4th LD: Egyptian protesters march to Presidential Palace amid weak voice of pro-Mubarak

4th LD: Egyptian protesters march to Presidential Palace amidweak voice of pro-Mubarak

CAIRO, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Tens of thousands of protesters floodeddowntown Cairo Tuesday morning for a march to Presidential Palacedemanding an end of the 30-year-rule of President Hosni Mubarak,while other groups of smaller scales were calling for resumption ofsocial order under leadership of the embattled president.

Demonstrators shouting slogans "Oust Mubarak" gathered in Tahrir,or liberation, Square, which has become the center of protests asthe opposition parties called for a general strike and one-million-people march after a week of unrest in the country.

Mubarak reshuffled his government on Monday trying to defuse theweek-long protest against his regime but protesters rejected thechanges and said he must surrender power.

Many mini-buses carrying protestors were moving from Helwangovernorate to downtown Cairo at midday Tuesday to join theprotestors. A man carried a picture depicting Mubarak as AdolfHitler.

"We don't want any changes but the ouster of the whole regime. Wewill never be satisfied with changing ministers," said Ahmed AbdelKarim, a 38 year-old taxi diver told Xinhua.

It is only acceptable that Vice President Omar Suleiman lead foran interim government before establishing an national unitygovernment from all the political parties, Karim said. "We haveblankets, food and water and we will sleep in the square till themorning, we won't retreat until the change occur."

The military has set up roadblocks along the way leading up tothe presidential palace and checked people who are entering theTahrir Square for weapons. Public transportation and train servicesconnecting Cairo and other cities are suspended.

The army said in a statement that they won't use violence againstcitizens, and that their only mission is to keep the security andfight looters and those who break the law.

Despite protesters' call for an indefinite strike and one-million-march to the presidential palace, some Egyptianintellectuals including artists and engineers are distributingleaflets among protestors, urging people to stay away from "violence" and "chaos."

Volunteers formed groups to take to streets shouting slogans of"Keep peace" and "Safeguard great Egypt."

"The continuation of chaos will only deepen people's sufferingand provide chances for looting and other crimes," one of theleaflets read. "This is our Egypt. We must safeguard the country andpeople."

While a sea of protestors were carpeting the Tahrir Square, about1,000 people gathered near the Foreign Ministry to support Mubarak,saying he is the only man who is capable of keeping the societystable amid the turmoil.

Supporters shouted "Yes, Mubarak," played music and raised apolice officer to march along the Nile.

"The opposition parties do not want our life back to normalunless Mubarak leaves, but what will happen after that? Obviouslychaos," said a tourist guide who gave his name Muhamed. "I have lostmy job as tourism is badly affected in Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor andother cities."

"I have to arm with knifes at night, for the first time in mylife, to protect my family and neighbors. Definitely we needreforms, but we do not want changes that deprive us of peacefullife," he said.

UNREST HITS ECONOMY

Egypt endured another day of halt to normal life as the protestentered the second week. Trains stopped running Monday. The internetremained shutdown in its fifth day. Banks, stock markets and mostbusinesses were closed. Egyptian pounds reached the lowest rate insix years.

Storage racks of bread, milk, edible oil and local fruits werealmost empty in Cairo's supermarkets as people tried to replenishtheir stores for fear that the chaos could continue.

"I am worried commodity prices will rise if the supply is inshortage," said citizen Ahmad who was waiting in a long queue infront of bread stands. "I will also prepare some food for myneighbors who volunteer to protect our homes from looters by night."

Tourism, a crucial source of Egypt's revenue, was hit hard by theprotest. This is high season for tourists from Europe to enjoy thesunshine by the Red Sea, but foreign governments are warning theirnationals about the safety in Egypt and scrambling to take thestranded tourists back home.

Many tour agencies have suspended tour services and the Egypt Airhas cancelled flights during the government-imposed curfew which hasbeen extended, from 1 p.m. to 8 a.m.

Some foreign firms suspended their activities due to paralyzedinternet and lack of workers in the unrest.

"I have closed the factory. I don't know when the social ordercan be back to normal," said Zhou Jianguo, a Chinese owner of amotorbike manufacturing factory in Cairo's Nasr City. "It is soshocking that a peaceful country can suddenly fall to chaos. I'mreally worried about the investment environment of Egypt."

Responding to fears of economic difficulties, newly-appointedPrime Minister Ahmed Shafiq said Tuesday the new government iscommitted to meeting all people's demands despite existing conflictof interests.

He praised popular participation to protect private and publicproperties from violence and looting amid massive demonstrations.

"I will try with my new government to provide more alternativesto satisfy the public's requests," Shafiq said.

Banks will be open once security and stability are restored inthe country, he said, adding that measures have been taken toprotect banks against looting.