CAIRO: Thousands of Egyptian throughout the day flocked to Tahrir Square on Friday in a demonstration dubbed as “Go Back to Your Military Posts” in a clear indication of the crowd's refusal of the extension period of military rule in the country. The demonstration was called for by a number of political movements, including the Youth Democratic Coalition and 6 of April Movement. Protesters held signs calling for an to Egypt's military rule and several stages were constructed early on Friday for speakers. The crowds' demands included an end to military tribunals against civilians, setting a clear schedule for the presidential elections, setting a minimum and maximum wage and ending the draconian emergency law. The square was empty from any security and volunteers closed off many of the entrances to the square in an attempt to ensure security for the protest and organized traffic in light of the absence of traffic officers. During last week's protest, the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) issued a statement handing over the responsibility of securing the square to the protesters. Rights groups and activists have been lashing out against the SCAF and accusing it of wanting to remain in power after it had announced a later than desired schedule for the lower and upper houses of parliament and failed to offer a clear vision for the presidential elections. The SCAF has also been exceeding its powers on press oppression, as it confiscated two newspapers in one week and sent a fax to all newspapers warning them of publishing anything related to the SCAF without permission from the military intelligence, however instead of complying to the orders, the newspapers published the fax online. The SCAF is also under fire over military trials for civilians, where rights groups in the country put the number of people tried by military courts to over 12,000 since February. The SCAF recently extended the emergency laws after it was meant to end in September and said it did so to fight “thugs and control security.” The infamous law was a motivating force behind the January uprising that toppled former President Honsi Mubarak and his regime, which kept the law in place, illegally controlling the country and oppressing public freedom under the argument it was fighting terrorism and drug trafficking. An earlier decree by the SCAF had criminalized strikes yet thousands of workers go on strike weekly, demanding their lost rights. Activists and human rights observers hope the SCAF would lessen its tight grip on public freedoms and to allow a smooth transition of power and warn of another uprising in case of further delays. BM
