The Stubbornness of a Defunct Leader

The Following was published in  El-Bashayer Newspaper, The caption says "Mubarak demands replacement of the Egyptian People"

From El-Bashayer Newspaper

The crowd’s determination in Tahrir Square is reflected in the huge masses of people, which exceeded one million. This determination is visible all over Egypt where people are still calling for President Mubarak to step down.

As a result of this uprising  a new and positive sentiment is felt all over the country. It is the feeling of unity that is reflected among people regardless of social status, age, gender, or religious affiliation.

On Sunday the 6^th of February, religious ceremonies were conducted jointly by Muslims and Christians in Tahrir Square in memories of those who lost their lives since January 25^th. A Coptic friend of ours who has regularly participated in the Tahrir Square demonstrations called us and emotionally said  “ I never thought to ever see in Egypt what happened today in the square.”  She, of course, meant the dual prayers of Christians and Muslims. People were displaying the Koran and the Cross in unison.

According to the recently emerged leadership of the demonstrators, the protest will continue until Mubarak resigns.   

The Egyptian army, however, keep calling on the protestors to end their protest and go home. This call has been ignored until now.

Leaders from the opposition political groups have been meeting for the past two days with Vice President Omar Suleiman and a committee referred to as “The Committee of Wise Men.”  They were discussing a strategy for a transitional government. No consensus was reached on the followings:

• -        Election of a new parliament,
• -        Revision of the Constitution
• -        Presidential election
• -        Cancellation of Marshal Law
• -       Investigation of crimes committed during the demonstration
• -        Investigation of corruption

The critical answer to Mubarak’s political status has also not been resolved. The prevailing view among government officials is to let the president finish his term, which comes to an end in September 2011.

The demonstrators have rejected the government’s proposal and maintain that this is a strategy to dilute and bypass their objectives.

It is a stand still situation and we think that the key to this problem is in the hand of the Egyptian army.

Today the media wants to reflect a semblance of normality; we would like to stress the term SEMBLANCE and not Real normality.

This post is a collaboration between Hani Fakhouri and Aleya Rouchdy.