Thursday, February 10, 2011

Wael Ghonim: new icon of the Egyptian revolution

He became a symbol of protest in Egypt. Wael Ghonim young cyber-activist of 30 years arrested during protests against President Hosni Mubarak was greeted as a hero Tuesday Tahrir Square after twelve days of detention. Greeted by a crowd of demonstrators who cheered with tears in his eyes, the head of marketing for Google Middle East and North Africa, did not hesitate: "I'm not a hero, you are the hero is you who have stayed here instead.

" "I like to call it the revolution Facebook but after seeing people here, I would say that the revolution of the Egyptian people. It's great," he later told a press conference improvised place Tahrir. At his side was the mother of Khaled Said, a young man beaten to death by police, became a symbol of the struggle against police repression.

Missing since Jan. 27, the young man who works in the Emirates, had returned to Cairo to take part in the first giant demonstrations organized by the opposition to demand the departure of the Head of State. Two days later he was arrested and handed over to the much feared state security services.

For several days, his friends and relatives had given the word on Twitter to find him. Google has also created a page on his blog in Arabic to encourage Egyptians to communicate any information about its employee. Freed, Wael Ghonim told his detention before the cameras of the private channel Dream 2 Monday night.

An emotional interview, followed by millions of Egyptians. "I was blindfolded for twelve days (...), I heard nothing, knew nothing," he describes the young activist, confirming to be the administrator of the Facebook page "We are all Khaled Said "(the name of this young man beaten to death by police in Alexandria in June after being released from a cyber cafe), a relay which has played a key role in launching the protest.

Amnesty International had expressed concern that he would be tortured, but Wael Ghonim said that he did "nothing happened". "I'm not a hero, I slept for twelve days. The heroes are those who were in the street, who participated in the demonstrations, their lives have been beaten, arrested and exposed to danger," he stressed, visibly exhausted, the regular voice broken by sobs.

"This is the youth revolution of the Internet revolution that has become the youth of Egypt, then the revolution of the whole of Egypt." Wael Ghonim said to have been received by the interior minister, Mahmoud Wagdi, upon his release. "I can not tell you how proud I am of you (...), because the interior minister was sitting facing me as if we were on an equal footing, he spoke to me in starting assumed that I was strong and was strong, "said the young man at the demonstrators.

He also confirmed that the new Secretary General of the National Democratic Party (NDP) of President Mubarak, Hossam Badrawi, had played a role in his release. "I do not thank," said Wael Ghonim. What he did was his duty because I am a kid who loves Egypt and a son of Egypt. (...) I told him said: 'I do not want to see the NDP logo in any street of Egypt, I do not want to see the NDP'.

" When the station broadcast images of young people killed during the protests, the young man, very affected, collapsed. "I want to tell every mother, every father who lost a son, I'm sorry, it's not our fault, I swear, it's not our fault, it's the fault of anyone who was in power and it was retained, "he moaned and sobbed, her head tucked into her shoulders.

"I want to leave," he then launched, before standing up and hastily leaving the studio. Dissemination of maintenance has led to cascade reactions on social networks. The website Global Voices Online has identified a few: "This is a turning point in the revolution. The emotion Wael @ Ghonim give greater determination to # tahrir.

Tomorrow will be an incredible day. "" The next time someone might be some reason the occupation of Tahrir Square, let him watch the interview ghonim @ # Jan25 "- The Twitter account of Wael Ghonim - His Facebook page - The video of the first interview given by Wael Ghonim after his release.

The World. fr, with

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