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Al-Ahram Weekly 17 - 23 August 2000 Issue No. 495 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 17 - 23 August 2000 Issue No. 495
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Features Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Survival on the street
By Mariz Tadros
For four days, Al-Moski street, one of Cairo's most popular and crowded shopping areas, seemed deserted. On Thursday, following intense fighting that left two persons dead and 28 wounded, Cairo Governor Abdel-Rehim Shehata ordered all shops shut down for 15 days. Security forces were deployed. However, on Sunday, with calm restored, Shehata reconsidered and allowed business to recommence. Most shops, with the exception of those implicated in the violence, reopened on Monday. The street vendors, who were blamed for the brawl, were banished from the area. According to press reports, the violence was due to a dispute between street vendors from two different families over street space. The vendors had rented the space from their relatives who own two shops located near each other. Jockeying for space led to the use of knives, pistols and acid in a pitched battle. Once police had quashed the violence, 48 persons were arrested.
The vendors, however, tell a slightly different story. The two shop owners had been competing over the purchase of a small shop situated between their respective businesses. As the dispute escalated, thugs were hired.
Governor Shehata, during a visit to the street on Sunday, told Al-Ahram Weekly that the two shops will remain shut and their licences suspended. Other shops will be allowed to reopen. Although the governor did not explicitly accuse the street vendors of inciting the fight, he said that their presence will no longer be tolerated. He also stated that he wants the street "cleaned up." The shops will be painted all the same colour and security forces will remain on site for at least a month.
"We are not against people earning a living, but we will not put up with any further disturbance. I found out that many shop owners rent the areas in front of their shops to street vendors. This creates a chaotic situation," he said. Turning to the shop owners, he warned them directly, "If any of you rents out the space in front of your shop to a street vendor, you will be closed down immediately and your licence withdrawn."
Al-Moski street was brought to a standstill this week as shops were ordered to close down and security forces deployed
photo: Khaled El-Fiqi
Against protests that the street vendors had nowhere to go, the governor said that there are four markets where vendors can sell their wares -- Al-Ataba, Bein Al-Sourein, Al-Gohar and Souq Gaza.
"But we don't have licences to operate there," mumbled one vendor, "what are we going to do?" The governor responded that the government is in the process of building a market on a piece of land between Port Said Street and Al-Sharikat Street in the district of Al-Zawya Al-Hamra. Licensed vendors, who do not yet have shops or kiosks will be able to set up business in this new market. "If there is not enough space, we will build more markets for them," he added.
However, the governor's statement did not seem to re-assure the vendors. Looking dissatisfied, they walked away. "It's all fine and dandy for the shop owners who are well-off, but what about us -- how will we earn our living in the meantime?" sighed Ahmed Sadiq, the father of three children.
Until now, these vendors have made a living through petty trade -- selling under-garments, cheap clothes, pencils, paper and plastic toys and other inexpensive items. They usually buy the goods on credit from small factories and wholesale outlets. They then sell them on the street. The majority are not licensed and are often involved in a cat-and-mouse game with municipal police.
Furthermore, even those who have permits, but have not yet been allocated kiosks or shops by the government complain that they have no idea when the new market at Al-Zawya Al-Hamra will open. Until it does, they have no other means of supporting themselves. Those who have newly-issued permits see an even bleaker future ahead of them. They are at the bottom of a long waiting list for retail space.
However, popular sympathy has been lacking. The Arabic-language press has singled out the street vendors as the principal culprits behind the violence at Al-Moski. They have also been condemned for crowding the pavements, obstructing pedestrians, harassing shoppers, inciting regular fights and disturbing local residents with blaring cassette tapes.
The vendors, however, contend that they would not be selling their wares at Al-Moski if alternative markets were available. However, they argued that the market especially established for them at Al-Dweiqa, close to Muqattam, is too remote for most shoppers. "What is the point of having markets at the 6th of October or 10th of Ramadan cities where you know shoppers just won't bother going. If they establish the promised markets in easily accessible areas, we are prepared to pay the government whatever it demands in return for our own space," said Nasser Aziz, a third year law student who moonlights selling under-garments.
As for competition with the shops, Ali El-Dayrouti, a teacher and street vendor, noted that many shops rent out storefront areas to the vendors, "which they wouldn't do if it were affecting their livelihood. We don't sell the same products. Our wares are lower quality and are intended for the poorer customer who can't afford to buy from the shops," he said.
The vendors resent being viewed as a nuisance to be hunted down by the police. "But what can we do? If we had regular jobs we wouldn't be standing here from 7.00am until 6.00pm in the blazing heat to make a few pounds. There are other ways, not so decent, of earning a living," El-Dayrouti said.
It is estimated that there are 600,000 street vendors in Cairo alone. Many hope to have a legal permit one day, but the governorate has had, for many years, a policy against granting permits to petty traders. "There will be no new permits issued," the governor curtly told the Weekly. "We don't want any more youths from Assiut."
This statement was an elusion to the large number of educated young men from Upper Egypt who come to Cairo in search of a career, but end up as street vendors. The social problems this migration has created has baffled the governorate of Cairo for many years. It has tried various methods of deterrence, including regular police patrols, confiscation of goods and detention, but to no avail.
"What can we do? We need to earn a living. We have to survive. They have always wanted to get rid of us, but this is only because we are the most vulnerable," said Adel Tawhid, a 29-year-old agronomist turned street vendor.
At the moment, Al-Moski street may be clear of street vendors, but how long this situation will continue is an open question.
