Following violent attacks on protesters in Tahrir Square on Wednesday, activists who were already reluctant to accept the regime’s invitation to negotiate say that such a move is now completely out of the question.
“We might have negotiated a diplomatic solution with the regime, but after today’s developments, the fight will continue; what happened will not weaken it,” said Nasser Abdel Hamid, member of the National Association for Change. "Even if people are forced to leave the square, they will return another day."
Esraa Abdel Fatah, member of the 6 April movement and one of the initiators of the 25 January protests, says that newly-appointed Vice-President Omar Suleiman had not reached out to the demonstrators. Suleiman had declared on Monday that the regime would invite opposition figures and youth movements to hold talks.
Commenting on Wednesday's violent clashes in Tahrir Square, Abdel Fatah, in reference to President Hosni Mubarak, said, “He is trying to set us and the whole country on fire.” “He has fooled us for thirty years; there are no guarantees that his promises will be realized this time,” she added.
Mubarak gave a speech Tuesday night promising to amend the constitution, combat corruption and refrain from running in upcoming presidential elections.
Yasser al-Hawary, media coordinator for The Young People for Justice and Freedom movement, says that he and his colleagues are determined to continue their fight against the regime–especially after today’s violent attacks on protesters.
“We won’t back down," he said. "This is a criminal regime. They tried to kill us before with live ammunition, and today they're using a new technique by employing armed thugs and policemen against demonstrators."
Al-Hawary went on to say that the decision to reject negotiations was supported by most demonstrators. “The issue is out of our hands; the people on the street reject the president's words,” he said.
