CKUT Voices from Egypt - with Dr. Sabry Khaled re: Tahrir field hospitals & 2nd Revolution by Lillian Boctor

As voting in the first post-Mubarak Egyptian Parliamentary elections carries on into the second day, the second wave of the Revolution continues in Tahrir Square and throughout Egypt. After a demonstration on Friday, 18 November 2011, calling for an end to military rule, about 200 people, mainly family members of martyrs who died in the January 25 uprisings and people who were previously injured, staged a sit-in at Tahrir Square. Central Security Forces and Egyptian military police violently dismantled the sit-in, and since then, thousands have come together to reoccupy Tahrir Square. The police and military continued to attack protesters throughout the week, in Tahrir and throughout Egypt, with live bullets, extremely potent tear gas and invisible gas, bird-shot, rubber bullets and other ammunition.

During last week’s protests and the ensuing violence by security forces and military police, Prime Minister Essam Sharaf’s interim government resigned. The ruling military council appointed 78-year-old Kamal El-Ganzouri as Prime Minister, a move strongly opposed by various political parties, revolutionary coalitions and protesters throughout the country, who are calling for a national salvation government that would include presidential candidates Mohamed ElBaradei, Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh and Hamdeen Sabahy.

Attacks on protesters by Central Security Forces and military police killed over 50 people and wounded thousands throughout Egypt. The protesters continue their occupation of Tahrir Square and cities and towns throughout the country demanding that the ruling military council, or SCAF, steps down. In Cairo, protesters are also blocking the Cabinet building, to prevent SCAF-appointed Prime Minister El-Ganzoury from entering.

I spoke with Dr. Sabry Mohamed Khaled by phone from Cairo early Wednesday morning, 23 November 2011. He is a dentist and a maxillo-facial surgeon. He is also an activist and blogger and participated in the January 25 revolution. Since the beginning of the Second Revolution, Sabry Khaled has been working in the Tahrir field hospitals, taking care of protesters wounded by military and security forces. This interview was broadcast on 29 November 2011 on CKUT 90.3 Montreal radio on The Tuesday Morning After program. https://twitter.com/#!/sabrykhaled http://eldoctorwelkababgy.blogspot.com/