Saturday, for the fifth straight day, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Cairo, deserted first by the police, despite a curfew in place for 16 hours.
Reassured by the passive presence of the army, deployed in several districts of the capital, the Egyptians intend to achieve their end: bring down President Hosni Mubarak.
2.60 euros per day
"Despite the wealth of our country, Mubarak and his corrupt clique keep people in poverty. It is clear he has no choice," said Muhammad with conviction.Through its use of a cleaner - "God I thank you one," he says - his monthly salary equivalent to 80 euros, slightly more than 2.60 euros per day.
At 45, he must support his wife, his three young son, and his own parents. Food, school fees and medical, to get out he is forced to borrow from relatives. "My situation is the same as the vast majority of Egyptians, we do not live, we try to survive."
He said the protest was an expression of ras-le-bol-General of the Arab people against their rulers."He absolutely must be completed by the fall of the regime rais (president Arabic, ed), as in Tunisia," he says.
"Mubarak himself a Pharaoh"
Same story on the side of Ayman, a 30-year-old merchant whose shop is located near the headquarters of state television. "Mubarak himself a pharaoh, he wants to build a dynasty by handing over power to one s son Gamal but we do not let him, they both leave," he said firmly.
Ayman hopes that the military does not keep the next government in power since 18981."Mubarak has been president since my birth year, enough!" We do not want a new government, we want a change, "he said shortly after the appointment of Omer Suleiman to the post of Vice-President, and Ahmad Chafic to being Prime Minister.
At nightfall, the streets begin to empty, curfew obliges. Especially an Egyptian media announced that "armed forces" can enforce with "firmness" the curfew. In some neighborhoods, following rumors of looting of private property of citizen militias armed with iron bars and batons were posted on street corners of the capital.The pressure on the Egyptian regime is far from falling.
Photo Credit: Marc Daou, special envoy of France 24 in Cairo
