Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian president, has resigned from his post, handing over power to the armed forces.
Omar Suleiman, the vice-president, announced in a televised address that the president was “waiving” his office, and had handed over authority to the Supreme Council of the armed forces.
Suleiman’s short statement was received with a roar of approval and by celebratory chanting and flag-waving from a crowd of hundreds of thousands in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, as well by pro-democracy campaigners who attended protests across the country on Friday.
(Gambar – ‘Yaum-al-Gadb’ hari kemarahan sebagaimana di beritahu oleh Presiden PAS dalam ucapannya di Kuala Nerus pagi Jumaat terbukti dengan keadaan penunjuk perasaan hari Jumaat 11 Februari, dalam pusingan akhir, sebelum Hosni Mubarak melarikan diri)
The crowd in Tahrir chanted “We have brought down the regime”, while many were seen crying, cheering and embracing one another.
Mohamed ElBaradei, an opposition leader, hailed the moment as being the “greatest day of my life”, in comments to the Associated Press news agency.
“The country has been liberated after decades of repression,” he said.
“Tonight, after all of these weeks of frustration, of violence, of intimidation … today the people of Egypt undoubtedly [feel they] have been heard, not only by the president, but by people all around the world,” our correspondent at Tahrir Square reported, following the announcement.
“The sense of euphoria is simply indescribable,” our correspondent at Mubarak’s Heliopolis presidential palace, where at least ten thousand pro-democracy activists had gathered, said.
“I have waited, I have worked all my adult life to see the power of the people come to the fore and show itself. I am speechless.” Dina Magdi, a pro-democracy campaigner in Tahrir Square told Al Jazeera.
“The moment is not only about Mubarak stepping down, it is also about people’s power to bring about the change that no-one … thought possible.”
In Alexandria, Egypt’s second city, our correspondent described an “explosion of emotion”. He said that hundreds of thousands were celebrating in the streets.
Pro-democracy activists in the Egyptian capital and elsewhere had earlier marched on presidential palaces, state television buildings and other government installations on Friday, the 18th consecutive day of protests. (Berita penuh di English Section Buletinonline)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XzLFNaE2oA
Berita Sebelumnya
Hosni Mubarak dilaporkan telah meninggalkan ibu negara Mesir bersama keluarganya sementara momentum tunjuk perasaan yang masuk hari ke-18 hari ini terus meningkat sehari selepas presiden itu menegaskan tidak akan berundur sekarang.
Pihak tentera pula berjanji akan menarik balik perintah darurat yang dikuatkuasakan sejak tiga dekad lalu selepas keadaan semasa reda.
Hosni memerintah negara itu sejak 1981 dan kini berhadapan dengan kebangkitan rakyat.
Laporan NBC News berkata, Hosni meninggalkan Kaherah untuk menuju resort Laut Merah Sharm el-Sheikh.
Penunjuk perasaan juga mula berkumpul di pekarangan istana presiden hari ini.
Hosni mempunyai sebuah vila dan lazimnya menghabiskan hujung minggu di kawasan tersebut.
Laporan itu menyebut Hosni meninggalkan ibu negara, salah satu lokasi demonstrasi sejak tiga minggu lalu, bersama keluarganya dari pangkalan tentera Almaza.
Bagaimanapun laporan stesen TV Al-Jazeera yang dipetik msnbc pula berkata, Hosni sudah pun meninggalkan Mesir dan terbang ke Emiriah Arab Bersatu.
Dalam ucapannya lewat semalam, Hosni mengumumkan beliau masih kekal dengan pendiriannya tidak mahu tunduk kepada tuntutan penunjuk perasaan sambil menegaskan, beliau akan terus menerajui negara Mesir sehingga September ini.
Komen beliau dalam ucapan menerusi televisyen muncul ketika sesetengah pihak termasuk Amerika Syarikat membuat tanggapan bahawa Hosni akan berundur segera.
Penunjuk-penunjuk perasaan menyambut ucapan Hosni dengan perasaan marah manakala pemimpin pembangkang utama pula menyifatkan pendirian terbaru presiden itu akan menyebabkan “Mesir meledak.”
Mereka yang menyertai demonstrasi tersentak dengan pendirian Hosni sambil melaungkan: “Pergi, pergi. pergi.”
Sesetengah penunjuk perasaan kelihatan menitiskan air mata manakala beberapa yang lain terkejut dengan ucapan itu.
Pemenang hadiah Nobel Keamanan Mohamed ElBaradei, yang dilihat sebagai pemimpin pembangkang utama di Mesir sekarang, meramalkan “Mesir akan meletup” kerana Hosni enggan tunduk kepada tuntutan rakyat.
Justeru, bekas ketua agensi nuklear antarabangsa ini meminta tentera campur tangan.