Snapshots from Tahrir Square after Friday Prayers

Mohamed Atia, 44, Hamam City, Mars Mardroh State

1. When was the first time you went to Tahrir Square?
January 28, 2011. And I stayed until February, 12.

2. What has changed since then?
Nothing. It got even worse: corruption increased, unemployment increased, prices skyrocketed.

3. How does it feel in your heart?
Very unpleasant: We and all the others who didn’t participated in the revolution yet are ready to protest again.

4. If you would have ANY role in government, what would you do?
I would send millions of Egyptians to Sinai and to the West to protect Egypt.
For Sinai I would provide industrial machines and in the west water is key to solve the problems.

5. What are the next steps for Egypt to take?
As a nation we have to take care that we don’t split into various ethnic groups who fight against each other. Just like we see in
Syria, Somaila and Irak. We are one!

Magda Ahmet Mohamed, 58, Cairo – Her son was killed during the unrests.

1. When was the first time you went to Tahrir Square?January 25, 2011, The day of the Revolution.

2. What has changed since then?
Nothing has changed! Except the fact that all our sons are dead.
The Ministry of the Interior offered money for compensation. But this is not about money. I demand the execution of thoses who killed them.

4. If you would have ANY role in government, what would you do?
The Ministry of the Interior and the police should be in love with their poeple. They must stand with the people not against them. They shouldn’t try to fool us. We Egyptians are preciuos people and government should treat us accordingly.

To achieve justice and leverage society as a whole I would give money to the poor.

5. What are the next steps for Egypt to take?
We need to decrease youth unemployment.
We need to provide food and housing for everybody.
We should stop fosussing on the rich!
We should educate the young people!

Fathy Aboamar, 55, Menya State, 6th October City

1. When was the first time you went to Tahrir Square?
25 Januar. Since then I stayed at Tharir Square every single day and participated in various sit-ins.

2. What has changed since then?
Now we are facing an ongoing struggle between Islamistas, the Liberals and the Seculars.

3. How does it feel in your heart?
This struggle dispossess the revolution aside. Neither the Liberals nor the Seculars have a broad basis in the streets of Egypt.
All foreign media interviews only Liberals and Seculars – there are hardly any chances for the Islamists.

4. If you would have ANY role in government, what would you do?
If I’d have a role in ISLAMIC government I’d apply the Sharia of Allah for all Egyptian people.

Wael Hanafy, 24, Cairo, Egypt

1. When was the first time you went to Tahrir Square?It was January 25. And I stayed there until the step down of Mubarak!

2. What has changed since then?
No change happened until now! We are just about to start “cleaning” up with corruption.

3. How does it feel in your heart?
It’s a very good feeling.
At least we as a nation start to feel that there was something wrong in Egypt.

4. If you would have ANY role in government, what would you do?
We should take legal actio for anyone who did any kind of abuses/crime!
We would justify our martyr.
And then we should focus to develop our country.

5. What are the next steps for Egypt to take?
Like China and Japan we will take the steps to become a more productive country.
We have many resources – we should use them wisely to become a great country again. Just like China and Japan.
We have to think seriously about how to implement technology and science.