- EGYPT
- August 12, 2014
- 11 minutes read
Pro-Democracy Alliance Calls Nationwide Protests on Rabaa Massacre First Anniversary
The Anti-Coup Pro-Legitimacy National Alliance issued the following statement calling for million-man marches across Egypt on the first anniversary of the Rabaa and Nahda massacres:
On August 14, a year ago, Egypt lived a bleak and tragic day the like of which has never been witness in the history of this homeland. The traitorous military junta proved beyond doubt that they thirst for the blood of the good people of Egypt – men, women, children and even the elderly. This was followed by many horrid massacres in Ramses, Abu-Zaabal and other places, until the streets of Egypt cried out in grief for the blood of innocent Egyptians and the junta crimes that followed, the most heinous of which were systematic violations against Egypt’s women in detention and later in jail.
A whole year has now passed, and no fair retribution has been exacted from the coup murderers who participated in the largest genocide tragedy that ever took place in Egypt – in Rabaa and Nahda squares, and which will remain the most important issue for this homeland and its people.
Today, both justice and retribution are still missing in Egypt. And still the voices of martyrs rise calling for their rights and urging the people to persist and persevere until they achieve victory for the Revolution, so justice can then be served. Anger still burns in the hearts of the people as they pursue the horrid chapters of the continuing conspiracy to acquit the perpetrators and to prepare for false exoneration of ousted Mubarak and his gang. The blood so callously spilled still stains the hands of murderers, the victims’ souls besiege their killers, and the plundered wealth still scorches Egypt.
Today, a year later, as promised, all public squares across Egypt witness how the people honor their pledge to the martyr and the Revolution – until victory. The military junta are failing miserably as they rule Egypt by sheer force. Their man in the presidential palace is failing to achieve any of his false promises.
The putschists showed the whole world their real ugly counter-Revolution face with the demented decisions to spill the blood of Egyptians, remove subsidies, increase poverty, cut electricity, disrupt services, plunder Egypt’s resources, destroy national security, and betray the nation with the Zionist enemy. They await the fate of all dictators who do not understand, until they fall.
The National Alliance solemnly praises and appreciates the legendary steadfastness and resilience of raging Egyptians in their persistent peaceful defiance of the bloody coup, and deeply values the enormous sacrifices the people made.
The Alliance calls everyone to continue the Revolution strongly and peacefully, rejecting all attempts to drag our national struggle into the Algerian scenario, and affirms the following:
First: Our revolutionary path is clear. We continue to commit to its non-violent approach, without abandoning the right of legitimate self-defense. With God’s help and the mechanisms of peaceful popular resistance, we will persist in the face of military junta terror and violence, until we achieve the demands of the living and the martyrs. We invite all free and honorable people to save Egypt from the traitorous junta and their henchmen and mercenaries, so we can raise our heads among our children and grandchildren who would see that we defended the Truth and protected the homeland and the honor of the people.
Second: Coup leaders must be put on trial for committing genocide, spilling the blood of thousands of Egyptians – no matter how long it takes. This must be one of the first decisions of the Revolution after its victory, in order to achieve retribution for all the martyrs since January 25, 2011 until now.
Third: The Alliance will not stand idly by and watch Interior Ministry excesses against Egypt’s girls and women. We warn coup forces against continuing their violations against girls. We will work with fair-thinking individuals and organizations for the release of all female political detainees without restrictions or conditions. We salute the Qanater strike initiated by women in rejection of politicized judicial rulings.
Fourth: We announce the launch of a powerful revolutionary wave starting Thursday, August 14 under the title "We Demand Retribution", in which we renew the call for young people and students to take the leadership of revolutionary activities on the ground, to go strongly forward as they see fit, depending on the circumstances, and to fulfil the aspirations of the people, especially the martyrs’ families – without abandoning the revolutionary movement’s essential principles.
Fifth: Use creative ingenuity and spread everywhere, in all public squares, in all governorates. In-field decisions are up to march leaders, in order to preserve lives and achieve goals, with respect to the three main squares: Rabaa, Tahrir and Nahda, where female protesters should only join activities later. They should have their own activities in appropriate locations. We should start off from all Revolution mosques and safe meeting points. Activities like "A day from Rabaa" and honoring the martyrs and their families should be held in suitable places. Detainees in coup prisons can show solidarity marking the anniversary of the Abu-Zaabal prisoner transport van massacre in whatever ways available to them. The decision to start hunger strikes is entirely up to them.
The National Alliance has heard pledges by youth of the revolution to commit to non-violence and to secure all activities;
and warns the military junta against any new criminal killing of Egyptians, holds them responsible for any trouble, and calls on good Egyptian men in the army and police to avoid hurting their Egyptian brothers and sisters. We announce it for all
the revolutionary people’s demands are well known; fulfilling them is the solution. The putschists should reconsider their positions before it is too late.
Our rendezvous is August 14.
The streets are ours… Retribution is our demand… Freedom is our goal.
The Anti-Coup Pro-Legitimacy National Alliance
Cairo: Monday – August 11, 2014
