The demands of the people

الزملاء و الاصدقاء الاعزاء This was just forwarded to me on a listserv:
هذه ترجمة سريعة "لبيان للشعب من معتصمين بالتحرير" للتوزيع والنشر لغير القارئين للعربية

عاش كفاح الشعب المصري وشبابه الباسل بميدان التحرير

Dear all,
This is a quick English translation of a statement from our brave youth at Tahrir square.
In solidarity
EZ


A Statement from the protesters at Cairo's Tahrir square
to the Egyptian people

The President's promises and the bloody events of Wednesday February 2

We the protesters who are currently on sit-in at Tahrir (liberation) square in Cairo since January 25, 2011 strongly condemn the brutal attack carried out by the governing National Democratic Party's (NDP) mercenaries at our location on Wednesday February 2, under the guise of "rally" in support of President Mubarak. This attack continues on Thursday February 3. We regret that some young people have joined these thugs and criminals, whom the NDP is accustomed to hire during elections, to march them off after spreading several falsehoods circulated by the regime media about us and our goals. These goals that aim at changing the political system to a one that guarantees freedom, dignity and social justice to all citizens are also the goals of the youth. Therefore we want to clarify the following.

Firstly, we are a group of young Muslim and Christian Egyptians; the overwhelming majority of us does not belong to political parties and have no previous political activism. Our movement involves elderly and children, peasants, workers, professionals, students and pensioners. Our movement cannot be classified as "paid for" or "directed by" a limited few because it attracted millions who responded to its emblem of removing the regime. People joined us last Tuesday in Cairo and other governorates in a scene that witnessed no one case of violence, property assault or harassment to anyone.

Secondly, our movement is accused of being funded from abroad, supported by the United States, as being instigated by Hamas, as under the leadership of the president of the National Assembly for change (Mohamed El-Baradie) and last but not least, as directed by the Muslim Brotherhood. Many accusations like these prove to be false. Protesters are all Egyptians who have clear and specific national objectives. Protesters have no weapons or foreign equipment as claimed by instigators. The broad positive response by the people to our movement's goals reveals that these are the goals of the Egyptian masses in general, not any internal or external faction or entity.

Thirdly, the regime and its paid media falsely blame us, young demonstrators, for the tension and instability in the streets of Egypt in recent days and therefore for damaging our nation's interests and security. Our answer to them is: It is not the peaceful protesters who released the criminal offenders from prison to the unguarded streets to practice looting and plundering. It is not the peaceful protesters who have imposed a curfew starting at 3 o'clock PM. It is not the peaceful protesters who have stopped the work in banks, bakeries and gas stations. When protesters organized its one-million demonstration it came up in the most magnificent and organized form and ended peacefully. It is not the protestors who killed 300 people some with live ammunition, and wounding more than 2,000 people in the last few days.

Fourthly, President Mubarak came out on Tuesday to announce that he will not be nominated in the upcoming presidential election and that he will modify two articles in the Constitution, and engage in dialogue with the opposition. However the State media has attacked us when we refused his "concession" and decided to go on with our movement. Our demand that Mubark steps down immediately is not a personal matter, but we have clear reasons for it which include:
His promise of not to run again is not new. He has promised when he came to power in 1981 that he will not run for more than two periods but he continued for more than 30 years.
His speech did not put any collateral for not nominating his son "Gamal", who remains until the moment a member of the ruling party, and can stand for election that will not be under judicial supervision since he ignored any referring to the amendment of article 88 of the Constitution.
He also considered our movement a "plot directed by a force" that works against the interests of the nation as if responding to the demands of the public is a "shame" or "humiliation".
As regards to his promise of conducting a dialogue with the opposition, we know how many times over the past years the regime claimed this and ended up with enforcing the narrow interests of the Mubarak State and the few people who control it.

And the events of Wednesday proved our stand is vindicated. While the President was giving his promises, the leaders of his regime were organizing (along with paid thugs and wanted criminals equipped with swords, knives and Molotov bombs) a brutal attack plot against us in Tahrir square. Those thugs and criminals were accompanied by the NDP members who fired machine guns on unarmed protesters who were trapped on the square ground, killing at least 7 and wounding hundreds of us critically. This was done in order to end our peaceful national popular movement and preserve the status quo.

Our movement is Egyptian - Our movement is legitimate- Our movement is continuing

The youth of Tahrir Square sit-in
February 3, 2011 at 11:30am


بيان للشعب من معتصمين بالتحرير - الرجاء النشر والتوزيع

بيان للشعب

أول القصيد: وعود الرئيس وأحداث الأربعاء 2 فبراير

نحن محتجون منذ 25 يناير الماضي، ومعتصمون في ميدان التحرير، ندين بشدة الاعتداء الغاشم الذي نفذته مرتزقة الحزب الوطني علينا في مقر اعتصامنا يوم الأربعاء 2 فبراير تحت غطاء المظاهرة المؤيدة للرئيس لمبارك ويستمر العدوان يوم الخميس 3 فبراير. ونأسف لدخول البعض من شباب مصر مع البلطجية والمجرمين ممن اعتاد الوطني تأجيرهم في الانتخابات، وساقوهم علينا بعد أن أشاعوا اكاذيب عديدة يروجها النظام وإعلامه بخصوصنا وبخصوص اهدافنا المنادية بتغيير للنظام السياسي يكفل لنا ولجموع المواطنين الحرية وكرامة العيش والعدالة الاجتماعية، والتي هي ايضا من اهداف هذا الشباب، ولذلك نريد توضيح الاتي:

أولا، نحن مجموعة من شباب مصر مسلمين ومسيحيين، أغلبيتنا الكاسحة لا تنتمي لأحزاب سياسية ولا لها نشاط سياسي من قبل. حركتنا ضمت شيوخا وأطفالا، فلاحين وعمال ومهنيين، طلبة وموظفين على المعاش. حركتنا لا يمكن تصنيفها على أنها مدفوعة أو محركة من قلة بحكم الملايين الذين استجابوا لشعاراتها باسقاط النظام، وانضموا اليها يوم الثلاثاء الماضي في القاهرة والمحافظات، في حدث لم يشهد حالة عنف واحدة أو اعتداء على الممتلكات أو تحرش من أحد بأحد.

ثانيا، حركتنا متهمة بأنها ممولة من الخارج، وتمدها الولايات المتحدة، وأنها قامت بتحريض من حماس، وبأنها تحت قيادة وبتنظيم رئيس الجمعية الوطنية للتغيير محمد البرادعي، وأخيرا وليس آخرا، بأنها موجهة من قبل الاخوان المسلمين. وتعدد الاتهامات بهذا الشكل في حد ذاته يثبت زيفها. المحتجون كلهم مصريون أهدافهم أهدافا وطنية واضحة ومحددة. المحتجون ليس لديهم لا سلاح ولا معدات أجنبية كما يدعي المحرضين. واستجابة الناس الواسعة لها تكشف أنها هي ذاتها أهداف جموع المصريين عموما، وليس أي فصيل أو كيان داخلي وخارجي.

ثالثا، يلقي النظام وإعلامه المأجور زورا وبهتانا بالمسئولية عن التوتر وعدم الاستقرار الذي شهدته شوارع مصر في الأيام الماضية، وبالتالي عما يسببه ذلك من أضرار لمصالحنا ومصالح أمتنا ولأمننا جميعا، على الشباب المتظاهر. فليس المتظاهرون سلميا هم الذين أخرجوا المجرمين من السجون ليخلقوا حالة السلب والنهب في شوارع المحروسة. ليس المتظاهرون هم الذين فرضوا حظر تجول يبدأ من الثالثة وأوقفوا العمل في البنوك والمخابز ومحطات الوقود. وحين نظم المتظاهرون مظاهرتهم المليونية خرجت في أحلى حلة وأفضل تنظيم، وانتهت سلميا. المتظاهرون ليسوا هم من قتلوا 300 شخص بعضهم بالرصاص الحي، وجرحوا أكثر من ألفي شخص في الأيام الماضية.

رابعا، خرج الرئيس مبارك علينا مساء الثلاثاء ليعلن عدم ترشحه في الانتخابات الرئاسية المقبلة وتعديله لمادتين في الدستور، وخوض حوار مع المعارضة. وقد هاجمنا الاعلام الرسمي عندما رفضنا "تنازلاته" وقررنا المضي في حركتنا. إن مطلب التنحي الفوري لمبارك ليس مسألة شخصية. لكننا نستند في ذلك على أسباب واضحة من بينها:

الوعد بعدم الترشح ليس جديدا. فقد وعد مبارك عندما جاء رئيسا في 1981 بعدم الترشح لأكثر من فترتين، ليستمر بعدها لأكثر من 30 عاما. كما أن الخطاب لم يضع أي ضمانات لعدم ترشح ابنه جمال، الذي يظل حتى هذه اللحظة عضوا في الحزب الحاكم، ويستطيع ترشيح نفسه في انتخابات لن تتم تحت اشراف قضائي، إذ تجاهل الخطاب الاشارة الى تعديل المادة 88 في الدستور. كما اعتبر الخطاب حركتنا مؤامرة من قوى تعمل ضد مصالح الوطن، وكأن الاستجابة لمطالب الجماهير عار وعيب. وأما فيما يتعلق بالحوار مع المعارضة فكم من حوارات ادعى النظام انه سيقوم بها خلال السنوات الماضية وانتهت بمضي دولة مبارك في طريق المصالح الضيقة لمن يسيطرون عليها.

وجاءت أحداث الأربعاء لتثبت صحة موقفنا. فبينما كان خطاب الرئيس يوعد، كانت قيادات نظامه ترتب مع البلطجية والمسجلين خطر من المأجورين مؤامرة الاعتداء الوحشي في التحرير بالسنج والمطاوي وقنابل المولوتوف، يصاحبهم أعضاء الحزب الوطني بإطلاق الأعيرة النارية بالبنادق الآلية على المتظاهرين العزل المحاصرين في الميدان، الذي أدى إلى مقتل سبعة على الأقل وإصابة المئات، منهم بإصابات بالغة، وذلك لإنهاء حركتنا الشعبية الوطنية والتمهيد لبقاء الحال على ماهو عليه.

حركتنا مصرية – حركتنا مشروعة - حركتنا مستمرة

شباب معتصم بالتحرير

Protests in Cairo, Egypt - January 25-26

Egyptians are pissed. They're mad at Mubarak, at 30 years of dictatorship, at widespread unemployment, corruption, and repression. On Tuesday, they took to the streets, mobilized by a Facebook page calling for an end to the state of emergency and detainment without trial, a raise in minimum wages, and a limit to presidential terms. The call was unaffiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, which took pains to dissociate itself from the protests on National Police Day. Mubarak's consistent rejection of Islamists as unfit for political participation and as extremists feeds into the deeply misguided Western notion of the "Islamist Threat." Western newspapers are full of reports about disenfranchised and marginalized people, particularly men, as the support base for Islamist movements, which is patently untrue. It is important to note that Islamist movement in Egypt is a social movement, supported by all classes, not a religious one, and seeks political representation and has political demands. Denouncing them as extremists is one way for Mubarak to retain Western support and quash political participation. However, in these circumstances, the rumours that Islamists are behind these protests are simply NOT true. Protests have been secular, lack a unified and strong political affiliation (supporters from 5th of April, Kefaya, and various other movements have joined together), and are attended by people who have simply had enough. The crowd is full of youth, a demographic that makes sense given that protests were organized mostly via new media like twitter and facebook.

Most Egyptians I've spoken to are positive and enthusiastic about the events in Tunisia, and though I reject the myth of the "Arab mind" that tries to lump all Middle Eastern actors under the same rubric, the success of Tunisians is clearly an encouraging example for Egyptians. That being said, attributing this uprising to a mere domino effect strips Egyptians of their agency and their clear intent to send a message to the current regime. Unsurprisingly, the US response has been muted at best, calling first for the right of the Egyptians to demonstrate peacefully, then urging Mubarak to seize the opportunity to reform. The Egyptians want Mubarak OUT! An act like ripping apart a Mubarak poster may seem pedestrian to many Westerners, but in a country where speaking up against the powers that be can have severe (and sometimes fatal) consequences and gatherings of more than five are illegal, this action speaks volumes. The US does not have a real commitment to democracy, only to "democratic" governments which serve US strategic interests. I have long been upset with US aid and support for Pakistan, and though Egypt is not such an extreme case, nevertheless, US money aids the repression of ordinary people. Since the Atlantic Charter, which linked concepts of human rights to the discourse of security, the US government has appropriated the rhetoric of human rights. This is the problematic relationship which results in the language of human rights being used to justify security interests and interventions. In this case, the US sits on the fence, calling for restraint on both sides and respect for the rights of the people, while also mentioning the "stability" of the Egyptian government and calling for Mubarak to institute change rather than to step down, thus tacitly affirming his legitimacy in their eyes. But no surprise there.

Yesterday, on the second day of demonstrations, I witnessed police charge a crowd with sticks, fire tear gas into the crowd repeatedly, gather rocks and throw rocks and glass at protesters, and commandeer an armored car with a water cannon to disperse crowds. Reports abound of beatings, abductions and arrests of protesters and activists. I saw secret police and plain clothes policemen join in the protest, pretending to be protesters, but acting as agitators and fomenting violence. One of them entered our compound, screaming at an injured man who was teargassed in the face and unable to breathe or move "get out! get out of here! we don't ever want to see your face again!" It was very clear that yesterday the orders to the police had changed. The situation also escalated in Suez, where the NDP ruling party office was set on fire and a few people lost their lives after the police opened live fire on a crowd of protesters. Protests are likely to continue today, and another call has been issued for protests to continue nationwide tomorrow after afternoon prayers. The Egyptian weekend starts on Friday, so those who didn't come out because of work commitments on Wednesday and Thursday but came out on Tuesday during the national holiday are likely to join the protests. I also expect that violence will escalate as the Egyptian government tries desperately to quash the uprising, save face, and stay on the tourist destination and foreign investment lists. The elite and governing classes are also heavily concerned with the value of the Egyptian currency, which is falling rapidly. Neighbourhoods with expats and upper class areas have been cordoned off by groups of riot police in an effort to contain the protests, but I don't think this will be effective tomorrow.

Aside from the obvious differences in size, income and foreign influence, one of the main differences between what happened in Tunisia and what is happening in Egypt is Mubarak's media chokehold. Egypt state TV is reporting on protests in Lebanon and independent news media is being shut down. State controlled media shows absolutely nothing about protests. Two opposition newspaper websites were taken down. Facebook and Twitter are disabled. Though I did see a photographer embedded with a riot police unit, filming and photographers have been shut down in other areas, and even foreign journalists who identify themselves as press aren't necessarily left alone; Guardian journalist Jack Shenker was beaten, arrested and driven out towards the desert.

People in Egypt are hopeful. Many of them have put their jobs, health, and even lives on the line in taking part in these protests. Hundreds have already suffered police brutality, been beaten, arrested, and detained unlawfully. I have yet to meet an Egyptian that does not support the protesters. As one man I met put it yesterday "There may be corruption in other places, but here, there is injustice." Another one said "What happened in Tunisia was great. We are living in a dictatorship for 30 years. Enough of dictatorship. The protesters want democracy. I support them 100%". Meanwhile, Mubarak is in Sharm El-Sheikh, refusing the advice to step down. He is 82 and has been in power for 30 years. Most Egyptians live on less than $2 a day, and unemployment is high.

So, I urge you to support the right of Egyptians to associate freely, to protest, and to fight for their political and human rights. There are planned demonstrations outside Egyptian embassies worldwide, so please participate and show your solidarity with the Egyptian people. From what I hear, media coverage outside Egypt (and certainly within) has been limited. Please spread the word - the more international attention is focused on Egypt, the better the chance that the regime won't crack down so violently.