Palindromic date 1102-2011 to be remembered as Nile Revolution Day
CAIRO. February 12. KAZINFORM Last Friday, shown on the calendar as an almost mystical, palindromic combination of digits - 11/02/2011, will from now on be remembered in the land of pyramids and elsewhere as the day of the People's Revolution on the Nile. The Egyptian people, who made it before the eyes of an amazed world, have managed just over the 18 days of anti-government protests to achieve their main goal - to overthrow the 30-year-old regime of President Hosni Mubarak; Kazinform refers to Itar-Tass.
A very brief statement by Vice-President Omar Suleiman, which lasted for just half a minute, turned the country and the whole history of the Middle East. The silence that had reigned in Egypt during the unexpected, although long-awaited words, exploded in an instant. "In the current difficult circumstances facing the country President Hosni Mubarak has decided to leave the post of president," Suleiman declared. "He instructed the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to run the state. May God protect us and help us."
The stunned crowd began to boil. People were rejoicing, shouting, weeping and fainting. "The people overthrew the regime!" hummed thousands of protesters in the square bearing a symbolic name Tahrir (Liberation) in the heart of Cairo. Over the past few days it has become a symbol of freedom, indeed. They were echoed by others in front of the presidential palace in Cairo, in Alexandria, and across the country.
History will judge what forces were behind the youth revolution in Egypt in reality, and who needed it abroad. But it is a hard fact that nobody in the country or elsewhere could have guessed what the anti-government demonstration of 25 January would turn into. As the now former minister of trade and industry, Rashid Mohamed Rashid, said recently, "the one who will say he foresaw such an outcome is a liar and a provocateur."
In anticipation of Mubarak's resignation in the press there appeared much speculation on who would stand to gain. Quite revealing in this regard was the frankly provocative and tension-breeding coverage of the events in Egypt on the Qatari television network Al-Jazeera and the behavior of Western leaders, who were either hiding behind a veil of diplomatic rhetoric, or in unison putting pressures on the president, demanding his resignation. A major role in turning on a shower of sparks over the powder keg was played by the social networks Twitter and FaceBook, which, by virtue of the rapid development of information technology, can be easily described as a "fifth estate."
What lies in store for Egypt tomorrow is anyone's guess. The country's economy, which has to feed a rapidly growing population of 80 million, has been placed on the verge of collapse after the tourist industry paralysis, mass strikes and eighteen days of riots. The European countries have already promised financial assistance to Cairo, but for an exit from the social and economic crisis there should be an easing of political tensions first.
Hard times for Egypt are round the corner. The country should brace for struggle for power and a dramatic presidential election. What makes the situation still more uncertain is that not a single figure is strong enough, not without Mubarak's efforts, to become a worthy substitute for the ousted president. Those who are now actively scoring points on making the revolution are unlikely to be able to guide the people and enjoy their support in peacetime; Kazinform cites Itar-Tass.
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