By Safaa Abdoun
CAIRO: Egypt’s opposition forces are galvanizing their calls for change through peaceful demonstrations, hoping to enlist thousands to join protests after Friday prayers today.
Political movements and parties joining the protests will include the National Association for Change, the April 6 Youth Movement, the Muslim Brotherhood, Kefaya movement and the Popular Parliament.
The April 6 Youth Movement described the events that transpired on Tuesday and Wednesday as a sign of courage and stability. “The heroes have stood up with bare hands facing armed vehicles, soldiers, bullets and bombs,” it said.
The movement calls on all Egyptians to join the protests on Friday, dubbed the “Friday of Anger and Freedom,” around the country.
“Today we are closer to our goals, [which are] the fall of the regime and what the people want and what thousands went out calling for — justice, freedom and pride,” the movement said in an official statement.
They also called on the Imams of mosques to encourage people to join the demonstrations during Friday sermons.
The youth movement also addressed the security forces, saying, “You are our brothers not our enemies so how could you follow orders of killing your brothers and ignore God’s orders of mercy and tolerance.”
The movement has so far distributed over 20,000 leaflets calling for demonstrations on Friday.
The general coordinator of the National Association for Change, Abdel Gelil Mostafa, in his latest press statements called on President Hosni Mubarak to announce that he will not be running in the upcoming presidential elections neither will his son Gamal Mubarak.
Mostafa called Tuesday’s demonstrations the “Anger Intifada,” saying it will be a turning point in the history of Egypt.
Karima El Hifnawy, member of the National Association for Change and Kefaya movement, told Daily News Egypt that after the Friday prayers they will also pray for the martyrs of the demonstrations, which include civilians and police officers.
The Muslim Brotherhood said in an official statement that the “The peaceful and civilized movement of the Egyptian people, which started on January 25, must continue against the corruption, oppression and injustices until its demands of legitimate reform are achieved, the dissolving of the rigged-parliament, and the holding of free and fair elections under full judicial supervision.”
The Brotherhood also said that the regime must comply with the will of the people, abandon the policy of intransigence and take serious, immediate and effective measures towards reform in all fields. The group also called on the government to stop harming protesters and release all those detained.
The group, which the government has accused of eliciting violence in the protests, is calling on all Egyptians to unite against “injustices and corruption, effectively and peacefully without causing any damage to any public and private properties.”
Furthermore, they stressed on the importance of the cooperation between all political and partisan forces to maintain a unified national stance.
Ayman Nour, head of Al-Ghad Party told Daily News Egypt, “This is an uprising for change and will only end with change.
“The Egyptian people are now demanding their rights because they are theirs, the political elite can only provide assistance but at the end it’s the people’s battle,” he said.
“The National Democratic Party’s claims involve a lot of lies and deception; they are the ones who have led Egypt to these dire economic and political conditions and if there is any cure, it would be getting rid of this regime,” Nour added.
“The various political factions’ participation in the protests is a positive addition and should be looked upon only this way, we shouldn’t expect that it will have a major effect,” Nour said referring to the MB’s decision to participate with its members on Friday.
