'Victory March' tests military rule

Egypt’s nationwide “Victory March” will remind the new military rulers of the power of the street.

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Cairo - Egyptians held a nationwide “Victory March” on Friday to celebrate the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule one week ago and to remind the new military rulers of the power of the street.

The scale of the march, which will also act as a memorial to the 365 people who died in the 18-day uprising that shook the Middle East, will be a gauge of Egyptian people power and of the nation's feeling about the transition to civilian rule.

With the Higher Military Council facing demands to free political prisoners and lift emergency rules after dissolving parliament and suspending the constitution, all eyes will also be on how the military manages the event.

Ahmed Naguib, a member of the coordinating committee for a coalition of youth and political pro-democracy groupings, said: “We have agreed with the army to set up the stage for the celebrations today.

“Sheikh Qaradawi will lead Friday prayers and give the sermon in Tahrir Square,” said Naguib, referring to the Qatar-based preacher who backed the revolt and called it “a day from God”. His sermons are broadcast on Al Jazeera television.

The atmosphere was relaxed and jubilant as the military blocked off the square to traffic ahead of Friday prayers at 10am. Soldiers and organisers conducted searches of people streaming in while an army band played “Egypt the Great”.

The crowd sang along, waving Egyptian flags, and chanting: “The army and the people are united.” There were tanks and armoured vehicles at the 12 entrances to the sprawling square.

Life in Egypt is still far from normal almost a week after the popular revolt focused on Cairo's Tahrir (Liberation) Square, with tanks on the streets, banks closed, workers on strike and schools shut.

The revolution in Egypt, a US ally which has signed a peace treaty with Israel, sent tremors through the region. Protests have erupted in Libya, Yemen, Bahrain, Iran and Iraq, taking their cue from Egypt and Tunisia before it.

Security officials said Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq would announce ministers making up the new emergency government next week and hoped the reshuffle would help to appease protesters and workers on strike.

“Shafiq will announce the new government on Sunday or at the latest Monday and hopefully this will convince people to turn to their daily affairs,” said an official, as the military council sought to restore normal life.

The Muslim Brotherhood, which says it seeks to achieve a democratic Islamic state by peaceful means, is seen as the only truly organised bloc in Egypt and believes it could win as much as 30 percent of votes in a free election.

The Brotherhood's leader, Mohamed Badie, said ahead of the march: “We urge all noble people to guard the revolution and its legitimate demands, and not to leave the chance for opportunists to kidnap it and its accomplishments which, with God's permission, have begun to bear fruit.

“This is an Egypt that cannot be deceived,” Badie said in his Friday message to followers on the Brotherhood's website.

Sheikh Yousef al-Qaradawi's sermon is expected to focus on telling the faithful about the importance of their role in building a free and democratic society in the world's most populous Arab nation.

Other groups planned a simultaneous demonstration to “apologise” to Mubarak for the way he was ousted and recognise his achievements in his three decades in power.

Organisers said the Mubarak sympathisers would be wearing black, with the victory marchers in white, and organisers said they hoped that the rallies would be peaceful.

The marches, starting in different parts of Cairo, were expected to gather momentum after midday prayers. Demonstrations were also likely in the port of Alexandria.

The army has kept the population on its side during the turmoil and promised to lift a decades-old emergency law, but is under pressure from activists who spearheaded the revolution to act swiftly to protect civil freedoms in the new Egypt.

An Egyptian prosecutor on Thursday ordered the detention of three ex-ministers and a prominent businessman pending trial on suspicion of wasting public funds.

The army is pledging to hand power to civilian parties when they are strong enough. Opposition forces sidelined or enfeebled under Mubarak's authoritarian rule are beginning to mobilise.

The new youth party, the “Revolutionaries of Tahrir Square”, said it would join the march in Tahrir to celebrate and press for the demands of the revolution.

Ibrahim Darawi, one of the founding members, said the yet-to-be registered party would back more protests if needed.

“The founders' goal is to move Tahrir Square with all its diversity and political resolve to the party,” Darawi said. “We oppose one-man leadership and stress that leaders must be from the youth,” he added. - Reuters

Source: http://www.iol.co.za/victory-march-tests-military-rule-1.1028609

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