CAIRO: Egyptian activists reported on Monday that two unemployed citizens had committed suicide in the country over the apparent poor conditions they had been facing. One man reportedly jumped from the Cairo Tower while a second, hours later, was reported to have jumped in front of a fast moving metro car. The suicides come as the newly elected parliament held its first session, amid massive protests outside the building demanding an end to military rule over the country. Inside, the situation was growing tense by the minute, with yelling and screaming matches ongoing between members of Parliament, which caused the country's state television to suspend its broadcast of the happenings. For activists, they pointed to the suicides as more reason the military must be forced out and the country allowed to move toward a proper democratic and just society. 30-year-old artist Shaimaa told Bikyamasr.com that “people are just as poor or even poorer than they were before the revolution so there is little hope.” She continued to say that this is exactly what “started the uprising last year, people set themselves on fire and really showed the people that we need to protest. Maybe it will spark more outrage that the military continues to be in power 6 months after they said they would leave.” In front of the parliament building, thousands of activists, families of those who were killed in the 2011 uprising and others chanted for the removal of the military and demanded “bread” and other social justice attributes of the revolution. The suicides again highlight the ongoing struggle for Egypt to move forward, politically and socially, and the struggle for economic independence. Unemployment remains extremely high, with some estimates putting the number above 25 percent for youth under 30-years-old. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/kL72M Tags: featured, Jan25, Parliament, Suicide Section: Egypt, Latest News
