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Crowds Swell in Cairo as New PM Appointed
Thousands return to Tahrir Square as military council names Mubarak-era prime minister to head new government.
Cairo's Tahrir Square is once again filling with protesters despite reports that the country's military rulers has appointed a new prime minister in an apparent concession to activists' demands for a civilian government.
A general view of Egyptian protesters during a march in Tahrir Square in Cairo November 25, 2011. (REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah) State media on Friday named Kamal al-Ganzuri as the country's new prime minister as protesters in the capital called for another "million-man march" in protests dubbed "the Friday of the last chance".
Ganzuri is an economist who previously served as Egyptian prime minister under former president Hosni Mubarak between 1996 and 1999.
After the mass uprising earlier this year, Ganzouri distanced himself from Mubarak in a television interview, prompting several activists to recommend him as a future presidential candidate.
His appointment was reported by private media on Thursday night, prompting raucous jeers and chants of "We don’t want him" in the square.
As Ganzuri's appointment was announced, an influential imam led thousands of worshippers in prayer in Tahrir Square, calling on the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to hand power to a "national salvation government".
Sheikh Mazhar Shahin said protesters would remain in the square, the symbolic heart of rallies that toppled Mubarak in February, until their demands are met.
Since last Saturday, streets near Tahrir have become battle zones with stone-throwing protesters fighting police firing tear gas, pellets and rubber bullets, although a truce on Thursday calmed the violence. At least 41 people have been killed and more than 3,200 injured in the clashes in Cairo and other cities.
Military apology
SCAF has apologised for the deaths of demonstrators and pledged to hold parliamentary elections scheduled for November 28 on time, despite a push from activists and some political parties to postpone them.
The SCAF "presents its regrets and deep apologies for the deaths of martyrs from among Egypt's loyal sons during the recent events in Tahrir Square", it said in a statement on its Facebook page on Thursday.
It also called on "honourable citizens" to protect the square, separate the protesters from interior ministry riot police and arrest those who are found suspicious, raising concerns among some that the announcement had given license for street violence.
The military also began asserting a firmer street presence, promising to help police secure the country during the voting and erecting a two-metre-tall concrete barricade on Mohamed Mahmoud Street.
The street leads towards the interior ministry and has been the focal point of violence between riot police and crowds of young men.
The military rulers say they will transfer power to civilians, but that the process should not be rushed to avoid chaos.
The US, long a supporter of Egypt's military, called on the generals on Friday to step aside "as soon as possible" and give real power to the new cabinet "immediately".
"Full transfer of power to a civilian government must take place in a just and inclusive manner that responds to the legitimate aspirations of the Egyptian people, as soon as possible," White House spokesman Jay Carney said in a statement.
"The United States strongly believes that the new Egyptian government must be empowered with real authority immediately."
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15 Comments so far
Show AllIt is amazing to me the bravery of the Egyptian People.
So incredibly determined to see the revolution through and why it can't be stopped while showing to the world who is really too big to fail.
Thank You Egypt
The first sentence mis-states the situation: Protesters are returning to Tahrir Square not "despite" reports that the country's military rulers have appointed a new prime minister..." but BECAUSE of news that the military has refused to cede power and has appointed a new PM. Military dictatorship with a new face is fooling no one. Read "Why I am boycotting Egypt's Election" by Tarek Shalaby at http://fubarandgrill.org/node/1224
" The military rulers say they will transfer power to the civilians, but that process must not be rushed to avoid chaos ". Pleeease! Not be rushed to avoid the military rulers abdictating their power? What could Egypt have that would be more chaos than they have right now? Thirty some people just murdered and hundreds more injured in Tahrir Square! And hundreds of thousands of Egyptians occupying Tahrir Square. Avoid chaos by transfering power to these people!!!!
"The United States strongly believes that the new Egyptian government must be empowered with real authority immediately."
Easy to control representative government is the oligarchy's choice.
Direct democracy
I feel like this represents a 2nd stage in the development of the political and possibly economic transfer of power from the Egyptian ruling class to the Egyptian people including workers, the unemployed, defectors from the murderous Egyptian military, student activists, and others. The Egyptians are realizing very quickly that there is no true democracy unless power is in the hands of the people. Hopefully there's some sort of viable organization capable of leading the Egyptian people towards victory. Otherwise it will be the same old same old, with negative consequences for the rest of the uprisings throughout the world. The world is counting on Egypt, Greece and other countries to show us the way.
Greece? Didn't they just pull a bankers' coup in Greece and the Greek people are, essentially, eating cake now?
The brilliance of the Tahrir Square strategy is shown clearly here.
Every time the Military -or soon the "civilian government" they have appointed- acts, the world can take a glance at Tahrir Square.
Is it full of people?
Are they happy or angry?
Are they allowed to be there or are they fighting to stay?
What are they saying about the action of the Military or "civilan government"?
Everyone can ask these questions and they all lead to subverting the basic lie that the current government speaks for the people. And to the creation of a genuinely democratic and open political space through the control of a specific physical space.
The differences between this and the OWS situations are very instructive.
Meanwhile, the U.S. is doing everything it can to make sure the military stays in charge of Egypt and that the new government is little more than another puppet like Mubarak. Thus far, the "revolution" has actually accomplished nothing but the death of brave citizens. We're watching and praying for real change...but it hasn't happened yet! NEXT: Saudi Arabia! The worlds 2nd biggest supporter of terrorism (the U.S. is the top supporter of terrorism in the world.)
Israel is #2, hand in hand with the US. As for the Saudis, well, except for invading Bahrain and killing the protesters there, the actual Saudi citizens don't seem to mind their predicament. If nothing else, they're not complaining. So, I seriously doubt that they're next in line.
No election by the people to put in a prime minister doesn't sound too democratic and appointing by military thugs does smell a bit. Is this really a democracy or am I missing something here? Don't the people, not the military have to rule to have a democracy? If this were a government the US power elites didn't like wouldn't they call this a coup?
Hey these are just questions. I don't have all the answers the way our power elties do.
The technology that gives us repeated glitches which can produce such duplication that I keep having to delete may not be the best friend of democracy let alone a progressive movement-- merely a thought. Sometimes progressives can use such technology to put it at the service of the people, but we can't all be Steve Jobs.
The technology that gives us repeated glitches which can produce such duplication that I keep having to delete may not be the best friend of democracy let alone a progressive movement-- merely a thought. Sometimes progressives can use such technology to put it at the service of the people, but we can't all be Steve Jobs.
"Deteltion time in the city/hot cat looking for a kitty. . ."
""The United States strongly believes that the new Egyptian government must be empowered with real authority immediately.""
Mission accomplished. The "new" PM is one of Mubarak's boy. It appears these shenanigans can only fool the Amerikan right wing. Mubarak must be laughing his ass off.