Thursday, February 17, 2011

Social movements are continuing in Egypt despite calls from the army

Despite repeated calls from the army to return to work, Egyptians have continued Wednesday, February 16, the strike started to demand higher wages. Work stoppages and rallies were reported in many places, especially in the Nile Delta, along the Suez Canal, Cairo, and the second largest city, Alexandria.

Many of these conflicts have started in recent days, before being suspended Monday, public holiday marking the birthday of Prophet Muhammad. The banking sector has also been disrupted, forcing the Cairo Stock Exchange to remain closed at least until Sunday. After suspending their strike Sunday, employees of the biggest factory in Egypt have resumed their movement Wednesday to demand wage increases and better working conditions.

Naoucha Faisal, one of the organizers of the movement, said that the staff of the public company Misr Spinning and Weaving, which employs about 24,000 people in Mahalla in the Nile Delta, also called the departure of two directors of the plant. A strike was also underway in another large textile factory in Helwan, a suburb south of Cairo.

A Ismailiya on the Suez Canal, the public employees of irrigation, education and health, have protested outside the governor to demand higher wages, witnesses said. The difficult social situation adds to the tourism crisis, stalled for several weeks while this time of year is the peak season.

Tourism generates approximately $ 13 billion per year in the country. It represents 6% of GDP and, directly or indirectly, nearly 10% of employment. The army "is aware of the social and economic conditions experienced by the company, but these problems can not be resolved before the end of strikes and sit-ins," she said Tuesday, according the official news agency MENA.

About 40% of Egypt's population lives below the poverty line set at $ 2 per day per person. Egypt called on Tuesday the international community to support its economy, hard hit by the crisis. At the height of the uprising, the Egyptian economy was losing at least $ 310 million per day, according to a note from Credit Agricole, which lowered its 2011 growth forecasts for Egypt by 5.3% to 3.7% .

The head of European diplomacy, Catherine Ashton, said she would travel to Egypt next Tuesday, when it should be the first major foreign official to visit since the start Friday, the former president, Hosni Mubarak .

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