CAIRO - Dozens of physically handicapped people snarl up the traffic in Qasr Al-Aini, an important street in central Cairo. ‘The Revolution of the Disabled', reads one huge banner they've hung from a building near the headquarters of the Cabinet. The demonstrators are protesting what they call the Government's disregard of their sufferings. Nearby, scores of policemen stand by watching as hundreds of cars are forced to stop, bumper to bumper. The vehicles stretch all the way down the street, lined by buildings of key State institutions. "You punish us for no guilt of ours," shouts a driver, addressing the disabled protesters. "We are punished too for no guilt of ours," retorts one of the protesters. Such scenes have become commonplace in recent months, with Egypt being hit by a spate of labour strikes. More than a month ago, a group of angry bus drivers, demanding better wages, blocked the same street with their vehicles. The policemen on duty did nothing to end the chaos that again left hundreds of motorists stranded for hours. Egypt's police have been in disarray since a popular revolt forced long-standing president Hosni Mubarak to step down. Repeated promises by Interior Minister Mansour el-Essawi that the situation will improve have proved hollow. There is no clear explanation for this feeling of helplessness gripping Egypt. Unfortunately, this feeling has apparently taken root nine months after the anti-Mubarak uprising. Most Egyptians taking to the streets to demand better working conditions feel helpless. So are the governmental officials and the police. This helplessness provides fertile ground for chaos and lawlessness. During the holiday for the Muslim Eid al-Adha festival that ended at the weekend, several provinces nationwide were racked by violence, mostly triggered by trivial things. The only explanation for this violence is this crippling feeling of helplessness in a country whose State institutions are dubiously falling apart.
