Although two years have passed since the January 25 Revolution that led to the overthrow of former president Hosni Mubarak, the main goals of the revolution have yet to be achieved. The facts on the ground say that protesters determined to achieve the revolution's goals are still demonstrating, the escaped convicts are still at large and the chaos prevails. According to economists, demonstrations and chaos always have a negative effect on the economy. Many shops are suffering losses because of the demonstrations and the insecurity. “Due to the instability in the country, people are afraid to go out and buy what they need," said Sherif Ali, the owner of a shop that sells shoes and bags in downtown Cairo. “We've been offering 70 per cent reductions to encourage people to buy and we've also made big banners to advertise our goods, but all to no avail." Ali, whose shop is near Tahrir Square, added that he just hopes that these demonstrations achieve something useful in the end, or else all that effort will have been wasted. “If there is a good outcome, I will be happy for Egypt's sake. If the martyrs have died in vain, I will be very sad. I'm ready to lose my trade but I want the country to prosper and develop," he told the Egyptian Mail. “Since the revolution and since President Morsi became President, nothing has developed. Everything has got worse; the economy is bad and all the problems are still there, as they haven't been solved," Ali said sadly. “I want the President to really love his nation and try to unite, not divide it. I want the youth to be united for Egypt's sake and to achieve the revolution's goals." Ali explained that many innocent people have been killed, merely for defending their country. “We've lost enough young people in these clashes," he commented. Riots flared in Port Said last month, on January 26, when a judge sentenced 21 people to death for their involvement in the killings at the soccer match. On February 1, 2012, a massive riot erupted at Port Said Stadium, following a Premier League football match between Al-Masry and Al-Ahly, leaving over 70 people dead and more than 1,000 injured. More than 30 people were killed in the latest riots in Port Said, pushing President Mohamed Morsi to declare a state of emergency and impose curfew in the governorates of Suez, Port Said and el-Ismailia. After Morsi's speech, there were more demonstrations, with chaos returning again to the country, especially in Tahrir Square. “We are suffering from a recession because of the problems in the country," says Mohamed Abbas, who works in a clothes shop in downtown Cairo. “The more the demonstrations, the more we suffer." He adds that, despite the sales, few people are buying. “We consider this time of the year as the boom season for us, when we can make a lot of profit, but, since the revolution, we have been suffering from a recession, especially whenever things get dangerous. Thousands of protesters who oppose Morsi's politics marched to el-Ithadiyia Place in Heliopolis, to denounce Egypt's Islamist President last Friday, clashing with the security forces that fired tear gas and water cannon at them. Many other protests were held in several cities around the country and, of course, in Tahrir Square. President Morsi said in a statement that security forces would "act with utmost decisiveness" to protect the palace and other state buildings. All this instability is having a negative effect on the market, according to the shop owners. “We usually look forward to winter and summer sales, but now we can hardly find a client," comments Moustafa Mahmoud, the owner of another downtown clothes shop. “Since the revolution, our sales have plummeted 97 per cent, making it difficult for us to pay our taxes, the workers' salaries and other things. “Life is like a chain, with everyone complementing each other's work," adds Mahmoud. “When an employee does not get paid because of the demonstrations, this automatically affects the economy, because the employee does not have any money to buy anything, so we all lose out." He hopes that everyone stops demonstrating, goes back to work, earns some money and does something for the economy which has been suffering since the revolution. Mahmoud, like millions of Egyptians, is eager to live in a stable country.
