Sheeba Madaan
Jameel W. Karaki
KUWAIT: Egyptian Ambassador to Kuwait Taher Farahat described the current protests in Egypt as "normal." He told Al Watan Daily on Wednesday on the sidelines of an Indian Embassy Republic day celebration that "this is a normal expression of opinion. This is something that happens every once in a while as in any other country." Asked about the three Egyptians that were arrested on Monday for passing out flyers asking Egyptians to participate in Jan. 25 protests, he said "they were released and hence there is no story about it."
Yet, Egypt witnessed the largest demonstration since President Mubarak took office in 1981. The protests, which started peacefully on Tuesday afternoon, turned violent several hours later. Al Watan Daily spoke to Egyptians living in Kuwait and Egyptian journalists in order to get their reactions to the "Days of Wrath" as the online opposition groups called it.
Mirette Ibrahim, a journalist at the Egyptian opposition newspaper Al-Youm Al-Sabie described the demonstrations as the "biggest ever" held in Egypt since people protested against the war on Iraq.
"These demonstrations deliver the voice of the ordinary citizens who are fed up with the recent situation in Egypt; there is no political party or movement behind it. The people are the leaders of this rise. Even when some political movements tried to be under the spot lights by presenting some political demands, people refused the political party. The magic words behind these demonstrations are the economic and social situation in Egypt," she said.
When asked about the similarities between Tunisia and Egypt she pointed out, "I don't think that the Tunisian scenario will happen in Egypt . We will have our own changes, in our own way. I think the Egyptians will keep on demonstrating until they feel that they are well heard by the regime, and that there are significant changes in their lives."
She also asserted that the security forces are dealing with protesters in a very aggressive way, and getting more violent.
Meanwhile, Aisha Algaiar an Egyptian journalist living in Kuwait is spending more hours nowadays to stay updated with the current events in Egypt. She, like other expatriate Egyptians, wished she was home in order to take part in the demonstrations.
Algaiar said, "Freedom is coming. It's the right of Egyptians to enjoy a free election and authority deliberation. Take a look at the rates of corruption in Egypt. It is obscene and terrible, and the citizens can't handle it anymore."
Echoing Algaiar's sentiments, Fatama Hassan an Egyptian housewife residing in Kuwait said that the current events are a result of feeling hopeless and fed up with the inadequate living and economic conditions they are facing in their daily life noting that the government didn't keep its promises regarding the minimum wage.
She pointed out to the "corruption, torture and beatings by the police officers caused the death of Khalid Saeed and Sayed Belal."
Hassan further noted that "Sayed Belal was arrested when the bombing of the church happened. He was beaten to death and the police later called his family to receive his body from the Morgue."
Hassan believes that the previous events and factors are behind the current demonstration and scuffles with the security forces in addition to the existence of policemen as guards for your universities and the fabrication of elections results."Why were there policemen at universities? How many ballot boxes were burnt during the elections?" Hassan wondered alound.
Answering a question about the relationship between the current uprising in Tunisia and Egypt, Alaa Hussein, an administration officer at a private company said he believes that the Egyptian citizens suffered from psychological instability, high rates of unemployment, and inflation. However, in Egypt President Mubarak has full support from the military, because he himself was a military officer. "I don't think the government would take an action, it might give citizens a placebo," said Hussein.
On her part, Dalal Mahmoud see no changes happening except chaos, believing that the current regime won't step down unless the army supports citizens. She said that the Egyptian government knows how to deal with such events, particularly as there are those who believe that President's Mubarak polices are good.
Jameel W. Karaki
KUWAIT: Egyptian Ambassador to Kuwait Taher Farahat described the current protests in Egypt as "normal." He told Al Watan Daily on Wednesday on the sidelines of an Indian Embassy Republic day celebration that "this is a normal expression of opinion. This is something that happens every once in a while as in any other country." Asked about the three Egyptians that were arrested on Monday for passing out flyers asking Egyptians to participate in Jan. 25 protests, he said "they were released and hence there is no story about it."
Yet, Egypt witnessed the largest demonstration since President Mubarak took office in 1981. The protests, which started peacefully on Tuesday afternoon, turned violent several hours later. Al Watan Daily spoke to Egyptians living in Kuwait and Egyptian journalists in order to get their reactions to the "Days of Wrath" as the online opposition groups called it.
Mirette Ibrahim, a journalist at the Egyptian opposition newspaper Al-Youm Al-Sabie described the demonstrations as the "biggest ever" held in Egypt since people protested against the war on Iraq.
"These demonstrations deliver the voice of the ordinary citizens who are fed up with the recent situation in Egypt; there is no political party or movement behind it. The people are the leaders of this rise. Even when some political movements tried to be under the spot lights by presenting some political demands, people refused the political party. The magic words behind these demonstrations are the economic and social situation in Egypt," she said.
When asked about the similarities between Tunisia and Egypt she pointed out, "I don't think that the Tunisian scenario will happen in Egypt . We will have our own changes, in our own way. I think the Egyptians will keep on demonstrating until they feel that they are well heard by the regime, and that there are significant changes in their lives."
She also asserted that the security forces are dealing with protesters in a very aggressive way, and getting more violent.
Meanwhile, Aisha Algaiar an Egyptian journalist living in Kuwait is spending more hours nowadays to stay updated with the current events in Egypt. She, like other expatriate Egyptians, wished she was home in order to take part in the demonstrations.
Algaiar said, "Freedom is coming. It's the right of Egyptians to enjoy a free election and authority deliberation. Take a look at the rates of corruption in Egypt. It is obscene and terrible, and the citizens can't handle it anymore."
Echoing Algaiar's sentiments, Fatama Hassan an Egyptian housewife residing in Kuwait said that the current events are a result of feeling hopeless and fed up with the inadequate living and economic conditions they are facing in their daily life noting that the government didn't keep its promises regarding the minimum wage.
She pointed out to the "corruption, torture and beatings by the police officers caused the death of Khalid Saeed and Sayed Belal."
Hassan further noted that "Sayed Belal was arrested when the bombing of the church happened. He was beaten to death and the police later called his family to receive his body from the Morgue."
Hassan believes that the previous events and factors are behind the current demonstration and scuffles with the security forces in addition to the existence of policemen as guards for your universities and the fabrication of elections results."Why were there policemen at universities? How many ballot boxes were burnt during the elections?" Hassan wondered alound.
Answering a question about the relationship between the current uprising in Tunisia and Egypt, Alaa Hussein, an administration officer at a private company said he believes that the Egyptian citizens suffered from psychological instability, high rates of unemployment, and inflation. However, in Egypt President Mubarak has full support from the military, because he himself was a military officer. "I don't think the government would take an action, it might give citizens a placebo," said Hussein.
On her part, Dalal Mahmoud see no changes happening except chaos, believing that the current regime won't step down unless the army supports citizens. She said that the Egyptian government knows how to deal with such events, particularly as there are those who believe that President's Mubarak polices are good.
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| Angry Egyptian protestors shout anti-government slogans during a protest in Suez, Egypt, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2011. Egyptian activists protested for a third day as social networking sites called for a mass rally in the capital Cairo after Friday prayers, keeping up the momentum of the country's largest anti-government protests in years. (Source:AFP) |
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