Muslim Brotherhood Praises Pro-Democracy Brussels Declaration

Muslim Brotherhood Praises Pro-Democracy Brussels Declaration

In a statement issued Monday evening, the Muslim Brotherhood said it appreciates a Brussels declaration made by Egyptian opposition parties and public figures in Brussels last Wednesday, as a declaration of principles to reclaim the January 25, 2011 Revolution.

The Brotherhood pointed that restoration of the democratic process must respect the elections and include reinstatement of legitimate President Mohamed Morsi

Text of the Muslim Brotherhood statement on the Brussels declaration:

• The Muslim Brotherhood appreciates the Brussels declaration proclaimed by the Egyptian political forces to unite the national revolutionary movements with all their different components, all those who believe in the objectives of the January 25, 2011 Revolution and the fight to end the murderous military coup and defeat the traitorous junta soon.

• The Muslim Brotherhood confirms that the restoration of the democratic process certainly means respecting the will of the Egyptian people as expressed in all the elections which the whole world affirmed were free and fair, and also means reinstatement of the first elected civilian President Morsi.

• The Muslim Brotherhood appreciates the Anti-Coup Pro-Legitimacy National Alliance’s continued efforts in its national role, leading cooperation with Egypt’s patriotic revolutionaries. This role is indeed a national duty for each individual of its members, in order to liberate the homeland and assert the sovereignty of the people, and to realize their hopes for freedom, social justice and dignity.

The Muslim Brotherhood

Cairo: May 12, 2014

—————————————

Text of the Brussels declaration signed on May 7, 2014:

Determined to reclaim the January 25, 2011 Revolution and restore democracy in our homeland, we announce this Declaration of Principles for the development of a National Council.

Based on our beliefs in the objectives of the January 25 Revolution and the major sacrifices made by the Egyptian people, and so as to bolster the widespread peaceful resistance that has continued daily for ten whole months (since the start of the July 3, 2013 coup), we believe there is a pressing need for a complete political program that clarifies the stage following the collapse of the coup and the removal of the military dictatorship, in a way that allows for the participation of all parties and political orientations in managing the transitional phase.

Built on sound principles set out through consensus and agreement, the political program will include an appropriate timeline for each stage after the end of the coup. We call for a period of political, societal and popular partnership in which all Egyptians unite, and which includes adequate guarantees for all, in managing this phase and resolving differences should any arise.

We the undersigned declare the following 10 principles:

1. Setting up an Executive that represents pluralism and cooperation within agreed conditions for which the appropriate instruments are put in place, in line with the agreement of all political currents, and within a framework based on democracy and political participation so as to remove the effects of the military coup and to reclaim the January 25 Revolution and resume the democratic process.

2. Returning the army to its barracks and its sacred mission of defending the borders and the nation while adhering to strict political neutrality and focusing on military affairs far removed from any political pursuits.

3. Building a complete strategy for Transitional Justice that involves truth, transparency and societal reconciliation, while enacting fair and prompt punishment, and retribution for all martyrs, the wounded and detainees, and to take all necessary steps to ensure that justice is done.

4. Achieving social justice and guaranteeing the rights of the poor, starting with the workers and marginalized groups; and ending social injustice through an economic program that achieves development for all strata of Egyptian society.

5. Empowering youth and women with leadership roles that reflect the leading part they are playing in the Revolution.

6. Guaranteeing rights and freedoms and working to achieve a State of justice, rule of law and citizenship that upholds human dignity.

7. Cooperating in a process that aims for reform of every branch of the corrupt deep state’s institutions, based in the first instance on support and backing from honorable and capable members of these institutions, as a priority to guarantee the January 25 Revolution and its goals. This will then be followed by rebuilding these institutions on sound principles with participation from all parties and political orientations, while opening up careers for all those who qualify, without discrimination.

8. Reinvigorating civil society and liberating it from its subservience to the executive so that it can perform its leadership role.

9. Giving the greatest priority to re-establishing public security and ending corruption, reclaiming for the people their plundered assets and resources within Egypt and abroad.

10. Achieving for Egypt total national independence and refusing subservience. Activating Egypt’s role regionally and internationally, based on the principles of mutual respect, non interference in the internal affairs of others and maintaining common interests.

For the sake of Egypt and its free revolutionary people…

For the sake of Egypt’s present and future…

We call upon all Egyptians to stand with us and take up their historical responsibility to enable us to go through this critical stage by accepting these principles and resuming dialogue so we may establish the mechanism for making them a reality.

May God guide our steps and grant our people victory.