Egypt protests enter 14th day; Muslim Brotherhood joins talks; Protests in Jordan, Yemen and Iraq
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    • Egypt's Vice-President, Omar Suleiman, held unprecedented talks on February 6 with the banned Muslim Brotherhood and other opposition groups in an effort to chart a way forward for Egypt as the protests entered in to its thirteenth day. The protesters marked a "Day of Martyrs" for the people killed in clashes in the past two weeks. But even after the talks the Muslim Brotherhood does not look fully satisfied.1 Meanwhile, Vice President Suleiman has said the government was mapping out a peaceful transition of power and called on people to stop protesting and return to their jobs and everyday life.2

    Earlier on February 5, senior members of the ruling party, National Democratic Party (NDP), including Hosni Mubarak’s son Gamal resigned from their posts. Hossam Badrawi will take over as NDP Secretary General and political bureau chief. But protesters have rejected this by saying it a meaningless gesture that showed the regime was in trouble.3

    Reports noted that several protesters in Amman have come out to the streets demanding greater economic and political reforms in the country. Protesters from leftist groups and the Muslim Brotherhood marched from the prime minister's office to the Egyptian embassy on February 4 calling for change in their country. They have also expressed their support for the protesters in Egypt. The king has replaced his Prime Minister with Maruf Bakhit and asked him to form a new government. He instructed the new Prime Minister to "take practical, quick and tangible steps to launch true political reforms."4 Meanwhile, the King has met with the opposition leaders and has assured them of meeting their demands and undertaking reforms in the country.

    In another reports, thousands of anti-government protesters have taken to the streets of Yemen in a planned "day of rage" against the President Ali Abdullah Saleh, a day after he offered to step down in two years time. Around 20,000 people gathered in the capital Sanaa, on February 3 demanding President Saleh to step down. There was also a rally by the pro-government protesters in Sanaa leading to small scuffles between the two groups. There are also reports of security forces firing tear gas and live ammunition to break up demonstrators in Aden.5 To defuse anti-government protests in the country, President Saleh, on February 2 had announced that he would not seek re-election for presidency after his current term ends in 2013, and also said that nor will his son contest the presidential elections. He also vowed to postpone controversial April elections in the country.

    Meanwhile, several protesters in Iraq have also come out to the streets against their government. Angry residents in Hamza in Diwaniya province have taken to the streets protesting over shortages of power, food and jobs, as well as political corruption. There was a crackdown by the security forces on February 3 in which four protesters were injured. The protesters reportedly blocked the main road between Hamza and Diwaniya city and stormed government buildings and a police station.6 Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki has announced that he would give up half his salary cabinet and return it to the state treasury. Maliki said that the move was intended to “reduce the differences between the salaries of employees of state institutions, and to help reduce differences in all of society.”7 He has also announced that he does not intend to run for a third term and supports efforts to seek a constitutional reform that would place a two-term limit on the office of prime minister.

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