CAIRO: Prominent Egyptian writer Alaa al-Aswany said Sunday night's bloody clashes in Cairo on the Egyptian revolution. Aswany said the Maspiro clashes that left 25 dead happened because the January 25 revolution authorized the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to execute the demands of the Egyptian people after the resignation of former President Hosni Mubarak in February 2011. Aswany expressed his grief over what he described as “Maspiro's massacre,” which will not be forgotten by the Egyptian people. He called for a minute of silence for the souls of victims. He also criticized Egypt's ruling military council for not offering condolence to the families of the martyrs. Aswany said the events must be dealt with, as they left Egyptians dead and discriminated between Muslims and Christians. He also criticized the committee formed by the ruling military council to amend the constitution, saying it did not respond to the calls raised by constitutional scholars for establishing a new constitution before holding new parliamentary elections. The high-profile author stressed that only the Egyptian people made the revolution, without any support, adding, "We should appreciate the army for doing its role through not supporting Mubarak." Aswany is best known for his novel The Yacoubian Building.
