Internet cut as Egypt braces for 'march of millions'

A man holds a sign up following prayers in Tahrir Square in Cairo on the seventh day of mass protests.

February 1, 2011
By the CNN Wire Staff

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Google says its "speak-to-tweet" service could help Egyptians communicate, despite restrictions
• Major demonstrations are planned for cities throughout the country
• Mubarak's vice president promises reform
• The military pledges not to shoot peaceful protesters

Cairo, Egypt (CNN) -- Egypt's government has posted troops at key locations and cut internet service as anti-government protesters planned a "march of millions" Tuesday.

Activists pledged to hold major demonstrations in cities throughout the country -- a week after rallies began calling for President Hosni Mubarak's resignation.

But Mubarak, who has ruled Egypt for nearly 30 years under a sweeping emergency decree, has given no indication that he plans to give up power.

His government planned to shut down mobile phone networks, closed banks and schools and continued a curfew in preparation for Tuesday's protests.

Protesters have defied previous curfew orders. And late Monday night, Google announced a new technology option that could help Egyptians get around restrictions on mobile phone and internet service.

The new "speak-to-tweet" service allows people without an internet connection to leave a voice-mail message, which will automatically be turned into a tweet, according to a description on Google's blog.

The political turmoil has paralyzed commerce and disrupted daily life in Egypt.

State television reported Monday that the crisis has cost the country an estimated 69 billion Egyptian pounds (nearly $12 billion) and set its economy back six months.

ATM screens went dark. Gas stations ran out of fuel. Long lines snaked around bakeries and supermarkets as shops began to ration how much food customers could buy. Men with makeshift weapons guarded neighborhoods, creating checkpoints to fill the void left when police stopped patrolling the streets.

At demonstrations last Friday, thousands of riot and plainclothes police clashed violently with protesters in a brutal crackdown.

Since then, troops from the country's powerful military have had a strong presence in the streets as largely peaceful protests continued.

The military announced Monday evening that it recognized "the legitimate demands of the honest citizens" and would not open fire on peaceful protesters.

"The presence of the armed forces in the Egyptian streets is for your benefit to protect your safety and peace," an unnamed spokesman announced on state television Monday night. "Your armed forces will not use violence against this great people, who have always played a significant role in every moment of Egypt's great history."

Troops have been mingling with demonstrators in Cairo's Tahrir Square, a focal point for anti-government protests.

"There is no aggressive behavior from the army toward the peaceful assemblies," human rights activist Ramy Raoof said early Tuesday. "We hope that within a few hours, the same also will happen. We hope the army will not escalate violence against us."

Mubarak imposed an emergency decree after the 1981 assassination of his predecessor, Anwar Sadat. A wave of protests against his regime erupted following the uprising in Tunisia that ousted its longtime strongman January 14.

While it's difficult to ascertain a solid death toll during the unrest , Human Rights Watch staffers have confirmed 80 deaths from two hospitals in Cairo, 36 deaths in Alexandria and 13 fatalities in Suez, said Human Rights Watch researcher Heba Morayef.

The Egypt protests started after weeks of similar disturbances sparked a revolution in Tunisia and forced then-President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to flee the country. There have also been protests in Algeria, Yemen and Jordan since the unrest started in Tunisia.

Egypt and Tunisia have seen dramatic rises in the cost of living in recent years as well as accusations of corruption among the ruling elite.

While it was widely believed Mubarak was grooming his son, Gamal, as his successor, that plan now has been complicated by demands for democracy.

Mubarak fired his Cabinet on Saturday and his designated longtime intelligence chief Omar Suleiman as vice president -- the first time he has filled that post since he came to power in 1981.

Suleiman announced Monday that he had begun discussing reform with opposition parties. Speaking on the state television network, Suleiman said a reform package should be drawn up "expeditiously." "The other parties will also have a role to play, which will lead to real political reform," Suleiman said.

But there were no details of what proposals might be on the table, nor was there any immediate reaction from opposition figures or any indication of which parties were taking part.

Several opposition movements have been represented on the streets in the demonstrations.

Mounir Fakhry Abdel Nour, secretary-general of the Wafd Party, told CNN the group's followers have been "extremely active."

But Raoof, the human rights activist, said that many people with different perspectives were banding together around a common goal.

"There is no political group leading the people. There is no one leading the people. People are going in a very organic way ... people are just doing it," he said.

CNN's Ben Wedeman, Frederik Pleitgen, Ivan Watson, Housam Ahmed, Caroline Faraj, Salma Abdelaziz, Saad Abedine, Christine Theodorou, Zain Verjee and journalist Ian Lee contributed to this report