Egypt’s “Tunisia Style” Revolution Demand End of Mubarak Rule
The Egyptian people, inspired by their Tunisian fellow-brothers who toppled the dictator Regim of Zein Al Abideen Bin Ali, head to streets on Tuesday protesting the Mubarak Regime and demanding the Egyptian President Husni Mubarak to step down from office after 30 years of ruling the country, with no fruit but corruption and oppression.
Over the past three decades, Egyptians have been living worsening conditions, with poverty, escalating prices, unemployment, and a brutal authority that has confiscated the people's freedom of expression.
For the first time in Egypt, tens of thousands of people flowed into the streets to protest, unlike the previous protests in which only a few hundred took part protesting on the streets' sidewalks.
"Down, down, Hosni Mubarak," chanted protesters in Cairo, where police fired teargas and used water cannon, and protesters hurled bottles and rocks at them.
In Suez, three people were reported dead. In Alexandria, a sit-in of thousands began amidst arrests where the protestors tore down a picture of Mubarak. In El-Mahala, a large industrial and agricultural city, there were reports on Twitter of police thugs destroying public property in El-Shoon square and of further clashes between citizens and police.
Analyst Rida Issa to moqawama: A Warning to the System
Member of the High Living Cost Movement and economic analyst and activist Rida Issa told mmoqawama.org in a statement that what is happening today is a major warning to the system, adding that many factors have led the people reach the brink of anger.
"Many factors including corruption, rising food prices, misuse and misdistribution of resources and riches as well as the high tax rates, and unemployment have led the people to protest such a harsh life, while there is also a sharp increase in the general dept," said the analyst.
Issa noted that the total tax rate in Egypt is 43%, which is still on the rise. "Such a high tax rate is eventually paid by the consumers, the people themselves. The case in Egypt is just similar to what had happened in Tunisia," Issa noted adding "Shockingly, the total tax rate in Tunisia is 63%, and so the people can no longer tolerate the economic pressure in first place."
The analyst further highlighted that the ongoing intervention of foreign countries in the affairs of Arab countries, including Egypt is harmful, another factor that creates rage among the citizens.
Issa, residing in Egypt, assured that people took to the streets today, Wednesday as well but were soon dispersed by the police firing rubber bullets and tear gas grenades.
He stressed that the people are determined to continue their protests even if they have to face the police every day, and even if there were an official ban, as their intention is very solid, noting that a mass demonstration will take place this Friday, following the noon prayers.
The Platform of Egypt's Activists: Cyber World
Egyptian activists and bloggers were the engine of these protests with the internet as their platform, as they took part in organizing the event and communicating with the people. Cyber activists have been playing a major role since almost three years, when they first organized the Sixth of April protests to complain the sky-rocketing food prices and poverty in the country.
"To any free and honest citizen with a conscience who fears for his country, to anyone who saw yesterday's violence against protesters, we ask you to pronounce a general strike across Egypt today and tomorrow," one activist wrote on a Facebook site that has been used as a tool to marshal protests.
Another opposition group, the Sixth of April Youth, called on its Facebook page for protests to continue on Wednesday "and after tomorrow, until Mubarak goes."
Another Egyptian blogger, Arabawy slammed the US for its comments on the protests, noting that soon it will let go Egypt just like it abandoned Tunisia.
Washington called for restraint on Tuesday. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Mubarak's government was stable and seeking ways to meet Egyptians' needs.
The Egyptian authorities on Wednesday outlawed any new gatherings, saying protesters faced "immediate arrest."
Egypt's population of 80 million is growing by 2 percent a year. About 60 percent of the population -- and 90 percent of the unemployed -- are under 30 years old. About 40 percent live on less than $2 a day, and a third are illiterate.
