Physically challenged protesters and labor protesters performed their Friday prayers yesterday outside the People's Assembly in downtown Cairo. The protesters criticized government officials for neglecting their demands and urged President Mubarak to intervene, otherwise they will collectively escalate their protests, they argued. The protesters included agricultural workers, people with special needs and victims of the Duweiqa rockslide. The protester who delivered the Friday sermon emphasized the importance of patience in the face of hardship and stressed that negligent officials will receive their retribution. The physically challenged protesters criticized Cairo Governor Abdel Azim Wazir for his previous statements in which he said those with special needs had no right to receive apartments from the governorate as they were allegedly not from the area. The protesters countered by suggesting they would not be out on the street protesting if they had somewhere to live. Meanwhile, agricultural workers are calling for permanent contracts and higher salaries, saying they receive monthly payments as low as LE60 even though they have been working for over 15 years. Workers from the Nubareya Agricultural Engineering and Mechanization Company said they have not received their salaries for more than two years. Three families whose homes were demolished in Duweiqa said several other families are joining the protest today. These families had to live in tents after they were forced to evacuate their homes, following the Duweiqa rockslide. However, they have not received legal compensation or alternative housing. In other news, around 1000 members from the Real Estate Publicity Department organized a protest at the Ministry of Justice, saying the ministry neglected their demand to turn their department into an independent authority. All real estate publicity offices around the governorate are going on partial strike today. According to the protesting real estate workers, they are striking as a result of the continuous humiliation they suffer at the hands of the ministry. Such humiliation and interference in their work has resulted in the transfer of employees and complaints to the Ministry of Justice, which have so far been ignored. The protesters said all real estate office workers are striking today except those handling pension affairs and services for senior citizens. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
