Interior Minister Mansour al-Essawy has for the third time met with representatives of the low-ranking policemen who have been protesting outside the ministry for three days, and agreed to 14 out of their 15 demands, according to unconfirmed reports apparently leaked from the ministry. The minister reportedly told the striking police officers that he would ask the ruling military council to issue a decree for the last demand on their list, which pertains to the replacement of several senior police officials left over from the Mubarak era. The protesting policemen are demanding higher wages, the disbursement of unpaid wages, better working conditions, an end to military trials for policemen, and the dismissal of corrupt Interior Ministry officials, among them over a dozen generals considered loyal to the old regime. There is some disagreement among the protesters as to whether the dismissal of Essawy himself is necessry. Essawy was an assistant minister of interior during ousted President Hosni Mubarak's rule. Police have been protesting in various governorates simultaneously, as well as outside the ministry in central Cairo. The protesters have denied that any political movement has joined their protest, and vowed to end their industrial action as soon as they receive written agreement to their demands. Translated from the Arabic Edition
