Tahrir square is still alive

Mohamed el Anwar (34) comes from Dakhla in the western desert of Egypt, but the last two months he spent most of his time on the Tahrir square, which has become the centre of the Egyptian revolution. He`s there this evening as well, trying to convince people to vote NO during the referendum vote this Saturday the 19th of March. Although the Tahrir square has been literally swept clean of demonstrators, dozens of people are still discussing in the streets. `We do not agree with the proposals for changes in the constitution, because it is only half work. We want a completely new start. I think most people will vote against; if not, we will have a problem again in Egypt.

By the way, did Egypt experience a revolution, or was it really a military coup? A high diplomat of the Dutch Embassy we spoke today thinks it was the last: the Army installed a High Commission which is in charge in the country right now. Egypt is still in a state of emergency, as it has been for the last thirty years. This night, there`s a curfew in the city starting at midnight. Still, Mohamed approves of the military take-over. `They are not like the police, the army is our friend.´

Later this evening, we got involved into a sort of fight. In one of the main streets all hell broke out because of January the 25th, the day which is regarded as the beginning of the revulution/coup in Egypt. Crowds gathered, people screamed, cars honked. What had happened: the street vendors had just started selling their new ´25th of January´ stickers. Cairo is alive and kicking!