You are in the the 123rd Child Diary of the Liveblog of the 2011 uprisings throught North Africa and the Middle East. We stand with our international friends and their courageous struggle for dignity, self-determination and human rights.
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The latest intervention diary by conchita is here.
LIBYA: Tuesday we witnessed a very surreal speech from Gaddafi. Blaming the U.S. and drug-addled kids for the unrest in his country. Ramblng on about how he doesn't blame the kids because they're just vulnerable to influence, and then turning around and saying that he would punish them with execution. He also said he can't leave the country. He can't step down because he has no position to step down from, yet he's "higher than other leaders" in the world. So, he's powerless, but he's high king of the planet. And, no, I'm not exaggerating. More details here. The main take-aways from the mostly incoherent speech was that he's want to die in Libya and he will make war on his own people to do so.
The people respond:
hibatullah Feb 22, 11:03pm via web
RT @khaledmohi: Dictator Muammar #Gaddafi stated that he "will fight until the very end." #Libyans have bravely responded, "And so will we." #Libya #Feb17
they have left fear behind. I heard an interview on Anderson Cooper with a Libyan who went on about how wonderful it felt to be free. He knew that scary times are upon them and that by continuing to speak out he was risking his life, but he was euphoric from the first experience of being freed from terror in 42 years. I found myself thinking, "this freedom is so profound that even if he dies tomorrow, he thinks it's worth it. What have I been willing to die for? When have I even had to consider it?"
another kind of response:
althawra Feb 21, 5:53pm via web
gaddafi fucking majnun, man.
I know majnun as a character from a Muslim story,
Layla and Majnun, Majnun goes crazy from being separated from the love of his life, Layla. Libyans know that Gaddafi is crazy.
More regional tidbits after the fold....
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BAHRAIN: 300,000 Bahraini's came out for a funeral procession/march. Pearl Roundabout is still occupied. The king is saying that he wants talks with all parties involved, but trust is an issue. CNN's Tim Lister reports this on their blog:
I was down at the Pearl Roundabout on Monday - the epicenter of Bahrain's protest movement, where the demonstrators' encampment has taken on an air of permanence, with tents, makeshift kitchens, even a rudimentary field hospital.
And some dark humor. We bumped into one young man who wore a placard saying "Wake Me Up Before You Kill Me," a reference to the security forces' assault on the roundabout in the early hours of last Thursday. Nearby, a cartoonist had set up a "Democracy Wall" - Gulf style - with all sorts of sketches lampooning the royal family.
YEMEN: 2 protesters killed while peacefully participating in a sit in on Tuesday:
Two anti-government protesters were killed and more than 10 were wounded by gunfire during clashes with supporters of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh in Sanaa on Tuesday, witnesses said. A government official told Reuters that at least one protester was shot dead and several hurt at the demonstration near Sanaa University.
IRAN: In the "The World Really Doesn't Need This" category, Iran did send two warships through the Suez Canal. Egypt was required by International Agreement to let the ships through. They can only deny passage in the case of war. Though Israel says this is a provocation,
But the significance of the deployment is entirely diplomatic, says the BBC's diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus.
He says the two Iranian vessels do not represent any significant threat to either the Israeli navy or US vessels in the Mediterranean.
The ships involved are the Alvand - thought to be a British-built Vosper Mark 5 class frigate - and a supply vessel, the Kharg, also British-built.
The Alvand, a missile-carrying frigate, was launched in 1968. It is an impressive vessel by the standards of the Iranian navy, but no match for comparable Western warships nor the sophisticated missile boats of the Israeli navy, our correspondent says.
What is clear is that this deployment is not a direct response to the current upheavals in the Middle East, he adds.
ALGERIA: After 19 years, the cabinet lifted the state of emergency:
Algiers/Paris, Feb 23 (DPA) Algeria's cabinet Tuesday adopted a decision to lift the country's 19-year-old state of emergency.
The government said the order would come into force 'without delay' in the North African nation that borders Libya.
MOROCCO: New "riots" in Morocco on Tuesday: :
Morocco remained tense Tuesday after new pro-democracy demonstrations were held in several cities.
Demonstrators clashed with police in Imzouren in the north Monday, media reported.
Four people were reported to have been injured and several arrested.
The demonstrators were marching to demand the release of other protesters who had been detained Sunday.
...
King Mohammed VI vowed not to cede to 'demagoguery,' but promised important reforms shortly, without giving details.
...
The protesters called for the resignation of the government and the dissolution of parliament, a more democratic constitution, an end to corruption and press censorship, and better economic and social conditions.
....
The country has a variety of political parties and a freely elected parliament, although governmental powers are restricted in key areas where the monarch has the final word. The king also appoints key cabinet ministers.
EGYPT: A new cabinet was sworn in today, but with Mubarak allies keeping 3 of the 11 positions, the protesters aren't satisfied:
However, the decision to keep Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq, Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit, and Justice Minister Mamdouh Marie — three former Mubarak loyalists — in their posts drew criticism from youth activists who helped launch the uprising on Jan. 25.
Mohammed Abbas, a member of the Egypt Youth Coalition, described the changes as “patchwork.’’ He called for swift, comprehensive changes. He said the youth groups hope to draw one million to a rally on Friday in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, the center of the uprising, and will urge them to stay overnight.
“We have to keep the pressure until all our demands are met,’’ Abbas said.
/blockquote>
Egypt Requested a Freeze on Mubarak's Assets.
TUNISIA: Thousands March for Secularism in Tunisia
A 43-year-old Tunisian man was arrested on Tuesday (February 22nd) in connection with the murder of a Polish Catholic priest, which stunned the nation.
The alleged killer, Chokri Ben Mustapha Bessadek Mestiri, worked as a carpenter at the school in Manouba where Marek Marius Rybinski was serving. According to TAP, Mestiri confessed to the homicide, saying he did it to cover up the theft of funds used to buy building materials.
The killing outraged many Tunisians and led activists to organise a march for secularism and religious tolerance on Facebook. The first-of-its-kind rally took place on Bourguiba Avenue in Tunis on Saturday and was reportedly attended by more than 15,000 people.
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Our Egyptian brethren articulated what people around the region are fighting for, though variations to the theme may exist from country to country. banner held by protesters and translated to English:
1 The departure of Moubarak
2 An end to the current Parliament
3 An end of the state of emergency
4 The creation of a national united government
5 A parliament elected by the people to modify the constitution and run the presidentials elections
6 Put those responsible for the killings on trial
7 Put those responsible for stealing the country's money and other acts of corruption on trial
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Resources:
Note: The Mothership Diary is the place to go for a complete list of resources.
Al Jazeera English - Watch Live (the Youtube link below should work for Mac users unable to load this.)
Al Jazeera on Facebook:
http: //www.facebook.com/aljazeera
Al Jazeera live also available on
Dish Network channel 9410
DirecTV: Channel 375 Link
Al Jazeera Live on YouTube
English Stream http://www.youtube.com/...
Arabic Stream http://www.youtube.com/...
BBC Reports
BBC Middle East is doing specific Egypt coverage
WorldWideTahrir{NEW} : Worldwide protests being organized to coincide with the upcoming ones in Egypt.
bicycle Hussein paladin - Why Iran 1979 Went to the Islamists and This One Won't
weasel - Updates on the Egyptian Protests
People to follow on twitter:
@sharifkouddous
@monasosh
@ioerror
@ElBaradei
@SultanAlQassemi
@evanchill
@glcarlstrom
@nolanjazeera
@3arabawy
@shadihamid
@bencnn
@arabist
@speaktotweet: Egyptian Voice Tweets on Twitter
Previous Child Diaries:
Egypt and the Region Liveblog Archive by unaspenser
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