Inspired by the successful people’s revolution in Tunisia earlier in the month, tens of thousands of Egyptians took to the streets of Cairo, Alexandria and Suez on Tuesday, Jan. 25, in protest of endemic poverty, government corruption and the autocratic regime of President Hosni Mubarak, who has been in power since 1981. The protesters demanded that Mubarak step down. Demonstrators used microblogging website Twitter to coordinate movement; in response to the protests, the Egyptian government blocked Twitter.
But this technological embargo brought increased international attention to Egypt and the uprising. The Mubarak administration deployed riot police, who arrested hundreds of protesters and used batons, tear gas and water cannons to control the throngs, resulting in injuries to many. On Thursday, Jan. 27, former International Atomic Energy Agency director and Nobel Laureate Mohamed ElBaradei, a strong opposition force to Mubarak, declared that he was ready to lead the protests. The Muslim Brotherhood, long a fierce opponent of the Mubarak regime and officially banned in Egypt, also declared their support for the civilian uprising.
The largest protests were planned for Friday, Jan. 28; that day, the government took the unprecedented action of blocking all Internet services and text messaging in the country. This embargo affected both Egyptian protesters and journalists from abroad.
During the day, the military was called in to take over security. The U.S. announced that due to the ongoing protests, the Obama administration would be reviewing the substantial aid provided to Egypt, the second-largest recipient of U.S. aid.
Mubarak appeared on state television to announce that he would be dismissing the government, but that he would not resign. American President Barack Obama said that he had spoken with the Egyptian president on the phone, and had urged him to take “concrete steps” towards reform. The Obama administration has been in talks with the Egyptian government, but has not taken direct action. “We pray that the violence in Egypt will end and the rights and aspirations of the Egyptian people will be realized,” Obama said at the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, Feb. 4. As of Friday night, the streets were reported to be more quiet as Egypt waited for Saturday’s announcement of a new government.
On Sunday, Feb. 6, Egyptian vice president Omar Suleiman met with major opposition groups and offered new concessions: freedom of the press, release of those detained since the protests began and the eventual lifting of hated emergency laws, which give police far-reaching powers for detention and suppression of civil and human rights. But opposition leaders insist that this is only meant to placate demands that Mubarak step down.
The situation remains unresolved. Regardless, such appeasement would have hardly been conceivable a month ago, and tensions have eased as protesters have quieted and institutions have reopened.
The views expressed here are solely those of Nathalie Rayter, and do not represent the views of ISA as a whole. For more information, email nathalie.rayter@u.northwestern.edu