Daily Times

Events took a turn for the worse on Wednesday
when pro-Mubarak supporters — including police in plain clothes and hired ‘thugs’ — entered Cairo’s Tahrir Square and clashed with pro-democracy and anti-Mubarak activists. Five people died and 836 were injured out of which 86 are still being treated for their injuries in hospital. Protestors on both sides flung stones, metal barricades and Molotov cocktails at each other after pro-Mubarak demonstrators on horse and camelback tried to disrupt what until then had been a peaceful protest. Both sides set up makeshift metal barriers and running battles engulfed the streets adjacent to Tahrir Square. These clashes have only intensified and spread on Thursday. The historic port city of Alexandria has witnessed a virtual breakdown in law and order with members of the secret police attempting to break up peaceful pro-democracy protests.

In a bid to prevent coverage of the protests against President Hosni Mubarak, attempts have been made across Egypt by the security forces and pro-Mubarak supporters to confiscate equipment belonging to international media organisations. Journalists have also been taken into ‘protective custody’ by the security forces. President Mubarak is advised against the media crackdown, since in today’s day and age the truth will get out one way or another.

Newly appointed Prime Minister Ahmed Shafik, in a bid to quell the continuing trouble, has apologised for the violence and pledged to investigate it. He did not divulge the answer to the real question: how does he plan to control the situation?

It is clear from President Hosni Mubarak’s last televised speech that he has dug in his heels and does not intend to relinquish power until the next election in September. The Vice President of Egypt, Omar Suleiman –former intelligence head — said the message of the protestors had been received and they must go home. Nevertheless, pro-democracy protests seem set to continue until President Mubarak steps down. The real power broker in Egypt is its army. The army said it would not fire on its own people. The people of Egypt hold the army in high regard. Pro-democracy demonstrators, since the army’s deployment, have regularly chanted that the army and the people are one. Both President Mubarak — the supreme commander of the armed forces — and Vice President Suleiman have direct links with the military and are an integral part of the military establishment. The army meanwhile has remained a silent observer, playing the role of a neutral arbitrator, at times acting as the buffer between the different sets of protestors. The question is: how long is the army willing to play this role with neither the pro-democracy demonstrators nor President Mubarak willing to back down? Coupled with the rapidly deteriorating law and order situation, it is only a matter of time before the army will be forced to pick a side.

Friday (today) will be a decisive day for the fate of Egypt. It is the day when the deadline given by the de facto spokesperson of the pro-democracy protestors, Mohamed Mustafa ElBaradei, for President Mubarak to step down from his office expires. Friday is also significant because it was on that day, after Friday prayers last week, that the protests against the regime of President Mubarak gained momentum.

The writing is on the wall for President Mubarak. The Egyptian people have spoken. This revolt is not only against this regime but a revolt for their rights and dignity. Now there is no turning back for them. It is in the interest of Egypt, its people and the region that President Mubarak steps down from power before events take a turn for the worse and more bloodshed ensues.*