Chaos in Cairo

[elamir]

Hey all, haven't been around much......Egypt is having another revolution!! You may seen it on the news :) Have been down to Tahrir Square and taken some pics, it's an amazing atmosphere down there really incredible. Anyway the army 48hrs ultimatum ends at 8pm tonight Cairo time, so today is going to be very interesting. Muslim Brotherhood are threatening to bring out all their supporters today so we'll see what happens. Hoping to go down to Tahrir later on today to get some more pics, I've got my fingers crossed that Egypt doesn't descend into violence, too much of that happening in other places. Sorry for off topic thought some might like an update.

<Non-pertinent info snipped from post>

[I doubt it]

I'm starting this thread because one of our posters in the Jodi thread is there. She made a post the other day, saying she was going out to get more photos. Perhaps the mods can move that post here.
Stay safe, elamir

http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/03/world/...egypt-protests

Cairo (CNN) -- Egypt's military toppled the country's first democratically elected president Wednesday night and reportedly put him under house arrest while rounding up some of his top supporters even as the deposed Mohamed Morsy insisted that he remains the country's legitimate leader.

Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets across Egypt over the military's actions that were decried by Morsy's supporters as a "coup" and celebrated as a "correction" by his opponents. At least eight people were killed and more than 340 wounded in sporadic violence that at times pitted Morsy's supporters against the opposition and the military.

Muslim Brotherhood: Protests won't stop
Morsy "did not achieve the goals of the people" and failed to meet the generals' demands that he share power with his opposition, Egypt's top military officer, Gen. Abdel-Fatah El-Sisi, said in a televised speech to the nation.

Adly Mansour, head of the country's Supreme Constitutional Court, will replace Morsy as Egypt's interim president, El-Sisi said. Mansour was expected to be sworn in on Thursday.

The military has not publicly commented on Morsy's whereabouts. But Muslim Brotherhood spokesman Gehad El-Haddad told CNN the deposed president was under "house arrest" at the presidential Republican Guard headquarters in Cairo. He said some members of Morsy's inner circle have also put under house arrest.

The country's constitution has been suspended, and Mansour will "establish a government that is a strong and diverse," said El-Sisi, head of the country's armed forces. New parliamentary elections will be held, and Mansour will have the power to issue constitutional declarations in the meantime, he said.

El-Sisi said the military was fulfilling its "historic responsibility" to protect the country by ousting Morsy, a Western-educated Islamist elected a year ago.

Morsy remained defiant and insisted he was Egypt's proper president.

"The world is looking at us today," he said in a taped statement delivered to the Arabic satellite network Al Jazeera. "We by ourselves can bypass the obstacles. We, the sons of Egypt, the sons of this country -- this is the will of the people and cannot be canceled."

Shortly after Morsy's statement aired, Al Jazeera reported its Cairo studios were raided during a live broadcast on Wednesday and its presenter, guests and producers arrested.

The Muslim Brotherhood, the long-repressed political movement that propelled Morsy to office, said its broadcast outlets had been shut down.

[nestlequikie]

Copied elamir's post to this thread and snipped it so the post would be pertinent only to this thread. FYI: the forum software inserts the posts chronologically.

oh right? You may want to message her that this thread is here if she posts again or has pictures.

Be safe, elamir!

[I doubt it]

This is copied from elamir's post in the Jodi thread 7/4

Hey all! Yep we are safe and sound, my info was a bit off as I got confused when the ultimatum ended, it was actually at 8 pm last night, we had been down to Tahrir at 5pm and walked around for a bit but I get a bit scared down there when night hits (I was virtually the only foreigner down there so kinda stand out) so we went up to one of the bridges where you get a good view of a main road running past the Egyptian Museum and the Sq itself. Lots of families up there watching so really safe and great atmosphere. The ultimatum came and went then the military announced at 9pm they had taken over. Massive amount of fireworks then went off and everybody cheering, women ululating and lots of clapping and dancing and of course waving our flags. It was so incredible. Took lots of pics and will post some in the photo thread when I get a chance if anyone wants to take a look. Already there has been some violence between the different groups but I'm really hoping there won't be too much and Egypt can move on to a better future.

One interesting note (but please don't take it personally if you are American!!) is that there is a lot of anti-American feeling here just at the moment. US Ambassador Ann Patterson made some stupid comments that Egyptian people did not care for too much and people felt that Obama was supporting terrorism by supporting the Muslim Brotherhood. No attacks or anything like that, as generally speaking Egyptians are very kind sweet people who just want to get on and do their jobs and have a laugh, but there is a bit of ill will.Knowing Egyptians though it will be forgotten about pretty soon and besides they got the action they were looking for which is that Morsi is gone.

Anyway, I'll work out how to do the pics and will come back when more Arias news comes round, hope you are all well and chat to you soon! Byeee

[emmieslost]

thank you so much for sharing. and, honestly, as an american i understand how a lot of people in Egypt and across the world aren't too fond of us. i don't agree with a lot of american politics. i know it's the fourth of july and i'm supposed to be all 'murica fuck yeah, but that's pretty difficult for me, personally.

i'd love to see pics if you can post them. it's so awesome to get to hear from someone who is there and really understands what is happening, thanks again. be safe!

[Sea2Sky]

Hey all, haven't been around much......Egypt is having another revolution!! You may seen it on the news :) Have been down to Tahrir Square and taken some pics, it's an amazing atmosphere down there really incredible. Anyway the army 48hrs ultimatum ends at 8pm tonight Cairo time, so today is going to be very interesting. Muslim Brotherhood are threatening to bring out all their supporters today so we'll see what happens. Hoping to go down to Tahrir later on today to get some more pics, I've got my fingers crossed that Egypt doesn't descend into violence, too much of that happening in other places. Sorry for off topic thought some might like an update.

<Non-pertinent info snipped from post>

We can only feed from the media trough over here so (thankfully starvation is a viable option.)

Look forward to any reports you can share, elamir. Stay safe

btw: Are you an expat?

[PCP777]

Hope all is well. Please keep us updated.

[whackjob]

i can't not read this and not think of this song.

that said, i can't begin to imagine what life is like over there. also, americans are lazy/apathetic and the gov't is banking on this. there've been revolutions for less, yet here we are, doing little to nothing... though i will laugh at myself now because i'm not doing anything.

so this sounds amazing and scary and exciting all at once...?

[*crickets*]

We can only feed from the media trough over here so (thankfully starvation is a viable option.)

Look forward to any reports you can share, elamir. Stay safe

btw: Are you an expat?

'elamir' is an Australian married to an Egyptian. Elamir is actually her husband's first name. They are trying to emigrate back to Australia but the paperwork is very slow.

[elamir]

Wow! Crickets you have a great memory!

Yep what Crickets said is all true, I actually leave for Oz in just over a week. I have to go home and sort out the paperwork from there as it will be a lot easier, so these last few days are pretty hard knowing that I'll be leaving my husband here.

I don't have the time now, but will definitely be back to put up some photos i took.

The situation now, as I'm sure most of you know, is the arguments back and forth about whether this is a 'coup' or not. Technically I guess it is but it was at the demand of the majority of the people. There seems to have been moves against Morsi for some time though and it wouldn't surprise me to find out that all the electricity cuts and fuel crisis had been somewhat engineered to assist in his downfall. Don't know if you all will remember or not but I used to talk about how the power was going off about 3 or 4 times a day and when we lose power we also have no water as most flats are equipped with a motor to pump the water up to higher levels. So in summer you can imagine how unpleasant it is to have no power, no water in stifling hot conditions. Also the fuel crisis which caused absolute gridlock on Cairo streets with no fuel available and the longest fuel queues you've ever seen in your life, caused the streets to come to a standstill which probably prompted more people to get out on the streets to protest against Morsi.

Muslim Brotherhood are not giving up though and are still staging protests in certain parts of the city, those are every day but the major ones are always on Fridays. Last night coming back from some markets in downtown we drove past Tahrir and over 6 Oct Bridge and there were fires lit and tear gas and people fighting but we went past quickly and I couldn't really tell what was going on.

My area is still pretty safe, with some fighting but that is more of an issue between certain families rather than any religious or political issues. Ramadan has started and it is quite a difficult time for people here, imagine not even having a sip of water until the sun falls in the middle of summer....makes for very grumpy people!!

Honestly, probably Al Jazeera English has the best coverage of Egyptian news if you're interested, you can watch a live stream online at any time from their website. But saying that all media is biased in some way and to get any unbiased coverage on events is pretty nigh on impossible. I happened to see a sign the other day that said something like "we hate Obama, we love American people" so Egyptians are trying to enforce the message that their anger lies with the USG and not the US people.

Thanks for all your kind messages, very sweet of all of you.

On my laptop at the moment but will take some time out later to try this site from my tablet so I can put some pics up.

Cheers for now!!

[elamir]

Thank you to Oh right and nestlequikie for starting the thread and moving my comments.

[*crickets*]

Thanks for the update! I think of you often and hope you and your hubby are OK. You must be so happy to be going home for a bit, though I'm sure you will miss him terribly.

Please do keep us updated, and stay safe!

[Sea2Sky]

Wow! Crickets you have a great memory!

Yep what Crickets said is all true, I actually leave for Oz in just over a week. I have to go home and sort out the paperwork from there as it will be a lot easier, so these last few days are pretty hard knowing that I'll be leaving my husband here.

I don't have the time now, but will definitely be back to put up some photos i took.

The situation now, as I'm sure most of you know, is the arguments back and forth about whether this is a 'coup' or not. Technically I guess it is but it was at the demand of the majority of the people. There seems to have been moves against Morsi for some time though and it wouldn't surprise me to find out that all the electricity cuts and fuel crisis had been somewhat engineered to assist in his downfall. Don't know if you all will remember or not but I used to talk about how the power was going off about 3 or 4 times a day and when we lose power we also have no water as most flats are equipped with a motor to pump the water up to higher levels. So in summer you can imagine how unpleasant it is to have no power, no water in stifling hot conditions. Also the fuel crisis which caused absolute gridlock on Cairo streets with no fuel available and the longest fuel queues you've ever seen in your life, caused the streets to come to a standstill which probably prompted more people to get out on the streets to protest against Morsi.

Muslim Brotherhood are not giving up though and are still staging protests in certain parts of the city, those are every day but the major ones are always on Fridays. Last night coming back from some markets in downtown we drove past Tahrir and over 6 Oct Bridge and there were fires lit and tear gas and people fighting but we went past quickly and I couldn't really tell what was going on.

My area is still pretty safe, with some fighting but that is more of an issue between certain families rather than any religious or political issues. Ramadan has started and it is quite a difficult time for people here, imagine not even having a sip of water until the sun falls in the middle of summer....makes for very grumpy people!!

Honestly, probably Al Jazeera English has the best coverage of Egyptian news if you're interested, you can watch a live stream online at any time from their website. But saying that all media is biased in some way and to get any unbiased coverage on events is pretty nigh on impossible. I happened to see a sign the other day that said something like "we hate Obama, we love American people" so Egyptians are trying to enforce the message that their anger lies with the USG and not the US people.

Thanks for all your kind messages, very sweet of all of you.

On my laptop at the moment but will take some time out later to try this site from my tablet so I can put some pics up.

Cheers for now!!

My (limited) understanding is that once/if Obama declares this is indeed a 'coup', Americas aid to Egypt will cease. Fasting for Ramadan is one thing but to be short of water is quite another. Hope your paperwork speeds up!!

[I doubt it]

My (limited) understanding is that once/if Obama declares this is indeed a 'coup', Americas aid to Egypt will cease. Fasting for Ramadan is one thing but to be short of water is quite another. Hope your paperwork speeds up!!

You are correct.

Here is a photo of ones of the signs in Cairo that elamir is talking about



There are more here:
http://frontpagemag.com/2013/frontpa...-in-the-media/
15 Photos from Tahrir Square You?ll Never See in the Media

Warning: browsing other pages on this website may be dangerous to the health and mental well-being of American liberals. Proceed at your own risk.

[emmieslost]

Lolololol American liberals.



Thanks for the Cairo update. I hope your neighborhood remains relatively safe. Good luck to you and your husband, safe travels.

[marycontrary]

Me and Ernie Chambers (the lawmaker who sued god) are the only liberals in my state.

[Sea2Sky]

Thanks for the update! I think of you often and hope you and your hubby are OK. You must be so happy to be going home for a bit, though I'm sure you will miss him terribly.

Please do keep us updated, and stay safe!

Thinking of elamir

[*crickets*]

Big trouble in Egypt--Death toll 149 and climbing:

Scores are feared dead as Egypt descends into chaos following a brutal crackdown on massive sit-ins in support of deposed President Mohamed Morsi. Morsi supporters have been rallying since July 3 demanding his reinstatement.

Wednesday, August 14
15:47 GMT: The health ministry has confirmed that the nationwide death toll currently stands at 149, with a further 1,403 injured.

15:46 GMT: Egypt's acting Vice President and Nobel laureate, Mohammed ElBaradei, has resigned. In his resignation letter to the acting President, he said that there had been peaceful methods by which the country's political crisis could have been ended.

[*crickets*]

Hundreds dead in Egypt (from the Washington Post)

CAIRO: Egyptian security forces stormed two sprawling sit-ins by supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi shortly after dawn Wednesday, killing or injuring hundreds of people and igniting a wave of violent clashes across the country.

Hours after the raids, Egypt's military-backed interim president declared a state of emergency, imposing a nighttime curfew on Cairo and 10 provinces and allowing security forces to arrest and detain civilians indefinitely without charge. The state of emergency took effect at 4 p.m. local time (10 a.m. EDT).

Warning: Graphic content. Egyptian police stormed two Cairo protest camps, sparking nationwide clashes. At least 95 people have been killed and hundreds injured.

Mohamed ElBaradei, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who was appointed vice president in the interim government last month, resigned to protest the violent crackdown.

The United States strongly condemned the violence and expressed opposition to the state of emergency. It said it would hold the interim government accountable for keeping its promises of a speedy transition to a democratically elected civilian administration.

Egypt's Health Ministry said 275 people died and more than 1,400 were wounded in Cairo and in the ensuing violence nationwide, state news media reported.

The Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, which backs the ousted president, put the death toll at more than 2,000. The number could not be confirmed.

Witnesses counted at least 42 bodies at a makeshift hospital run by Morsi supporters at the site of the largest sit-in outside the Rabaa al-Adawiya Mosque in Cairo's Nasr City District.

The Health Ministry's figure made Wednesday the single deadliest day in Egypt since the 2011 uprising that ended the 30-year rule of Hosni Mubarak.

State news media reported after nightfall that security forces arrested at least three top Muslim Brotherhood officials. But one of those officials, Essam al-Erian, denied the report on his Facebook page.

The Muslim Brotherhood said the 17-year-old daughter of a leading Islamist politician, Mohamed el-Beltagi, was among the protesters shot dead as Egyptian police stormed the Rabaa al-Adawiya, firing automatic rifles, bulldozing tents and beating and arresting protesters.

At least two journalists were killed covering the police raid, according to local media reports.

A cameraman for Britain's Sky News, Mick Deane, 61, was shot and mortally wounded, Sky News reported. An Egyptian woman journalist for a Dubai-based newspaper was also shot to death near the Rabaa al-Adawiya Mosque. Veteran Reuters photographer Asmaa Waguih received a gunshot wound to the leg while covering the violence around Rabaa al-Adawiya.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/...584_story.html

[beli]

holy shit, the video and pictures are horrible.

[emmieslost]

http://www.vice.com/read/rabaa-massa...im-brotherhood

[*crickets*]

Yeah, the military is gunning people down in the street.

"Meet the new boss, same as the old boss..."

[bermstalker]

This picture was on ABC news feed.

Description of the photo:Photo from ‪#‎Egypt‬: An Egyptian woman tries to stop a military bulldozer from hurting a wounded youth after clashes there yesterday killed at least 525 people. More: http://abcn.ws/16N8qwq



Also at this link- more graphic photos
http://abcnews.go.com/International/...dshed-19957945

[elamir]

Hey all :)

Sorry not to have been around for a long time. I went home for a couple of months and luckily missed the most vile part of the coup. The crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood has been as swift as it has been vicious. I'm back in Egypt now - arrived when Cairo was still under a curfew and had to go through some checkpoints as I arrived at 2am - probably not such a good idea to be tooling around in a black and white taxi that should have been on a scrap heap 15 years ago, but the military were pretty good to me and didn't give me any grief, we were allowed to go on our way unmolested. The trains have not been operational in Egypt for months now so had to catch a bus down to Aswan, where I'm now living. I actually live right on the Nile next to one of the most beautiful temples in Egypt, pretty lucky hey! Was a bit of a fluke getting hold of the flat where we're living. Beautiful views every day but a much quieter life than living in Cairo. As the one and only foreigner living in this area, actually probably the only foreigner ever to live here, I get a lot of attention when I go out. I refuse to wear a headscarf and an abaya so it's my own fault, but there are a few Coptic Christians that live in the area and the woman don't wear it so I don't see why I should either. :) One thing about being so far removed from Cairo it's like another country down here, the same rules just don't apply. Curfew? What curfew? No one down here followed any of the curfew laws. So I hear now emergency law will end soon which is another step in the right direction for Egypt. The economy has been completely decimated by the instability over the last couple of years, although every time I go to Aswan city I notice that there seem to be more and more tourists around. The next few months will be interesting to see what happens with the military, the anti coup movement and new elections.

That's it for now and hope to see you all around the forums somewhere :)