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| Africa North | |
| Egyptian activists to halt protests during Ramadan | |
| 2011-08-01 | |
| CAIRO: Egyptian political groups said on Sunday they would suspend demonstrations during Ramadan, which starts on Monday, but would resume a campaign for swifter democratic reforms by the ruling army after the Muslim fasting month is over. Many Egyptians have grown tired of the protests, which have disrupted traffic in city centers. Nerves are often frayed during Ramadan, when Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. Ramadan this year falls during the height of the summer heat. You guys ever think of moving the holiday to January?
Most of the groups were among those who pulled out of a protest on Friday after accusing Islamist groups of having hijacked the event, which had been organized to send a united message to the army. The groups' supporters have been camped out in central Cairo's Tahrir Square and other areas around the country since a protest on July 8. "Several political parties and youth groups have decided to suspend sit-ins temporarily throughout the holy month of Ramadan, assuring a return ... for peaceful sit-in in Tahrir Square for other demands to be achieved," 26 groups said in a joint statement distributed by e-mail. | |
| Posted by:Steve White |