I had to do a double take reading this wall - did it say cops or copts!Lots of security warns at work, from embassies and from Ahmed the Driver: "Don't go out on Friday". The reason is the planned large demonstrations organised today. The demos have predicably gone from "We want Mubarak/regime out" to this Friday where pretty much every participant is marching/potentially fighting for their own cause making it a bit difficult to gauge what is going on. In the press Ive heard these reasons for the demos:
the cost of food, unemployment, the lack of cooking gas, the lack of petrol/diesel, speeding up trials of fallen regime’s figures, drafting a new constitution before the parliamentary elections, stemming the use of excessive force, trying protesters in military tribunals, releasing political detainees, replacing some governors, ministers and the deputy prime minister Yehia al-Gamal and restoring safety to the streets, set a minimum and maximum wage and return fortunes stolen by Mubarak regime figures.
Something there for everyone. I sense from talking to people to egyptian I know was pushing Mubarak and buddies to go they have a differentand wide spectra of visions of what they were changing too. Was it a fully islamic state or a total western an secular one, or the status quo with different leaders? Whatever the vision it is now clearer that the problems of Egypt run deep, and whatever government will struggle. The longer the struggle the worse the economy and tourist dollar......
Lets hope for a peaceful weekend
