Mubarak Protests

[Netyoda]

I wish I could be there with you all during this worrying but exciting time.

I've spent 6 hours glued to Al Jazeera and calling people to ensure everyone's ok.

Yalla Musr!

[Jayway]

Me too Netyoda. see they are moving all the Finlanders down to Red Sea - and some flight went from Lisbon to Cairo today with 40 Portuguese holidaymakers ? ? ? =my tv. Keep warm, - jayway

[LovelyLadyLux]

From what I'm gathering from the TV News here Mubarak is holding on by his fingertips for all he is worth. Slippery slope but the old guy is still hanging on.

[Netyoda]

Well the info I have at the moment is that HRG is tense, but peaceful.

The British Foreign Office are advising people to leave Cairo, Suez and Alex.

The Americans are putting on flights to evacuate their nationals.

The British Embassies are flying their families home.

Still 2 weeks before I head back, so lots of developments could happen yet.

[Hurghada Lady]

With any luck things will calm down over the next few day's. Hopefully, the protesters will get less and less and leave Mubarak to finish his term with dignity. At least then the candidates that step forward will be able to campaign and they can choose someone that will be good for the country instead of someone like Baradei (however you spell it) Aymen Noor or Muslim Brotherhood. Amr Moussa seem's to be popular amongst the people and he has now stepped forward, Ahmed Shafik the new Prime Minister is also a good man, so fingers crossed.

[Cozdragon]

Dignity = worthy of respect

Any man who declares himself the freely elected representative of a country, while refusing to let others stand against him, is involved in election rigging, illegal voting, and workers being driven to the polling booths and told to vote for him doesn't seem worthy of respect.

I don't doubt that there may be things that he has done which have been good for Egypt, but the level of corruption, the detention of anyone expressing views contradicting his, and the level of censorship in the press are the reasons that Egyptians are protesting...and to me the right to express an opinion without fear of personal reprisal is a basic human right...

The images today have been dire - interesting that the first time there is violence between Egyptian people came when the "pro mubarak supporters" finally came out....after a week of protest where things not people were harmed. I too hope the protests end soon, and that the Egyptian people can continue to live with the true dignity that I have seen on my visits.

Cx

[Hurghada Lady]

The problem Coz is that most of the Egyptians I speak to actually want Mubarak to stay and finish his term. There are probably around eight million anti Mubarak protestors around Egypt, where are the other seventy million???? The other seventy million are complaining and saying the country is ruined and Mubarak should finish his term, while they choose their new President. Whoever comes after Mubarak will be the same in time anyway !!!!!

The anti Mubuarak protestors are fighting for democracy and yet when the pro Mubarak express their opinion the fights start......

Hypocrisy - is the act of pretending to have beliefs, virtues and feelings that one does not truly possess. A classic example of a hypocritical act is to denounce another for carrying out some action whilst carrying out the same action oneself.

[Christine]

Quote, " let Mubarak finish his term with dignity"..................WHY would any self respecting Egyptian do that ??
When for years they have been tortured, killed quelled in many forms, to the point of near total repression, where is the dignity in that.
Where is the dignity in a man who has no work, has no money has no future to offer his family.
Where is the dignity of being dragged from youre home loaded on a bus and then told who you will vote for !!
Im sorry but i for one were I egyptian would not give a hoot about Mubarak and his dignity, after the abominations that man has inflicted on his own people.

[Hurghada Lady]

Well Christine, that hit a raw nerve !!!!! As you say you are not Egyptian and neither am I, but I do happen to live with them and have for the past 14 years. Many Egyptians here in Hurghada want Mubarak to finish his term so that there can be a transition period FOR THE GOOD OF THE COUNTRY.

There have been demonstrations here with over 2,000 people marching through Hurghada for Mubarak to stay. I have spoken to many of them and they all say they want him to stay for a transition period. NOW, that is not from me!!!!!!!! but from EGYPTIAN people.

It has gone past Mubarak seeing his term through for SAFE TRANSITION, as I see it now, BUT I AM ENTITLED TO AN OPINION without someone jumping down my throat, as are you! What worries me is who is going to get in after because that will affect me.

[Horus]

That is the big problem as I see it, everyone has an interest, but it may take many forms. Earlier this evening I was told that as I don’t live in Luxor, I should keep my nose out of making comments. This came from someone who is really no different to any other tourist who visits Luxor, I also have an opinion and just because someone is a “long term Tourist” (for that is all that most of them really are), that does not stop me from having or making an opinion of my own, it is just as valid as theirs because I still wish to visit Egypt and for it to be a stable country. Likewise, anyone who has purchased property and is not just renting it, as they can easily just leave tomorrow, also have a vested interest in what happens in Egypt. These people have in the main made a commitment to stay, whereas the long term tourists are just edging their bets.

However the main concern is the ordinary Egyptian who is damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t. What is the future for him/her? They cannot just up and leave if the going gets tough. So yes there are many sides to this and many reasons for a stable and gradual transfer of power and if I could be certain that this would really happen then that is what I would wish for the Egyptian people.

I can understand the reluctance of many to accept yet another promise that could be broken, so I feel that somehow a guarantee has to be put in place, possibly with the aid of the military and other player like the USA to keep up the funding, but ensure that the promises are not reneged on at a later date, this is the only sensible way forward as every day the country and its people lose out.

[Hurghada Lady]

My husband and I (not the Royal) were talking to friends earlier all Egyptian, they were saying that Mubarak has decided to give the unemployed 500le a month, he has also change the law so that the police cannot just arrest anyone at anytime, the tax will also be reduced, he will raise the salaries, he will stop the corruption and gve more freedom to the people. That is a few of the changes they were saying were going to be changed, I can't remember the rest that they mentioned.

The friends then said Mubarak will make so many things right that they would want to vote for him come September. They also said considering he has been President for 30 years a few months was not long and if he went now the didn't know who would be able to put the country right.

Now, I am just repeating the discussion of Egyptians today before anybody jumps down my throat !!

I worry about Muslim Brotherhood, also think Bariedi is close to them......We have business here which will now be at a standstill but has the chance to pick up, but not if the Muslim Brotherhood get in.

[Horus]

Very true HL how many long term tourists will still be in Egypt once they get into power?

[Christine]

Pure supposition H , you mean IF they get in.

@HL i was not jumping down youre throat as you put it i was asking a legitimate question and making valid comment on the current ruler and whats happened to his people as a result of that rule .

[Horus]

Christine wrote:

Pure supposition H , you mean IF they get in.

Not sure what you mean Chris, are you saying you don't think that there will be major changes comming in Egypt?

[Christine]

Sorry H i was a bit confusing there wasnt I, i meant to say IF The muslim Brotherhood get in, there is so much supposition flying about, there are many opposing sides to the present goverment, i thought you had meant that you thought The Muslim brotherhood would get in , see now im even more confused

[Horus]

Ok Chris now I understand your point
No I don't personally think that they will get into power, well not immediately, although they are by far the best organised as a group. I think that they will keep their powder dry and wait until the dust settles, after all they will not want to be blamed for any ensuing problems will they? but they will certainly stand at the next free elections and probably get a lot of support and that is where divisions may arise once more.

However I personally feel that their support will grow as the months pass and who is to say that is going to be a bad thing? It may have far reaching effects for some sectors and will no doubt radically change the politics of the Middle East, but that is for the people of Egypt to decide, either way, I cannot see things ever being the same as before, unless of course this all fizzles out or is heavily suppressed.

[Christine]

I agree H , this and its implecations are going to be long lasting i feel.
And even if it were quelled tomorrow i think things will remain very jumpy for the next 6 months at least, and not just in Egypt but in surrounding Arab states.
I really do feel for the people who have business related to tourism, we are going to see a big downfall, just as they did after the shootings in luxor some years ago, it took an age to recover from that, it still is in recovery in a way, Luxor has never really been the same.

[Hurghada Lady]

I can remember the shooting in Luxor, all the Egyptins were cryiing in the streets when the tourists were leaving. I can/t remember the date think it was either 25th or 27th November 1997, I remember the first tourist coming back in March 1998, there were only 6 people in the Sheraton

[Susue]

I'm not in the thick of it.... just watching what I can here on CNN in the far east.
Whether Mubarak finishes his term or not.....I hope this uprising has a positive end for all the Egyptian people.....they deserve it!!

[Susue]

I'm not in the thick of it.... just watching what I can here on CNN in the far east.
Whether Mubarak finishes his term or not.....I hope this uprising has a positive end for all the Egyptian people.....they deserve it!!