Al Feqi: We Can’t Maintain Game of Arrests Against Muslim Brotherhood

Al Feqi: We Can’t Maintain Game of Arrests Against Muslim Brotherhood


” The Muslim Brotherhood is a political group, and we can not deny this. I do not accept describing it as an outlawed group. I do not accept their political trend I am against mixing religion with politics. However, I support their right in freedom of expression and that they should have a complete political freedom because they are fellow Egyptians”, said Dr. Mostafa Al-Feqi, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee in the People”s Assembly, Egypt”s lower chamber of parliament. He said these words in front of a delegation of aides of US Congressmen on Tuesday, August, 21st, 2007.
 
Al Feqi”s words seemed strange because they are divorced from the Egyptian government”s official attitude, mainly based exclusion and detentions .
 
 
“One day, we will start again and understand each other. We can not continue in the game of arresting and then releasing them. No…we should sit together as Egyptians, and think about the future, and respect the constitution”, added Al Feqi.
 
 For his part, the media spokesman of the MB parliamentary, described AL Feqi”s statements as an attempt to get out of the volatile condition that the country is currently witnessing .
 
” The MB”s attitude towards the call for participating in the political life is based on its election program”, said the media spokesman Dr. Hamdi Hassan, adding that the Muslim Brotherhood has its crystal clear presence in the Egyptian society as a national group that has social, cultural and political activities.
 
Hassan said that Al Feqi”s call is not new. The Muslim Brotherhood is an entity and a recognized political participation in syndicates and municipalities. The MB is the biggest opposition power in parliament as it accounts for 88 MPs, 20% of the Egyptian House.
 
Regarding Al Feqi”s statement that he does not agree with the Muslim Brotherhood group regarding mixing politics with religion. The media spokesman of the MB parliamentary bloc said:” Al Feqi”s call for political participation, on condition of not mixing religion with politics isn”t acceptable according to us. Religion includes every thing: culture, art and politics. Why do you separate politics from religion?!”. 
 
 
“The image isn”t blooming in Egypt as much as democracy is concerned. The democratization moves gradually. The situation of democracy in Egypt has improved than before”, said dr Al Feqi to aides of the US Congressmen, commenting on the human rights violations in Egypt. “There are reforms which are underway. The government firmly opposes violations”.
 
Dr. Hamdi Hassan comments on Al Feqi”s aforementioned statement over democracy in Egypt, saying:” I agree with Dr. Al Feqi that the status of democracy of democracy isn”t blooming. However, Al Feqi”s statement is politically motivated and doesn”t reflect the status quo in Egypt”.
 
Pointing out that the expected change is actually to the worse, not to the better, Hassan added:” The scandalous rigging that took place in the Shura Council elections does not reflect any improvement. Even the judicial supervision over elections has been trimmed”.
 
Hassan added:” The latest constitutional amendments are another backpedaling step that has no improvement. We can”t consider as improvement the tortures committed against people, including even women, in Egyptian police stations. Definitely, all these actions are more of a setback, not an improvement”.
 
“Egypt has become a state of police despite this number of civil society institutions”, said the MB bloc”s media spokesman.
 
 
Dr. Hamdi Hassan concluded, saying:” There is no democratic change at all. All these are mere propaganda to improve the ugly image and actions of the ruling party, although this image is a vacuum on the ground”.
 
 
The US delegation met also ambassador Mahmoud Basyouni, the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee in the Shura Council, the upper chamber of parliament, and it ended its one week visit to Egypt on Friday.