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What is Going on in Egypt

January 29, 2011 by · Comments Off on What is Going on in Egypt 

What is Going on in Egypt, Communication is in many ways the most powerful tool available to both entrenched power and pushy. However control of the communications tends to be firmly in the hands of the former. Example: According to reports on the Internet for days, the Egyptian government has been blocking access within its borders to social networks, including Twitter and Facebook.

Over the past two days, about 20,000 demonstrators in Egypt, inspired by the recent protests against the corruption of the Tunisian government, marched to the end of the dictatorship of 30 years to 82 years, President Hosni Mubarak in cities including Alexandria, Suez and North Sinai. Demonstrators hold regime largely responsible for the poverty of the country, high food prices, corruption and mismanagement of the Mubarak government.

“Down with Hosni Mubarak, down with the tyrant,” they reportedly chanted. “We do not want you.”

Many protesters were met by measures such as riot control tear gas guns and water: 860 people have been arrested so far and at least three were killed on both sides of the event: Two protesters were fatally injured by rubber bullets and a policeman was hit in the head.

As part of its strategy to quash the protests, the government has blocked local access first to Twitter, Facebook, and then hours later when a certain extent, the demonstrations were organized in advance.

“We can confirm that Twitter has been blocked in Egypt around 8:00 PT today,” the company tweeted @ twitterglobalpr handle. “It has an impact on applications Twitter.com @. … We believe that free trade benefits of views info & & Govt helps companies communicate better w / their people.”

The power of Facebook users declined Egyptian requests for posting that called, among other things, Mubarak and the resignations of Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif, the dissolution of parliament of the country, and the subsequent creation of a new government. The block also affected access to pages like “We’re all,” said Khaled, “inspired by the death of an Egyptian man allegedly tortured and killed by a police Alexandria. Reported by TechCrunch as a major contributor to online mobilization events, the page has 18,200-plus fans and features continuously updated with photos and video. (In fact, as of the publication, the page reported that the local mobile operator Vodafone Egypt was ordered by the government to also block Gmail, Google Chat (GOOG), and access to other sites not specified.)

(AP) – Tunisia is the new foreign minister says his country is not going to lecture on what the Egyptians to their countries should be taken following protests this week against the government.

The two Arab countries are different and each must make their own way, Ounaies Ahmed told The Associated Press in an interview Saturday. Tunisia protests toppled longtime autocratic leader country two weeks ago, while Egypt is in chaos amid protests against the government’s largest ever faced by the regime of President Hosni Mubarak.

“It belongs to the Egyptian people to decide their present and future for themselves,” Ounaies, a career diplomat and a political independent, said. “We will not decide for them or give them lessons.”

Violent protests in Tunisia led to the ouster of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who fled to Saudi Arabia on Jan. 14 after 23 years in power. Ounaies, a political independent, was appointed to the interim government Thursday in a reorganization that has declined most of the old guard Ben Ali to the lineup.

Only three ministers in the current interim government have roots in the party of Ali Ben RCD, compared to 10 in the previous short-lived Cabinet that was formed shortly after the ouster of Bin Ali. The protesters continued even after the departure of Ben Ali, protesters angry that the old guard had retained positions of power.

The agitation has subsided, but has not entirely disappeared. After sunset, hundreds of young people clashed with police in the capital, throwing stones. Police responded with tear gas.

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