Cairo, Egypt (CNN) -- As Egypt's military moves forward with a plan to enact constitutional reforms, protests continued Wednesday while the country adjusted to its new governing body.
Military personnel dispersed about 200 protesters Wednesday outside a welding factory between Cairo and Alexandria, state media reported. The protesters blocked traffic for about half-an-hour, demanding better pay, better compensation for working longer hours and better treatment from management.
Meanwhile, the military has formed "an apolitical and independent constitutional committee" to propose constitutional reforms within 10 days, according to Wael Ghonim, an activist credited with spearheading the protests that toppled former President Hosni Mubarak's regime of almost 30 years.
State-run television said a retired judge, Tarek Beshri, will head the panel. It also reported that Mohammed Tantawi, head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, met Tuesday with the panel to make sure plans are on target for the reforms.
After that plan is forged, a referendum will be held on the measures within two months, Ghonim said in a statement on the social media website Facebook.
Ghonim learned about the constitutional referendum timetable on Monday during a meeting with members of the Egyptian military -- which assumed power last week when the nation's longtime president stepped down after 18 days of tenacious anti-government demonstrations. Protesters took to the streets armed with complaints over lack of economic opportunity, poverty and corruption as well as demands for Mubarak's immediate resignation.
Ghonim and seven other leaders of the youth uprising sat down with two representatives of the Supreme Council of Armed Forces. He said the military officials don't want to rule the country and believe that developing a civilian government is the only option for moving Egypt forward.
The military has been in charge since Friday, when Mubarak's resignation was announced. Top military leaders dissolved parliament, suspended the constitution and vowed to remain in charge until elections can be held in six months or so.
The unprecedented changes in the most populous Arab nation have been watched closely throughout the Middle East and North Africa, where more unrest has unfolded in places such as Iran, Bahrain, Algeria, Libya and Yemen.
On Tuesday, state media reported 3,000 officers protested outside police headquarters in the central city of Sohaj for better working conditions, pay raises and the removal of their superiors. The protesters attempted to storm the provincial police chief's office, but he escaped out of the back door.
Representatives of the protesters met with officials, and they were promised a review of policies and demands to be brought before the Interior Ministry, state media said.
Touching on the damage to the economy, the military agreed to begin a campaign to collect 100 billion Egyptian pounds to rebuild the country. Egypt's Central Bank announced in a statement Tuesday that banks will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday -- the last two days of the country's work week.
Also Wednesday, Higher Education Minister Hani Helal announced that state schools and universities will remain closed until Saturday. Some private institutions also said they will remain closed until next week.
And in front of the country's supreme court building, a few hundred protesters -- mostly women -- called for fair trials for their brothers, husbands and fathers. Their loved ones were arrested during Mubarak's rule for being part of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Ghonim and seven other leaders of the youth uprising sat down with two representatives of the Supreme Council of Armed Forces. He said the military officials don't want to rule the country and believe that developing a civilian government is the only option for moving Egypt forward.
The military has been in charge since Friday, when Mubarak's resignation was announced. Top military leaders dissolved parliament, suspended the constitution and vowed to remain in charge until elections can be held in six months or so.
The unprecedented changes in the most populous Arab nation have been watched closely throughout the Middle East and North Africa, where more unrest has unfolded in places such as Iran, Bahrain, Algeria, Libya and Yemen.
On Tuesday, state media reported 3,000 officers protested outside police headquarters in the central city of Sohaj for better working conditions, pay raises and the removal of their superiors. The protesters attempted to storm the provincial police chief's office, but he escaped out of the back door.
Representatives of the protesters met with officials, and they were promised a review of policies and demands to be brought before the Interior Ministry, state media said.
Touching on the damage to the economy, the military agreed to begin a campaign to collect 100 billion Egyptian pounds to rebuild the country. Egypt's Central Bank announced in a statement Tuesday that banks will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday -- the last two days of the country's work week.
Also Wednesday, Higher Education Minister Hani Helal announced that state schools and universities will remain closed until Saturday. Some private institutions also said they will remain closed until next week.
And in front of the country's supreme court building, a few hundred protesters -- mostly women -- called for fair trials for their brothers, husbands and fathers. Their loved ones were arrested during Mubarak's rule for being part of the Muslim Brotherhood.
