Thousands march in Egypt seeking end to Mubarak era

TENS OF thousands of revolutionaries took to the streets and squares of cities across Egypt yesterday on the “Friday of Final Warning”. It was the eighth consecutive day of demonstrations, sit-ins and hunger strikes by men and women determined to secure the end to the regime of former president Hosni Mubarak.

Although he was toppled in February, Mr Mubarak’s confederates are still exercising power through the military, government, administration and police.

In Cairo’s Tahrir Square, the cradle of the uprising, protesters from 28 political parties and diverse persuasions chanted, “I don’t feel any change”. Some called for the ousting of field marshal Muhammad Hussein Tantawi, head of the armed forces, which assumed presidential powers following Mr Mubarak’s removal from office.

Others demanded the resignation of interim prime minister Essam Sharaf and his cabinet.

The Muslim Brotherhood and ultra-orthodox Muslim organisations (Salafis), which support the army and Mr Sharaf, boycotted the rallies, although dissident brothers from the movement’s youth wing took part.

Activists addressed the crowd assembled in the square from platforms set up by the factions, but their message was the same. They called for an end to police abuse, trials of former regime wrongdoers, including Mr Mubarak and his family, an end to trials of civilians in military courts and the release of the 10,000 detained since the uprising began in January.

The enthusiasm of the throng was not dimmed by a court ruling that former upper house speaker Safwat al-Sharif, former lower house speaker Fathi Srour and 23 senior members of the dissolved ruling party will go on trial for murder, and could face the death penalty, for hiring thugs mounted on horses and camels to invade Tahrir Square on February 2nd and attack anti-regime protesters.

In the Heliopolis suburb, 1,000 people rallied in support of the armed forces and the government, as European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso met the generals and Mr Sharaf. Mr Barroso said Europe was ready to invest €20 billion in Egypt in the coming three years and would make available another €6 billion in loans. “Already there are nine . . . projects in the pipeline for the coming 12 months, worth well over €1 billion.” He observed Egypt was on the road to freedom, democracy and transparency but remarked “this road will not be an easy one and will offer some obstacles”.