Egypt Protesters In New Battle to Stay Relevant

By Luis Ramirez

The stalemate in Egypt continues, with anti-government protesters camping out at Cairo’s Tahrir Square as the city around them returns to normal.

Demonstrators on Tuesday said they were ready for a new battle to draw more people to Tahrir Square to join the calls for the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak.

A man who spoke to VOA as he was leaving Tahrir Square said he is tiring of the protests, now in their 15th day.

He says that, certainly, he wishes life would return to normal and he says he does not know when the unrest will end. He says it looks like this situation will continue for a long time.

Some people say the government has succeeded, at least for now, to buy itself time by making incremental concessions, the latest of which included raises in pay and pensions for public sector employees.

President Mubarak has already said he will leave, by not seeking reelection in September and some in the opposition agree with him that the transition should be gradual and peaceful.

The protesters say they will not give up their battle for Mr. Mubarak to leave sooner.

Still, banks reopened this week and many people returned to work for the first time in more than a week.