Sunday, January 30, 2011

Revolt in Egypt: Mubarak clings to power

Hundreds of thousands of protesters fighting for his fall, but Egypt's president does not want soft: in a night television address, he defended the brutality of its security forces, which claimed several lives. He announced to remain in office to replace his government - and reforms. For days he had been silent - now has Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak expressed the first time.

The state television aired a speech from the president. Mubarak promises reforms: he urged the Cabinet to resign and wants to appoint a new government on Saturday. He also assured the Egyptians more democracy and greater efforts to combat high youth unemployment. "We keep what we have achieved and we build it," he added.


Mubarak defended the use of the Egyptian security forces against the demonstrators. Egypt must be stable and secure. He was aware of the legitimate wishes of the Egyptian citizens. The problems of Egypt could not be solved by violence and chaos. This arises not democracy. "We will continue our political, economic and social reforms continue - for a free and democratic Egyptian society," said Mubarak.

Egypt would rise to arson and looting that shook the foundations and stability of the country. What had happened in the past few days, have met everyone's hearts with fear. He'll take responsibility for the security of the country and citizens and will not let the fear of living in their hearts.

It seems as if Mubarak, which is often accused of aloofness to present themselves as a man of the people: "My fellow citizens, I speak today not as President to you, but as an Egyptian." He worked every day for Egyptian citizens. The concerns of the demonstrators - freedom, more jobs, lower prices, poverty - are all known to him.

He will always be on the side of the poor. Mubarak's speech and the replacement of the government's view of international observers an attempt to deflect protests by the government as a scapegoat for many ills in the country makes. The change of government is apparently intended to appease the Protestewegung.

That does not seem to be working. Immediately after the speech, protesters chanted in Cairo: "Down with Mubarak!" Doctors speak of eighteen deaths during demonstrations on Friday despite the demonstration ban had gone more than 100 000 people across the country on the streets. Clashes with the authorities, according to reports by physicians, at least 18 people have been killed.

There were over a thousand injured. Nobel Peace Prize winner Mohammed ElBaradei, the day before was returned to his home and had participated in the demonstrations, was placed under house arrest. The government imposed a curfew in major cities. In several cities were in the evening with army units in armored vehicles position.

Many Egyptians did not adhere to the curfew. On the streets at night, thousands of demonstrators were on the road. On the edge of the protests, there were Plüon looting. Helicopters circled over the city, gunshots were heard. Demonstrators tried to storm the State Department and the building of state television.

On television images could be seen as the headquarters of the ruling party NDP in Cairo was in flames. Previously a Party building in Suez had been set on fire. Earlier in the afternoon the police with tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets against demonstrators had taken place. Even before the demonstrations, the government had cut off the Internet and the most mobile phone connections.

Some Stellenkam it to scenes of fraternization between demonstrators and security forces. On television images could be seen, as protesters in Cairo hailed an armored personnel carrier in which it would appear that an army vehicle. Earlier, protesters repeatedly asked the military to protect them from the violent actions of the police.

West responded with concern and warnings Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) called for an end to the violence and called for freedom of expression and information. "I call on all parties, especially the Egyptian government and the President that they permit peaceful demonstrations, freedom of expression that has a chance," Merkel said at the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos.

The United Nations warned on compliance with civil rights - in particular the right to freedom of expression and information and freedom of assembly. "One of the basic principles of democracy is to protect and ensure the freedom of citizens," UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon said in Davos.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay called for the restoration of Internet and mobile connections. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called on the Egyptian government to reach out to the public. "We believe that the Egyptian government to immediately speak with the Egyptian people on the attainment of economic, political and social reforms must," she said in the evening in Washington.

President Barack Obama had his security experts about the situation. The U.S. examines the cancellation of billions in aid flows to Egypt.

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