Malin: Why do peolpe say that Al Jazeera lie?
Mona Hanafi: i did not hear about that personally - but i guess these are pro-mubarak people who want to play down whats actually happening out there...
Thomas: Hi Mona, it's fantastic to see the development in Egypt, though it also has resulted in casualties. How has the situation these days affected you personally in your everyday life? Have you been afraid for your own safety? Is there food and water available in Cairo? Thanks - Thomas.
Mona Hanafi: well, until now i was mainly just nervous if the protest become violent or not. but i felt safe somehow, because we have a lot of people out there in the streets, who try to protect our homes. we went out for buying food as much as we could - as a lot of other people... and now the most of th shops are empty... in some you even cant buy a bag of potatoe chips anymore... well, and i am worried, aout how things will develop - because now we have these violant clashes between mubarak supporters and the protesters... this means, if things become really ugly, i cant go to work... this means no money... and of course we all are afraid about our safety
Linn: Hi, is the Internet working in Egypt now? Regards Linn
Mona Hanafi: yes, it does! god thanx! it was a strang feeling to be cut off from the outer world...
Jonas: Egypt has become a very popular tourist destination for many Swedes, today I think many feels ashame to have economically supported a dictatorship. Do you think international tourism have hampered or helped the democratic movement in Egypt?
Mona Hanafi: for sure lot of egyptian people actually are living on tourism, so it was not only the governments profit. tourism supports of course the exchange of ideas as the modern media does - as now peoples wish for democracy or at least for different way of life...
Maria: Hi, what do you think will happen if Mubarak stick to his words and refuse to resign immediately? Will the violence escalate even more? Is there a risk for a military coup? Best wishes - Maria.
Mona Hanafi: well, right now things ARE escalating... and the military is just watching... i dont think that the military plans a coup - the had enough time in last few days to do so if they wanted to
Wickz: Are their many supporters for Mubarak compare to the opposite?
Mona Hanafi: well, until now they had been hiding... just now they start to appear on the streets.. mainly they are people who anyway profited from the regime directly or people who are afraid the country now turns upside down... - personally i think, they are less than the opposition - because the most of egyptians suffered from the bad politics of the regime over years
Leo: Mona, I read an article at DN.se yesterday where you were interviewed regarding womens' situation in Egypt. It sounded horrible, what you experience every day with sexual harassment etc. Do you think that things will change in a Egypt under new leadership? Or is this a behaviour and an attitude towards women that has roots to deep in the egyptian society? Best regards - Leo.
Mona Hanafi: i think, on the long run this will change if people get better live conditions and also better education - what is quit important! because this was not happening just 10 or 15 years back...
Struten: hello, can maybe Egypt, one time, become democratic?
Mona Hanafi: well - this is what a lot of people are hoping for... this is why a lot of people are right now on the streets... i don't know if this will be possible even if we have a different president soon - because the recent political structure till now is based on corruption and suppression... but let's hope for the change!
daniel: What kind of responsibility should western goverments takes on the recent development? Have their hecistant responses open the way for Mubarack to manipulate a percieved pro-movement?
Mona Hanafi: well, of course it was a kind of support for mubarak... but i think, at least they should keep an eye on his promises mubarak did right now... so that the elections in september will be "clean"
Sara G: If Egyptians want an orderly change (and I believe they do) is September such a bad end date? 9 months to form democratic parties, put in place an election, have an election campaign, find enough people to vote for in the parliament - it sounds like 9 months is what's needed. These measures will be needed sooner or later so why not go that road now? Use the enthuiasm to reach a new electorate that might form the basis for a new parliament and efficient parties for and by the people.
Mona Hanafi: well, you are right, it is not a that long time. but people are afraid, that the recent structure will stay the same -even if the surface will be cleaned. and also they do not want, that mubarak somehow has an honorable leaving, because the suffered too long under his regime...
Johanna: Who do you think will replace Mubarak? Is it likely it could go from bad to worse, i.e. are there any extremist groups which are hoping to replace him and attracting voters? What do people dislike the most about Mubarak's regime?
Mona Hanafi: well, i cant tell u actually. but a lot of people feel the recent vice president omar sulaiman could be an option. baradaei would work may be as an interim, but he has not that many supporters, because people barely know him. a lot of young people love ahmad zuail (got noble price for chemistry, lives in U.S.) who wanted to take part in the last elections, but he could not...
Simon: These protests seems to have been expressed very rapidly. Has there been a lot of tension between the people and the government for a long time? Why did it all happen so fast?
Mona Hanafi: yes it is since a very long time, and now eth happened fast, because the pressure on the people was finally too too much...
Linda: Do Egypt have tribes, as in south of Sahara, Africa, that make people lojal to the president?
Mona Hanafi: we have a few, very few tribes - but sorry i cant answer ur question...
Selma Feki: How is this situation affecting other dictator-ruled countries?
Mona Hanafi: it encourages people who hope for a change also - and obviously some politicians are already reacting on it by making some small changes - like in jordan...
Per: Hi Mona, there seems to be lots of violence at Tahrir square right now. Do you have friends there? Are you afraid of their safety?
Mona Hanafi: i have friends they were there, but they left, because they got afraid
Anna: Hello Mona, what's the feeling in the air in Cairo now - do you feel that this is the start of a new era in Egypt? Or is there an even stronger fear that that things will turn out to the worse? Very best wishes/Anna.
Mona Hanafi: until yesterday our mood was quit good and optimistic, sometimes even like a party feeling... but since things turn ugly and more violent of course we are afraid now about our safety and a kind of civil war... lets really hope that things will calm down again!
Helena: Hi Mona, what do common egyptians think of the tight relationship between Mubarak and the USA? The fact that the US has supported Mubarak so strong but they haven't made any efforts to enhance the situation with human rights, police brutality, womens' rights etc. Would be interesting to hear your opinion on this! Thanks - Helena.
Mona Hanafi: of course there are lot of people hating or at least condemning the U.S. politics for this... it seems to e hypocritical on one hand to scream for human rights and freedom and on the other hand to support the regimes for the own profit.
Malin: Hi, what is the status of the violence in central Cairo this very moment?
Mona Hanafi: what i can see on al-gazeera channel right now it seems of heating up, in down town and also in other districts of cairo
Jonas: Who controls the military if not Mubarak?
Mona Hanafi: well - of course mubarak has his hands in, but also it is an institution within an institution - so it has somehow also its freedoms on its own... in the 50's it was the key against the english!
Anni: I read that the average age is only 28 years in Egypt, in what way do the young people interpret "democracy" and what expectations are there for the democracy?
Mona Hanafi: as i can just guess from the people i know: it means to have fair legal proceedings, human rights, women rights, no tortures, no censorship, better education... so - these are the main expections
Dave: Hi Mona Egypt has started a wve that will topple all dictators in the Arab world. If you look at it. All of them really do have dictators apart from probably Tunis, Lebanon and Iraq. What do you think?
Mona Hanafi: i think it is encouraging people to ask for changes of course - because YES, they suffer from dictatorships more or less!
Kasper: How is the state media in egypt responding to the curent clashes between so called "pro Mubarek" and the egyptian population. And are these confrontations also present in other cities? Br K
Mona Hanafi: now the state tv is focusing on their supporters a lot, they show right now 4-screen pictures of them... before they showed only their tanks and stuff... not much of what is goin on tahreer square... yes , we have these confrontaions also in other cities now
Sara G: Hi again, true that one should aim for a thorough cleaning in the corners. And fear this will not happen is a strong argument to just push ahead. But the fighting Egyptians will look like real heroes if they manage to give Mubarak a honorable goodbye. Difficult as this is. (Maybe I'm too romantic...) And this way Egypt also might avoid the Tunisian situation where things are disintegrating by the minute.
Mona Hanafi: well - may be u are right... anyway i think it would be the better option instead now to go into a civil war...
Ante: How can the military stand by while thousands of pro-Mubarak supporters are trying to access Tharir square where thousands of anti-Mubarak are protesting? Do they not realize this can lead to a bloodbath?
Mona Hanafi: this is exactly we all are afraid of right now
Kasper: Just wanted you to know that although the leaders in Europe are pathetic with their statments the people stands behind the Egyptian people! is there anyway we can show support from here?
Mona Hanafi: we all are really thankful for those people who went on the streets to show us their support! and we hope, that their governments really try to push the egyptian governments into REAL changes... and CLEAN elections!
Martin: How do you feel about the Egyptian museum being raided?
Mona Hanafi: actually i was SHOCKED! because this is our heritage! but god thanks - not too much has been destroyed or stolen!
Liz: I read yesterday that Mubarak seems to have a serious cancer. He will probably not live to the election sept 2011. Isn't possible that western leaders let him stay so he doesn't has to run from Egypt like a dog. Is there a play behind the facades?
Mona Hanafi: yes, he had an operation not long ago, no one knows about his recent status of health, because things like this always are kept to be a secret... actually i would not feel that much of pity with him, if mubarak would not stay until the end of september, regarding the way he treated and still is treating his own people! a lot of the looters had been his police men - this is proofed by their ID's when they had been catched...
moderator: The chat is now closed but Mona might answer a few additional questions. Thanks for all the interesting questions!
Homy: Hi There, are you counting on support from EU and USA? And what if the people doesnt get any support?
Mona Hanafi: those countries, esp. USA, have lot of influence on the government as they pay a lot of money for the military... it would be very good, if USA would push harder on the changes people are asking for. if not - people will be frustrated of course, because then eth will stay as it was... i dont know what will happen then..
Emelie: Are people in Egypt continue fighting until the president leave his post now, not in autumn?
Mona Hanafi: well, i cant tell u as now we have these clashes with pro-mubarak people... right after mubaraks speech it was very clear to go on... but personally i think they better should stop, instead turning eth into a civil war now...
Simon: Are the people who support mubarak many, or are they an insignificant number?
Mona Hanafi: the egyptian tv is focusin on them now as if they are a lot, but i dont think they are far from being as many as protesters against the regime..
Noureddine Khayi: Do you think the United States speaks clear language in Egypt in view of all the comments that Clinton and Obama did.
Mona Hanafi: well - the language was VERY carefully , i think... but at least somehow positive... of course it could have been much more clear, but they are afraid to shake too much on the government as it is an important partner for the political stability of the region... i hope the will put more pressure whereas mubarak said, he will not re-candidate
alva: How is USA involved in all this?
Mona Hanafi: thei situation is not easy, sometimes hypocritical... because on one hand the pay a lots of dollars for the egyptian military to stabilize the egyptian politics with israel, on the other side they claim for democracy, but teir pressure on the regime is SO LOW... we have a lot of violations of the human rights in this country
Stefan: How come soo many people are free from their jobs for all hese protests? Are they all unemployed or do they take annual leave fr this?
Mona Hanafi: a lot of people actually dont have jobs, especially a lot of the young people. others care for their jobs right now, because it was important to take part... like schools anyway the most offices and shops are closed right - out of savety reasons... so no one have to be afraid about his holidays... ;-)
Max: How far do you think the anti- and pro-Mubarak protesters are willing to take this? As I've followed the happenings on Al Jazeera, I've heard many anti-Mubarak protesters say that they are willing to die for the cause. What do you think is going to happen now, when the two sides are clashing?
Mona Hanafi: i really cant tell u... of course there always people who go as far as they can... but me and my friends will not take part in the protests anymore as eth turns out to be violent... in the morning i thought: of course we have to go on! but now i am afraid, that eth what we reached with these protests will end in a blood bath - and this is NOT, what i want...
Mihai: How do the egyptian people make a living during these troubled and chaotic times?
Mona Hanafi: actually our minds are so busy with what is going on now... u really cant focuse on ath else in a normal way... but well, still i did laundry... and i cooked (but actually it tasted awful)... so we try to have a little bit normality... beside serious discussions we joke with each other to cheer up...
emma: What do the Egyptians think about womens' rights? Do they come further down the list, after democracy, freedom of speech and free elections or are people aware of the needs of womens' rights as well?
Mona Hanafi: i think democracy is one important BASE for getting/maintaining women's rights, human rights... i know a lot of women (and also men) who think these rights are so so important, but FIRST comes the task to put a good base for it! especially education! and of course NO REGIMES!