EGYPT: People on the streets of Cairo react to a statement by Egypt's army chief Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in which he says army and the police are the "guardians of the will of the people"

Record ID: 862186

  • Title: EGYPT: People on the streets of Cairo react to a statement by Egypt's army chief Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in which he says army and the police are the "guardians of the will of the people"
  • Date: 18th August 2013
  • Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (AUGUST 18, 2013) (REUTERS) ELDERLY MAN SITTING OUTSIDE CAFE IN DOWNTOWN CAIRO CLOSE OF ELDERLY MAN PEOPLE IN CAFE WITH TV ON IN BACKGROUND
  • Embargoed: 2nd September 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Egypt
  • City:
  • Country: Egypt
  • Topics: Conflict,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA97XHBCOI894XQK9TPZYU9YPBM
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Egyptians chatting, smoking and playing backgammon in and around a Cairo caf�offered their welcome to a statement by the army chief to uphold the will of the people.
    General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi was speaking after four days of crisis in the country following a security operation to clear supporters of deposed President Mohamed Mursi from two protest camps in Cairo.
    Sisi said, in a television statement that Egyptians could freely chose their leader and that the military and the police were the "guardians of the will of the people".
    His words found resonance with Cairo residents at a downtown caf�who gave their first reaction to Reuters.
    "What is said is correct of course, and this is the best thing that can happen now otherwise the country will be destroyed. He is facing people who are determined to destroy and sabotage- is there any other alternative? There is no alternative," Ashraf said.
    Yousef Hanafi, another Cairo resident also agreed with Sisi.
    "To be honest what he is saying is correct. We reject violence, whether it is on one side or the other. Who are the ones dying? They are all Egyptians and the spilling of blood is forbidden," he said.
    Another Cairo resident, Ala' Mohamed, also threw his weight behind the army chief.
    "We are with Sisi, heart and soul, and with anyone who will achieve reconciliation for Egypt. We support every helping hand in this, " he said.
    Egypt, the most populous Arab nation, is grappling with the worst bout of internal bloodshed in its modern history, just 30 months after President Hosni Mubarak's overthrow was hailed as heralding democratic change across a region ruled by autocrats.
    Around 800 people have died, including about 79 police, in a crackdown that has earned the military rulers condemnation from major aid donor the United States and the European Union, but support from wealthy Arab allies led by Saudi Arabia, which fear the spread of Brotherhood ideology to the Gulf monarchies.
    Brotherhood leaders accuse the military of deliberately sabotaging their time in office and plotting their demise.
    In calibrated rebukes to the army, the United States has delayed delivery of four F-16 fighters and scrapped a joint military exercise, but it has not halted its $1.55 billion a year in aid to Egypt, mostly to finance U.S.-made arms supplies.
    The EU says it will urgently review relations.
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