Although protesters in Tahrir Square on Wednesday continued their sit-in for the 12th consecutive day, the number of participants decreased markedly as Egypt completed the first phase of parliamentary elections.
Demonstrators vowed to continue the sit-in as they reiterated their rejection of Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri’s new cabinet.
Amr Wishahi, a director and cameraman, said that he came to the square during last week’s events and decided to join the demonstrators to demand that the military hand over power to civilians.
“I demand a government with a real power to run the country,” he said, adding that he does not expect military rule to end, but wants a civilian state with an elected parliament that represents the will of the people.
Ahmed Hassan, a tourist company employee, said: “I demand that power be handed over to civilians, as this is the only guarantee that tourism will be restored in Egypt. I also demand that the stooges of the ousted regime be banned from participating in social and political life.”
Tarek Mansour, another protester, said that the makeshift tent he erected in the square houses demonstrators from Cairo, Red Sea and Beheira governorates. Mansour took part in the revolution that ousted President Mubarak in February.
“We came to start the sit-in anew after we almost forgot about the fact we had a revolution,” Mansour said, adding that remnants of Mubarak’s regime remain in power and that parliamentary elections are for a council that will not enjoy any real power.
Translated from the Arabic Edition
