CAIRO: Cars moved through downtown Cairo on Saturday, shops were open and customers were busy purchasing items for the day. Online, calls of strike were being pushed by activists, but the reality on the ground was that it appeared to be yet another regular day in the Egyptian capital, albeit with the usual marches and calls for the end of the military junta's rule over the country. Throughout the past week, scores of movements, labor organizations and concerned citizens had thrown their weight behind Saturday's general strike, calling for widespread civil disobedience campaigns against the military rulers of the country. But on Saturday, at least in the early morning hours, life appeared to be continuing across the city with its normal pace. At a local cafe on Qasr el-Aini street, customers smoked their shisha and drank their tea, watching as Egypt's State TV reported that a number of workers across the country were on the job, “requesting more hours.” Earlier in the week, the movement for civil disobedience was hit hard by both the military and religious institutions calling the planned strike “destructive” and “un-Islamic.” Still, there were many who said they would participate. Gamal, a 23-year-old university student and computer technician in Cairo, told Bikyamasr.com that he had informed his superiors he would not be coming in to work on Saturday. “At first they were surprised and tried to talk me out of it, but in the end they understood my conviction,” he said. There remains much optimism from groups participating in the strike, including women's rights organizations, who threw their weight behind the call to action. The Egyptian Association of Women's Rights Organizations announced their support and participation in the general strike planned for February 11 across the country to protest the military junta. The association brings together a number of non-governmental organizations working for gender equality in Egypt. The call for the strike was launched by a group of political parties and pro-democracy movements to bring an end to military rule of Egypt, setting a set date for presidential elections and the formation of a national salvation government. “Due to the nature of our work as non governmental bodies we are responding to the strike call and announce our solidarity with all the involved sides taking in consideration our supportive role to the revolution,” said the joint statement issued Thursday. The organizations said they will be striking “symbolically” so their work would not left behind, yet they plan to escalate if necessary. “We will enter into a symbolic strike on February 11 with our right to escalate it as part of our role in the revolution,” read the statement. “We will continue to do our part in the path for a civil democratic state for a country based on equality and justice.” The association include organizations include The New Women Foundation and The Egyptian Center for Women Rights among others. Other countries across the globe have also announced their solidarity with the strike and plan to join in what is becoming a day of global action. As cars continue to pass through the streets and workers move to and from work, the day of civil disobedience against the military junta has yet to manifest itself in the desire hoped by activists. The military has deployed soldiers and armored vehicles across the country at high-interest locations, which could hinder average Egyptians from taking part in the mass movement. ** Manar Ammar contributed to this report. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/Ru9Ul Tags: featured, Protests, SCAF, Strike Section: Egypt, Features, Latest News
