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Egyptians mass as army appeals for
national unity
Reuters and AFP, CAIRO and TEL AVIV, Israel
Egypt¡¦s army yesterday called for national solidarity, urged workers to play
their role in reviving the economy and criticized strike action, after many
employees have been emboldened by protests to demand better pay.
In ¡§Communique No. 5¡¨ read out on state television, the army spokesman said:
¡§Noble Egyptians see that these strikes, at this delicate time, lead to negative
results,¡¨ adding that it harmed security and economic production.
He also said the army ¡§calls on citizens and professional unions and the labour
unions to play their role fully.¡¨
Egyptians massed in Cairo¡¦s Tahrir Square yesterday just hours after military
police and soldiers had cleared the last pro-democracy activists from the area,
witnesses said.
The army had appeared to be in full control of the square, heart of the protests
that toppled former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak. Then hundreds of police
marched through, unhindered by troops, saying they wanted to show solidarity
with the revolution.
The police protesters and thousands of onlookers around them disrupted traffic
that had begun flowing over the weekend. The police marchers joined a growing
wave of protests and strikes as Egyptians used their new-found freedom to vent
their anger at the country¡¦s political system.
¡§We are with the people. We ask the people of Egypt not to ostracize us,¡¨
Lieutenant Mohammed Mestekawy said, as scuffles broke out between the marchers
and people angry at them for trying to ¡§steal or co-opt the people¡¦s
revolution.¡¨
¡§I do not believe them. Where were they when my brother was killed by thugs?¡¨
asked Samah Hassan, who picked a fight with one officer as the marchers headed
to the Interior Ministry. ¡§They are free riders. They want to claim the
revolution for themselves. They are agents.¡¨
Pro-democracy leaders say Egyptians will demonstrate again if their demands for
radical change are not met. They plan a huge ¡§Victory March¡¨ on Friday to
celebrate the revolution, and perhaps to remind the military of the power of the
street.
Egypt¡¦s generals are asserting their control following Mubarak¡¦s overthrow and
trying to get life and the damaged economy back to normal. However, disgruntled
employees yesterday were demonstrating and striking in Cairo and other cities
for better deals.
In a sign of nervousness, Egypt¡¦s stock exchange, closed since Jan. 27 because
of the turmoil, said it would remain shut until the end of the week, an official
said.
The interim military rulers called a bank holiday yesterday after disruption in
the banking sector and there is a national holiday today to mark the Prophet
Mohammad¡¦s birthday.
Having suspended the Constitution and dissolved parliament on Sunday, the
military council was planning to issue orders intended to stifle disruption and
get the country back on its feet, a military source said.
Free and fair elections will be held under a revised constitution, the military
said, but it gave no timetable beyond saying it would be in charge ¡§for a
temporary period of six months or until the end of elections to the upper and
lower houses of parliament, and presidential elections.¡¨
Meanwhile, hundreds of tour guides gathered yesterday in the shadow of the
Sphinx and the Great Pyramids to urge tourists to return to the country. The
guides gathered at the Giza Plateau site, bearing Egyptian flags and banners in
English, French, Russian and German reading: ¡§Egypt loves you.¡¨
¡§We need to make tourism come back to Egypt. We want to send the message to
tourists all over the world that we they are welcome here. They will discover a
new country and new people,¡¨ said Hossam Khairy, 27.
Tourism accounts for 6 percent of Egypt¡¦s GDP, and this month would normally be
the height of the holiday season.
Hundreds of employees also demonstrated outside a branch of the Bank of
Alexandria in central Cairo yesterday, urging their bosses to ¡§leave, leave,¡¨
echoing an anti-Mubarak slogan.
At least 500 people demonstrated outside the state television building all
calling for higher wages.
¡§If they distributed all the billions of dollars that Mubarak stole and
distributed it to the 80 million Egyptians, it would be enough,¡¨ said Safat
Mohamed Guda, 52, a widow with five children.
Protests, sit-ins and strikes have occurred at state-owned institutions across
Egypt, including the stock exchange, textile and steel firms, media
organizations, the postal service, railways, the Culture Ministry and the Health
Ministry.
The army is keen to get Egypt working again to restart an economy that was
damaged by the momentous events and to bring back tourists and attract foreign
investment.
The army source said military authorities were expected to issue an order soon
banning meetings by labor unions or professional syndicates, effectively
forbidding strikes, and would tell all Egyptians to go back to work.
There would also be a warning from the military against those who created ¡§chaos
and disorder,¡¨ the source said, adding that the army would, however, acknowledge
the right to protest.
In related news, the US¡¦ top military officer voiced admiration yesterday for
the way Egypt¡¦s army had peacefully handled the shift of power in the country.
¡§I think they have handled this situation exceptionally well ... it¡¦s been done
peacefully, and we have every expectation that that will continue,¡¨ Admiral Mike
Mullen said during a visit to Israel or ceremonies to mark the appointment of a
new Israeli military chief, Lieutenant-General Benny Gantz.
¡§There are many challenges which are out there in the future ... We¡¦ve been so
impressed that they have supported their people,¡¨ said Mullen, who is chairman
of the US military¡¦s Joint Chiefs of Staff.
¡§We need to make tourism come back to Egypt. We want to send the message to
tourists all over the world that we they are welcome here. They will discover a
new country and new people,¡¨ said Hossam Khairy, 27.
Tourism accounts for 6 percent of Egypt¡¦s GDP, and this month would normally be
the height of the holiday season.
Hundreds of employees also demonstrated outside a branch of the Bank of
Alexandria in central Cairo yesterday, urging their bosses to ¡§leave, leave,¡¨
echoing an anti-Mubarak slogan.
At least 500 people demonstrated outside the state television building all
calling for higher wages.
¡§If they distributed all the billions of dollars that Mubarak stole and
distributed it to the 80 million Egyptians, it would be enough,¡¨ said Safat
Mohamed Guda, 52, a widow with five children.
Protests, sit-ins and strikes have occurred at state-owned institutions across
Egypt, including the stock exchange, textile and steel firms, media
organizations, the postal service, railways, the Culture Ministry and the Health
Ministry.
The army is keen to get Egypt working again to restart an economy that was
damaged by the momentous events and to bring back tourists and attract foreign
investment.
The army source said military authorities were expected to issue an order soon
banning meetings by labor unions or professional syndicates, effectively
forbidding strikes, and would tell all Egyptians to go back to work.
There would also be a warning from the military against those who created ¡§chaos
and disorder,¡¨ the source said, adding that the army would, however, acknowledge
the right to protest.
In related news, the US¡¦ top military officer voiced admiration yesterday for
the way Egypt¡¦s army had peacefully handled the shift of power in the country.
¡§I think they have handled this situation exceptionally well ... it¡¦s been done
peacefully, and we have every expectation that that will continue,¡¨ Admiral Mike
Mullen said during a visit to Israel or ceremonies to mark the appointment of a
new Israeli military chief, Lieutenant-General Benny Gantz.
¡§There are many challenges which are out there in the future ... We¡¦ve been so
impressed that they have supported their people,¡¨ said Mullen, who is chairman
of the US military¡¦s Joint Chiefs of Staff.
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