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    November 23, 2011

Egypt Protesters Reject Military Concessions

   VOA News
   Protesters and police throw stones during clashes near Tahrir Square in
   Cairo, November 23, 2011.
   Photo: Reuters
   Protesters and police throw stones during clashes near Tahrir Square in
   Cairo, November 23, 2011.

   Egypt's political crisis deepened after tens of thousands of protesters
   in Tahrir Square demanded the country's top general step down and
   rejected an offer by the ruling military council to speed up the
   transition to civilian rule.
   Demonstrations and clashes continued in several cities Wednesday, with
   one man shot dead by security forces in the northern port city of
   Alexandria. Police have denied using live ammunition, but most of the
   30 people killed nationwide during the latest unrest have suffered
   bullet wounds.
   The head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, Mohamed Tantawi,
   vowed in a rare public address Tuesday to hold presidential elections
   by July 2012 and suggested he is willing to hold a referendum on
   whether military rule should end earlier.
   The proposal is seen by many as a ploy designed to appeal to the many
   Egyptians who fear further upheaval and to divide them from youth
   activists.
   Tantawi's speech followed crisis talks with political and Islamist
   groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood, which is expected to win a
   major share of parliament in staggered elections scheduled to begin
   Monday. Most liberal and secular opposition parties - who have called
   on the military to immediately cede power - declined to attend the
   meeting. They accuse the Brotherhood of selling out the revolution for
   short-term political gain.
   Egypt's parliamentary elections have been hastily organized by the
   military. While Tantawi pledged Tuesday that the polls would go forward
   as planned, many opposition leaders believe that to be increasingly
   doubtful.
   Tantawi also told the nation Tuesday he had accepted the resignation of
   the civilian Cabinet of Prime Minister Essam Sharaf, but that it will
   remain in place until a new government is formed.
   Protesters vowed not to leave Cairo's Tahrir Square until the military
   council steps down. Clashes between police and demonstrators angry at
   Tantawi's speech erupted in several other cities, including Alexandria,
   Suez and Ismailiya.
   In Washington, the U.S. State Department condemned "the excessive use
   of force by police" and urged restraint.
   In an apparent concession to demonstrators, the military council
   earlier issued a law that bans anyone convicted of corruption from
   running for office or holding a government position. The move could
   restrict members of ex-president Hosni Mubarak's former ruling party
   from competing in the upcoming elections.
   Amnesty International on Tuesday accused Egypt's rulers of brutality
   sometimes exceeding that of Mubarak.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
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