Mohamed Omar
Opposition parties and movements have scheduled marches marking the two-year anniversary of the ousting of former president Hosni Mubarak. Those calling for peaceful demonstrations announced that they would commemorate the resignation of Mubarak and call for retribution for those who had died throughout the last two tumultuous years.
The groups taking part in the 11 February marches include the Youth Movement on Behalf of Freedom and Justice, the National Front for Justice and Democracy, the Lotus Revolution Coalition, the Free Egyptian Movement, the Egyptian Social Democratic party, the Popular Current, the Socialist Popular Alliance party, The Freedom Egypt Party, the Al-Dostour Party, and the Free Egyptians party.
A group of parties issued a statement celebrating the downfall of the Mubarak regime and decrying a mismanaged transition rooted in governance by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) and criticising the governance of President Mohamed Morsi. The group also criticised Egypt’s first post-revolution parliament for overlooking atrocities by the Ministry of Interior.
The statement criticised Morsi for perpetuating practices of torture, kidnapping, and repression.
“In parallel with this continuous political repression, economic and social repression increased, with the closing of factories and dismissal of workers,” said the statement, pointing out that the government was not even able to deliver on the demand of social justice, including the determination of minimum and maximum wages.
“The only thing that has radically changed with the brave 25 January Revolution was that the people broke the barrier of fear and became determined to live in dignity.”
The signatories to the statement included the Socialist Popular Alliance party, the Youth Movement on Behalf of Freedom and Justice, the Al-Dostour Party, the Popular Movement for the Independence of Al-Azhar, the Dignity Party, the Free Front for Peaceful Change, the Maspero Youth Union, the Arab Revolution Youth Movement, the Revolutionary Socialists, the Popular Current, The Freedom Egypt Party, the National Group for Change, and the Kefaya Movement.
The two peaceful marches are scheduled to leave the Al-Fath Mosque and Sayeda Zeinab at 5pm on Monday and will converge in Tahrir Square.
