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Monday, February 14, 2011

People's Communique Number 1 by the Egyptian Youth Movement

via Scoop:
Egypt's Protesters Communique Number 1
Monday, 14 February 2011, 3:19 pm
Press Release: Egyptian Protesters

Egypt: It’s Not Over Yet!
Egypt's protesters Communique Number 1

The removal of Hosni Mubarak from the Egyptian throne was not only the people’s demand, but also the desire of the Egyptian military and their employers in Washington in order to diffuse the uprising. The Obama administration and their corporate overlords do not really care who runs Egypt, as long as Egypt runs! Particularly, the Egyptian economy.

March in Tahrir Square to support the sit-ins after the army's attempt to disperse them

Ahmad Shafiq, the prime minister assigned by Mubarak before stepping down, is still the prime minister of the current so-called “interim” government. Basically, since the stepping down of Mubarak, the Egyptian government that Mubarak had put together is still running the country, with the military’s blessings nevertheless. Today, Shafiq said to Egypt TV last night that his government’s utmost priority right now is to resume security and normalcy in the country. This is not a conspiracy theory!

The Egyptian government, along with the High Council of Armed Forces, have been issuing clear and straight-forward statements, repeatedly, that their priority is the economy, which, in the corrupt Egyptian economy, means that their priority is their business establishments that they have invested billions in. The government’s priority is to resume their businesses and secure foreign investors’ confidence in the Egyptian market, not democracy. In fact, the Dow Jones and New York Stock Exchange went up a couple of points when news came out that Mubarak had stepped down.

Tens of protesters today clashed with the army in Tahrir Square, and thousands of demonstrators began to flood the Square again to support their revolution brothers and sisters. The High Council of Armed Forces, so far, had only met one of the revolution’s demands: the deposing of Mubarak. Well, Suleiman, Shafiq, and others are still running the government, with no time frame for elections or any democratic process put in place. In other words, Suleiman’s patronizing call for Egyptians, a couple of days ago, to “go back to your home and your jobs” have mostly been achieved by sending Mubarak on an extended vacation to Sharm Al-Sheikh.

For those who, in the euphoria of celebration, forgot what this revolution was all about, here is the list of demands from the Revolution Coalition:

The January 25 Revolutionary Youth Communique No. 1:

“We, the peoples of Egypt, the true rulers of its land, destiny, and fortunes, who have retrieved them in full since the outbreak of the January 25 populace, civil, democratic revolution, and the sacrifice of our righteous martyrs, and after the revolution’s success in the deposing of the corrupt regime and its leaders; we announce the continuation of this peaceful revolution until victory and the realization of all our demands in full:

1 -- The abolishing of the Emergency [martial law] conditions immediately.

2 -- The immediate release of all political prisoners.

3 -- The abolishing of the current constitution including all its amendments.

4 -- The abolishing of both arms of the parliament and local governments.

5 -- The creation of an interim presidential rule including five members, one military and four civilian, known for their patriotism and accepted by the people, and on the condition that none of them run for the first presidential elections.

6 -- The creation of an interim government including capable, independent, and patriotic individuals; and excluding individuals with ties to political parties, to assume command of the nation’s affairs and prepare for fair and free general elections at the end of the interim period which must not exceed nine months; and no member of this interim government can run for the first elections.

7 -- The formation of an original constituent assembly to write a new democratic constitution that concurs with the greatest democratic constitutions and international charters for human rights, put for public referendum within three months of the formation of this assembly.

8 -- The freedom to form any political party, on civil, democratic, and peaceful foundations, without any obstacle or condition, and [they become legal] by simply announcing [their creation].

9 -- The freedom of press [media] and the circulation of information.

10 -- The freedom for union organization and the creation of civil institutions.

11 -- The abolishing of all military and poll courts, and abolishing all verdicts produced by these courts against civilians.

12 -- And finally, we, the peoples of Egypt, call upon Egypt’s righteous, national army, who is the son of this nation, who safeguarded the people’s blood and secured the nation in this great revolution, to declare its full adoption to all of these decisions and people’s demands, and to completely align itself with the people.

The Peoples of the January 25 Revolution.

The success of the Egyptian revolution must be measured by how many of these demands have been met, in addition to the verdicts issued against Mubarak, Suleiman, Shafiq, and all other ex-government officials and business tycoons, even if they were members of the Egyptian so-called brave Military. All other measures that demand anything less are treasonous to the blood of the martyrs since January 25.

ENDS

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