A host of political groups, university students and workers in various fields have been increasingly calling for a campaign of civil disobedience to begin on 11 February, the one-year anniversary of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak’s ouster.
The group’s chief demand is the immediate handover of power from the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) to a civilian administration in the People’s Assembly (the lower house of Egypt’s parliament). The six additional demands are:
1- The immediate dismantlement of the incumbent interim government, led by SCAF-appointed premier Kamal El-Ganzouri, and the appointment of a bona fide government of national salvation members of which shall be selected by the People’s Assembly.
2- The immediate holding of presidential elections.
3- The formation of an investigative committee mandated with the judicial and executive authority to investigate all crimes and massacres committed by the ruling authorities since 25 January 2011.
4- The establishment of «revolutionary tribunals» to try all former regime figures found guilty of involvement in crimes committed after the January uprising.
5- The immediate dismissal of Egypt’s prosecutor general.
6- The purge and overhaul of Egypt’s Ministry of Interior, especially the National Security apparatus, which continues to be seen largely as a continuation of the notorious, now-defunct State Security apparatus.
In its statement, the Revolutionaries’ Alliance asserted that civil disobedience «has become a valid means of expressing our demand for the handover of power to a civilian administration in light of the recent deterioration of domestic circumstances.»
«Young people have been killed, the SCAF has failed to live up to its promises and Egypt continues to suffer a chronic security vacuum,” the statement added. “All of these factors ended up contributing to the recent massacre in Port Said.»
Last week, 74 football fans – mainly hardcore Ahly supporters known as Ultras Ahlawy – were killed in clashes with rival fans following an Egyptian league match between local teams Ahly and Masry in Port Said. Many suspect the disaster was not simply allowed to happen but masterminded by elements of the security forces, the military or former regime figures.
The Egypt Revolutionaries’ Alliance was formed during the infamous clashes that erupted last November between protesters and police forces in Mohamed Mahmoud Street, Cairo’s downtown. The April 6 Movement (the Democratic Front) is one of the alliance’s members.