Greenbacks' shadow
As talk of war escalates and the pound continues to depreciate, Yasmine El-Rashidi hits the streets and listens in
It could, in theory, be any other day in these people's lives. They talk about Palestine, they talk about the United States, and they talk, of course, about money. "This rise in the dollar has affected us and affected business," says 34-year-old Mohamed Khaled, who works at a fruit kiosk. "Business is not like before."
If the Egyptian pound had a family, chances are that the US dollar would be its "Big Brother". That, at any event, is how much of the Egyptian public seems to view the relationship between the two currencies.
"Our lives are tied to the dollar," Khaled says. "The US does this, and it affects us like that, the US dollar moves this way, or that way, and we are hit." He laughs. "There's no escape."
Khaled has a good point, and the millions that make up Egypt's masses agree. Not just in terms of business, but in terms of life as a whole.
"Life has become more stressful, and it will continue to get worse if things carry on like this," says Umm Ahmed, a resident of Sayeda Zeinab and part-time housekeeper.
"The dollar and the war, and the actions of the United States affect every aspect of life and living," she adds.
"The pressure will increase and we won't be able to buy things anymore, and it will affect all relations and interactions between people."
She pauses, and sighs.
"We are scared of what will happen and of the future," she says, fiddling with a metro ticket in her hand. "We need to eat, we need to buy clothes. God only knows what will happen."
Umm Ahmed's is not a solitary voice of despair, but is echoed by the masses.
"Everyone is talking about it," says Mansour Badawi, who makes and sells rugs in the Kirdasa area. "People are scared of what will happen and the war. The dollar and the war are scary. Business is slow, people aren't buying like before and prices of things are going up.
Everyone is apprehensive about what will come. God only knows."
Bush knows too, others laugh. "It's as if our lives are in his hands," jokes an onlooker, shrugging his shoulders, rolling his eyes and shaking his head in despair.
"No one is relaxed," says fruit-shop employee Khaled Fahmy. "Everyone is tense. Everyone is talking about life and how it will go on. How people will go on with their day-to-day dealings, and businesses and plans."
"The price of imported fruits is up by a third, at least," Khaled adds. "That has had a big impact on our sales.
People are scared that there will be a war, and then prices will go up more, and that there will be no money in the country. As a population we are scared of bankruptcy."
Not just their bankruptcy, but of banks too.
"They say it's better to keep one's money at home," says Khaled. "That's what all the people are saying. There's no guarantee that it will still be there if there's a war. There's no guarantee of anything, really, except in the power of faith."
"One must pray and then leave it to God," says Karima El-Masry, a cook and mother of four. "What can one do but that? What will happen will happen. If prices go up and I can no longer afford to clothe and feed my children, then there is nothing I can do but have faith in God."
But Karima is taking precautions.
"I'm trying to cut my spending a bit, save, and not buy any extras. Only what we really need. There is all this talk of war, but I don't understand what will happen or whether it will come here."
Street talk in general has no real grasp of how far-reaching war would actually be. But economically and emotionally it has already begun to make a strong impact on people's lives.
"We all have our own well-being in mind," says Badawi. "And we all have to put food on our family's tables. This tension, and the insecurity makes people like this."
Badawi is uptight, stressed, unable to smile and display the laid-back qualities that epitomise the warmth and relaxed aura of Egypt, its people and its culture.
"What will a war achieve anyway?" he asks. "It will create more tension between the countries of the world." He pauses and shakes his head. "What about us?" he asks in a lowered voice. The way his head shakes in despair and disbelief belies a lack of understanding of the world and its ways.
"There are millions of families in the Arab world that will be affected by this," he continues. "We are already affected."
The dollar and depreciating pound may have put political pressure on the state, its neighbours and their leaders, but it is also affecting people's minds. As the economy collapses, so too does one's mental well-being.
"Did anyone ever think of that?" Umm Ahmed says. "Did anyone ever stop to think of lives? Why is this different from 11 September?"
In terms of lives, it is not.
Al-Ahram Weekly Online : 20 - 26 February 2003 (Issue No. 626)
Located at: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2003/626/ec4.htm