Mubarak tried to pull a fast one

Dear Editor,

With regard to your news story on Hosni Mubarak’s speech, the Egyptian hardliner tried to pull a fast one on the people.  But it will not be accepted and will make the people more determined to topple the dictator from office.

Unless Mubarak leaves office immediately, and all the indications are he will not be able to ride out till September as he proposes, Egypt could descend into chaos allowing Islamic militants to gain strength in what is a moderate Islamic nation. This would make politics nasty for US interests in the Middle East.

As Mohamed ElBaradei said, Mubarak must go now and a provisional government installed to prepare for free and fair elections and democratic rule.

The US should send a clear, unambiguous statement to Mubarak that he must leave office now.  Failing that, the US should withhold all assistance to force change in the country. Change and reform are the only ways to save Egypt.

The country needs to go into immediate transition to democratic governance with free and fair elections. People are entitled to elect their own leaders.

For too long, as we experienced in Guyana under the Burnham dictatorship, dictators feel they can suffocate people’s liberation with backing from the US. Now that President Obama has made it known that he backs the freedom movement in Egypt, he must demand that Mubarak go.

Mubarak had hoped that by announcing he is giving up most of his powers to his hand-picked deputy, protesters will call off their demonstrations. But he is mistaken. His deputy, Suleiman, could also see his fall from grace if he continues to side with Mubarak. The army will not do Mubarak or Suleiman’s bidding and increasingly they will side with the protesters.

Reports say hundreds of thousands of protesters gathered in Cairo after prayers on Friday demanding Mubarak go into exile. That is likely to happen sooner than Mubarak thinks.

Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram