Seeds of Revolution | The Arab awakening

a [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] it was the revolution they said could never happen but it did happen here in Egypt hundreds of thousands came onto the streets to bring down a president they said it was leaderless but Al jazer followed the leaders of one youth movement as they mobilized their supporters to demand change this is their story as as we saw it unfolding over those tumultuous days and [Music] weeks as the uprising began we found them here in a nondescript Cairo office this is the April 6th youth movement among the key instigators of the revolution they are a group of revolutionary volunteers akmed Mah is the coordinator of the movement a position that's repeatedly landed him in prison and lost him jobs Muhammad Adel is co-founder and Mah's right-hand [Music] man other core members include Facebook coordinator Amal Sharif and Amar Ali who plans when where and what protests [Applause] happen in the street below their out hoc offices the revolution they helped spawn is in full swing [Applause] [Music] the April 6 movement and its young leaders have brought a sense of freedom and possibility to the streets of Egypt you know everyone yeah you know everyone ah is our friend the fact they've brought the Aging president to the brink of departure after 30 years in power is [Music] intoxicating there's almost a carnival atmosphere in tier square but what looks spontaneous has been in the making for three long years it was at a textile strike on April 6 2008 that the movement was born mahare used a Facebook site to enlist support for the strike and 70,000 people hit the streets the demonstration was the biggest Egypt had seen in years an example of people power that inspired the creation of the April 6th youth movement they began work mobilizing for Democratic change they've been trying to get people on the streets ever since it's not easy in politically apathetic Egypt the population worn down by decades living in fear under a corrupt repressive regime April 6 looked for help from other countries where people power had successfully overthrown dictators former members of utour the Serbian student movement that toppled sladan mosovich shared their experience with leaders of April 6th Muhammad Adel went to Serbia to learn firsthand how to bring down a dictator Muhammad Ado came back from Serbia with videos and teaching AIDS Serbian revolutionaries explaining tactics of nonviolent struggle was that there is no war between police and us we together are the victims of the system and there is no reason to be to have war between victims and victims the key to success they are told are unity discipline and planning keep people engaged with chants and slogans and be clear in your aims it's an annual public holiday in Egypt a day that traditionally celebrates the police April 6th had already organized its usual anti- police day rally on Facebook [Applause] [Music] this year the timing could not have been better for the organizers a few days before Tunisian people power had ousted their dictator the turnout for police day is beyond mahar's dreams tens of thousands have come out in Cairo and there are similar family-friendly marches in Alexandria Suz and Mansura but not everyone is happy it may be police day but the police are not in celebrat mood April 6 are now well versed in the tactics of nonviolent conflict they hold their hands up in compliance and Tamp down the rising anger they salute and even hug the police protesters are making their way to iconic tarer Square they are a young educated and computer literate crowd I heard about April 6th from uh Facebook I'm not into politics I just um I wanted to do something for my country something positive that's the happiest day in my life the protesters don't want to go home many seem determined to continue and camp out for the night some say that what happened in Tunisia can't happen in Egypt but these people don't appear to have heard [Applause] [Music] [Music] it's now three days on and thousands are still camped out Ontario Square April 6 is set up their secret headquarters this borrowed office now serves as a nerve center for what they're starting to call the revolution activists Islam Luca and deal Sharif are Fielding calls from protesters on the Square there have been clashes with police and some arrests akmed Maher is as ever on his computer communicating with activists online it turns out his right-hand man Muhammad Adel has been arrested yday police attention is something they're all used to in his another life mahare is a professional man married with one child and another on the [Music] way he'll need those kills with hundreds of thousands expected on the streets tomorrow and politicians from many opposition factions now getting in on the ACT it's been three long days tomorrow promises to be longer Friday Dawns they're calling it the day of Rage a bruised Muhammad has been freed overnight he's drafting a press release with Islam Luca [Music] straight back into work sorting out a list of mosques and churches where people can gather the plan is that after Friday prayers marches from across the capital will Converge on tarer Square using a myriad of tiny alley ways making it impossible for police to stop everyone but there's a hitch mobile phones and the internet the key organizational tools of April 6th everything is cut off by the government they're going prepared in case of attack am Ali instructs protesters on how to act in the streets they have to go in groups of four or five they don't wear April 6th Insignia this is not about the group they say but about Unity of all Egyptians in the goal of deposing the Mubarak regime [Music] they're heading to abisa a neighborhood in the north of Cairo after the unexpected success of Tuesday's rally their ambition is to get a million people out on the Square today everyone in the movement has their job this group is responsible for marshalling support in this district and getting bodies on the square [Music] but not everyone is happy with what's happening already tier square is [Applause] [Applause] buzzing with no phones or internet people have to come down just to find out what's going on [Music] back at headquarters someone has donated a satellite dish and TV with all sorts of rumors going around the only way to get reliable information is via satellite TV news about uh 4,000 soldier from the Army are in the streets now in the main squares in the streets we don't know exactly is it uh right or wrong because no no way to communicate with anybody [Music] [Music] but then things start to get hairy they are feing people in the streets a group of protesters is being prevented by police from getting to tarer square they've been forced up the side roads as as far as the April 6 headquarters the police are in Hot Pursuit firing tear gas it looks like they'll be pushed back but more protesters are arriving from another District it's April 6 strategy in action the police can't guard every access route so the crowd swells then surpr eyes everything stops for prayers the police turn their backs in a gesture of respect but once prayers are over the protesters are back to it people appear to be surrounding the police and then with force of numbers they break through to tarer [Applause] square already people are arriving from the streets to make use of the makeshift Clinic April 6th has set up [Music] [Music] our aim is democracy and freedom for this country and uh uh it's great to see that now all the people had managed to get rid of the excessive fear and loss of hope that had always crippled them for years people are recounting details from all across town there's congratulations all around for the size of today's demonstration that night they watch reports of the events they helped put in motion the ruling party headquarters is on fire it's confirmed that the Army is on the streets and the police have completely withdrawn the protesters are delighted to see the back of the police in their brutality they put their faith in the Army to stop the violence with police off the streets under the cover of Darkness looting starts April 6 members work throughout the night helping to protect tarer Square from looters Thugs and PR mubaric supporters ensuring the safety of protesters sleeping there [Music] Allah it's just six days since akmed Maher first inspired his supporters to come out for that police Day protest he feels confident enough to hold a press conference in the safe house journalists want to know what they're thinking about the future about the shape and leadership of a possible new government they want the world to know they have victory in their sights but they'll need support to be victorious mahur is well aware the military is crucial to the outcome of this process and having the Army on board is an early priority president Mubarak is on state television addressing the nation expectations are high and no one wants to miss it No One Believes him and sure enough he says he's not willing to relinquish power now the reaction here is not surprising [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] the next day thousands of Mubarak supporters flood into tarer square and running battles ensue it's certainly not over Mubarak is going to fight to stay in [Music] power Cairo has become chaotic and dangerous with machete wielding gangs roaming the streets [Music] [Music] then State security agents raid the April 6 headquarters pictures appear on the internet of the trashed offices akmed mahare was on the Square but the 25 activists who were inside at the time were arrested and taken away but the people will not be cowed they remain on terer Square in their thousands until eventually senior Military Officers see the writing on the wall and withdraw support for the president on the 11th of February president Mubarak steps down from Power [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] at that moment it was the happiest moment of my life and I kept screaming and yelling and couldn't couldn't keep myself and and I went to square right away but uh I realized that it was not the end it was just the beginning after the after the shock was over I realized that was just [Applause] [Music] started it's a week after the fall with Mubarak gone and Egypt under military rule it's time for new headquarters for the April 6 movement this dilapidated building has been donated by a supporter they need it April 6th recognition and reputation is much enhanced they now have thousands of members across Egypt from north to south east to west things are looking up ammed Mah has been invited to meet the high military Council the new rulers of Egypt he will insist the hated emergency law be lifted a new government appointed and all political prisoners freed but what power does April 6th really have to bring about change [Music] April 6th is on a recruitment Drive Shah's Michelle is an unlikely revolutionary she lives in a middle class area of South Cairo and joined April 6th last year having followed them on Facebook shahinaz is setting up an April 6th group in this area and is recruiting new members she talks to anyone and everyone 90% % of Egyptians didn't vote in the last election and Shah sees her role in the revolution as educating people in the meaning of democracy it's Friday hundreds of thousands have come out to celebrate the Triumph of the Revolution and commemorate those who died [Music] a freshly shaven Muhammad Adel is relieved that people are still prepared to fight on Mubarak is gone now the goal is to bring down the whole government the newly formed Coalition of Youth groups has plans to demonstrate here every Friday until their demands are met they haven't changed freeing political prisoners changing the government and scrapping the emergency law three times a week people are invited to come to the headquarters to find out what April 6th is all about turnouts are always bigger than expected this in itself speaks of a new Egypt people confident to State their names in the presence of strangers at an opposition meeting it would have been Unthinkable just a few weeks ago after so many years of fearful silence they can't wait to speak out but mahare is looking to the future he tells them April 6th is on the way to becoming the biggest organization of any sort in Egypt not a political party but a powerful pressure group that will keep tabs on every Authority and government Department from trade unions to finance and defense despite only two minutes for each speaker the meeting runs well into the night shr [Applause] April 6 say they're adding 500 new members every day not all share the same view ammed Mah's faith in the Army leaves him isolated from some supporters course but he's got fans far away and receives an unexpected invitation de Mr you are invited to attend a small round table discussion tomorrow with British Minister David Cameron I try to call you many times please call me uh for more DET although the impact of the message was lost on mahare as he doesn't appear to know who David Cameron is [Music] most of the April 6 volunteers have day jobs as well ammed Mah spends weekdays in the office of an engineering company working as a project manager on lowcost housing developments after 5:00 he's back to organizing and negotiating for April 6th he spends his time on his phone to coordinators across Egypt and going from meeting to secret [Music] meeting today it's the British Prime Minister David Cameron's first stop is to field Marshall tantawi he was Mubarak defense minister for 20 years now deao ruler of the country both he and prime minister Ahmed shafik were close allies of Mubarak they tell Cameron democratic reform is on track then it's the turn of mahare and other members of the Coalition of Youth groups to give their version of how reform is progressing sorry uh we can't um film film the Coalition of Youth groups calls a midweek rally to demand the release of political Prisoners the high military Council reneged on its promise to free them last Friday but the turnout is poor he means counterrevolutionaries it's suspected to be the old tactic of divide and rule that served mubaric so well the security apparatus of the state is still intact the military police are out in force and their behavior becomes increasingly aggressive they stop us from filming [Applause] having banned protests military police start driving protesters off the square at night and arresting people there are increasing signs of a counterrevolutionary backlash the Egyptian Museum is commandeered as a Holding Center Ramy is a well-known singer he was arrested on the Square One night along with 180 [Music] others and on the internet there is yet more proof this fight is over this video shows a provincial security Chief addressing his men it gives a hint of what the revolutionaries are up against but the State security services are about to get a shock on the fifth and 6th of March crowds gather outside the hated State Security Buildings in Cairo and Alexandria demanding to be l in Adele and members of April 6 are recording events on mobile phones there's evidence the documents are being destroyed [Music] the military guarding the complex is taken aback but the people have the wind in their sails and won't be stopped it is the military who in the end back off and the people break their way in to get to the rooms where the files are stored they have to break through to underground cells [Music] Muhammad Adel is a computer specialist he quickly gets down to [Music] work for now the head of state security has himself been arrested and is spending time in a prison cell people are starting to see the impact of the revolution on their own lives on March 19th a referendum is held on Constitutional Amendments for a fairer political system people vote Yes in high numbers and elections are set for just 6 months [Music] time but nobody at April 6th thinks the old regime is dead gone there's a strange YouTube posting by an ex- army officer today calling for sympathetic officers to join protesters at next Friday's demonstration no one knows quite what to make of it it's thought it could be a trap but it's creating a lot of anticipation when the rally day arrives it's the biggest crowd since Mubarak fell that one goal of removing a dictator has multiplied into any number of personal revolutions Ontario Square today the workers are in revolt against corrupted Union officials and demanding Fair pay and here is a group demanding freedom for Palestine under the banner of the revolution everyone has found their voice but the majority are here for a so-called day of cleansing demanding the high military Council prosecute Mubarak and that field Marshall Tanta resign for ignoring their demands April 6th is out in force there's a feeling of anticipation people are expecting that the sympathetic army officers will show themselves on the square the mood is light and [Applause] hopeful protesters are calling for justice for the 800 people who've died since the revolution began they blame Mubarak and want him tried for murder but there's disagreement in the Square over whether the Army is supporting these calls problem that we're having is that the arm is in Rule and the Army is still not Prosecuting Mubarak nor his regime now the higher council is only a new name for Mubarak now we have removed Mubarak and got in 15 other Mubarak with the same dictatorship and same Rule and everything the revolution hasn't changed the rule in Egypt it has only attempted to change the rule but we have not changed the rule yet but April 6th is more pragmatic about the military and then some Military Officers do appear they speak to the people and tell them they won't leave the square until Mubarak is tried and tenta gone the people may have liked it but the high military Council has threatened courts Marshal but the officers stay on the square into the night uh there's a feeling of disbelief next morning no one knows what to think the light-heartedness of yesterday is replaced by tension and fear feelings are running High there's fervent disagreement about what happened last night's missiles the square and rumors abound he killed him by this and the hmer officially one person was was killed more than 70 injured protesters are determined to stay on the Square in Defiance the barbed wire meant to keep them out is reassigned to protect them from further attack destroyed tents are scrambled back together faith in the military to stand with the people is shattered [Music] 3 days later as if to appease protesters television news beams in reports of Mubarak and his sons being interrogated on charges of corruption and the murder of innocent protesters mabarak senior has a heart attack and is rushed to hospital his sons are put in prison the news is well received in the April 6th offices but the revolution continues newly invigorated by the terrible events on the Square the priority now is to replace military rule with a democratically elected civilian government all efforts are put into the elections set for September their role along with keeping political change on track is to get as many people voting as possible unlike other opposition groups April 6 is determined to remain a pressure group and not become a political party [Music] ream Maher has barely seen her husband during the revolution even when they were engaged ammed was imprison 3 days ago she gave birth to their second child Ahmed only just made it back for the birth he's a boy a child of the Revolution the name for him is Nal which means uh resistance cuz we are in Revolution ammed hopes his son will reap the benefits of what he and the other young activists have done to transform Egypt's future [Music] them what April 6th and the other opposition groups achieved by being onario square has been an inspiration across the region and Beyond but ending something and building something new are two different things this week April 6 broke with other groups in the Coalition of Youth movements differences are already surfacing without Unity will they be able to hold the high military Council to account and by force of numbers in the Square remind them that people power is still the power in the land [Applause] [Music]

Channel: Al Jazeera English

Views: 211,823

Keywords: aljazeera, seeds of revolution, Egypt democracy, Egypt activists, arab awakening, al jazeera, aljazeea english, al jazeera english, al jazeera live, Seeds of revolution | The Arab awakening, Revolution, Seeds, The Arab awakening, awakening, Arab

Id: BSZ7Ln5KzRU

Length: 47min 18sec (2838 seconds)

Published: Sat Apr 30 2011