DATE=04/02/02

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-288259 CQ

TITLE=EGYPT/ DEMONSTRATIONS(L-O)

BYLINE=GREG LAMOTTE

DATELINE=CAIRO

CONTENT=

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VOICED AT:

INTRO: Several American businesses in Cairo have been destroyed by pro-Palestinian students demonstrating in Egypt. VOA's Greg LaMotte reports political analysts say such protests will likely gain the attention of the government.

TEXT: (Open with natural sound of demonstration)

Student demonstrations in Egypt are growing louder (more demo natural sound) and more violent.

Thousands of Egyptian police, wearing riot gear, surrounded Cairo University today (Tuesday) following pro-Palestinian demonstrations that resulted in the destruction of several American businesses located across the street from the university.

Hassan Nafae is the head of the political science department at Cairo University.

/ / /ACT NAFAE/ / /

It is really getting dangerous, more dangerous, everywhere in all the cities where there are university campuses. There are a lot of troubles and I think the Egyptian government has some difficulty containing the people.

/ / /END ACT/ / /

Students are demanding President Hosni Mubarak take action in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict by mobilizing Arab troops to fight against Israel, allow citizens to travel to the occupied territories to fight on behalf of the Palestinians, expel the Israeli ambassador to Egypt and end all diplomatic relations with Israel and send medical teams to the occupied territories to help injured Palestinians.

Haba Amr is a student at Cairo University.

/ / /ACT AMR/ / /

We are sending a message to the people of Palestine that we are with them, and we refuse what's happening there, and we wish we would reach to them there and fight with them, really.

/ / /END ACT/ / /

Ahmed Ahwed says students want to do whatever they can to help the Palestinians.

/ / /ACT AHWED/ / /

We want to support the Intifada with money, with weapons. We want to do anything, anything, for the Intifada and we want Egyptian leaders to support the Intifada.

/ / /END ACT/ / /

Demonstrations have been taking place on university campuses in much of the Arab world ever since Israeli troops and tanks surrounded the office of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat late last week.

According to Mohammad Kamal, who teaches political science at Cairo University, student demonstrations do attract the attention of the government.

/ / /ACT KAMAL/ / /

It will be a trigger to all kinds of other issues because people are not frustrated only with the Israeli-Arab conflict but with other issues and the government tolerates some kind of demonstrations for the Arab-Israeli issue but you can't prevent people from talking, shouting and complaining about other domestic issues that they care about.

/ / /END ACT/ / /

(natural sound of demonstration)

Whether Egypt's President Mubarak is listening to the students is unknown. So far he has publicly remained relatively quiet while impatient, youthful, students increasingly express their anger.

(natural sound of demonstration)(Signed)

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