(Image source: The New York Times)
 

BY MALLORY PERRYMAN

ANCHOR LAUREN GORES


Nine months after the toppling of Hosni Mubarak, violent protests have filled the streets of Egypt for four days now.

This time - Egyptians are protesting the interim military government-- which is in charge until a civilian government is elected.

Former NATO ambassador Nicholas Burns explains the situation on CNN.

Nicholas Burns (Former Under Secretary of State): “The military is losing control of the streets and losing credibility with the people of Egypt because they've used excessive force and live ammunition against protesters over the last three or four day, and widely perceived as trying to carve out protection and autonomy for themselves when this does transition to civilian rule.”

It was unclear whether the protests would continue on Tuesday-- since the entire military-appointed Egyptian cabinet offered its resignation on Monday. But as Fox News notes, the move wasn’t enough to empty Tahrir Square.

“What the protesters have been demanding: they want a date set for presidential elections no later than April of next year and they want the military council to transfer power to civilians.”

Multiple news agencies put the death toll for this round of protests around 30 -- but the exact number of victims is unclear. CNN reports-- almost 1800 people have been injured.  

A TIME blogger argues-- the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces-- or SCAF-- has basically replaced Mubarak. In fact-- many of the generals were appointed by the ousted leader-- and they don’t intent to give up their power.

“Late last week, the SCAF-appointed government announced ground rules for the drawing up of a new constitution that would exempt the military from civilian oversight, give it the last word in the political process and reserve for the generals the right to define security threats.”

Amnesty International’s Kate Allen echoes that idea in a blog for the Huffington Post. She writes...

“When I was in Tahrir Square in April there were still banners in the square declaring ‘The army and the people are one’. Those days are now long gone....Indeed the euphoria of Egypt's... January uprising has been replaced by fears that one repressive rule has simply been replaced with another.”

The first round of parliamentary elections are scheduled for November 28th. The New York Times reports-- there’s growing concern they’ll be postponed.