It's Day 2 of Egypt's post-Mubarak era. Early this morning, only the hardcore remained in Tahrir Square - marooned on a traffic island, being slowly shuffled away by the army.
However, as I write, our correspondent there, Jon Leyne, is reporting that there is a new surge of protesters coming back in - wanting to ensure the democratic reforms they have campaigned for are instigated.
Should they be concerned? Last week, WHYS heard from Indonesia, where comparisons were made between what happened after the end of the Suharto regime in 1998 and Egypt now.
People there talked about how they had seen the end of many restrictions - but also how some of them missed the stability of the military regime.
Meanwhile, there are many other countries in recent history where, for whatever reason, the hopes of those who brought the revolution about were not realised.
Many have already drawn comparisons with Iran and the fall of the Shah; some fear that, as there, Islamic hardliners will step into the power vacuum.
Or look at Ukraine. The Orange Revolution of 2004 successfully brought about the reversal of what was widely seen to be a fraudulent election, with the defeated (and poisoned) candidate, Viktor Yushchenko, finally put into power.
But because Yushchenko's rival Viktor Yanukovych ended up in charge of a powerful Parliament, most attempts at reform were blocked. Late last year, those amendments that were made were reversed by the country's consititutional court - and the country's 2010 election, which Yanukovych won, was described as "an end to the orange nightmare."
The 2005 Cedar Revolution in Lebanon did lead to its main aim of the pullout of Syrian troops in April - ending their nearly 30-year presence there - although Syria does retain some influence in Lebanon.
So should the protesters continue even now Mubarak has gone? Does it make sense for them to remain? Or is it time they let the political process begin in Egypt? What does a country do after the revolution?
Your comments
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17:51
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Hi we''re on air in a few minutes. Post your comments here.
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13:55
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Eric in San Francisco writes on Facebook:
The Egyptian people need to keep a presence in Tahrir Square to make sure, not just that Mubarak is gone but that the 59-year-military rule changes and becomes "rule by the people".
Comment sent via BLOG
13:54
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Alex on the blog:
A good first move is for the new Government is to get its hands on the seventy billion dollars stolen from the mouths of its people. The authorities in UK, Switzerland and UAE must deliver on this - and not just hand over a measly seventy million dollars and pretend that's all there is...
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13:51
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T in New Zealand
It's easy to lose momentum. I would hope they keep the pressure on till they get their democracy. They shouldn't let the generals jockey for power amongst themselves and they shouldn't let the generals attempt to tire, bore, or dis-inspire the people back into apathy.
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13:51
116556883
Patriotic egyptian should be on the street until democracy is free from gun point. God bless Hammed. James Tarnue, Monrovia, Liberia.
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13:50
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Paul
It seems wiser if the army holds the ring as caretaker for an interim government. Like what happened, in theory, in Turkey or Pakistan. The alternative is mob rule. Remember, an army can be suborned by fundamentalists as in Iran, or it becomes repressive as in Algeria.
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13:50
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Hashimi in Hong Kong
Protests should continue until the entire regime is dismantled. The transitional power should be given to the Chief Judge from the Supreme Court who can oversee an election. The generals should no longer be in power, many are too old - some are 80 years old.
Comment sent via SMS
13:48
110088077
What happened in egypt is not yet a revolution. If the struggle stops now it will be a still born revolution at best. From stephen ajayi in abuja
Comment sent via SMS
13:47
116412066
The Egyptian Revolution will turn out to be a political wild goose chase,if the military Junta refuses to conduct a free,fair,credible and transparent democratic elections within the shortest possible time.Otherwise,it will lend credence to our suspicion that it is a stooge,surrogate and a partner in crime with the horrendous despot,Hosni Mubarak.Time is of the essence.Chief Bobson Gbinije,Warri,Nigeria.
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13:49
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Byz in Uganda
I think it could turn bloody because the army may not relinquish power soon
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13:42
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Gashaanle in Sudan
The remaining old guard of Mubarak is as good as dead. As long as they are in office, Egyptians should never rest at all. Tahrir square should never be left empty.
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13:41
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Abdelilah in Morocco
The Egyptians should learn from the mistakes of failed revolutions. Many revolutions were made for people power, but those who led them became worse dictators as it is the case in Cuba and Zimbabwe.
Comment sent via Facebook
13:35
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Abdullah in Somalia
The people of Egypt should make sure that people didn't die not in vain. Stay there until the dust is settled. Make sure America and Israel don't decide the next government for you people.Viva the great Egypt!
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13:35
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Pancha
The army in Egypt has kept a dignified stance. Mubarak was allowed to leave with minimal bloodshed and the Army has stepped in to ensure that the situation remains under control while a democratic solution is worked out. Egypt could become a fountain of democracy.
Comment sent via Facebook
13:33
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Joseph in Nigeria
The democratic process has just begun, Egyptians should wait and see how things unfold before heading for Tahrir square, Rome was not built in a day so they shouldn't think Democracy would just take its cause in one day. There are processes.
Comment sent via Facebook
13:32
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Kiran in India
I think they should carry on the protest. Mubarak was just the face of the government and only the face has gone. The system which forms the whole body must also change.
Comment sent via Facebook
13:32
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Lenox in Kenya
Military rule can never be trusted. Mubarak's departure was just a change in the government's name. The people must hang on, and never let what they protested for go.
Comment sent via Facebook
13:19
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Arthur writes on Facebook:
Men are not brothers. What turns them into real brothers is only reason. It's high time that the Egyptian army showed us whether they are trustworthy or are just robots, as Mubarak fashioned them to be.
Comment sent via Facebook
13:18
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Abyshek posts on Facebook
What is so different now? there is no constitutional Amendment as yet towards any actual democracy. Hosni Mubarak has been replaced by the Army Council...
Comment sent via Facebook
13:13
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Hastings in Malawi writes on Facebook
Egypt is a concern as of now. I can see tensions continuing for some month or years due to power vacuum created by the former system, as is the case in many African and Middle Eastern countries.
Comment sent via Facebook
13:12
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Walt in Oregon got in touch on Facebook
Now that the army is trying to define the direction of Egypt I wonder how they view the police force? I have heard nothing about the police for days? Is the army now also law enforcement?
Comment sent via Facebook
13:12
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Makanani in Malawi sent a message on Facebook.
The exit of Mubarak is just the beginning of political reform. The people of Egypt should therefore continue their gathering, otherwise, Egypt may only be moving to another, worse Mubarak.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
13:10
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Aysha in Yemen sent us an email:
The people of Egypt are right. A President should take care of his people, if he does then good things will happen. If a President doesn't take care of his people then it is right if bad things happen to him in return.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
13:10
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Aysha in Yemen sent an email email
The people of Egypt are right. A President should take care of his people, if he does then good things will happen. If a President doesn't take care of his people then it is right if bad things happen to him in return.
Comment sent via host
13:05
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Xavier here. We''re live now. It''s Day 2 of the Post Mubarak era in Egypt. What happens after the revolution?
What happens after the revolution?
| Sunday, 2 Feb. 2011 | 12:53 - 14:00 GMT
It's Day 2 of Egypt's post-Mubarak era. Early this morning, only the hardcore remained in Tahrir Square - marooned on a traffic island, being slowly shuffled away by the army.
However, as I write, our correspondent there, Jon Leyne, is reporting that there is a new surge of protesters coming back in - wanting to ensure the democratic reforms they have campaigned for are instigated.
Should they be concerned? Last week, WHYS heard from Indonesia, where comparisons were made between what happened after the end of the Suharto regime in 1998 and Egypt now.
People there talked about how they had seen the end of many restrictions - but also how some of them missed the stability of the military regime.
Meanwhile, there are many other countries in recent history where, for whatever reason, the hopes of those who brought the revolution about were not realised.
Many have already drawn comparisons with Iran and the fall of the Shah; some fear that, as there, Islamic hardliners will step into the power vacuum.
Or look at Ukraine. The Orange Revolution of 2004 successfully brought about the reversal of what was widely seen to be a fraudulent election, with the defeated (and poisoned) candidate, Viktor Yushchenko, finally put into power.
But because Yushchenko's rival Viktor Yanukovych ended up in charge of a powerful Parliament, most attempts at reform were blocked. Late last year, those amendments that were made were reversed by the country's consititutional court - and the country's 2010 election, which Yanukovych won, was described as "an end to the orange nightmare."
The 2005 Cedar Revolution in Lebanon did lead to its main aim of the pullout of Syrian troops in April - ending their nearly 30-year presence there - although Syria does retain some influence in Lebanon.
So should the protesters continue even now Mubarak has gone? Does it make sense for them to remain? Or is it time they let the political process begin in Egypt? What does a country do after the revolution?
Your comments
Comment sent via host
Hi we''re on air in a few minutes. Post your comments here.
Comment sent via Facebook
Eric in San Francisco writes on Facebook: The Egyptian people need to keep a presence in Tahrir Square to make sure, not just that Mubarak is gone but that the 59-year-military rule changes and becomes "rule by the people".
Comment sent via BLOG
Alex on the blog: A good first move is for the new Government is to get its hands on the seventy billion dollars stolen from the mouths of its people. The authorities in UK, Switzerland and UAE must deliver on this - and not just hand over a measly seventy million dollars and pretend that's all there is...
Comment sent via BLOG
T in New Zealand It's easy to lose momentum. I would hope they keep the pressure on till they get their democracy. They shouldn't let the generals jockey for power amongst themselves and they shouldn't let the generals attempt to tire, bore, or dis-inspire the people back into apathy.
Comment sent via SMS
Patriotic egyptian should be on the street until democracy is free from gun point. God bless Hammed. James Tarnue, Monrovia, Liberia.
Comment sent via BLOG
Paul It seems wiser if the army holds the ring as caretaker for an interim government. Like what happened, in theory, in Turkey or Pakistan. The alternative is mob rule. Remember, an army can be suborned by fundamentalists as in Iran, or it becomes repressive as in Algeria.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Hashimi in Hong Kong Protests should continue until the entire regime is dismantled. The transitional power should be given to the Chief Judge from the Supreme Court who can oversee an election. The generals should no longer be in power, many are too old - some are 80 years old.
Comment sent via SMS
What happened in egypt is not yet a revolution. If the struggle stops now it will be a still born revolution at best. From stephen ajayi in abuja
Comment sent via SMS
The Egyptian Revolution will turn out to be a political wild goose chase,if the military Junta refuses to conduct a free,fair,credible and transparent democratic elections within the shortest possible time.Otherwise,it will lend credence to our suspicion that it is a stooge,surrogate and a partner in crime with the horrendous despot,Hosni Mubarak.Time is of the essence.Chief Bobson Gbinije,Warri,Nigeria.
Comment sent via Facebook
Byz in Uganda I think it could turn bloody because the army may not relinquish power soon
Comment sent via Facebook
Gashaanle in Sudan The remaining old guard of Mubarak is as good as dead. As long as they are in office, Egyptians should never rest at all. Tahrir square should never be left empty.
Comment sent via BLOG
Abdelilah in Morocco The Egyptians should learn from the mistakes of failed revolutions. Many revolutions were made for people power, but those who led them became worse dictators as it is the case in Cuba and Zimbabwe.
Comment sent via Facebook
Abdullah in Somalia The people of Egypt should make sure that people didn't die not in vain. Stay there until the dust is settled. Make sure America and Israel don't decide the next government for you people.Viva the great Egypt!
Comment sent via BLOG
Pancha The army in Egypt has kept a dignified stance. Mubarak was allowed to leave with minimal bloodshed and the Army has stepped in to ensure that the situation remains under control while a democratic solution is worked out. Egypt could become a fountain of democracy.
Comment sent via Facebook
Joseph in Nigeria The democratic process has just begun, Egyptians should wait and see how things unfold before heading for Tahrir square, Rome was not built in a day so they shouldn't think Democracy would just take its cause in one day. There are processes.
Comment sent via Facebook
Kiran in India I think they should carry on the protest. Mubarak was just the face of the government and only the face has gone. The system which forms the whole body must also change.
Comment sent via Facebook
Lenox in Kenya Military rule can never be trusted. Mubarak's departure was just a change in the government's name. The people must hang on, and never let what they protested for go.
Comment sent via Facebook
Arthur writes on Facebook: Men are not brothers. What turns them into real brothers is only reason. It's high time that the Egyptian army showed us whether they are trustworthy or are just robots, as Mubarak fashioned them to be.
Comment sent via Facebook
Abyshek posts on Facebook What is so different now? there is no constitutional Amendment as yet towards any actual democracy. Hosni Mubarak has been replaced by the Army Council...
Comment sent via Facebook
Hastings in Malawi writes on Facebook Egypt is a concern as of now. I can see tensions continuing for some month or years due to power vacuum created by the former system, as is the case in many African and Middle Eastern countries.
Comment sent via Facebook
Walt in Oregon got in touch on Facebook Now that the army is trying to define the direction of Egypt I wonder how they view the police force? I have heard nothing about the police for days? Is the army now also law enforcement?
Comment sent via Facebook
Makanani in Malawi sent a message on Facebook. The exit of Mubarak is just the beginning of political reform. The people of Egypt should therefore continue their gathering, otherwise, Egypt may only be moving to another, worse Mubarak.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Aysha in Yemen sent us an email: The people of Egypt are right. A President should take care of his people, if he does then good things will happen. If a President doesn't take care of his people then it is right if bad things happen to him in return.
Comment sent via YOURSAY
Aysha in Yemen sent an email email The people of Egypt are right. A President should take care of his people, if he does then good things will happen. If a President doesn't take care of his people then it is right if bad things happen to him in return.
Comment sent via host
Xavier here. We''re live now. It''s Day 2 of the Post Mubarak era in Egypt. What happens after the revolution?