Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


    November 25, 2011

Cairo Simmers, Braces for 'Million-Man' Protest

   VOA News
   Protesters wave an Egyptian flag in Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt,
   November 25, 2011.
   Photo: AP
   Protesters wave an Egyptian flag in Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt,
   November 25, 2011.

   Thousands of angry Egyptians are massing in Cairo's Tahrir Square,
   hoping to send a stark message to the country's ruling military
   council.
   Organizers have called for a "million-man" march Friday to pressure the
   council to hand over control to a civilian government. Some protesters
   are even calling this the "last chance" for the council to do the right
   thing and quit.
   Some of the more hard-core protesters say they have no plans to leave
   Tahrir Square until they get what they want.
   "We will not be dismissed from the square unless we retrieve our
   dignit," said protester Saber Saad, saying. "This is too much, we are
   suffering, people are struggling for food.''
   In the meantime, the protesters are getting more vocal support from the
   United States.
   The White House said Friday that Egypt's military rulers must speed up
   the country's transition to a civilian government.
   Escalating violence between Egyptian civilians and security forces is
   now blamed for at least 35 deaths
   Egyptian media said Thursday the country's military rulers have
   appointed former Prime Minister Kamal Ganzouri to form a new government
   after the previous civilian Cabinet of Prime Minister Essam Sharaf
   resigned.
   State newspaper Al Ahram said on its website that Ganzouri agreed in
   principle to lead a national salvation government after meeting with
   the head of the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF),
   Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi.
   The council also insisted that parliamentary elections will go ahead as
   planned Monday, despite escalating violence that has left at least 35
   people dead. After days of excusing the violent crackdown on
   demonstrators, the council reversed course Thursday and apologized for
   the deaths.
   Meanwhile, thousands of Egyptian protesters and police observed a
   fragile truce Thursday, but the crowd remained in Cairo's Tahrir Square
   to press ahead with demands for the immediate resignation of the
   military leaders.
   Major General Mukhtar el-Mallah, of the Supreme Council of the Armed
   Forces, said the move would amount to a "betrayal" of trust.
   " We [Military Council] will not leave the power according to some
   demands and empty slogans," said Major General Mukhtar el-Mallah,
   Member of Military Council. "If l leave power now, I would be a traitor
   of the people and history and it would be written in the history that
   the Military Council abandoned and betrayed its people."
   Separately, an Egyptian court Thursday ordered the release of three
   American students arrested during a protest in Cairo earlier this week.
   Egyptian media said the Americans, who were students at the American
   University in Cairo, were detained along with other protesters while
   throwing petrol bombs at police.
   In a statement Thursday, the U.S. State Department said Washington was
   working to independently confirm reports of the release and was in
   contact with the students' families.

.