“We’re still here to carry the torch” of
the revolution, warned Marwan Adel at the square which in February 2011
became the cradle of the uprising that ousted former president Hosni
Mubarak.
On Sunday, Egyptians were voting on the
last day of a highly divisive presidential run-off, but fears remained
high that the military was consolidating its power after having
dissolved the Islamist-dominated parliament.
“The army will always have Tahrir to
face up to,” said Adel, a teacher, who like several other activists
regularly returns to the square.
“We’re ready to restart the revolt,”
Adel warned the army which has been ruling Egypt since Mubarak was
ousted after more than three decades in office, in a high point of last
year’s Arab Spring.
Activists have kept up some tents at the
square to mark their symbolic presence at the site. Adel admitted to
have “boycotted” the presidential election between two candidates who
are poles apart ideologically and represent ideals far removed from
those of the young revolutionaries of 2011.
Former air force chief Ahmed Shafiq, who
served as Mubarak’s prime minister in the final days of the uprising,
was vying for the top job against Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed
Mursi.
The presidential election came against a
backdrop of legal and political chaos, with the Muslim Brotherhood set
on a collision path with the military after it ordered parliament
dissolved.
The move throws Egypt’s already
tumultuous transition after Mubarak’s ouster into further disarray with
the new president expected to take office without a parliament and
without a constitution.
The ruling Supreme Council for Armed
Forces is to maintain control over legislation and the budget in the
absence of a parliament, military sources told AFP on Sunday.
The dissolution of parliament has triggered fears that the generals want to cling to power at any cost.
Another activist Magdy, 35, reminded the
army of Khaled Said, a young Egyptian who was arrested in an Internet
cafe in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria and beaten to death by
police in late 2010.
His killing caused nationwide outrage and made him a symbol of police repression and of the anti-Mubarak uprising.
”As long as the flame, Khaled Said, is alive, neither the army nor Shafiq can bury the revolution,” said Magdy.
“The military has protected the country
and its revolution. It’s a shame that today it insists on confiscating
it. We will not let that happen,” he said, referring to the army’s
perceived neutral role during the revolt.
The head of the military council, Field
Marshal Hussein Tantawi, has become the favourite target of
pro-democracy activists. They accuse him of trying to retain the old
regime despite the fall of Mubarak.
“My message to Tantawi is: ‘You can use
every trick in the book to maintain power, but beware, the youth of the
revolution are still here and ready tonight to take over,” said Adel.
For him, the fact that the intelligence
services and military police have once again been authorised to arrest
civilians is a sign that the army expects more unrest and has the means
to tackle it.
Egypt’s justice ministry has granted the
army the right to arrest civilians, in a move seen as proof of the
military’s plans to cement itself in power.
But beyond the political turbulence that
has rocked the country of 82 million people, street vendors selling
cigarettes, flags and mementos at Tahrir Square are worried for their
business.
“I hope the atmosphere continues to stay
calm, with no violence as we need to work to feed our families,” said
Abdelal, a flag vendor.
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