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| Violence erupts in Egypt as crisis deepens Posted: 28 Jan 2011 06:51 AM PST CAIRO (Reuters) - Police and demonstrators fought running battles on the streets of Cairo on Friday in a fourth day of unprecedented protests by tens of thousands of Egyptians demanding an end to President Hosni Mubarak's three-decade rule. Security forces fired rubber bullets, teargas and water cannon at protesters who hurled stones back at them and shouted "Down, Down, Hosni Mubarak," witnesses said. Anti-government activists had promised a "Day of Wrath" after Friday prayers in the country's mosques and urged thousands of people to join in the demonstrations. Police blanketed Cairo and blocked social networking communications in an effort to stifle the protests but the violence broke out soon after prayers finished. The protesters, many of them young Egyptians embittered by unemployment, poverty, corruption and the lack of freedom under Mubarak, appear to be loosely organised with no figurehead. Prominent activist Mohamed ElBaradei, a Nobel Peace Laureate who has called for an end to Mubarak's rule, arrived in Egypt on Thursday. But after he joined prayers at a mosque in the Giza area, police blocked him from leaving the area. The unrest is unprecedented in Mubarak's rule in Egypt, where security services keep a tight grip on dissent. It was triggered by the overthrow two weeks ago of Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Al Ben Ali in a popular revolt which also inspired anti-government protests in Yemen and Algeria. The events pose a quandary for the United States, which has professed its wish for democracy to spread across the Middle East. Mubarak, however, has been a close Washington ally for many years and the recipient of huge amounts of military aid. In response to the protests, U.S. President Barack Obama said social and political reforms in Egypt were "absolutely critical". "Inflation has exhausted people. Prices of food, fuel, electricity, sugar are rising. The rich get richer and the poor poorer," said a Cairo taxi-driver, declining to be named. "God knows what will happen today. After Tunisia anything is possible." Some protesters threw shoes at and stamped on posters of the president. But as the clashes intensified, police waded into the crowd with batons and fired volleys of teargas. "Leave, leave, Mubarak, Mubarak, the plane awaits you," people chanted. YOUNG AND RESTLESS Some of the Cairo protests proceeded peacefully. Demonstrations were also staged in Suez and Ismailiya east of Cairo, Alexandria on the north coast, cities in the Nile Delta and other urban centres across Egypt. At least five people have been killed over the four days -- far fewer than in Tunisia -- including a police officer. Police have arrested several hundred people. Members of the Muslim Brotherhood opposition group, including at least eight senior officials, were rounded up overnight. The government has accused the Brotherhood of planning to exploit the youth protests while it says it is being made a scapegoat. Internet via Egyptian servers was blocked across the country after midnight, closing a key tool for activists relying on social media networks to spread word. Mobile phone and text messaging services appeared to be disabled or working sporadically. Facebook has been the main vehicle for announcing Friday's protest and identifying locations for demonstrations. Many protesters are young men. Two thirds of Egypt's 80 million people are below the age of 30 and many have no jobs. About 40 percent of Egyptians live on less than $2 a day. Egypt has been under emergency rule throughout Mubarak's term in office. The government says it is used to combat terrorism. Critics say it is used to stifle any dissent. Elections were due to be held in September and until now few had doubted that Mubarak would remain in control or bring in a successor in the shape of his 47-year-old son Gamal. Father and son deny that Gamal is being groomed for the job. The Egyptian government had urged people to act with restraint on Friday. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appealed for Egypt's leaders and its people not to let violence escalate. German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said Berlin had told Egypt's government "time and again" that only by respecting democracy and civil rights could the country be stabilised. (Additional reporting by Dina Zayed, Marwa Awad, Edmund Blair, Alison Williams and Samia Nakhoul in Cairo, Alexander Dziadosz in Suez; Writing by Peter Millership and Angus MacSwan) Copyright © 2011 Reuters |
| Thousands of Turk Cypriots protest austerity moves Posted: 28 Jan 2011 06:51 AM PST NICOSIA (Reuters) - Thousands of Turkish Cypriots walked off the job and protested peacefully on Friday against austerity measures in northern Cyprus which they said could force mass migration from the isolated breakaway state. At least 10,000 demonstrators gathered in a square in north Nicosia to protest against steps taken by the right-wing government to cut salaries in the civil service and launch a privatisation programme. Northern Cyprus, recognised only by Turkey, is heavily reliant on financial aid from Ankara. Earlier this month the administration imposed salary cuts of up to 40 percent on its bloated civil service. It also has plans to sell off the telecoms and electricity providers and the territory's largest university. "This new package will lead to the mass migration of Turkish Cypriots over the next 10 to 15 years," said Cagtay Karaer, a 42-year-old civil servant. Northern Cyprus has a population of 264,000, but its demographic makeup is a highly sensitive issue. Many of its residents are from Turkey. A wave of Turks migrated to northern Cyprus after the Turkish invasion in 1974, provoked by a brief Greek-inspired coup. The invasion led to the division of the island, and many Turkish Cypriots left, moving mainly to Britain and Turkey. Greek Cypriots in the south represent Cyprus in the European Union, and a United Nations-controlled ceasefire line separates the two communities. There have been on-and-off attempts to broker reunification over the years, all unsuccessful. Demonstrators said the austerity measures would add to the hardships of a population already under pressure. "We want a Cyprus where Turkish Cypriots can stand on their own feet," said Dogus Derya, a 31-year-old university professor. Northern Cyprus's economy is worth some 3.5 billion euros a year, compared with 17 billion euros in the more populous south. A collapse in its construction sector led to a fall of almost 10 percent in economic output in 2008 and 2009, but growth of 1.0 percent is forecast for 2010. Its revenue is supplemented by Turkey, which contributes an estimated $500 million a year. Although 12,000 people work in its civil service, it is estimated that double that number are on the public payroll. (Editing by Tim Pearce) Copyright © 2011 Reuters |
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