Dubai: Wael Ghonim, Google's marketing manager for the Middle East and North Africa, and one of the youth leaders of the ongoing Egyptian mass movement, has called on his compatriots from all over the world to return home and support the youth in Al Tahrir Square as they strive for a political rejuvenation in the country.
Ghonim, who was released after being briefly detained on Monday, told Gulf News: "I say to every Egyptian living abroad that it is about time to come back now and join your brothers and sisters here in Egypt."
Ghonim, who went "missing" on January 27, and was later found to be in state custody, said the resolve and steadfastness of the people to see their demands through in a peaceful manner made him proud to be an Egyptian.
"It is not the time to negotiate with the regime. It is the time for the regime to accept and implement the demands of the Egyptian youth. Negotiations were possible on the eve of January 25. It is too late now for the youth to accept any negotiations with the current regime. We need to see Mubarak ousted and his party dissolved," Ghonim told Gulf News on Twitter.
Allegations
He urged the public prosecutor in charge of investigating the conduct of ex-Interior Minister Habib Al Adly since the outbreak of the uprising to look into allegations of crimes committed against humanity in the past 16 days. Ghonim said a police officer had told him that he had to turn deserter after the fourth day of the uprising when Al Adly personally ordered him to fire live rounds randomly at protesters. He said if this proved to be true, Al Adly — and whoever ordered him to do so — would have to be punished for such an unforgivable crime.
He said the youth in Al Tahrir Square and elsewhere in every city in Egypt would win eventually and the regime was counting its last hours in power. "The regime is becoming toothless because of the steadfastness of young men and women in Tahrir and everywhere in Egypt, and no one will be able to steal our revolution."
