Embattled Egyptian President Honsi Mubarak says he wants to step down but fears chaos if he does. '' I am fed up. After 62 years of public service, I have had enough,''Mubarak said in a 20-minute interview with ABC reporter Christiane Amanpour. It is stated that Mubarak told Amanpour during a phone conversatin earlier this week with U.S. President Barack Obama, he told Obama, ''you don't understand the Egyptian culture and what would happen if I step down now?''
Is it an Egyptian culture to attack on journalists who have been covering the protest against the embattled President? It is a shameful act. The Mubarak supporters whatsoever have no right to physically assault foreing journalists covering the 10th day of the protest. CBC reporter Margaret Evans had some of her equipments siezed. Separately, CBC host Mark Kelley and his crew were in a vehicle on a bridge when they were surrounded by a group of armed men who demanded to search the car.Only a plea from Kelly's Egyptian driver, who had been pulled out of the car, defused the tense situation.
The treatment of journalists led Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon to call in the Egytian ambassador to Canada to express his '' grave concerns''about the treatment of journalists. Radio Canada reporter Jean-Francois Lepine and camerman Sylvain Castonguay were roughed up by pro-government supporters near Cairo's airport Wednesday. Castonguay was badly beaten, and the attack only ended after soldiers intervened.
Globe and Mail reporter Sonia Verma said she and her colleague Patrick Martin were '' taken into some sort of custody'' Thursday morning after their passports were seized at a miltary chckpoint. They were freed three hours later, Verma said on Twitter.
CNN's Anderson Cooper said he, a producer and camera operator were set upon by people who began punching them and trying to break their camera. Another CNN reporter, Hala Gorani, said she was shoved against a fence when demonstrators rode in on horse and camels, and feared she was going to get trampled. Two Associated Press correspondents were also roughed up.
CBS newsman Mark Strassman said he and a camera operator were attacked as they attempted to get close to the rock-throwing and take pictures. The camera operator, whom he would not name, was punched repeatedly and hit in the face with Mace.
The attacks appeared to reflect a pro-government view that many media outlets are sympathetic to protestors who want Mubarak to quit now rather than complete his term. There is a concerted campaign to intimidate international journalists in Cairo and interfere with their reporting. There must be a pro-active campaign to condemn such atrocious attack against journalists.
Is it an Egyptian culture to attack on journalists who have been covering the protest against the embattled President? It is a shameful act. The Mubarak supporters whatsoever have no right to physically assault foreing journalists covering the 10th day of the protest. CBC reporter Margaret Evans had some of her equipments siezed. Separately, CBC host Mark Kelley and his crew were in a vehicle on a bridge when they were surrounded by a group of armed men who demanded to search the car.Only a plea from Kelly's Egyptian driver, who had been pulled out of the car, defused the tense situation.
The treatment of journalists led Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon to call in the Egytian ambassador to Canada to express his '' grave concerns''about the treatment of journalists. Radio Canada reporter Jean-Francois Lepine and camerman Sylvain Castonguay were roughed up by pro-government supporters near Cairo's airport Wednesday. Castonguay was badly beaten, and the attack only ended after soldiers intervened.
Globe and Mail reporter Sonia Verma said she and her colleague Patrick Martin were '' taken into some sort of custody'' Thursday morning after their passports were seized at a miltary chckpoint. They were freed three hours later, Verma said on Twitter.
CNN's Anderson Cooper said he, a producer and camera operator were set upon by people who began punching them and trying to break their camera. Another CNN reporter, Hala Gorani, said she was shoved against a fence when demonstrators rode in on horse and camels, and feared she was going to get trampled. Two Associated Press correspondents were also roughed up.
CBS newsman Mark Strassman said he and a camera operator were attacked as they attempted to get close to the rock-throwing and take pictures. The camera operator, whom he would not name, was punched repeatedly and hit in the face with Mace.
The attacks appeared to reflect a pro-government view that many media outlets are sympathetic to protestors who want Mubarak to quit now rather than complete his term. There is a concerted campaign to intimidate international journalists in Cairo and interfere with their reporting. There must be a pro-active campaign to condemn such atrocious attack against journalists.
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