Le Libérer
13th February 2011, 17:00
Suspended the constitution, forbidden meeting of labor unions and outlawed strikes. Military is forcing protestors to disband.
Source (http://mwcnews.net/news/middle-east/8622-egypts-army-dissolves-parliament.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter)
Egypt's military has dissolved parliament and suspended the constitution, two days after Hosni Mubarak, the long-serving president, stepped down in the wake of a popular uprising.
The country's Supreme Council of Armed Forces announced on Sunday that it would remain in charge of the country for six months until a new government is formed.
The military council announced the move in a statement on state television, adding that it would form a panel to amend the constitution before submitting the changes to a popular referendum.
The announcement came shortly after Egypt's prime minister announced that the cabinet appointed by Mubarak shortly before he stepped down, would stay in place.
Ahmed Shafiq, speaking after his first cabinet meeting since Mubarak left on Friday, said Egypt's caretaker government will remain for the country's transition towards democracy.
He said that security would remain a priority and pledged to fight corruption and restore peace in the country, following 18 days of pro-democracy protests.
"The first priority for this government is to restore security and to facilitate daily life for its citizens," he said. "I guarantee that this [cabinet] will return rights to the people and fight corruption."
Protest organisers had called for both the dissolution of parliament and the lifting of a 30-year-old state of emergency.
Some protesters have vowed to remain in Cairo's Tahrir Square - the epicentre of the uprising - until all of their demands are met
Scuffles broke out early on Sunday as soldiers tried to remove activists from the square.
Soldiers shoved pro-democracy protesters aside to force a path for traffic to start flowing through Tahrir Square for the first time in more than two weeks.
Police protest
At one point a group of several dozen police officers marched into the square bearing flowers, proclaiming their solidarity with the uprising and chanting: "The police and the people! With one hand!"
But they were soon chased away by protesters, who accuse the police of decades of arbitrary arrests, torture and extortion, as well as a heavy-handed attempt to crush the revolt that left hundreds dead.
Meanwhile, normality began to return to other parts of Egypt. The tents, where protesters camped out during the 18 days of protests, were removed from Tahrir Square.
Ashraf Ahmed, a protester in Cairo, vowed that he was not going to leave "because so much still needs to be done. They haven't implemented anything yet".
Protest organisers have threatened more rallies if the governing military council fails to accept their agenda for reform.
"If the army does not fulfil our demands, our uprising and its measures will return stronger," Safwat Hegazi, a protest leader, said.
Source (http://mwcnews.net/news/middle-east/8622-egypts-army-dissolves-parliament.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter)
Egypt's military has dissolved parliament and suspended the constitution, two days after Hosni Mubarak, the long-serving president, stepped down in the wake of a popular uprising.
The country's Supreme Council of Armed Forces announced on Sunday that it would remain in charge of the country for six months until a new government is formed.
The military council announced the move in a statement on state television, adding that it would form a panel to amend the constitution before submitting the changes to a popular referendum.
The announcement came shortly after Egypt's prime minister announced that the cabinet appointed by Mubarak shortly before he stepped down, would stay in place.
Ahmed Shafiq, speaking after his first cabinet meeting since Mubarak left on Friday, said Egypt's caretaker government will remain for the country's transition towards democracy.
He said that security would remain a priority and pledged to fight corruption and restore peace in the country, following 18 days of pro-democracy protests.
"The first priority for this government is to restore security and to facilitate daily life for its citizens," he said. "I guarantee that this [cabinet] will return rights to the people and fight corruption."
Protest organisers had called for both the dissolution of parliament and the lifting of a 30-year-old state of emergency.
Some protesters have vowed to remain in Cairo's Tahrir Square - the epicentre of the uprising - until all of their demands are met
Scuffles broke out early on Sunday as soldiers tried to remove activists from the square.
Soldiers shoved pro-democracy protesters aside to force a path for traffic to start flowing through Tahrir Square for the first time in more than two weeks.
Police protest
At one point a group of several dozen police officers marched into the square bearing flowers, proclaiming their solidarity with the uprising and chanting: "The police and the people! With one hand!"
But they were soon chased away by protesters, who accuse the police of decades of arbitrary arrests, torture and extortion, as well as a heavy-handed attempt to crush the revolt that left hundreds dead.
Meanwhile, normality began to return to other parts of Egypt. The tents, where protesters camped out during the 18 days of protests, were removed from Tahrir Square.
Ashraf Ahmed, a protester in Cairo, vowed that he was not going to leave "because so much still needs to be done. They haven't implemented anything yet".
Protest organisers have threatened more rallies if the governing military council fails to accept their agenda for reform.
"If the army does not fulfil our demands, our uprising and its measures will return stronger," Safwat Hegazi, a protest leader, said.