Military rulers' moves eyed with suspicion in Egypt
By Nehal El-Sherif, dpa
Cairo (dpa) - For the past few months, decisions taken by Egypt's military rulers have been received coldly by many people, who slam them as more of the same old tactics employed by past, disdained regimes.
When a one-minute video showing Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the head of Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, walking in central Cairo, eyebrows were immediately raised.
He was wearing civilian clothes, shaking hands with people. No security could be seen. It was aired on state television late Monday. Since then, Egyptians have been asking: What could be the intentions behind it?
The video was seen as a beginning of an elections campaign, either for Tantawi, or any other military member, who might announce his candidacy for presidency.
"Just like surprise official visits during (former president Hosny) Mubarak's rule, the field marshal was just randomly walking in downtown Cairo, and Egyptian State television cameras just happened to be there," one activist - who goes by the nickname 'agenda' - wrote on Twitter.
While the military was credited for its support of the January 25 revolution, which unseated Mubarak, it has also been criticized for using force against demonstrators since then, setting a slow pace for reforms and postponing handing over power to a civilian rule.
The decline in the council's popularity has made many people reject a new president with a military background.
"By the way, this is not, and will never be, the 1952 revolution," wrote political activist Wael Ghonim.
Since the 1952 revolution, when a group of army officers seized power from King Farouk, all four presidents of Egypt have had military ties.
"Well I cannot hear anyone chanting 'The army and the people are one hand,'" said student Ahmed Salem as he watched the video on his computer. He was referring to a famous slogan protesters used when the army was stationed in Tahrir square on January 28 after three-deadly days of clashes between protesters and the police.
One blogger even accused the council of releasing a two-year-old video for Tantawi and using it in trying to restore the army's popularity among Egyptians. The blogger also attacked Egyptian television, saying it featured a journalist "who is (a) remnant of the old regime to suggest that Tantawi is the most fit to rule Egypt now."
"We congratulate Tantawi for his new civilian suit," journalist and activist Belal Fadl wrote. "But regarding this whole issue about him being able to lead the country, we want to tell him: 'If you love Egypt, forget it.'"
Tantawi's late night stroll came two days after he gave testimony - behind-closed doors - at a trial where Mubarak is accused of giving orders to kill protesters.
Tantawi has been under attack after a journalist defied the media ban on the session and published on Twitter what he said was Tantawi's testimony.
So far there has been no official reaction to the leak. The reported testimony has angered activists, saying it is biased to Mubarak.
The military council has promised to hand over power to an elected president within six months of taking over after Mubarak stepped down on February 11. However, more than seven month have passed and the council has not set a date for presidential elections.
"Dear Tantawi, we are calling for a civilian rule, not a civilian suit," wrote another activist on Twitter.
Cairo (dpa) - For the past few months, decisions taken by Egypt's military rulers have been received coldly by many people, who slam them as more of the same old tactics employed by past, disdained regimes.
When a one-minute video showing Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the head of Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, walking in central Cairo, eyebrows were immediately raised.
He was wearing civilian clothes, shaking hands with people. No security could be seen. It was aired on state television late Monday. Since then, Egyptians have been asking: What could be the intentions behind it?
The video was seen as a beginning of an elections campaign, either for Tantawi, or any other military member, who might announce his candidacy for presidency.
"Just like surprise official visits during (former president Hosny) Mubarak's rule, the field marshal was just randomly walking in downtown Cairo, and Egyptian State television cameras just happened to be there," one activist - who goes by the nickname 'agenda' - wrote on Twitter.
While the military was credited for its support of the January 25 revolution, which unseated Mubarak, it has also been criticized for using force against demonstrators since then, setting a slow pace for reforms and postponing handing over power to a civilian rule.
The decline in the council's popularity has made many people reject a new president with a military background.
"By the way, this is not, and will never be, the 1952 revolution," wrote political activist Wael Ghonim.
Since the 1952 revolution, when a group of army officers seized power from King Farouk, all four presidents of Egypt have had military ties.
"Well I cannot hear anyone chanting 'The army and the people are one hand,'" said student Ahmed Salem as he watched the video on his computer. He was referring to a famous slogan protesters used when the army was stationed in Tahrir square on January 28 after three-deadly days of clashes between protesters and the police.
One blogger even accused the council of releasing a two-year-old video for Tantawi and using it in trying to restore the army's popularity among Egyptians. The blogger also attacked Egyptian television, saying it featured a journalist "who is (a) remnant of the old regime to suggest that Tantawi is the most fit to rule Egypt now."
"We congratulate Tantawi for his new civilian suit," journalist and activist Belal Fadl wrote. "But regarding this whole issue about him being able to lead the country, we want to tell him: 'If you love Egypt, forget it.'"
Tantawi's late night stroll came two days after he gave testimony - behind-closed doors - at a trial where Mubarak is accused of giving orders to kill protesters.
Tantawi has been under attack after a journalist defied the media ban on the session and published on Twitter what he said was Tantawi's testimony.
So far there has been no official reaction to the leak. The reported testimony has angered activists, saying it is biased to Mubarak.
The military council has promised to hand over power to an elected president within six months of taking over after Mubarak stepped down on February 11. However, more than seven month have passed and the council has not set a date for presidential elections.
"Dear Tantawi, we are calling for a civilian rule, not a civilian suit," wrote another activist on Twitter.
