Egypt: Opposition figure back to fuel protests

  1. Posted on Friday 28 January 2011 - 10:20
    KingsleyKobo
    Image of KingsleyKobo
    Kingsley Kobo, AfricaNews reporter in Abidjan, Ivory Coast
    Egyptian-born Nobel Prize winner and opposition figure Mohamed el Baradeď arrived in Cairo from exile on Thursday to participate in the ongoing anti-Hosni Mubarak nation-wide protests,which have entered the fourth day. He told reporters at Cairo airport that it was time for a change in Egypt, and that he was ready to head a transitional period towards an open, free and fair presidential election.
    Egypt: Opposition figure back to fuel protests
    He said he would join thousands of Egyptians who plan to continue protests across the nation on Friday immediately after Muslim prayers.

    Egypt’s largest opposition group, the Brotherhood, says they will take part in Friday’s demonstrations.

    Government forces have beefed up security, with some 350 people arrested Thursday night, bringing the number of arrests since the uprising began three days ago to 1350.

    The Interior Ministry announced on state television that decisive measures would be employed on Friday if violence continued.

    Network

    Internet has been jammed for almost two days in Egypt, to prevent youths from sending messages and information to each other. Facebook and Twitter have also been blocked.

    Football matches scheduled for the weekend have been annulled. The Sports Ministry says it’s a measure to prevent mass gathering.

    International Community

    The position of the United States of America, a strong ally of President Mubarak, who has single-handedly ruled the Arab world’s most populous nation for three decades, is not very clear.

    US President Barack Obama told CNN that Mubarak “is a vital ally but he ought to carry out necessary reforms to meet the aspiration of the Egyptian people.”

    Whereas US Vice President Joe Biden categorically told PBS NewsHour that Mubarak is “no dictator, he shouldn't step down.”

    It is still too early to envisage an eventual ousting of Mubarak by the current revolt, like Tunisia’s Jasmin Revolution deposed ex President Ben Ali, but protesters say it is the beginning of the end of Mubarak’s regime.

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