Recent Egyptian Happenings

[eeore]

First on Friday protesters get into the State Eecurity Offices - after a stand off in which the protesters formed a human shield between the police and the army to stop the shooting - they found a secret tunnel in a nearby mosque.

Then on Saturday protestors get into the State Security office in Cairo.

On Sunday the army attacked a crowd that had gathered to try and protect the files in the offices - the demonstrations were sparked by the secret police shredding the files.

Out of all this files have now started appearing on the web - one of which appears to show that Gamal Mubarak, the ex-president's son, ordered the Sharm el Sheikh bombings, which killed 88 people, including 11 Britons. As well as other files relating to torture, corruption and a combination of both alongside foreign governments.

All of this was ignored by the media - outside of the state broadscaster in Egypt, who accused the protestors as being terrorists.

Then today, a march to mark International Women's Day was prevented from entering Tahrir Square by a mixture of 'state thugs' and 'pro democracy demonstrators'.

The women in the march were sexually molested, harrassed, insulted and generally badly treated.

On a positive side it has made them more determined to march again, and to put more thought and organisation into the protest.

It remains to be seen if these events make it into the media.

[MrIC]

thanks for the update.... hadn't heard most of that, although the women's march did make it onto The Guardian's website

[eeore]

Ah yes the women's march will be covered, as it is a sign that the revolution is failing, that the people of Egypt are backward and chauvanistic, and in need of a strong hand - or the muslim brotherhood will take over.

Incidentally, one thing I didn't mention was that at the incident in Cairo, groups described by the protesters as 'hardcore Islamists' tried to steal weapons from the armoury - and it was ordinary ditizens who prevented them, and sealed the room until the army could take control.

Oh and the American's have accused those involved of being influenced by Iran, through groups linked to Hamas, and thus acting on instructions from internal Egyptian islamic groups.

[eeore]

And now after a day of running battles - the army has cleared Tahrir square.

What happens now is anyone's guess.

Especially if as people suspect the state has resorted to stoking sectarian tensions. Reports state that the death toll in last night's clashes was high because the army prevented ambulances from entering the hospital - some 15 people are reported dead.

[eeore]

A quiet day.

gossip about 300+ bodies found in a Cairo morgue by relatives who broke in looking for missing family members. Word is no one knows who they are or when they died. DNA tests have been done to try and identify them. Amnesty reported that 115 prisoners were sent to the morgue following disturbances on 21st Feb, but who knows?

The army is mobilising people to protest against the protesters in order to stop the protests.

Apparently the museum of antiquities has been used as a temporary torture centre for the 170 people held as a result of clearing Tahrir square - pictures have been released of those beaten by the army and secret police.

If you are curious as to what you might look like after such an encounter, you can check out this video

Also from now on anyone caught out after curfew will recieve three months in jail.

Tomorrow is Friday, and with protesters attacked with mustard gas in Yemen, and demonstraters shot at in Saudi, it remains to be seen who the newly agressive Egyptian authorities will react.

[Rohanda]

thank you eeore.

[eeore]

No trouble Rohanda - someone has to give a voice to the voiceless.

and while I am at it I may as well post this link which is a song that someone who has been fighting for their freedom in Tahrir Square was listening to tonight, and found summed up the situation as the crack down begins.

[MrIC]

you should post this stuff in the "in the news" section - it might get noticed more

[BelfastBloke]

cheers