CAIRO: After a few weeks of apathy, Egypt's Revolution Youth Party is hoping that this Friday will rekindle the protest spirit. They have called for a “million man march” in Tahrir Square to demonstrate against the cancelling of constitutional principles and “a timetable for the elections.” The move comes as Egypt's military continues to increase its grip on public opinion and what activists say are measures aimed at “ending any semblance of freedom in Egypt.” Mona Hisham, a 22-year-old Cairo University student and activist, told Bikyamasr.com on Sunday evening that she believes the future of the country lies in the youth movements regaining the strength to “show people that change does not have to come at the cost of free thinking and security.” She said she plans on attending the demonstration and help “push Egypt in the right direction,” adding that change and the future of the revolution won't be won by sitting still and waiting for the military to give it to the people. “It has to be taken,” she said. “Our main goal in participating is to achieve stability and catching a new legal government capable of avoiding falling into the economic crisis,” the party founder's deputy, Saad Taiema said in comments published by al-Youm al-Saba'a newspaper. He added that if the military meets their demands, the demonstration would be called off. The statement asked the military council to comprehend the people's demands and their right for stability. “We hope for our military council to be wiser, as we are used to it in such cases, and we aren't responsible for any movements trying to make use of our demands to drive a wedge between the council and people,” said Taema. On Sunday, the military confiscated copies of Sout al-Ouma newspaper after it had allegedly published details of Field Marshal Mohamed Tantawy's, the head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) testimony at the Hosni Mubarak trial. The SCAF had previously banned all coverage of the trial of the former president. Many activists in the country are demanding that the military move quicker to end military trials against civilians and set a timetable for their removal from power. The military has been ruling Egypt since former President Mubarak resigned in the face of massive protests on February 12. Mubarak, former Interior Minister Habib al-Adly and 6 other aides currently are standing trial for the killing of some 1,000 protesters during the January 25 uprising that led to the ousting of the former regime. BM
