It is not easy to go out at night when there is a curfew from midnight to six a clock in the morning. If you are planing to go out these days in Cairo you have to go early. Usually nightlife in Cairo starts after midnight. But in revolutionary times there is no normality in the nightlife.
My Egyptian friends and I met at 7:00 PM to go out, which is so early in Egypt.
As I said, we came very early
This was my second time at Tamarai. First visit was October last year.
Located in Nile City Towers’ North Tower, Tamarai brings a splash of elegance to the city. In summertime there is a festive outdoor patio, with an elaborate bar and ample room for dancing. The balcony shows off a captivating view of the Nile, and although the restaurant is only on the third floor, it gives the impression of being elevated high above the city lights below. The winter lounge proved that for all the glitz and glamour that precede its reputation, Tamarai can be equally satisfying as a low-key place to mingle.
The staff is friendly and efficient, yet by no means overly attentive. As one would expect, prices are on the high end, reservations are generally a must, and a substantial minimum charge of 250LE applies on weekends.
I am sorry, but only have this in Arabic for you. Do not try the google translator, it translates very badly.
أبرز مشاهد جمعة شهداء التحرير.. مشاركة السياح وأصحاب المطالب الفئوية.. تغير الشعارات الثورية من إسقاط النظام إلى الاحتفال بتحقيق الكرامة المصرية.. وضحايا التعذيب يعرضون أجسادهم للمارة
الجمعة، 18 فبراير 2011 - 17:57
كتب علام عبد الغفار و إسلام النحراوى تصوير عمرو دياب وياسر عبد الله ومحمود حفناوي ومحمد نبيل
انضمام السياح وأصحاب المطالب الفئوية، تغيير شعارات الثوار، عرض بعض السجناء آثار التعذيب للمتظاهرين، المرور بعلم مصر طوله 100 متر، هى أبرز الملامح التى شهدها ميدان التحرير فى جمعة الشهداء اليوم، حيث انضم عدد كبير من السياح الألمان وعدد من العاملين بقطاعات السياحة وطلاب الجامعات الأمريكية والألمانية، رافعين شعار "اللى يحب مصر يأتى ويزور مصر"، وذلك لتشجيع السياحة وعودتها مرة أخرى بعد تضررهم من الأحداث الماضية.
ارتدى السياح والعاملون بالسياحة والطلاب زياً موحداً ذا لون أبيض، رافعين لافتات بمختلف اللغات الأجنبية تنادى بمساندة الحرية وزيارة مصر.
وقال سفن بونقوس أحد السياح الألمان، إن أجمل ما شاهده اليوم والأيام الماضية عدم استسلام المصريين رغم سقوط عشرات الشهداء، كما أنهم أعطوا درساً للعالم فى فن الحماية الشعبية، خاصة أنه فى ألمانيا والدول الأوروبية المواطن لا يحمى سوى نفسه.
كما انضم العاملون بقطاع الكهرباء بشمال القاهرة المطالبين بتحسين أوضاعهم المالية، رافعين لافتة كبيرة تؤيد الثورة وتؤكد انضمامهم لها لتحقيق مطالبهم الفئوية، وهو نفس الأمر الذى فعله عمال وسائقو النقل العام، كما شارك العشرات من معتقلى الثورة والذين خرجوا من السجون ليقوموا بعرض آثار التعذيب على أجسادهم على المتظاهرين بالتحرير.
وشهد التحرير أيضاً تغيير الشعارات الثورية التى كان ينادى بها خلال الأيام الماضية وكان أبرزها "ارفع رأسك فوق.. أنت مصرى"، "شيخ الأزهر فين.. القرضاوى أهوه"، "يا شهيد نام وارتاح.. وإحنا نكمل الكفاح"، "لا مصالحة مع الداخلية إلا بعد دفع الدية"، وذلك بعد شعارات "الشعب يريد إسقاط النظام".
وبالتزامن مع الاحتفالات بالميدان عن طريق الطبل البلدى والمزمار والأغانى الوطنية احتفالاً وتكريماً للشهداء أقام الثوار مسرحاً كبيراً للشهداء والفنانين تمهيداً للاحتفال بالشهداء وأسرهم.
10th of February - Evening
In the evening, it was announced that Mubarak will speak one more time to the people of Egypt. I went to down town with a couple of friends, as we all thought he step down now.
Watching Mubarak's speech in a Café near to Tahrir square
After a long time of waiting, he finally gave his speech. Although I could not understand what he was saying, I knew that he will not step down. Moments after his speech, people went out of the Café were we were and shouted "Yaskut yaskut yaskut... yaskut Hosni Mubarak" (Down with Mubarak). People were not angry, but very sad. Some of them were almost crying. But some said: "Let's go home and get some sleep, tomorrow we will be back again at Tahrir square".
11th of February
The march of 20 million people. This is what the organizers of the protests hoped to reach today. I met a couple of friends in the afternoon to go on the streets again. Approaching Tahrir square for the first time since the demonstrations on the 28th of January I saw how good organized the people are.
Small businesses were emerging, selling flags, painting flags on faces, selling food and drinks and much more. At the entrance our ID cards were checked and our bodies were searched if we have any weapons. It was the first time I saw Egyptian people waiting in the line.
Getting checked
Selling flags
It was amazing walking around Tahrir square. Mubarak had not resigned at this moment, but people were somehow in a happy mood, protesting peacefully. Maybe they knew what would happen later that day. Tahrir square was an own city. People from every part of the society were gathering here, helping each other. I saw two clinics with medicine and doctors who volunteer.
"People demand the removal of the regime"
Camping at Tahrir square
A clinic at Tahrir square
With the start of the evening we planed to go home. While walking to the next functioning Metro station at Ramses street people started dancing on the street, shouting, hugging each other. And there it was. It was 6:05 PM, 2 minutes after the speech of Suleiman. Mubarak resigned. He was gone. In this moment we could not believe what was happening around us. Especially our Egyptian friends were astonished. We decided to go back to Tahrir square. This was the historic moment we were waiting for, a moment you will tell your children and grandchildren in the future.
Celebrations on the way to Tahrir square
Celebrating with the army
25th of January Revolution (the day everything started and my birthday)
I was so happy to be in Egypt at this historic moment and even to be at Tahrir square, the center of the demonstrations. I was telling the people Mabrouk, which means congratulations in Arabic.
Later at night, we sat down on the floor and sang some Egyptian songs.
Singing and celebrating
The next day, people started to clean the square and even their own neighborhood. It was surprising for me, because usually you see a lot of trash on Egyptian streets.
Helping to clean Tahrir square
This revolution has changed the people inside. After 30 years of depression, people stood up against the regime to change the country they love. People are helping each other, care about politics, free media, human rights, justice, environmental issues and much more. Now, Egyptians know that they can change anything.
To help building up a better Egypt, the foundation were I work started the Better Egypt initiative.
I am working with this Organization since October 2010. I have a great time working there. It is a very good experience and improved my life and working skills in many ways.
For more information about this Organization please visit the website http://www.bwngo.org/ or contact us under the E-mail: info@bwngo.org
In 1989 millions of people went out on the streets every Monday to protest for more rights in the former German Democratic Republic (East Germany). On the 9th of November 1989 the Berlin Wall was opened. It took 11 months till Germany was reunified on the 3rd of October 1990.
I know that the situation in Egypt is not the same, but there are similarities. Everyone in Egypt knows that there have been crimes done by the ruling regime. A few people got very rich through corruption and favors by friends. There was no freedom of speech, freedom of press or free and fair elections. Human rights were treated very badly. Before Mubarak came to power 1/5 of the population were poor now its 1/3 of the population.
Even on the days of violence (2nd of Feb. - 3rd of Feb.) the people who a feared to loose power stroke back. Why were only the pro Mubarak crowd at Tahir square so violent but not those in the other parts of the city? Why was there secret police in the pro Mubarak crowd? Why did they came with buses? Why did all of them had weapons? Why did the military let them through even tho a day before everyone else was checked if he/she has weapons? Why did the police left the streets? Why did police released prisoners and weapons were given to them? Why were so many journalists, and human right activist arrested and beaten up?
Has Mubarak still the power? Are his followers so scared to loose power after he will leave? Many became rich under him, mainly because of corruption and criminal intrigues. Are those people behind all these crimes happened a few days ago? Gamal Mubarak has influence to all big companies in Egypt, is this a coincident?
There has to be a fair investigation by independent people. But who knows if the truth ever come out.
Now is the time to change the political landscape to a free and democratic country, which respects the universal declaration of human rights from the UN. But change needs it time. As my German Chancellor Angela Merkel said today to the Egyptian people: "If you're in this kind of process of upheaval, things just can't go fast enough," Merkel said. But, she added, it doesn't make sense to hold elections very quickly "as the beginning of a process of democratization — you have to give people a chance to create structures."
A transformation from an dictatorship to a democratic state needs its time. I am happy that the European Union said, that it is on the Egyptian people to change their country and that we don't want to interfere. But we can help to build up a Better Egypt as an equal partner.
This is from an E-Mail Forwarded to Cairo Scholars. What you read here has been witnessed also by a friend of mine and many journalist who had been out there. ------
Although I have heard others locally expressing the same views as stated in Lena's post, I would like to remind everyone that the demonstrations started peacefully, and remained so at all times. I was there. If negotiating was a priority of the Govt, then violence would have been a last resort.
However, truth is that the violence is one sided, organized and deliberate:
since Day 1, 2, 3 and 4 at the hands of the riot police,
then the police and their paid thugs creating chaos starting Day 4 Friday 29 after curfew at 6pm,
and also yesterday Tuesday 4 Feb, where massive gangs of thugs were mobilized by the govt and have been terrorizing regular citizens all over the city.
Here is another thing from Facebook I would like to share.
by Mona Fetouh on Thursday, February 3, 2011 at 3:57am
The real protesters:
Are men, women, children of all ages, religions and social classes
Carry homemade signs
Have been peaceful for 8 days
Do not carry weapons
Come on foot, by car or public transport
Do not ride horses or camels in urban squares
Do not attack journalists
Do not harm or harass women
Do not carry police IDs
The fake protesters:
Are all men between the ages of 20-50
Carry professionally printed, pre-made signs resembling those during the fake elections
Show up on day 9, violent and aggressive
Carry knives, machetes, clubs, whips, Molotov cocktails
Come on organized minibuses and trucks
Attack all press and media present
Grope and harass women
Carry police IDs one example of many:
It is not the anti-regime protesters who are causing instability. It is the "stable" regime who made this become violent, and who have crippled the economy and communications. They have also waged a successful propaganda campaign so that now people are starting to believe their lies. They cannot be trusted to lead a peaceful transition--they have proven they will do whatever it takes to preserve their power.
After the big demonstration day yesterday, it was a normal working day for me. Observing the Facebook groups, it was announced that there will be a big demonstration on the 28th of January.
27th of January 2011
After work on Thursday evening, my roommate and I went to our friends nearby apartment. We were talking about what might happen tomorrow. Will the demonstration be strong enough to kick Mubarak out of the country? Will the military start shooting?
I actually decided earlier not going to the demonstrations, but as we were discussing about what is happening in Egypt right now I had to go. This could be a historical moment, what only happens once in a life time.
Just moments after we left the apartment, the internet was shut off. A friend of mine told me, that nearly every mosque and church was calling for demonstrations. I thought that this could be a huge day, as millions of people go to the Friday prayers. Film stars, Music stars, El Baradei, everyone will be at this demonstration.
28th of January 2011
At 10:30 AM my roommate and I left our apartment to meet with our friends a few blocks away from us. We had a map enrolled on the table to organize where we should go to watch the event. But you never know where you will end up at the end of the day.
Like on Tuesday we were taking the local tram to Ramses square. As we approached there, we saw hundreds of police men getting ready for today’s protests. Walking down to Ramses street, we witnessed a small demonstration.
Getting ready
As we were coming near to the Ramses Hilton Hotel at the Nile River, we saw two security cars set on fire. A few hundred people were demonstration next to the hotel. The police responded with a lot of tear gas. People were trying to get into the hotel as the tear gas clouds were coming close to us, but the hotel security denied. Only families with their children were allowed to enter.
Tear gas
After the horrible experience of getting a lot of tear gas into your eyes and lungs we managed to go to the Nile River, the street where the National TV Station is located. We watched the ongoing battle on the bridges left and right to us. We thought that the demonstrations have failed as there were only small groups gathering around. It seemed that the police were successfully separating the groups.
On our way back home to Heliopolis some of our friends got a Taxi. My roommate and a friend of us and I searched for a Taxi too, to get out of Downtown, but we couldn`t find any. The only choice was continuing walking till we find one. We thought that we have to go home soon as possible, as the curfew would start soon.
A few minutes later, as we were walking in a poor area near to Downtown, we saw a few hundred people moving to the direction of Tahir square. There was no police anywhere, so we decided to follow them. And then we witnessed a symbolic moment.
Back on Ramses street we saw more than hundred thousand people gathering on the street. No police was in that area. Security trucks were burning. And then it happened. Next to the National Newspaper building was a gigantic poster of Hosni Mubarak. It was tired down by the people. People where happy, and shouted yaskut yaskut Hosni Mubarak (Down with Hosni Mubarak).
Standing in the middle of the demonstration at Ramses street, we realized that we were save. No police was around. Walking down with the crowed to Tahir square, we saw again a few security trucks on fire. We got into contact with some Egyptian people asking them what they think. Most of them were in a very happy mood. Some were happy, but at the same time worried about the violence of the police against them and the responds of the people. They were asking us, what we are doing in Egypt and why we are at the demonstration. Most of the people told me to tell their story and what is happening in Egypt to outside world.
Approaching Tahir square, we heard rumors that the army has arrived, so we went to our friend’s apartment near to Tahir square.
Watching the news
NDP building on fire
Tear gas
That night we were watching the battles between the police and the demonstrators from the roof of the apartment building. The women who live on the roof were providing us with drinks and a TV to watch the news. We witnessed how the NDP headquarter was set on fire as well as how the police stole food and drinks from a nearby supermarket.
As the military moved in, they called the police back and protected the demonstrators. At that time we went bed, to get some rest.
29th of January 2011
The next day we went back on the streets early in the morning. We saw the leftovers of the fight between the police and the demonstrators. Hundreds of stones, empty teargas bottles and some smashed bottles, which were used as Molotov cocktails. Walking down to Tahir square we saw the tanks and military securing the area. People were friendly and happy that the military arrived as there is a strong connection between them. At the square some Egyptians offer us some cans of Stella, the famous local Beer.
NDP building
Military securing the National TV station
"Yaskut Mubarak" (Down with Mubarak)
After checking out the area we went back to Heliopolis, to get some rest after this very long and historic day. Our Landlord told us that the police got the order only protect their police station. In whole Cairo no police was on the street. A reason for the people to set up neighborhood watches as thousands of prisoners escaped. It seemed to be a tactic by the regime to scare the people and give them the only choice to choose between chaos and the regime. But people were not scared by this tactic and continued to protest at Tahir square.
30th of January 2011
My roommate and I had no food at home anymore. Our Landlord came to us to take the rent of our apartment. He offered us to take us to a supermarket, which still had open as most of them were already closed. We had to wait in line to get into the supermarket. Inside we got as much as we can carry to have food for the next 2 weeks, as you do not know what will happen next.
Later at night I was outside with my neighbors, who set up a neighborhood watch. This shows the real character of the Egyptian people. People are helping each other. Although Cairo is a very big city, the people in their neighborhood know each other. If this kind of situation would happen in a big city in Germany, there would be anarchy. People were doing the job of the police. That night many criminals were captured or killed. In our area the situation was very calm, as there is a military checkpoint at Roxy square, the place where I live in Heliopolis.
31st of January 2011
Watching the news all day long, the military announced, that it will not use any force against the great people of Egypt.
At night I was again outside with my new friends to protect our area against Plunderers. I have not witnessed any violence in our area so far. Same like last night, the situation was very calm, so we smoked Shisha inside of a traffic police house.
1st of February 2011
Continuing watching TV instead of going out on the streets, I saw how the crowd on Tahir square got bigger and bigger. I would not go to Tahir square, because I promised it to my family and my closest Egyptian friends.
Yesterday it was announced that there will be a million man march to the presidential palace in Heliopolis. As this place is near to my home, I do not have the need to go to Tahir square. Watching Al Jazeera all day long again, I saw that the people will stay in Tahir square. For some time reporters said that there are two million people on Tahir square.
At around 11:15 PM local time, President Mubarak announced that he will not run for another term. Just before going to bed I saw 30 people on the street demonstrating in favor of Mubarak.
2nd of February 2011
Early in the morning at around 3:30 AM my roommate and I went to Cornish Al Nile, near Tahir square as my roommate was giving an interview for CNN.
We ask our friends from the neighborhood watch to get us a Taxi. After we knew that the Taxi we had stopped early will not come, our friends asked the military to help us. They stopped a random car for us and asked them to give us a ride.
At the CNN studio we met Anderson Cooper. My roommate was giving his interview for his show Anderson Cooper 360. Later, they told us to stay in their apartment at the Ramses Hotel, till the curfew would end.
What a day! I went with my roommate and a couple of friends to the demonstrations, which were announced on Facebook by the group "We are all Khalid Saeed" http://www.facebook.com/ElShaheeed
The 25th of January is a National Holiday in Egypt. On this day 58 years ago, the police fighted against the British occupation. Today the Egyptian police are oppressors.
Egypt is facing similar problems Tunisia has. There is a high unemployment rate under young people, prices are rising, the emergency law from 1982 is still in place...
We began watching a small demonstration by the supreme court. It was only a small group of protesters surrounded by a big group of police men.
After a stop of half an hour we went on to Tahir street, where the Cairo Museum is located. The whole area was locked down by the police, even tho as a person you were allowed to pass. Cars were stopped.
Impressions from Tahir street:
Here was a critical point. We were a group of about 10 people. But tensions got higher and we got separated. The police was starting to hit the demonstrators and the situation began to escalate. Some of us found a save place in a gateway to a shop. After the situation got clearer we went out and went behind the police.
The situation seemed to be clear, but as I was taking this video the police started to throw with tear gas grenades.
I actually wanted to celebrate my birthday that evening in Downtown, but as the protests are still going on in the night I decided just to go to a restaurant in my safe neighborhood in Heliopolis.
