Traffic has been a curse so far in Cairo today , it is something expected before Ramadan or feasts that the traffic would be more than horrible. We always act as if we do not know that Ramadan or Eid is coming except at the last moment but today has been more than over for two reasons from my point of view :
The Maspero protest :
Since afternoon and dozens of ERTVU employees are protesting outside the Maspero building blocking the corniche from both ways. Of course now they are being surrounded by CSF soldiers that exceed them in number “and in power actually”. The CSF vehicles left Tahrir square and moved to Al Galaa street , Hilton Ramses and Corniche blocking the way.
It is not a big secret that the employees of Maspero are furious and threatened to escalate their protesting to any level since last Thursday after trying to block the live broadcast. They were originally objecting the the delay in implementing the new Maximum and minimum wags list set as well as the delay of bounces and raises promised by Major General Tarek El Mahdy. There were also rumors that 20% of the workforce will be laid off. The new minister of information Osama Haikel stated that he would announce the new wages list this Sunday but there has been nothing today.
Now as response the employees decided to cut the road of the Corniche , now things went from bad to worse to worst when a car hit 4 employees. 2 of the injured employees were transferred to the hospital where as the the other two were transferred to the medical clinic at Maspero building. Now I went to the protest and despite I saw small number of protesters considering the amount of security forces surrounding the building yet I believe there are more angry employees inside the building. Nevertheless the employees outside were extreme ply especially that there were rumors that the car that hit the employees was actually Osama Heikal’s and that one of the employees passed away in the hospital. I saw high police ranks trying to convince the employees to open the road but they refused.
The employees of Maspero were chanting against Osama Heikal , they do not want him as minister of information. They chanted pro-Tarek El Mahdy on the other hand wondering “ Where was El Mahdy hidden and why they hided him in reference to SCAF !?”
This is the main reason I believe Cairo was somehow was paralyzed.
Al Tahrir square’s traffic :
There have been a lot of rumors about the Tahrir square’s traffic and the sit in. Most of the political groups and movements decided to suspend the sit in because of Ramadan while the families of the martyrs and few political groups like “The No for military trials campaign” decided to continue the sit in. Those who have continued in their sit in transferred their tents near to the Mogamma , it was a good sign that the traffic would be opened but according to my sources and also to all our friends the security committees “The strange and suspicious security committees” are refusing to re-open the square for traffic especially in Ramadan. The shops owners and vendors in Down town are extremely angry , really angry because they consider the Holy Month of Ramadan as a season and that they believe the Tahrir sit in protesters are standing their profits. Since the morning there were a lot of rumors that there are clashes between the venders and the protesters , the traffic is back.. etc. These rumors made some people head to Tahrir square and find out it was closed to be stuck in a terrible traffic jam.
Now I believe it is wise to open the traffic at Tahrir square now for the public because it will make it much easier for millions of Egyptians in Ramadan. We do not want to lose more public support to our cause. I will not go in to debates regarding this now with my all due respect.
Nevertheless you got “ realizing Ramadan at the last moment” factor playing very important factor here.
More photos and a video from Maspero coming in the way.
Happy Ramadan and Happy traffic jams people of Cairo and Egypt.
I want to say something : For 30 years people were shut up by force so please before you blame anyone , any political force or party for acting irrationally remember we are being forced to act in this way after losing our rights for more than 30 years.
The Maspero protest :
Since afternoon and dozens of ERTVU employees are protesting outside the Maspero building blocking the corniche from both ways. Of course now they are being surrounded by CSF soldiers that exceed them in number “and in power actually”. The CSF vehicles left Tahrir square and moved to Al Galaa street , Hilton Ramses and Corniche blocking the way.
It is not a big secret that the employees of Maspero are furious and threatened to escalate their protesting to any level since last Thursday after trying to block the live broadcast. They were originally objecting the the delay in implementing the new Maximum and minimum wags list set as well as the delay of bounces and raises promised by Major General Tarek El Mahdy. There were also rumors that 20% of the workforce will be laid off. The new minister of information Osama Haikel stated that he would announce the new wages list this Sunday but there has been nothing today.
Now as response the employees decided to cut the road of the Corniche , now things went from bad to worse to worst when a car hit 4 employees. 2 of the injured employees were transferred to the hospital where as the the other two were transferred to the medical clinic at Maspero building. Now I went to the protest and despite I saw small number of protesters considering the amount of security forces surrounding the building yet I believe there are more angry employees inside the building. Nevertheless the employees outside were extreme ply especially that there were rumors that the car that hit the employees was actually Osama Heikal’s and that one of the employees passed away in the hospital. I saw high police ranks trying to convince the employees to open the road but they refused.
The employees of Maspero were chanting against Osama Heikal , they do not want him as minister of information. They chanted pro-Tarek El Mahdy on the other hand wondering “ Where was El Mahdy hidden and why they hided him in reference to SCAF !?”
This is the main reason I believe Cairo was somehow was paralyzed.
Al Tahrir square’s traffic :
There have been a lot of rumors about the Tahrir square’s traffic and the sit in. Most of the political groups and movements decided to suspend the sit in because of Ramadan while the families of the martyrs and few political groups like “The No for military trials campaign” decided to continue the sit in. Those who have continued in their sit in transferred their tents near to the Mogamma , it was a good sign that the traffic would be opened but according to my sources and also to all our friends the security committees “The strange and suspicious security committees” are refusing to re-open the square for traffic especially in Ramadan. The shops owners and vendors in Down town are extremely angry , really angry because they consider the Holy Month of Ramadan as a season and that they believe the Tahrir sit in protesters are standing their profits. Since the morning there were a lot of rumors that there are clashes between the venders and the protesters , the traffic is back.. etc. These rumors made some people head to Tahrir square and find out it was closed to be stuck in a terrible traffic jam.
Now I believe it is wise to open the traffic at Tahrir square now for the public because it will make it much easier for millions of Egyptians in Ramadan. We do not want to lose more public support to our cause. I will not go in to debates regarding this now with my all due respect.
Nevertheless you got “ realizing Ramadan at the last moment” factor playing very important factor here.
More photos and a video from Maspero coming in the way.
Happy Ramadan and Happy traffic jams people of Cairo and Egypt.
I want to say something : For 30 years people were shut up by force so please before you blame anyone , any political force or party for acting irrationally remember we are being forced to act in this way after losing our rights for more than 30 years.
FACT: during the first stage of the underground, Tahrir square and surrounding complex was closed to traffic for 3 years.
ReplyDeleteThink about that.