Welcome everyone to the #EgyptNow twitter chat. We’re happy to have @magedmgabra @nancyGEO & hopefully @esraa2008. Our guests will be...Movements.org

...answering your questions on #EgyptNow, especially re: how the revolutionary forces see the situation & what strategies they plan to useMovements.org

The chat took place amidst ongoing crisis in Egypt, as protests marking significant anniversaries deteriorated into violent clashes between protestors and Egyptian police.  From the start of the chat, activists painted a dark picture of human rights and democracy in #EgyptNow, seeing clear parallels between life under the ongoing rule of the Muslim Brotherhood and life during the dictatorship of deposed ruler Hosni Mubarak.

#EgyptNow is much worse than 3 years ago..we r all feeling downAsmaa fouad

@aym @NancyGEO @Esraa2008 more risk, since #Morsi is declaring his ugly face #EgyptNow we wake up everyday to see how many the regime killedMaged Maher Gabra

@NancyGEO @aym @Esraa2008 Violence became a huge issue and the political struggle moves towards a violent one with the growing despairMaged Maher Gabra

@aym @MagedMGabra @Esraa2008 A1: plus the regime is using same old tactics: defaming activits & casting doubt over tehir intentions &agendasNancy Okail

The only achivement #Morsi did is that he made #Mubarak looks much better #EgyptNowMaged Maher Gabra

@nancyGEO @magedmgabra Seems that demo's for now have died down- du expect more in coming days? R pple tired of going to streets? #EgyptNowMovements.org

@AnniesPerson @aym Over the past months, there were frequent electricity cuts, shortage in fuel & gas & disrupt in transportation #egyptnowNancy Okail

@aym @MagedMGabra A2: the decline in basic services plus the political monopoly bythe MB will keep will increase resentment #egyptnowNancy Okail

@AnniesPerson @NancyGEO @aym You can see everywhere long line in front of gas stationsMaged Maher Gabra

@AnniesPerson @aym not to mention power blackouts http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/08/09/egyptian-capital-hit-by-rash-blackouts/ #EgyptNowMaged Maher Gabra

@AnniesPerson @aym while people have been able to barely tolerate this for sometime they wont be able to for long #egyptnowNancy Okail

Many Egyptians have expressed their frustration with the Muslim Brotherhood and it's political wing, the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), since they took over transitional power from the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) last year. However, while the FJP and the similarly-minded Salafist Al Nour party won a majority in last year's contested Parliamentary Elections (athough the body was later dissolved), won a Presidential election amidst widespread claims of electoral fraud, and passed a highly controversial constitution through another questionable referendum, Egyptian opposition parties have also failed to capitalize on the pervasive dissatisfaction. One of the figurehead leaders of the Egyptian opposition, Mohamed El Baradei, has been widely criticized for his inaction during the current political crisis, though he and other leaders have recently joined together in the loosely affiliated National Salvation Front (NSF).

Q4: What do you think of #Baradei and the national salvation front & will a political process achieve progress in #EgyptNow?Movements.org

@aym the problem with #egyptnow that ppl have changed but the approach to governance and political competition hasn't, same old figures 1/2Nancy Okail

@aym & same old ways, in #egyptnow neither MB nor NSF are able to keep up with the changes of the rev requires.Nancy Okail

@Ahedalhendi @mar3e I am not optimistic, revolutionaries lose confidence in them day after day #EgyptNowMaged Maher Gabra

@Ahedalhendi We support the demands of ElBaradei and the NSF as a conditions for dialogue with the repressive power #EgyptNowMohammed Mareeد.مرعى

@aym NSF does not support the main demand of revolutionaries. keeping #Morsi in power will continue to create unrest #EgyptNowMaged Maher Gabra

@Ahedalhendi @mar3e @aym A4:NSf failed ppl +no influence on angry masses. Their armchair dialogues wont change reality in z street #egyptnowNancy Okail

Given these frustrations, where can Egypt go from here? For some activists, there are clear priorities, for others, it means starting back at square one. 

@mar3e @nancyGEO @magedmgabra Q5: Are there demands that r priority? Nancy you suggested in blog today that police & justice reform r key...Movements.org

@aym @mar3e @MagedMGabra A5: reconciliations 4families of victims- reform security- creating operational accountability mechnisms #egyptnowNancy Okail

@aym @NancyGEO @MagedMGabra bring down the government, Constitution, the Shura Council and the General public prosecutor 1 #egyptnowMohammed Mareeد.مرعى

@aym @NancyGEO @MagedMGabra 2- putting Police officers who involved in killing of our martyrs in Port Said and Suez to the Trial #egyptnowMohammed Mareeد.مرعى

@MagedMGabra @aym @NancyGEO yes , we can start from the zero point and avoiding the faults of the past #EgyptNowMohammed Mareeد.مرعى

@aym #Morsi kills peaceful protesters everyday,I do not think any political solution that does not bring him to justice will work #EgyptNowMaged Maher Gabra

Q5a: @magedmgabra @nancyGEO @mar3e if #morsi were to leave, who would replace him? Presumably #SCAF would not be welcome option? #EgyptNowMovements.org

@aym @MagedMGabra @NancyGEO start from the zero point,New constitution,Elections,trials for the killers,SCAF will not be welcomed #EgyptNowMohammed Mareeد.مرعى

@aym @NancyGEO @mar3e I personally do not welcome #SCAF but do we have a real choice here? #EgyptNowMaged Maher Gabra

@mar3e @aym @MagedMGabra crisis we have in #egyptnow started by #Mubarak and got worse under #SCAF who handed it to #MBNancy Okail

@MagedMGabra @aym @NancyGEO A civilian presidential council would be a better choice #EgyptNowMohammed Mareeد.مرعى

@mar3e @aym @NancyGEO I am not saying at all that I want #SCAF but chaos that #MB created may force Egyptians to look for the army as saviorMaged Maher Gabra

Finally, the discussion turned to methods the revolutionary forces are using and what others outside Egypt can do to help. This seemed to be the hardest question to answer. With some activists pushing political solutions, some taking a decidedly more agressive path, and others too disillusioned or afraid to continue the struggle, there seemed to be little consensus on what could be done inside Egypt. Outside Egypt, most called for increasing awareness and pressuring foreign governments to raise human rights issues with the Morsi regime.

Q6: @ohlookitsben1 asks what methods activists can use in #EgyptNow to achieve the results u mentioned? R digital tools still a focus?Movements.org

@aym @ohlookitsben1 Social media were and still Just a tools in our REV,our main dependence is continuing the Demo in the streets #EgyptNowMohammed Mareeد.مرعى

Final Q8: @mar3e @nancyGEO are there ways ppl can help support activists in #EgyptNow? What can ppl ask their gov't to do?Movements.org

@aym A8: the least is to speak out publicly calling out the egy gov on the atrocities against activists in #egyptnow, more importantly 1/2Nancy Okail

@aym @mar3e @NancyGEO A8:2/2 stop supporting dictators. they need w/ side with the people not the regimes #egyptnowNancy Okail

@aym @NancyGEO at least make a pressure at their gov't to stop supporting the repression authority in #Egypt #EgyptNowMohammed Mareeد.مرعى