In Egypt, we are fearful but not cowed
After six days of unprecedented protests, Hosni Mubarak and his regime still refuse to go. The fig leaf covering this regime has finally fallen, revealing the ugly naked truth. It is a regime that has worked solely and exclusively for its own survival. The events of the past days show that it is ready to burn the whole country if necessary.
Friday 28 January will always be remembered as one of the worst days in Egypt's history as protesters went in their thousands on to the streets across the country, calling for an end to the whole regime. Security forces lashed out against them more ruthlessly than ever before, using lethal weapons and so much teargas that many people inside neighbouring houses choked. They shot indiscriminately with rubber bullets and, some say, with live ammunition.
By the afternoon security forces were no longer able to contain the rising tide of protesters. They suddenly withdrew from the scenes of protest leaving security for the army to take over. The following hours saw a complete absence of security on the Egyptian streets. Some buildings, including the National Democratic party headquarters in Cairo, were set alight. The fire department was nowhere to be seen and the fires everywhere were left to rage on as though it had been given orders not to budge.
Mubarak did not speak to the people except late on Friday night after the security situation had already deteriorated. When he gave his statement he didn't announce that he was stepping down as the protesters were insisting. Instead, he decided to form a new government with the same old figures. Mubarak gave no indication that he understood the message.
Throughout Saturday protests continued everywhere. Demonstrators showed that they did not accept the offer made by Mubarak the night before. Nothing less than complete regime change would satisfy them.
On Saturday morning, I went out to buy some essential foodstuffs. On the streets of Alexandria, no traffic police were anywhere to be seen. Some local young men volunteered to stand at important junctions to organise the traffic. I was really surprised at how orderly motorists were behaving. They followed the instructions of the volunteers and gave way to other motorists – something I haven't often observed before.
At Carrefour supermarket I could not use my Visa card because the internet was not working – just another side-effect of the total media blackout imposed in Egypt.
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