8 killed in fresh clashes in Cairo
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Xinhua, December 18, 2011
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A protester throws stones at army soldiers inside a cabinet building near a burning police booth during clashes in Cairo Dec 16, 2011. [Photo/Agencies] |
The death toll from clashes between protestors and security forces on Friday in the Egyptian capital of Cairo has risen to eight, with 317 others injured, Egyptian Prime Minister Kamal el-Ganzouri told reporters on Saturday.
Ganzouri expressed his deep sorrow over the latest clashes outside the cabinet and parliament premises. He said that what had happened was not "a revolution but an attack on Egypt," calling on all Egyptian nationals to love and protect their country.
The clashes erupted in front of the government buildings early Friday and lasted almost the whole day, as protestors tried to storm into the buildings, set fire to cars and part of the buildings. This was the worst violence after a relatively calm period with the start of the landmark parliamentary vote on Nov. 28.
Some protestors said the violence was triggered by rumors that one protester was arrested and beaten by the police. But the ruling military council said that the cause of the clash was that an officer was first attacked by protestors.
"Some people do not want the security improvement over the past days to continue," Ganzouri said, adding that Egypt is going through a hard time which needs the unity of all political and youth groups.
The prime minister meanwhile denied the use of violence against peaceful protestors.
"The policemen and armed forces didn't leave the building of Shura Council (the upper house of parliament) or hurt the protestors," Ganzouri said, adding that those protestors who threw stones and Molotov cocktails at the building did not belong to " the Jan. 25 revolution", an expression which Egyptians use to refer to the mass protests in late January and early February which toppled ex-president Hosni Mubarak.
"I have authorized a national center to take care of the injured and families of those killed," said Ganzouri. He said that he had met with families of the victims and an injured girl on the street who would be a member of the board of the center.
"Egypt is in front of you and you have to love Egypt," said Ganzouri, who was forced to put off a meeting slated for Friday with ministers because of the protest.
The prime minister, once worked under Mubarak's rule, meanwhile pledged to keep the country moving forward, reduce expenditure to cut the increasing budget deficit, and deal with high inflation.
On Nov. 25, the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces tasked 78-year-old Ganzouri to form a national salvation government after his predecessor Essam Sharaf's cabinet resigned under pressure from bloody protests.
Ganzouri's cabinet was sworn in on Dec. 7, and the new government has been working hard to restore security and revive the economy.
Violent protests are common in Egypt since Mubarak's fall, and the instability has dealt a heavy blow to the country's economy -- which is hugely supported by tourism and foreign investment.
Tourism revenue is expected to shrink about 30 percent this year, the tourism ministry said, while investment may also face a sharp fall.
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