U.S. piles pressure on Mubarak
Jan. 30: The President, Mr Hosni Mubarak, clinging on despite unprecedented demands for an end to his 30-year rule, met on Sunday with the military which is seen as holding the key to Egypt’s future while in Cairo, protesters defied a curfew.
The US secretary of state, Mr Hillary Clinton, said the United States wanted an “orderly transition” through free and fair elections in its key ally and the most populous Arab nation. An earthquake of unrest is shaking Mr Mubarak’s authoritarian grip on Egypt and the high command’s support is vital as other pillars of his ruling apparatus crumble, political analysts said as protests ran on through a sixth day.
As thousands gathered in the streets, unmolested by patient troops in their American-built tanks, the fragmented Opposition gave a sign of coming together. The Nobel Peace Prize winner and retired international diplomat, Mr Mohamed ElBaradei, said he had been given a mandate to reach out to the Army and build a new government: “Mubarak has to leave today,” he told CNN.
“The people want to topple the President,” the crowd chanted as Mr ElBaradei arrived by car before making his way slowly on foot through a sea of people to Tahrir square.
“We will sacrifice our soul and our blood for the nation,” the angry crowd shouted.
As many as 10,000 people, protested in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, a rallying point to express anger at poverty, repression, unemployment and corruption. Ms Clinton told Fox News: “We want to see an orderly transition so that no one fills a void... We also don’t want to see some takeover that would lead not to democracy but to oppression and the end of the aspirations of the Egyptian people.”
As the curfew started and was ignored, warplanes and helicopters flew over the square. By late afternoon more Army trucks appeared in a show of military force but no one moved. “Hosni Mubarak, Omar Suleiman, both of you are agents of the Americans,” shouted protesters, referring to the appointment on Saturday of intelligence chief Suleiman as vice-president, the first time Mr Mubarak has appointed a deputy in 30 years of office. It was the position Mr Mubarak, 82, held before he become President and many saw the appointment as ending his son Gamal’s long-predicted ambitions to take over and as an attempt to reshape the administration to placate reformists.
Mr Mubarak held talks with Mr Suleiman, defence minister Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, Chief of Staff Sami al-Anan and others. Clearly those in Tahrir Square did not wish to see Mr Mubarak’s ruling structure replaced by a military lineup featuring his closest associates.
“Mubarak, Mubarak, the plane awaits,” they said.
Post new comment