By Abdel-Rahman Hussein
CAIRO: Protesters in Sinai are united in their demands with those in Tahrir Square, and will continue to protest until they are met, sources in the area told Daily News Egypt.
About 5,000 people peacefully marched in El-Arish Tuesday, calling for the end of the regime and for President Mubarak to step down. Since the army is also present in Al-Arish, protecting the North Sinai governorate building, no clashes have been reported in recent days.
That wasn’t the case last week, where violence erupted in both Al-Arish and Sheikh Zowayed. The Sheikh Zowayed police station was attacked for three days straight as well as the State Security buildings in both Al-Arish and Sheikh Zowayed.
Residents of Sinai have long complained of the treatment they received by security forces as well as the rampant detentions of their youth, so when protests erupted in Egypt on Jan. 25 matters escalated in North Sinai to violent clashes between protesters and security forces.
The sources said that security on the Egypt-Gaza border was not enough, and that there was a “security void” in that area with tunnels permeating the border open and functional.
Additionally, sources in the area told Daily News Egypt that on Wednesday Feb. 2 battles ensued when government-affiliated supporters descended on the protesters, in events similar to what happened in Tahrir Square when pro-Mubarak supporters attacked anti-government protesters.
North Sinai political party activists affiliated with the Tagammu, Wafd and Nasserist parties have resigned en masse over their respective parties’ willingness to negotiate with the regime.
Instead, along with members of the Muslim Brotherhood, Salafists and local businessmen have set up a coalition named “The Council to Protect the Revolution” in Al-Arish, which is mandated to support the demands of the protesters.
