Security beefed up around Mubarak residence

DPA

Sun, 10/04/2011 - 12:38

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Security at the entrances and exits of South Sinai province, where the current residence of former president Hosni Mubarak is located, has been tightened, a security source told DPA.

The source said the measures were being taken in response to calls during Friday's protests to protest at Mubarak's sanctuary. Mubarak has been residing in Sharm al-Sheikh since stepping down on 11 February.

Many are warning that the heightened security will affect tourism at the resort, which has been enjoying an increase in British and Russian tourist arrivals. A tourism expert there said that North Sinai -- Sharm el-Sheikh in particular -- has restored its position as Egypt's favorite coastal destination for European, Arab and domestic visitors.

The security source said that tourist activities have been revived only up to 50% of the numbers seen in the same period in previous years.

A hotel owner in the governorate said that the security reinforcements, which started this week, will impact European tourism in particular, as European tourists like to move freely.

Muslim Brotherhood creates Facebook page

Staff

Sun, 10/04/2011 - 13:03

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The Muslim Brotherhood announced the creation of a Facebook page to raise awareness about its thinking and approach to change.

Observers believe the Brotherhood is seeking to use the internet as a publicity tool in the run up to Egypt's parliamentary elections, slated for September. They say the group has opted for Facebook as it is interactive and attracts an increasing numbers of users.

The Brotherhood had last week announced its intention to contest 49 percent of parliamentary seats, becoming the first political power to announce the size of its participation in the poll.

On its official website, the group said on Saturday that its Facebook page is called "Who we are and what we want". It features several video clips and articles explaining the message of the Brotherhood's founder, Hassan al-Banna.

The Brotherhood said the page also includes profiles of key Brotherhood figures from the past and present.

The group has approximately 10 websites that promote its ideas and act as news portals.

The number of Egyptian Facebook users rose during the 25 January revolution by one million. The website was used to call for protests from the beginning, and to disseminate information about what was happening.

Reports say the Brotherhood is likely to make considerable gains in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Syria releases fourth Egyptian after one-week detention

MENA

Sun, 10/04/2011 - 13:19

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The Egyptian Embassy in Damascus said Syrian authorities released on Sunday an Egyptian called Nabil al-Barbari who was arrested in Damascus a week ago.

A car trader, al-Barbari is the fourth Egyptian to be detained during the protests in Syria that started a month ago.

Al-Barbari’s family informed the Egyptian consul Mohamed al-Fayoumi of his disappearance and said they had been unable to contact him for a week before he was arrested in Damascus.

Egyptian state-run news agency MENA quoted Egyptian ambassador to Syria Shawqi Ismail as saying he was informed of al-Barbari's release early on Sunday. Ismail mentioned good relationships between the two countries and said embassy officials will help facilitate al-Barbari’s return to Egypt.

Egypt's inflation rises to 11.5% in March

Reuters

Sun, 10/04/2011 - 14:39

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Urban consumer inflation in Egypt rose to 11.5 percent in the 12 months to March from 10.7 percent in February, the state-run CAPMAS statistics agency said on its website on Sunday.

Several analysts raised their 2011 forecasts for urban inflation -- the most closely watched indicator of prices -- as a result of a weaker pound and imported inflation.

Two protesters killed in Cairo Tahrir square clash

Army denies using live rounds to disperse Tahrir protesters

Saturday, 09 April 2011

Protests turned violent overnight

CAIRO (Agencies)

Two men died from bullet wounds in central Cairo after the army tried to disperse protesters overnight, two medical sources said on Saturday, although the army denied firing any live rounds.

The sources at a Cairo hospital said the two were among 18 who were injured by shots.

State television said one person was killed and 71 were wounded in acts of rioting, without giving details.

It was not clear if there were any other armed people in the square when the shots were fired.

The sound of gunshots rang out across the area around Tahrir Square in Cairo overnight. Protesters said the army had fired shots in the air. It was not clear if there were other armed people in the square when the shots were fired.

An army spokesman denied the report to Reuters, saying the army fired blanks, not live rounds to warn protesters. The army had said in an earlier statement that it had "confronted acts of rioting and implemented a curfew" without loss of life.

"Elements from the interior ministry along with some noble citizens confronted the riotous actions and enforced the curfew without any losses," the armed forces statement carried by the official MENA news agency.

Military police moved in after tens of thousands, who rallied on Friday to demand the prosecution of ousted president Hosni Mubarak and other leading figures from his regime, were joined by dissident army officers.

Breaking out crowds

But after the curfew, set from 2 am to 5 am, military police and state security officers surrounded the square, fired shots in the air, used tasers and batons and arrested protesters to break up the crowd, a witness told Reuters by telephone.

A separate statement posted on the military's Facebook page blamed "remnants" of the formerly ruling National Democratic Party for the demonstration and said it had ordered the arrest of four party members it accused of "thuggery" during the sit-in.

The military has enjoyed broad support since it took control of the country on Feb. 11, but complaints against its rule are growing. Attention is now focused on the perceived tardiness of legal measures against Mubarak and his entourage.

Mubarak and his family have been living in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh since he left Cairo. The military has said the 82-year-old president, himself a former military officer, is banned from leaving the country.

"The corrupt perpetrators must be held accountable for what they have done, that is why we are here," Fahmy said.

Tahrir Square in the heart of Cairo was the focal point of 18 straight days of mass protests that brought down Mubarak's regime after three decades in power, leaving the army led by Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi in charge.

The old regime must be prosecuted

Hassan Nafaa

Sat, 09/04/2011 - 05:21

The Egyptian people know the 25 January revolution sought to bring down a powerful regime that had developed deep roots in Egyptian society over the course of many years. The Egyptian people also understand that while they succeeded in removing the head of the former regime, ex-President Hosni Mubarak, the regime's roots are still entrenched and it awaits an opportune moment to reemerge. Egyptians paid a high price to oust Mubarak: 830 martyrs and tens of thousands of injured, including more than 1,000 people who have permanently lost their sight. Despite this, however, Egyptians continue to insist on expunging the roots of the old regime at any cost, lest it undermine the revolution.

The old regime had a huge network of interests that included National Democratic Party leaders, administrative officials, security figures, and corrupt businessmen. Given this extensive network, it’s naïve to assume that removing the regime’s roots will be an easy task. Egyptians understand their revolution is not yet over, and that the battle they're now embarking on is more dangerous than was the fight to remove Mubarak. Well aware of the fact that beneficiaries of the old regime are now driving the counter-revolution and will not give up that easily, Egyptians know they must be patient, extremely alert, and ready for a great deal of maneuvering.

Naturally, the battle to purge the old regime must begin with the prosecution of those ex-officials accused of murder, torture, and stealing public funds. This will require all kinds of pressure in order to establish a judicial committee to investigate those suspected of violations — the first step in a large-scale cleansing campaign. The Egyptian people will not accept the sacrifice of a few scapegoats for the sake of saving the real criminals. It’s imperative that Mubarak, his family and all the former regime’s main figures also be investigated.

I disagree with those who claim the on-going mass rallies in Egypt are unnecessary and negatively affect the country’s economic and security situation. These demonstrations are likely to continue until the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) meets the full demands of the revolution. These demonstrations are a necessary tool to exert pressure on the authorities in charge of managing the transitional period. They do not disrupt production, as some claim, since they’re held on Fridays, a non-working day. And they do not adversely affect public security because their organizers are keen on maintaining their peaceful nature.

Counter-revolutionary forces are doing their best to disrupt production, threaten public security, and push people to long for the pre-revolution days. Absent the kind of pressure exercised through weekly demonstrations, it will be difficult for the caretaker government and the SCAF to move forward with the radical changes demanded by the Egyptian public: the complete removal of the old regime and the creation of one that is untainted by corrption and authoritarianism.

It’s impossible to achieve these goals without first trying those officials responsible for massacring protesters and without recovering stolen public funds. The Egyptian street will not be put to rest until Mubarak and his family are put on trial. Only then will the forces of counter-revolution be compelled to retreat into a defensive position.

Army disperses Tahrir sit-in

Sat, 09/04/2011 - 15:40

Photographer:

Fouad Elgarnousy

A burnt armed forces truck at Tahrir Square, Cairo, April 9, 2011 following clashes in which two people were killed and at least 18 wounded, when Egyptian military police stormed the capital's iconic square to disperse protesters demanding the departure of Egypt's interim military rulers.