Entry 17

12:49 am Cairo Time 3^rd of Feb

Contacts in the square inform me that cell phone batteries are running out. I am apprehensive about who should be given my number so I can continue to get updates, but I authorize giving it to contacts of my contacts, trusting they will make decisions that do not jeopardize me.

I am reposting entry 1 below for background of those just joining the blog

Once again, the writer of this blog is sequestering herself from TV and analysis to be true to the message of those in

Tahrir Square

right now:

Entry 1:

This blog is set up by an American Egyptian supporter of the Egyptian Liberation

demonstrations. It has been set up to directly voice what is happening on the ground without the bias of satellite channels who may have their own interests or biases to one side or the other.

We really want this to be the voice of humanity speaking on behalf of Egyptian youth. We are not claiming that we have a strategy that is beyond fault. But we have entered this fight with the sole purpose of righting the wrong of having an oppressive leader that has placed himself in the presidency with no legitimacy.

On the 25^th of January 2011 we begun our peaceful protests to end his regime and as our numbers swelled and we appeared close to getting our point across, the president held tight to his throne as is reflected by his latest speech. We went on a roller coaster ride with the police attacking and then retreating, the army coming in and protecting us and then retreating and now as it stands today plain clothes officers and hired individuals have stormed

Tahrir Square

and are clubbing us and shooting at us and we are being killed even as you read these words.

I write this blog with protestors calling and updating me on the phone. It is a horror hearing the screams and violence in the background. We want the world to know that we are being attacked. This is an SOS to anyone who will listen. Our ages range from late teens all the way to those in their fifties. We are educated and unarmed and we are simply saying we reject the current regime.

We are being criticized for not backing down after yesterday’s speech where he claimed the following:

1. He will not run again for elections (the least we expect of him being 82 and a complete tyrant)
2. He will work on the constitution and on disassembling the parliament (we are not sure what to make of this since there is a spirit of mistrust between us and we don’t believe him)
3. He will spend the remainder of his term finding those who “exposed the country to unrest and have them brought to justice” (This means he will start killing and arresting the youth who are in the protests which started the minute his speech ended and is still going on )
4. He will “die on Egyptian soil” (meaning he will not give up till he is dead)
5. He will “enforce the peace” (again meaning he will kill the opposition

A faction of the Egyptian population believe his promises and think our demand have been met. Let me explain what happened on that part. Initially if he had come out and given the exact speech immediately after the 25^th o0f January we would have accepted his promises and waited to see where he would go from there.

But then he started reshuffling his men around and refusing to admit he wouldn’t run again or give the throne to his closes friends or sons. So we protested some more. And as the protests continued we started getting killed.

Now understand we are regular citizens, most of us have never seen guns or any kind of warfare before. All of a sudden we were seeing our friends die in front of us and we see the country crumbling economically and security wise and our parents are begging us to come home to save them from unidentified “thugs” attacking apartment buildings and houses. The internet was off the cell phone were off…there was looting and chaos in the streets…we started to panic…do we stay home and leave the only accomplishment we had which was the strength of our numbers or do we trust that this thief called Mubarak will not start arresting and torturing us after we back down and go home and the world has lost interest???

SO we stayed there peacefully. We even had organized a soccer tournament. But we were never given the chance …we were clubbed the minute his speech was over. Now they are coming in on horses and camels and taking us down.

I will keep updating and I am trying to get images as well by protestors running into buildings in the square and sending me the images…

Please stay with us. God Bless.