda," which means "The army, the people are one hand." And I’ve seen soldiers carried on the shoulders of crowds through the crowds, chanting, holding flowers.
Now, it remains to be seen what will happen going forward. Yesterday in Tahrir, at 4:00, there’s been a 4:00 p.m. curfew yesterday. Today it’s actually 3:00 p.m. I’m talking to you, and the curfew is now in effect. I will be going to Tahrir after this interview. But people are in defiance of any kind of authority until Hosni Mubarak leaves. And yesterday we saw, in Tahrir, military jets, two fighter jets, and a helicopter continually swoop and do flyovers over Tahrir Square right at 4:00 p.m., when the curfew went into effect. And the jets kept getting louder and louder as they came lower. And whether it was an act of intimidation or not is unclear. But the crowds did not care. They waved and whistled and shouted to the planes as they passed overhead.
There really is an unbelievable feeling of community now, of people coming together. I’ve never seen Egypt this way. People are picking up trash in Tahrir Square. People are handing out food. People are helping each other. People are sleeping in the middle of Tahrir Square and setting up tents in the middle of the square. It is a scene that is very emotional. It’s something that no one thought could come together. It’s largely leaderless. I mean, no one—there’s no one organizing group.
This is a popular uprising across all segments of society. Opposition groups have come now into the fold. They are—the Muslim Brotherhood is here, and other opposition groups. But people don’t want it coopted. And, you know, one of the things that I witnessed that was very moving was a lot of the Brotherhood started chanting, "Allah Akbar," and then—which means "God is great" in Arabic. And then the counter chant that was much louder, reverberating over them, was to "Muslim, Christian, we are all Egyptian." And that really symbolizes what’s happening here in Egypt today.
And, you know, Amy, I’ve seen some reports—I’ve had very little access to any kind of outside news. They really have shut down—the internet is completely shut down here. Cell phones do work now, and people are starting to be able to call each other. There is no texting; no SMS texting goes out. And they are very afraid of the internet, because Facebook was how they organized this uprising, to begin with. It was organized on Facebook. And there’s also mass SMS texting that is very common here in Egypt. And so, they’ve kept that shut down to try and cut off the communications from people. But people in Cairo do not care. They are going right now—I can see droves heading to Tahrir. And what’s significant, they go at the time of the curfew. They go when the curfew is there, and that’s when they start heading out.
And there’s been many reports of violence, of looting. And I just want to be very clear about this, that there was a significant amount of looting on Friday after the police completely disappeared from the scene. Certain places in Mohandessin in downtown Cairo were burned. Banks were burned. Some shops were looted. And, you know, there’s been reports of armed gangs coming around and robbing houses. Some of that did happen, yes, but what’s been amazing and what’s also kind of another phase of how this is Egypt coming together in this popular movement is that people have taken to the streets and formed these very efficient neighborhood watch committees.
Where I live here in Zamalek, there’s groups of men, young and old, they stand, they form barricades. They are armed with metal pipes, some with bats. Some do have guns. And what they do is they check people coming in. They check their IDs. They’re very courteous. They allow people to go through if they believe you live in the neighborhood. They have really—they’re protecting their own. They’re protecting their homes. They are directing traffic. Well, the traffic cops are back in the streets of Cairo today, but before that, they were directing traffic. I’ve never seen Cairo traffic so smooth. One former diplomat I spoke with said, "It’s amazing. These 15-year-old kids are doing such a much better job than our traffic police."
That’s the story of what’s happening here. And people are so fed up with Mubarak, it’s hard to describe. They curse him. They want him to step down. And they will not leave the streets of Cairo, the streets of Egypt, until he does.
AMY GOODMAN: We’re talking to Sharif Abdel Kouddous on the ground in Cairo, who has figured out a workaround and is tweeting tweets, being seen around the world. You can go to our website at democracynow.org, so you can see what Sharif is reporting throughout the day, as well as his blogs each day of what is happening in Cairo.
I wanted to turn now, Sharif, to the Nobel Peace laureate, the former head of the IAEA, International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, who came into Tahrir Square this weekend and spoke. Well, on Sunday, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria questioned ElBaradei about the Muslim Brotherhood.
FAREED ZAKARIA: One of the visions that haunts Americans is of the Iranian Revolution, where a dictator, pro-American dictator, was replaced by an even worse regime that was even more anti-American and more threatening to the region. People worry about the Muslim Brotherhood. Are you confident that a post-Mubarak Egypt will not give rise to some kind of Islamic fundamentalist force that will undermine the democracy of Egypt?
MOHAMED ELBARADEI: I am quite confident of that, Fareed. This is a myth that was sold by the Mubarak regime, that it’s either us, the ruthless dictators, or a Muslim al-Qaeda type. You know, the Muslim Brotherhood has nothing to do with the Iranian model, has nothing to do with extremism, as we have seen it in Afghanistan and other places. The Muslim Brotherhood is a religiously conservative group. They are a minority in Egypt. They are not a majority of the Egyptian people. But they have a lot of credibility because all the other liberal parties have been smothered for 30 years.
They are in favor of a secular state. They are in favor of working on the base of a constitution that have red lines, that every Egyptian have the same rights, same obligation. The state in no way will be a state based on religion. And I have been reaching out to them. We need to include them. They are part of the Egyptian society, as much as the Marxist party here. I think this myth that has been perpetuated and sold by the regime has no—has no iota of reality. As you know, Fareed, I’ve worked with Iranians. I have worked here. There is 100 percent difference between the two societies.
AMY GOODMAN: That was Mohamed ElBaradei speaking on CNN over the weekend. Sharif Abdel Kouddous, can you talk about the role of the Muslim Brotherhood?
SHARIF ABDEL KOUDDOUS: Well, first of all, Amy, it’s not for Fareed Zakaria or anyone else to decide what groups or what people are palatable to the United States to lead Egypt. That is up for Egyptians for themselves to decide. And so, I reject the way he asked that question.
But as far as the Muslim Brotherhood is concerned, Mohamed ElBaradei did have some good points. They are a religious group. They are the largest opposition group here in Egypt, which doesn’t say much because of the clampdown on any kind of opposition and dissent. They have renounced violence decades ago. They fulfilled a lot of the services that the state abandoned. And so, a lot of people have gone to—do support them.
But again, they were not the ones that organized this uprising. They were not the ones that were in the streets. They were not the ones who fill Tahrir right now. Tahrir is being filled, and Cairo and Egypt is being, filled by people of all segments of society. In the future, will the Brotherhood play a part? I’m sure they’ll be a significant force; there is no question of that. And it is true, they are different from the Iranian regime. But again, whether the Muslim Brotherhood or anyone else fits the U.S. model of what democracy should be like—democracy is for people to choose for themselves.
And the Egyptian people want to choose for themselves. That’s all they’re asking. They’re very politically aware. They’re aware of the U.S. support for the Mubarak regime for the last 30 years. I’ve had protesters come up to me—people come up to me holding up tear gas canisters, fired tear gas canisters, showing me the "Made in U.S.A." sign, showing me how, you know, the weapons used against them were made in the U.S. They realize this. And all they ask for—you know, this isn’t a big anti-American rally. You don’t see burning of American flags or anything like that. All they ask for is to be left alone to be able to decide for themselves.
AMY GOODMAN: Sharif, I’d like to ask you to stay on the phone. We’re going to be joined by two guests in Washington and in New York, but I’d like you to join in at any point, as your observations are key on the ground in Cairo. Sharif Abdel Kouddous is a senior producer here at Democracy Now! He flew into Cairo over the weekend. You can follow his blogs, his tweets at democracynow.org. This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The War and Peace Report. We’ll be back in a minute.
[break]
AMY GOODMAN: Sharif Abdel Kouddous, Democracy Now! senior producer, is on the ground in Cairo. Sharif, I wanted to continue to discuss how—your feelings as you flew into the country. You come from one of the most prominent families in Egypt, your grandfather one of the most famous writers, Ihsan Abdel Quddous. Your great-grandmother, Rosa al Youssef, a magazine she founded still exists today. And your uncle—you came into Tahrir Square, where you saw him being greeted by many. Describe the scene.
SHARIF ABDEL KOUDDOUS: Well, Amy, my uncle is Mohamed Abdel Quddoos. He’s a leading opposition protester. He’s now head of the Freedom Committee at the Press Syndicate, and he has ties to the Muslim Brotherhood himself. And, Amy, he’s been protesting for years. There’s been a growing movement here in Egypt of protests, of people trying to voice their dissent. But they have been harshly clamped down on. And what we typically used to see was people like my uncle and other opposition voices speaking in Tahrir on the steps of the Press Syndicate, but they would be about a dozen and then surrounded by hundreds of police, and it would be quickly shut down. They would be arrested. They would be driven out into the middle of the desert and left there, without their wallet or phone, to find their way back, which is a common tactic by the police—completely shut down. And for years, my uncle was—his standard attire, he would leave the building wearing a suit, holding a megaphone and a flag of Egypt in his hand, and he would go into the streets.
And this was—I saw him yesterday in the square. He was there with his megaphone and flag and his suit all crumpled because he had spent the night in Tahrir. And I sat down next to him, and I said, "How are you feeling now?" And he was overwhelmed with emotion. He said, "This is a dream come true." And he pointed over to where the Press Syndicate is, and he said, "You remember when I used to stand on the steps of that Press Syndicate to protest? I would stand alone. Now look at everyone. They’re all here with me."
And he went on to say how this was not his uprising, it was not his revolt. He said this was done by young people. And he’s the one who called it "the revolution of the Facebook generation." He said there’s been—he said, "Tunis was the catalyst and the spark, but it’s been building for so many years." And he said there’s three similarities between Egypt and Tunis that he saw. He said this was organized through Facebook and was a leaderless movement—that’s one. He said the president will fall; of that, he is sure—that’s two. And three, he says the army supports the people and won’t harm them; of that, he is sure, too.
But it was a very moving scene being with him there. And the people in Tahrir, the people who came out to protest, who recognized him, his years of struggle alone—and as I was talking to him, dozens of people would come shake his hand, kiss him hello, take pictures with him. And they paying tribute to his years of struggle that have helped to bring about this mass uprising in the streets.
And just one last thing, Amy, before you move on. I know—
AMY GOODMAN: Just one point, Sharif, just one point—
SHARIF ABDEL KOUDDOUS: Go ahead.
AMY GOODMAN: In the first few days of this uprising, he was one of the first arrested. Is that right?
SHARIF ABDEL KOUDDOUS: Oh, yes. On Tuesday, the first day, on January 25th, he was on the steps of the Press Syndicate with other journalists. They were protesting. He was arrested by five plainclothes police officers. There was a picture of him being dragged away that was circulated widely on the internet and on Facebook. He was held for several hours at a police station. When they realized who he was, they let him go. He refused to leave until other students, 20 other students that were arrested with him, were let go. And so, he remained in the prison for about six more hours, until the students were let go, as well. He was also arrested again on Friday and driven out, in that same tactic, out into the desert. But he came back.
And one thing, Amy, I think there’s been this fear of the police force and of the interior state security forces for so long. Regardless of what happens, if they come back in the streets, if they come back into power, I don’t think the Egyptian people will ever fear them in the same way again, because they went to battle against them and they won. And I think they are the ones who will be afraid of the people now.
AMY GOODMAN: Sharif Abdel Kouddous, reporting from the ground in Cairo, Egypt.
I didn’t know that Mubarak & the top military elite met at the Pentagon (either in the US or Egypt) to settle down their disputes regarding what to do with the uprising in Egypt. That explain why Biden n Hillary Clinton try to keep Mubarak in his post by using repression with the Police force that depends on the Interior Ministry, while the army took a different position: respect mass demonstrations.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#41361217
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#41361283 PART 2 Sharif Abdel Kouddous, Exec producer of Democracy Now, being interview by Rachel Maddow.
No transcript for this interview but just open the site above. Incredible!. You will see a live rev in process.
==================================
Sharif Abdel Kouddous speaks from Egypt
DEMOCRACY NOW! senior producer Sharif Abdel Kouddous is in Egypt now and shares his thoughts on what he's seen there, the transformation of a country he once knew. You can follow his tweets @sharifkouddous.
There is a partial transcript in:
http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/
but other good videos in the above site. For example:
Egypt on the Brink of Revolution?
By Heather. Interview to Mona Eltahawy. Also the voice of a lady in the streets that best represents the feeling of common people in Egypt. Open the video café below.
http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DEMOCRACY NOW, JANUARY 31, 2011
Here the original interview by Amy Goodman to Sharif Abdel Kouddous
http://www.democracynow.org/2011/1/31/sharif_abdel_kouddous_live_from_egypt
AMY GOODMAN: The massive protests in Egypt have entered their seventh day as tens of thousands pack into Tahrir Square in Cairo. Protesters are vowing to stay in the streets until President Hosni Mubarak resigns. A general strike was called for today, and a "million man march" is being organized for Tuesday.
The Egyptian government continues to crack down on protesters and the media. Earlier today, six Al Jazeera journalists were arrested, their equipment seized. On Sunday, Egyptian authorities closed Al Jazeera’s offices in Egypt and removed the news station from the main TV satellite provider.
The internet has been completely shut off across most of Egypt. One of the only internet service providers still operating is the Noor Group, the company that manages the service for the Egyptian Stock Exchange and banks. Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter have been completely shut down.
Well, Democracy Now! senior producer Sharif Abdel Kouddous is in Egypt, and we’ve developed a workaround to circumvent the Mubarak regime’s internet blackout. His round-the-clock tweets are being read around the world. Last night, CNN International highlighted one of them.
CNN INTERNATIONAL: Let’s go to a trends map here that we’re looking at to see the trending topics out of Cairo on Twitter. Now, still at the top here is Mubarak. But what’s interesting to note is how ElBaradei has come up in a popularity so much in the last few hours. That’s referring to Mohamed ElBaradei. Now, let’s see what some Twitter users there are saying about him.
"Baradei seen as non-corrupt, is respected. But he lived away too long, didn’t join earlier protests & this revolt was done w/o his help."
AMY GOODMAN: That was CNN International last night reading one of Sharif’s tweets. Sharif grew up in Mubarak’s Egypt. He was only three years old when the current regime came to power. He comes from a prominent Egyptian family with a long history in the arts, literature, film and politics.
Sharif, you landed in your home city of Cairo just a few days ago, but it was not the same country you grew up in. Describe your feelings and what you have found, but start at the airport.
SHARIF ABDEL KOUDDOUS: Well, Amy, I’ve traveled to Egypt countless times from the United States after I moved there for college and then work, and when my plane from JFK touched down in Cairo International Airport on Saturday, the day after the massive protest where the protesters beat back the Interior Ministry, police and state security forces, I did land in a different country than the one I had known my entire life. Egypt has been reborn. This is not the Hosni Mubarak’s Egypt anymore. And no matter what happens next, it will never be again.
This is a unprecedented popular uprising, the likes of which myself and many others never thought they would see under President Mubarak. They are taking to the streets, men and women, rich and poor, all segments of society. They are defying the curfew for the past few days, packing into Tahrir Square. And their mood is celebratory, and it’s victorious. They are sure. They are sure that they will not leave until Mubarak does. And they are chanting in the streets every day.
They talk about what has taken place over the past week with such pride in what they have done. Tomorrow marks a week from the January 25th National Police Day, when the first protest began, and culminated on Friday. Friday was essentially a battle between the Interior Ministry and the people, and the people won. They talk about how they came up on the bridges leading to Tahrir, faced off with hundreds and hundreds of riot police from the Interior Ministry, from the state security forces, and were met with violence. They talk with how they walked with their hands up in the air, showing that they were coming peacefully, chanting, "Salmiya! Salmiya!" which means "Peacefully." And they were beat down. They were tear-gassed over and over again.
And I’m not talking about, you know, hardcore activists and protesters, which have been taking to the streets increasingly over the last few years; I’m talking about people who had been depoliticized over the last few years, people from the middle class, young, the Facebook generation. What one person told me, this is the revolution of the Facebook generation. They came out in droves, old and young, and they took the streets. And what one person told me was, when they would be beat down and tear-gassed, others would come in and rush the police, and then they would fall down, and others would come back after them. And they said, "We gave each other courage."
And as of 5:30 p.m., the police completely disappeared, reportedly on order, from the streets of Cairo. They were in full retreat, and they have disappeared. There is not a traffic policeman in Cairo. There’s not any police anywhere. They have come down to the streets today.
But since then, the military came in. And as many saw the images on the screens of how the military was greeted warmly on the streets of Cairo, you know, crowds were roaring with approval as tanks rolled in. And what’s important to understand is that, you know, over the past decades, three decades, the state, the security forces and the police have been brutalizing, have been torturing the Egyptian people, have been wrongly imprisoning them, have been corrupt. But the army has not done this.
The army has not had an interaction with the civilian population since the 1973 war with Israel. And so, people trust the army. I’ve seen unbelievable scenes in Tahrir Square, where tanks have been just covered with people riding on the turret of the tank and all over the tanks, chanting. They pray on the tanks. They chant, "Al-gysh al-sha’ab yd wahda," which means "The army, the people are one hand." And I’ve seen soldiers carried on the shoulders of crowds through the crowds, chanting, holding flowers.
Now, it remains to be seen what will happen going forward. Yesterday in Tahrir, at 4:00, there’s been a 4:00 p.m. curfew yesterday. Today it’s actually 3:00 p.m. I’m talking to you, and the curfew is now in effect. I will be going to Tahrir after this interview. But people are in defiance of any kind of authority until Hosni Mubarak leaves. And yesterday we saw, in Tahrir, military jets, two fighter jets, and a helicopter continually swoop and do flyovers over Tahrir Square right at 4:00 p.m., when the curfew went into effect. And the jets kept getting louder and louder as they came lower. And whether it was an act of intimidation or not is unclear. But the crowds did not care. They waved and whistled and shouted to the planes as they passed overhead.
There really is an unbelievable feeling of community now, of people coming together. I’ve never seen Egypt this way. People are picking up trash in Tahrir Square. People are handing out food. People are helping each other. People are sleeping in the middle of Tahrir Square and setting up tents in the middle of the square. It is a scene that is very emotional. It’s something that no one thought could come together. It’s largely leaderless. I mean, no one—there’s no one organizing group.
This is a popular uprising across all segments of society. Opposition groups have come now into the fold. They are—the Muslim Brotherhood is here, and other opposition groups. But people don’t want it coopted. And, you know, one of the things that I witnessed that was very moving was a lot of the Brotherhood started chanting, "Allah Akbar," and then—which means "God is great" in Arabic. And then the counter chant that was much louder, reverberating over them, was to "Muslim, Christian, we are all Egyptian." And that really symbolizes what’s happening here in Egypt today.
And, you know, Amy, I’ve seen some reports—I’ve had very little access to any kind of outside news. They really have shut down—the internet is completely shut down here. Cell phones do work now, and people are starting to be able to call each other. There is no texting; no SMS texting goes out. And they are very afraid of the internet, because Facebook was how they organized this uprising, to begin with. It was organized on Facebook. And there’s also mass SMS texting that is very common here in Egypt. And so, they’ve kept that shut down to try and cut off the communications from people. But people in Cairo do not care. They are going right now—I can see droves heading to Tahrir. And what’s significant, they go at the time of the curfew. They go when the curfew is there, and that’s when they start heading out.
And there’s been many reports of violence, of looting. And I just want to be very clear about this, that there was a significant amount of looting on Friday after the police completely disappeared from the scene. Certain places in Mohandessin in downtown Cairo were burned. Banks were burned. Some shops were looted. And, you know, there’s been reports of armed gangs coming around and robbing houses. Some of that did happen, yes, but what’s been amazing and what’s also kind of another phase of how this is Egypt coming together in this popular movement is that people have taken to the streets and formed these very efficient neighborhood watch committees.
Where I live here in Zamalek, there’s groups of men, young and old, they stand, they form barricades. They are armed with metal pipes, some with bats. Some do have guns. And what they do is they check people coming in. They check their IDs. They’re very courteous. They allow people to go through if they believe you live in the neighborhood. They have really—they’re protecting their own. They’re protecting their homes. They are directing traffic. Well, the traffic cops are back in the streets of Cairo today, but before that, they were directing traffic. I’ve never seen Cairo traffic so smooth. One former diplomat I spoke with said, "It’s amazing. These 15-year-old kids are doing such a much better job than our traffic police."
That’s the story of what’s happening here. And people are so fed up with Mubarak, it’s hard to describe. They curse him. They want him to step down. And they will not leave the streets of Cairo, the streets of Egypt, until he does.
AMY GOODMAN: We’re talking to Sharif Abdel Kouddous on the ground in Cairo, who has figured out a workaround and is tweeting tweets, being seen around the world. You can go to our website at democracynow.org, so you can see what Sharif is reporting throughout the day, as well as his blogs each day of what is happening in Cairo.
I wanted to turn now, Sharif, to the Nobel Peace laureate, the former head of the IAEA, International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, who came into Tahrir Square this weekend and spoke. Well, on Sunday, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria questioned ElBaradei about the Muslim Brotherhood.
FAREED ZAKARIA: One of the visions that haunts Americans is of the Iranian Revolution, where a dictator, pro-American dictator, was replaced by an even worse regime that was even more anti-American and more threatening to the region. People worry about the Muslim Brotherhood. Are you confident that a post-Mubarak Egypt will not give rise to some kind of Islamic fundamentalist force that will undermine the democracy of Egypt?
MOHAMED ELBARADEI: I am quite confident of that, Fareed. This is a myth that was sold by the Mubarak regime, that it’s either us, the ruthless dictators, or a Muslim al-Qaeda type. You know, the Muslim Brotherhood has nothing to do with the Iranian model, has nothing to do with extremism, as we have seen it in Afghanistan and other places. The Muslim Brotherhood is a religiously conservative group. They are a minority in Egypt. They are not a majority of the Egyptian people. But they have a lot of credibility because all the other liberal parties have been smothered for 30 years.
They are in favor of a secular state. They are in favor of working on the base of a constitution that have red lines, that every Egyptian have the same rights, same obligation. The state in no way will be a state based on religion. And I have been reaching out to them. We need to include them. They are part of the Egyptian society, as much as the Marxist party here. I think this myth that has been perpetuated and sold by the regime has no—has no iota of reality. As you know, Fareed, I’ve worked with Iranians. I have worked here. There is 100 percent difference between the two societies.
AMY GOODMAN: That was Mohamed ElBaradei speaking on CNN over the weekend. Sharif Abdel Kouddous, can you talk about the role of the Muslim Brotherhood?
SHARIF ABDEL KOUDDOUS: Well, first of all, Amy, it’s not for Fareed Zakaria or anyone else to decide what groups or what people are palatable to the United States to lead Egypt. That is up for Egyptians for themselves to decide. And so, I reject the way he asked that question.
But as far as the Muslim Brotherhood is concerned, Mohamed ElBaradei did have some good points. They are a religious group. They are the largest opposition group here in Egypt, which doesn’t say much because of the clampdown on any kind of opposition and dissent. They have renounced violence decades ago. They fulfilled a lot of the services that the state abandoned. And so, a lot of people have gone to—do support them.
But again, they were not the ones that organized this uprising. They were not the ones that were in the streets. They were not the ones who fill Tahrir right now. Tahrir is being filled, and Cairo and Egypt is being, filled by people of all segments of society. In the future, will the Brotherhood play a part? I’m sure they’ll be a significant force; there is no question of that. And it is true, they are different from the Iranian regime. But again, whether the Muslim Brotherhood or anyone else fits the U.S. model of what democracy should be like—democracy is for people to choose for themselves.
And the Egyptian people want to choose for themselves. That’s all they’re asking. They’re very politically aware. They’re aware of the U.S. support for the Mubarak regime for the last 30 years. I’ve had protesters come up to me—people come up to me holding up tear gas canisters, fired tear gas canisters, showing me the "Made in U.S.A." sign, showing me how, you know, the weapons used against them were made in the U.S. They realize this. And all they ask for—you know, this isn’t a big anti-American rally. You don’t see burning of American flags or anything like that. All they ask for is to be left alone to be able to decide for themselves.
AMY GOODMAN: Sharif, I’d like to ask you to stay on the phone. We’re going to be joined by two guests in Washington and in New York, but I’d like you to join in at any point, as your observations are key on the ground in Cairo. Sharif Abdel Kouddous is a senior producer here at Democracy Now! He flew into Cairo over the weekend. You can follow his blogs, his tweets at democracynow.org. This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The War and Peace Report. We’ll be back in a minute.
[break]
AMY GOODMAN: Sharif Abdel Kouddous, Democracy Now! senior producer, is on the ground in Cairo. Sharif, I wanted to continue to discuss how—your feelings as you flew into the country. You come from one of the most prominent families in Egypt, your grandfather one of the most famous writers, Ihsan Abdel Quddous. Your great-grandmother, Rosa al Youssef, a magazine she founded still exists today. And your uncle—you came into Tahrir Square, where you saw him being greeted by many. Describe the scene.
SHARIF ABDEL KOUDDOUS: Well, Amy, my uncle is Mohamed Abdel Quddoos. He’s a leading opposition protester. He’s now head of the Freedom Committee at the Press Syndicate, and he has ties to the Muslim Brotherhood himself. And, Amy, he’s been protesting for years. There’s been a growing movement here in Egypt of protests, of people trying to voice their dissent. But they have been harshly clamped down on. And what we typically used to see was people like my uncle and other opposition voices speaking in Tahrir on the steps of the Press Syndicate, but they would be about a dozen and then surrounded by hundreds of police, and it would be quickly shut down. They would be arrested. They would be driven out into the middle of the desert and left there, without their wallet or phone, to find their way back, which is a common tactic by the police—completely shut down. And for years, my uncle was—his standard attire, he would leave the building wearing a suit, holding a megaphone and a flag of Egypt in his hand, and he would go into the streets.
And this was—I saw him yesterday in the square. He was there with his megaphone and flag and his suit all crumpled because he had spent the night in Tahrir. And I sat down next to him, and I said, "How are you feeling now?" And he was overwhelmed with emotion. He said, "This is a dream come true." And he pointed over to where the Press Syndicate is, and he said, "You remember when I used to stand on the steps of that Press Syndicate to protest? I would stand alone. Now look at everyone. They’re all here with me."
And he went on to say how this was not his uprising, it was not his revolt. He said this was done by young people. And he’s the one who called it "the revolution of the Facebook generation." He said there’s been—he said, "Tunis was the catalyst and the spark, but it’s been building for so many years." And he said there’s three similarities between Egypt and Tunis that he saw. He said this was organized through Facebook and was a leaderless movement—that’s one. He said the president will fall; of that, he is sure—that’s two. And three, he says the army supports the people and won’t harm them; of that, he is sure, too.
But it was a very moving scene being with him there. And the people in Tahrir, the people who came out to protest, who recognized him, his years of struggle alone—and as I was talking to him, dozens of people would come shake his hand, kiss him hello, take pictures with him. And they paying tribute to his years of struggle that have helped to bring about this mass uprising in the streets.
And just one last thing, Amy, before you move on. I know—
AMY GOODMAN: Just one point, Sharif, just one point—
SHARIF ABDEL KOUDDOUS: Go ahead.
AMY GOODMAN: In the first few days of this uprising, he was one of the first arrested. Is that right?
SHARIF ABDEL KOUDDOUS: Oh, yes. On Tuesday, the first day, on January 25th, he was on the steps of the Press Syndicate with other journalists. They were protesting. He was arrested by five plainclothes police officers. There was a picture of him being dragged away that was circulated widely on the internet and on Facebook. He was held for several hours at a police station. When they realized who he was, they let him go. He refused to leave until other students, 20 other students that were arrested with him, were let go. And so, he remained in the prison for about six more hours, until the students were let go, as well. He was also arrested again on Friday and driven out, in that same tactic, out into the desert. But he came back.
And one thing, Amy, I think there’s been this fear of the police force and of the interior state security forces for so long. Regardless of what happens, if they come back in the streets, if they come back into power, I don’t think the Egyptian people will ever fear them in the same way again, because they went to battle against them and they won. And I think they are the ones who will be afraid of the people now.
AMY GOODMAN: Sharif Abdel Kouddous, reporting from the ground in Cairo, Egypt.
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