VOA标准英语2013--埃及抗议者无视警告驱散

（单词翻译）

Egypt Protesters Defy Warning to Disperse¹埃及抗议者无视警告驱散

CAIRO — 

Egyptian authorities have warned again that a siege of anti-government encampments is imminent², but tens of thousands of demonstrators camped out in key areas of Cairo remain defiant³. 

At the main anti-government encampment in Cairo on Monday, it's hard to tell the threat of a crackdown looms⁴.

On the streets outside Rabaa al Adaweya mosque⁵, a group of young men played an informal game of football.  Children cheered them on, seeming oblivious⁶ to a government warning that actions against the camp will come soon.

But the protesters were ready.  They had food, water trucks, generators⁷, even satellite dishes. 

It's a city within a city, and despite the threat of a siege, police remain far away and more people keep arriving.

Past the barricades⁸ on the outskirt of the camp, Mustafa Mahmud, a retiree with two young children arrived for the day - as he has each day since early July when President Mohamed Morsi was ousted⁹ by the military after massive rallies against him. 

Mahmud pointed¹⁰ out the places where people died in previous battles with police. He hoped there wiould be no more violence, but said people are accepting of what may come next. 

“Aren't we all a martyr¹¹'s project?” he asked.

Government warns protesters

The government calls the encampment a threat to security, pointing to provocations¹² from some among the protesters, and the near daily marches that disrupt traffic throughout the city.

International envoys¹³ have been trying to find a way out of the impasse¹⁴, and on Sunday, the Sheikh of Al-Azhar offered mediation¹⁵.

But the leading Sunni cleric's offer has been rejected by those inside the camp. Mohamed Soltan, the camp's volunteer media coordinator¹⁶, explained the position. 

“The Ahmed el Tayeb, who has taken a huge part, who is the religious face of this military coup¹⁷, is now coming and saying 'Hey we're coming up with some sort of mediation, whatever,'" he said.

"That's unacceptable," he added. "Imagine telling that to the mother of a martyr?” 

Morsi remains¹⁸ jailed 

On Monday, the Egyptian interim¹⁹ government extended Morsi's detention²⁰ for 15 days.

Soltan said the demand that Morsi be reinstated is non-negotiable

“We have nothing but that," he said. "The other side has guns, has armies, has media, has a judiciary system, has money.  They have everything and they're the ones not willing to compromise.  We don't have anything. we're out on the streets.  We have nothing.”

The government has portrayed²¹ those camped here as dangerous radicals²² and certainly the rhetoric²³ of Islamism is everywhere. But for some that's not the point.

Mostafa Mahmud, standing²⁴ by his children, explained he is not a Muslim Brother and he is not defending Morsi.  

Mahmud said he took part in a democratic process, repeatedly waiting in long lines at the ballot²⁵ box. 

"Where is my vote?" he asked.