Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Timeline of Egyptian Revolution
January
25 January 2011: The "Day of Revolt", nationwide protests against the government of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak began. Tens of thousands of protestors gathered in Cairo, with thousands more in cities throughout Egypt. The protests were generally non-violent, but there were reports of some casualties among both civilians and police.
26 January 2011: Protests across Egypt got stronger, violence continues as police attempt to force protesters off the streets. Live bullets fired at demonstrators. At least three people were killed. It was reported that injuries resulting from police violence reached 120 in Suez alone.
27 January 2011:
28 January 2011: The “Friday of Rage” protests began. Just after midnight, the Egyptian authorities ordered most Internet services (eg. Facebook, Twitter) to be shut down in an attempt to disrupt the protests. Shortly after Friday prayers, hundreds of thousands gathered in Cairo and other Egyptian cities. Opposition leader Mohammed ElBaradei traveled to Cairo to participate. Some looting was reported. Police forces withdrew from the streets completely. and the Egyptian government ordered the military to assist the police. International fears of violence grew, but no major casualties were reported.
29 January 2011: Protests continued as military presence in Cairo increased. A curfew was instituted, but protests continued throughout the night. The military showed restraint, reportedly refusing to obey orders to use live ammunition; there were no reports of major casualties.
30 January 2011: Egyptian Air Force F-16s overfly Tahrir Square in a show of force.
31 January 2011:
February
1 February 2011: After continued nationwide unrest, Mubarak addressed the people and offered several concessions. In addition to proclaiming he would not run for another term in the September 2011 elections, he promised political reforms. He said that he would stay in office to ensure a peaceful transition. Pro-Mubarak and anti-Mubarak groups began to clash in small but violent interactions throughout the night.
2 February 2011: Violence escalated as waves of Mubarak supporters met anti-government protestors. The military limited the violence, constantly separating anti-Mubarak and pro-Mubarak groups. President Mubarak, in interviews with various news agencies, refused to step down. Violence toward international journalists and news agencies escalated; speculation grew that Mubarak was actively increasing instability as a way to step in and end the protests. Internet access was restored during the day.
3 February 2011:
4 February 2011:
5 February 2011: Protests in Cairo and throughout the nation continued. Egyptian Christians held Sunday Mass in Tahrir Square, protected by a ring of Muslims. Negotiations began between Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman and opposition representatives. The Egyptian army increased its security role, maintaining order and protecting Egypt’s museums. Suleiman offered political and constitutional reforms while other members of the Mubarak regime accuses nations, including the US, of interfering in Egypt’s affairs.
6 February 2011:
7 February 2011: Rebels took to the streets in swarms attacking with machetes, knives, and horsewhips. forty-four people were injured.
8 February 2011:
9 February 2011:
10 February 2011: Mubarak formally addressed Egypt amid reports of a possible military coup, but instead of his expected resignation, he stated his powers would transfer to Vice President Suleiman, and he would remain in Egypt as its head of state. Anger and disappointment spread through crowds in Cairo, and demonstrations began to escalate in number and intensity throughout Egypt.
11 February 2011: The "Friday of Departure", Egyptians did not settle for Mubarak's announcement of ceding his powers to Suleiman, and set up massive protests in many Egyptian cities. At 6:00 p.m. local time, Suleiman announced Mubarak's resignation and that the Supreme Council of Egyptian Armed Forces would assume leadership of the country.
The 2011 Egyptian Revolution
The events in late January and early February of 2011 in Egypt were intense to say the least. The people of Egypt started an uprising on January 25, 2011 which featured various demonstrations, labor strikes and violent disputes between protestors and supporters of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s regime. After 18 days of protests, Mubarak eventually stepped down.
The revolution was primarily brought on by a successful revolution that occurred in Tunisia during December of 2010. Hosni Mubarak has maintained one party rule over Egypt for thirty years. During this time the Mubarak regime has maintained power by supporting Western ideals and maintaining policies that suppressed Islamic militants and furthered peace with Israel. This earned them annual aid from the United States and other allies. But, regardless of the aid received, the Mubarak regime turned to an authoritarian style of government to maintain control and enact favorable policies.
One way in which Mubarak controlled the nation was by maintaining a continuous state of emergency since 1981. Under this, police powers are extended, constitutional rights suspended, censorship is legalized and the government may imprison individuals indefinitely without reason. This state of emergency severely limited the democratic freedoms of the Egyptian people. For example, some human rights organizations estimated that approximately 5,000 to 10,000 people were held in long term detention without charge or trial.
The revolution began on January 25th, 2011 when a series of demonstrations, marches, strikes and acts of civil disobedience were organized by protestors. Thousands of people took to the streets to protest poverty, rampant unemployment and the autocratic rule by the Egyptian government. Due to their public acts, they faced violent retaliation by security services and supporters of the regime of Hosni Mubarak. These were the largest protests in Egypt since the 1970’s.
The Egyptian government swiftly responded to these protests by blocking Twitter and then Facebook, which were being used to organize protests. This eventually led to the government blocking all internet services and text messaging in the country. This was a direct attempt to stop all forms of communication between organizers. But, by this point the revolution had gained so much support that it no longer needed the constant push from organizers.
On February 10th, 2011, Mubarak formally addressed Egypt. But, instead of resigning, he stated all his presidential power would be transferred to Vice President Suleiman. This led to even more unrest among the crowds in Cairo. The response to Mubarak’s speech was massive protest in many Egyptian cities. At 6:00 pm the next day on February 11th, due to consistent pressure from the general public, Vice President Suleiman announced Mubarak’s resignation and claimed the Supreme Council of Egyptian Armed Forces would assume leadership of the country until an election could be held.
Looking at this revolution in retrospect, there are many things we can learn about the world. First and foremost, is the fact that Muslims and Christians can come together for a common cause if there is a greater threat present. Both religions have shown animosity against one another. But, against a common enemy, they can work together and achieve whatever they want. Another important aspect of the revolution is the use of social media to start a grassroots movement that resulted in overthrowing an autocratic government.
This revolution will affect Egypt for years to come. The establishment of a new President, hopefully Nobel Prize winner Mohamed ElBaradei, after 30 years will give rise to a whole new era of Egyptian government. The pride and determination of the Egyptian people should be a lesson for the rest of the world. We must begin to realize that freedom and civil liberties, which we take for granted, are worth dying for. Hopefully, Egypt will recover from this revolution and continue to strive for a truly democratic nation.
http://mattbango.com/notebook/design/mubarak-and-the-2011-egyptian-revolution/
http://hubpages.com/hub/2011-Egyptian-Revolution
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