World Anti-militarism Newswire Archive

An version of this article was published in schNEWS….

original post at  http://reportsfromtheegyptianuprising.wordpress.com/2011/02/18/riot-like-an-egyptian/#more-417

Reports say thousands of pro-democracy protesters, chanting “victory, victory,” have forced out police and snipers from a central square in The Bahraini capital, Manama.

From reportsfromtheegyptianuprising.wordpress.com

The US led smear and hatred campaign against Julian Assange and his close co workers also affects important adherents, like Israel Shamir
As well by Domscheit-Berg, ex second Wikileaks man, as by newsmedia as the Guardian and the Dutch RTL News, Shamir is wrongly accused of Holocaust denial and anti-semitism

1) The ships in question are old and can be used by Iran for little more than training, the stated mission.

2) Iran, just like Israel, has every right under international maritime law and rules to use this important waterway.

3) It is bluster to refer to the Iranian action as a “provocation.” The move is “assertive,” for sure. But how long did the Israeli leadership believe that the feelings of others and they’re longing for respect and justice on the international scene, could be ignored?

4) Perhaps this would be a good time for the real “international community” to assert our collective demand that these two nations solve a dispute w/o involving or harming the futures of any of the rest of us?

"Perhaps this would be a good time for the real “international community” to assert our collective demand that these two nations solve a dispute w/o involving or harming the futures of any of the rest of us?"

Demonstrators attended the nuclear renaissance event to remind business men what they are really getting into.

Hundreds of riot police are reported to have attacked the protestors who have been occupying the Pearl Roundabout in Manama. The attack took place at about 3.45am ocal time. Many including women and children were sleeping when the police attacked according to Maryam Alkhawaja of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights who is on site. She reports that there are wounded, and that people are chanting "we demand the fall of the regime".

The roundabout was occupied on Tuesday, after an estimated 20 000 people joined a march following the death of a second protestor who was killed while gathering for the funeral of Ali Abdulhadi Mushaima, who died while protesting for human rights in the village of Daih, near Manama. Others are tweeting asking for help, reporting indiscriminate firing(possibly of rubber bullets) and tear gas, as well as heavy use of batons. They say all exits have been blocked. At least one death and 200 injuries have been reported. It is also reported that the internet has been disabled.

"Perhaps this young man is sincere. But it is certain that he is “class bound” in his thinking. He is an executive. Not an unemployed factory worker or wet nurse. For the Egyptian revolution to produce the profound changes so needed in our world those elements of Egyptian society must take the lead. Otherwise the U.S., Israel, and ruling classes the world over win. And that was not the intention and will not be the result of this heroic struggle. Stay tuned. Get involved. The Egyptian people have declared that they will remain vigilant. We must do so with them."

This documentary and following books and articles revealing how Britain and America used secret stay-behind networks, not for defence but to inluence political events when any popular movement in Europe that they labelled as 'left-wing' because they threatened the conservative establishment.

"As for the Obama administration, having supported Mubarak for as long as possible, it is backing the military regime. On Saturday, the administration declared that it welcomed the measures taken by the generals and their supposed commitment to democracy. Having helped train many of Egypt’s officers, it intends to use them to secure its interests in Egypt and the Middle East. These include not only defending its strategic and military interests, but above all heading off a revolutionary challenge from the working class.

Deeply tied to Egypt’s business community, the officer corps is hostile to the wave of strikes that is shaking Egypt, and workers’ demands for improved wages and social conditions. While it does not yet feel strong enough to do so, the army is signaling its intention to move against strikers. In a statement denouncing “chaos and disorder,” the Higher Military Council said it would ban meetings by labor unions or professional syndicates, effectively making strikes illegal.

In six months, and perhaps longer, the army plans to hold elections on the basis of a constitution drafted exclusively by itself, and without dissolving Mubarak’s National Democratic Party (NDP). That is, it hopes to use the six-month period to wind down the protests and give a pseudo-democratic cover to a regime no more responsive to the demands of the population than the one controlled by the hated Mubarak."

Since yesterday, and actually earlier, middle class activists have been urging Egyptians to suspend the protests and return to work, in the name of patriotism, singing some of the most ridiculous lullabies about “let’s build new Egypt,” “Let’s work harder than even before,” etc… In case you didn’t know, actually Egyptians are among the hardest working people in the globe already.

This morning the army moved in and is attempting to force the protestors out of Tahrir Square. Tents have been dismantled. Following a call out, thousands are said to be streaming back into the square to back up those who have vowed to remain until the regime is out of power. This in defiance of the call by Mohamed Ibrahim Moustafa Ali, the head of military police, "We do not want any protesters to sit in the square after today"

smash the fash free artwork tribute to activists and to music

30 000 cops are reported to have flooded onto the streets of Algiers in an attempt to quash a pro-democracy rally planned for today. Trains to the city have been canceled, and activists report that all entrances to the city have seen sealed. Many arrests are reported but protestors have vowed to carry on and the crowd is chanting "Echâab Yourid Isqat Annidham" "The people wants to overthrow the system".

"Great changes are now “possible” in Egypt and, potentially throughout the Arab world, but are by no means certain. The US/Israel have a plan B, etc. Bet on it. The citizens of Egypt have shown incredible courage and valor in their struggle. But that struggle continues. Egyptians now must fashion an economy and democracy that serves the needs of all it’s people. Resistance to this effort will be intense. And rest assured has already begun."

President Mubarak has stood down, and handed power over to the military. In his own words, "may god help everybody".

"Please Do What the U.S. Won't. Prosecute Torturers."
Dozens of U.S. human rights groups will present an open letter to the Spanish public to consulates and Madrid officials on Valentine's Day. They will encourage support of Spanish courts in prosecuting U.S. officials who authorized torture.

Tuesday the 8th saw the biggest demonstration since last Friday in Tahrir Square. Coming one week after the ‘March of a Million’ (when there was a callout for one million to participate in the protest) some people sleeping in the square had felt a bit nervous the night before. Although the big march on 1st February was calm, the day after saw the bloodiest day yet, with the demonstators being violently attacked by pro-Mubarak forces. Yesterday proved that whatever the regime comes up with, the peoples' determination to gain their freedom will not bow under the pressure. The Tahrir protestors are not going anywhere.

The next big day will be this Friday.

View short video here

The most striking thing about Egypt’s ongoing revolution is the ecstatic expressions on the faces of the the people who are creating it. Everything that happens on Tahrir is the result of real self organisation. “There are no political parties present here, just people”, one man tells us , “we are doing everything for ourselves because we want to create something for the people”. The sense of empowerment this gives is nowhere more evident than in the busy medical centre located just outside the square. Normally a Mosque, the building is now buzzing with doctors and nurses who treat patients around the clock. At prayer time the building still fills up with worshippers who pray there, but once they are finished the work continues. All the medics are volunteers, many of whom have made significant sacrifices in order to be there. Being a doctor is one of the best paid professions in Egypt, but the three doctors on call did not hesitate to leave their jobs so that they could come here and treat the wounded.

“First Obama said Mubarak had to go straight away. Then Mubarak, cleverly, said that if he stood down the Muslim Brotherhood would gain power… Now Obama says that Mubarak must remain in power to keep ‘stability’, and Cameron follows him”
Middle aged anti-Mubarak demonstrator

“In the square there are a million people, and a million leaders, everyone has a voice”
Tahrir Square occupier

As hundreds of thousands of people demonstated in Tahrir Square a crowd gathered outside nearby Magles Al Shaab, the Egyptian parliament, standing opposite the Ministry of Health. Hundreds of people swelled to thousands as people poured in from the square. Protestors barricaded the road and set up a volunteer checkpoint to protect the demonstration against attack. The army stood and watched as people vented their anger, an act that would have been unthinkable before the revolution began sixteen days ago.