EVERY day, the public revolt in central Cairo's Al Tahrir (Liberation) Square draws more supporters and becomes on stronger ground in Egypt today, thanks to the strong persistence of the courageous young people and their insistence on continuing their open-air sit-in until all their demands are fulfilled. However, one can't ignore the numerous other factors that have made many people turn out to stand alongside the estimable youth in their stand. These notably include the barbaric attack carried out by apparently paid thugs on the protesters in Al Tahrir Square on February 2 causing the death and injury of thousands of persons. This attack, which seems to have been a conspiracy of the ruling party and businessmen-cum-parliamentarians as indicated by the media, has called into question the credibility of the new government and the reforms promised by President Hosni Mubarak. The second important factor is the restoration of normal life on the Cairo streets despite continuation of anti-regime protests in Al Tahrir Square. A sizeable category of the public criticise young demonstrators for causing the instability that has greatly affected a large proportion of citizens, especially those working as temporary workers and being paid on a daily basis. The most important factor, meanwhile, is that despite two weeks passing, none of the said reforms have been implemented. All that is occurring are mere meetings and dialogue between Vice President Omar Suleiman and Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq and some opposition figures and different political powers including representatives of Al Tahrir Square revolution. In addition, the Premier and his Government seem to be spending a lot of their time at press conferences and giving interviews to the media rather than tackling crucial issues of the State. So why not concentrate on drawing up a clear schedule for enforcing the urgent political and constitutional reforms that would ensure genuine enforcement of democracy with free and transparent election – presidential and parliamentary – and creating new political parties? What is the cause of the delay in scrapping the Emergency Law, a key demand? The partial and emotional support President Mubarak has won among a large percentage of the citizens, following his February 1 address, in which he announced that he did not intend to run in the presidential elections in September, is gradually fading away. It is being eroded by the daily disclosures of the names of senior officials in the close circle of rule, who are involved in corruption. Further delay in starting this process of change would only strengthen the base of the anti-regime demonstrators.
