NOBEL LAUREATE Mohamed ElBaradei predicted change within “the next few days” as western leaders pointedly declined to throw their support behind Egypt’s embattled president, Hosni Mubarak.
“You have taken back your rights and what we have begun, cannot go back,” Mr ElBaradei said. “We have one main demand – the end of the regime and the beginning of a new stage, a new Egypt.”
There was little of the violence seen in previous days, in which about 100 people are thought to have died.
Mr ElBaradei, claiming endorsement from opposition groups which range from students to mass Islamist movement the Muslim Brotherhood, said he had a mandate to speak to the army and organise a handover to a national unity coalition. He called on US president Barack Obama to “cut off life support to the dictator”.
The US urged an orderly transition to democracy to avoid a power vacuum but stopped short of calling on Mr Mubarak to step down. Secretary of state Hillary Clinton said Mr Mubarak must ensure the coming elections are free and fair and live up to his promises of reform, but a void that could be filled by extremists should be prevented.
Protesters continued to violate the curfew imposed at 4pm, although the army presence in Tahrir (Independence) Square had been reinforced with mainline battle tanks. A well-connected source said there was concern the military, which “is divided”, could fire tear gas – but not munitions – to disperse demonstrators. This, however, would place the armed forces in the Mubarak camp and could lead to civil strife, the informant warned. Late last night police reappeared on the streets.
On Saturday, the Egyptian government resigned and Mr Mubarak swore in Omar Suleiman as his vice-president, the first to be appointed in 30 years. He also appointed Ahmad Shafiq, a former airforce chief, as prime minister.
These appointments were strongly rejected by the 50,000-strong throng in Tahrir Square, who flatly rejected any compromise that would leave senior regime figures in power.
As the deadlock intensified, Egyptian volunteers directed traffic in Cairo’s usually well-regulated streets and organised neighbourhood groups to challenge looters. Police and security forces were withdrawn from the streets on Friday, leaving Egyptians exposed to criminal elements and agents provocateurs, reportedly dispatched by the government to foster uncertainty and fear.
Inhabitants of the diplomatic quarter of Zamalek, where the Irish Embassy and Residence are located, made Molotov cocktails and collected sticks to fend off any attacks before cheerfully patrolling the area. In other areas, residents have set up checkpoints and barricades and are checking identity papers.
Dr Youssef Zaki, a university professor, said that of five troublemakers captured near his home in Heliopolis on the airport road, one was a policeman and four carried the identity cards of the internal security services. One analyst concluded the regime was offering Egyptians a choice: it or chaos.
Tension has been rising due to the shutdown of the internet and social networking sites and the closure of banks and ATMs. Tourists are pouring out of the country.
Australian visitor Roger Barnes said he and his wife and friends had “seen terrible things” from their room in the Ramses Hilton hotel. His wife added: “I guess we’ve witnessed history.”