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Mass rallies planned for Cairo as Syria misses deadline
Calcutta News.Net
Friday 25th November, 2011
Protesters in Cairo are preparing to hold a mass rally demanding Egypt's military council step down, while Syrian authorities missed an Arab League ultimatum in the city.
Syria had a Friday deadline to sign an Arab League agreement allowing 500 observers to enter the country to monitor a ceasefire between security forces, defectors and civilian opposition groups, or face intense sanctions from the regional body.
The Arab League, a 22-nation regional organisation, indicated it would meet on Saturday to discuss what sanctions to impose on Syria if representatives failed to sign the observer agreement.
The options for sanctions include a suspension of commercial flights to Syria and a halt to all dealings with its central bank, as well as the cessation of trade.
This would come on top of the suspension of Syria from the regional body, which was announced earlier in November.
According to the United Nations, some 3,500 people have died since anti-government protests began in March, with tens of thousands arrested and widespread reports of torture.
The government of President Bashar al-Assad blames the violence on armed gangs and militants, but the Free Syrian Army, a group of military defectors, say they are working against the state for the protection of civilians.
At least 40 people, including six children, have been killed across Syria in the past three days alone, according to Syrian activists.
The defiant showdown between Syria and the Arab League in the Egyptian capital came as the city's protesters faced off with Egyptian security forces following days of unrest across Egypt.
Demonstrators are demanding the postponement of parliamentary elections, due to start on Monday and want the military council to step aside for a democratically-elected government to take over.
Egypt's military council, led by Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, took control of the country when a popular uprising forced Hosni Mubarak from power after several decades of authoritarian rule.
The military is overseeing a transiting to democracy, but is accused of trying to install a puppet government. Protesters are particularly wary of a clause in the new draft constitution that would allow the armed forces to operate with no civilian oversight.
Egypt's military-appointed civilian cabinet resigned earlier this week in the wake of violent protests in Cairo and other cities, creating a political crisis in the country ahead of parliamentary elections.
According to state media, the military council has appointed Former Prime Minister Kamal Ganzouri to form a new government, a move rejected by many protesters who say he is part of the Mubarak old guard.
Ganzouri headed Egypt's government from 1996 to 1999 under Mubarak. Yet, during his term as prime minister, he was known as the "minister of the poor" because he was seen as representing the less well-off, and he remains popular with many Egyptians.
Cairo is expected to see major demonstrations and a general strike Friday, the Egyptian Independent Trade Union Federation has called for a workers' march to Tahrir, while another labour rights group called for a general strike to back the protests.
Much of the violence has taken place in a street leading from Cairo's Tahrir Square to the interior ministry. Soldiers have now set up barricades of cement, metal bars and barbed wire to separate protesters and security forces.
More than 41 people have died since the latest unrest escalated, according to state health officials.
Have your say on this story
Comments on this story
| By modmaxinsj, 11-25-11, 03:55 PM |
| look up a guy named Webster Tarpley he is in Syria now and his reports of what are happening are quite different than what you are seeing in the news. |
| By Salahdeen, 11-25-11, 04:08 PM |
| Time to get rid of satanic agent rulers of Egypt.
democratic govt under MB. |
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