1
00:00:03,016 --> 00:00:10,006
Where did the revolution begin? Didn't it begin with the poor street vendors? Who died? Right?



2
00:00:10,008 --> 00:00:18,018
Rather than fix, you take the smallest problem and say, "I want to fix it."



3
00:00:18,015 --> 00:00:25,035
Why don't you start with the big problems? Before you fix the small ones? The problem with the vendors is trivial!



4
00:00:25,032 --> 00:00:33,022
It's not really a problem, but the media made it one. The amount of attacks on vendors from the media.



5
00:00:33,025 --> 00:00:37,055
They made the vendors into the biggest problem on the street.



6
00:00:47,058 --> 00:00:52,018
Me content with being a vendor? No way. But these are my circumstances.



7
00:00:52,020 --> 00:00:56,050
Living expenses, food. I haven't found anything better to do than this.



8
00:00:56,054 --> 00:01:02,044
I'll tell you what would be worse, I could steal for example. But I couldn't.



9
00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:11,040
I'm 41 years old, I've been working here 22 years, maybe longer, and my father and grandfather before me.



10
00:01:11,035 --> 00:01:17,005
We've been buying and selling. We came here and we sold.



11
00:01:17,003 --> 00:01:21,033
I have three kids. How will they eat, if I leave the street?



12
00:01:21,030 --> 00:01:27,020
I couldn't find employment, could I? With salaries and unemployment the way it is?



13
00:01:27,024 --> 00:01:33,044
You're making me unemployed! There are 5 million of us, 5 or 6 million street vendors... Where will they go?



14
00:01:49,041 --> 00:01:52,041
Shame on you, fear God! Every one of you sitting in his seat.



15
00:01:52,038 --> 00:01:52,438
First, he thinks that because of the vendors you took his seat.



16
00:01:56,047 --> 00:02:02,067
They forget that because of the vendors we have a new president.



17
00:02:02,070 --> 00:02:02,770
Because of the vendors, the corruption of Hosni Mubarak and his cronies was exposed.



18
00:02:09,030 --> 00:02:18,020
Bouazizi died in Tunisia. But there are nine million Bouazizis ready to do the same thing.



19
00:02:18,023 --> 00:02:26,003
Look, it's one of two things: my home and kids. If there's no food at home, it's better for me to die.



20
00:02:26,001 --> 00:02:33,101
They tried Hosni Mubarak, but they still call him Mr. President, even now. Everyone says to him "You're the president".



21
00:02:33,097 --> 00:02:44,037
Go and prosecute those who got land for 57 piastres per meter, the north coast and all of that for free.



22
00:02:44,036 --> 00:02:50,066
Shame on you, you ruined this country! The land back home in the countryside is ruined. Even the fertilizers, ruined.



23
00:02:50,062 --> 00:02:54,012
Where do I go? It's one of two things.



24
00:02:54,011 --> 00:03:01,071
Either we make an honest living and live, or we die. And we're the ones who protected the country.



25
00:03:01,070 --> 00:03:08,050
We're not in the road or obstructing traffic, or causing problems.



26
00:03:08,048 --> 00:03:14,058
From the day the revolution started, no store was damaged here on Qasr al-Nil street.



27
00:03:14,054 --> 00:03:17,014
No woman complained about us, and we haven't caused problems.



28
00:03:17,012 --> 00:03:20,092
Ask anyone walking around here, and he'll tell you about the vendors of Qasr al-Nil in particular.



29
00:03:20,089 --> 00:03:27,079
The Talaat Harb vendors aren't all vendors.



30
00:03:27,075 --> 00:03:32,035
There's ones the police brought after the revolution.



31
00:03:32,034 --> 00:03:42,004
Their business went down, so they brought them here to take a share of their goods.



32
00:03:42,008 --> 00:03:49,038
They're not really selling out of out of necessity.



33
00:03:49,037 --> 00:03:53,007
Most vendors are good and respectable people who protect their livelihood,



34
00:03:53,002 --> 00:03:57,072
but those who go off the pavement or block the street, we find that unacceptable of course.



35
00:03:57,069 --> 00:04:01,009
I came from the countryside because even after I got my diploma and finished army service,



36
00:04:01,013 --> 00:04:07,083
I still couldn't find work. I came and set up here on the street. So we got used to it, and we're supporting ourselves.



37
00:04:07,083 --> 00:04:11,033
Do you see what happened to agriculture?



38
00:04:11,029 --> 00:04:18,039
The farmers are leaving one after the other. Yesterday the president was talking about "the farmers". The farmers are in debt!



39
00:04:18,037 --> 00:04:23,067
What can you plant now? Chemical fertilizer is up to 200 EGP.



40
00:04:23,067 --> 00:04:28,067
These people mean no harm. They're just trying to make a living.



41
00:04:28,071 --> 00:04:33,031
We want President Morsi to walk the street, like he did that first time in Tahrir.



42
00:04:33,026 --> 00:04:37,056
Come and walk among the people, like Gamal Abdel-Nasser did, see folks!



43
00:04:37,054 --> 00:04:43,104
We want anyone who can to give us a pound so we can live. People can't afford to eat. That's all, thank you.



44
00:04:43,099 --> 00:04:50,089
I'm Abdel Hafiz Bayoumi. People are good to us and treat us well, thank God.



45
00:04:50,084 --> 00:04:56,054
There are no problems. I've worked in this profession more than 30 years.



46
00:04:56,058 --> 00:05:00,078
And all that time I've known them to be good people.



47
00:05:00,082 --> 00:05:04,052
They stop them, do this and that to them, and take fees from them.



48
00:05:04,053 --> 00:05:13,083
These people are supporting households. Some have five or six children. Better they stand here, or steal?



49
00:05:13,082 --> 00:05:13,582
I've been living and working here for more than 27 years.



50
00:05:18,072 --> 00:05:26,092
My ID address says Abdeen. I'm originally from Upper Egypt but I changed my address to here in Abdeen.



51
00:05:26,087 --> 00:05:37,077
The problem is, we're used to this being our source of income. It's the thing we can find to keep us alive.



52
00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:46,030
Just enough so we can provide for our children, who are in school. Now they come and want to force us to leave.



53
00:05:46,029 --> 00:05:52,039
Now they're saying they'll find us space elsewhere. So where are these places?



54
00:05:52,041 --> 00:05:59,031
As you can see I sell hairclips and brushes. Who's going to go into an alley or somewhere to look for a brush, comb or hairclip?



55
00:05:59,029 --> 00:06:02,049
No, customers pass by and like these kinds of things and then they buy them.



56
00:06:02,048 --> 00:06:11,048
This is the street vendor system. Then to make us leave all of a sudden, it isn't right. The country is bad enough already.



57
00:06:11,043 --> 00:06:14,003
We're not one. We're saying we're going to stand here, meter by meter, in a civilized way,



58
00:06:14,005 --> 00:06:19,005
in the way that you decide for us. And we'll pay the fees and taxes that you want, and keep things clean,



59
00:06:19,005 --> 00:06:27,015
and then everyone will have their card, their vendor's license, and will go on on that basis.



60
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Mosireen