Dr. Morsy: cancellation of the state of emergency is the first step towards democracy

Dr. Morsy: cancellation of the state of emergency is the first step towards democracy

11/2/2004

Dr. Mohamed Morsy, head of the Muslim Brotherhood parliamentary bloc in the Egyptian parliament affirmed that his bloc supports all steps aimed at internal stability for the sake of citizens’ security and complete development for Egypt.

Responding to a statement by Interior Minister General Habib El-Adly read out before the Defence and National Security Committee on Tuesday 10 February 2004 and which did not go into details about the torture cases that security officers have been involved in recently, Dr. Morsy said in statements to “Ikhwan Online”: “the nation’s problems can only be solved through legislative stability, implementation of the law, separation of powers and enforcement of legal rulings”.

He affirmed that there exists no doubt ordinary civil and criminal law are capable of dealing with all forms crimes, violations and problems in society and there is absolutely no need to continue implementation of the Emergency Law other than in one set of circumstances – a set of circumstances that Morsy currently thinks exist – and that is the Egyptian regime’s fear that the opposition’s popularity will grow, and its fear that the standard of political, social, cultural and civilized performance in society generally will increase.

He pointed out that such growth frightens the government because it creates a genuine opposition against the corruption of government bodies and the executive branch’s frequent brutality and transgressions against the other branches of power such as judicial and legislative bodies.

Morsy pointed out that there is nothing easier than for top executive bodies in Egypt to be run according to the wills of individuals: applying the law and abiding by judicial verdicts is not an available option because it requires superior ability and energy from the state’s executive body, which must be prepared to hold people to account if they make mistakes and it is proved that the transgression was their fault.

Dr. Morsy considers that the issuing, by some officials – and especially those in the top ministries – of incorrect statements amounts to a disaster because it appears as if these officials are far removed from the Egyptian people and their economic, social and security problems.

Morsy added that many problems and transgressions take place in important and sensitive sectors. The transgressions are at the heart of citizens’ security and which constitute an obstacle to real development which, in its turn, forms the backbone to respect for human rights as well as seriousness of judicial verdicts and compliance with them and lack of manipulation of them aimed at making them lose their credibility with citizens and entrenching a police state rather than a state of law. He pointed out that respect for judicial verdicts is a test that executive bodies in Egypt have got used to failing.

Morsy underlined the importance of cancelling the state of emergency, abolishing exceptional courts and not using any excuses to justify their continuation because they represent the worst kind of transgression of human rights and freedoms. They are the responsibility of the executive authority and their cancellation constitutes a first and genuine step towards real democracy.

This is in addition to the necessary to convincing state institutions of implementing democracy which will only come with real freedom for all of society’s individuals, groups, political parties and people with ideas whatever their political tendencies, ideas or directions and as long as in the end it for the nation’s general good. This requires there to exist a belief in exchange of opinion, in transfer of power and letting the people decide, and that the Ummah is the real source of power. He said that the Muslim Brotherhood are calling for this within a peaceful framework and according to clear, well-known and documented Islamic references that guarantee people dignity and freedom, the real starting point of any reform and any national work.

Dr. Morsy said, “While Egyptian officials’ statements are characterised by detachment from reality and an absence of truth, there is a sort of truth in the statements of some officials, but it is a partial truth at odds with the nature of the age we live in and our society. He pointed out that Egypt and its people deserve more effort and sacrifice.

Originally published in Arabic on Ikhwan Online.

Dr. Morsy: The Zionist American Committee on Religious Freedoms

Dr. Morsy: The Zionist American Committee on Religious Freedoms

18/07/2004

Ikhwanonline

Dr. Mohammed Morsy, head of the Muslim Brotherhood parliamentary bloc, stated that the U.S. Congressional Commission on Religious Freedom has shady goals, and its visit to Egypt was only in service of international Zionism, indicating that the Vice-Chair and prominent member of the Commission is Sils Gayers*, the president of the American Jewish Committee, known for her antithetical positions on Egypt, its government and people.

Morsy said: the lack of transparency surrounding the Commission’s visit and its agenda, in addition to its members’ staying at the American Embassy, confirms their pre-existing bad faith towards Egypt, and aims at raising apprehension about the Egyptian people and portraying them as persecuting the Christian minorities among them. He said that the Commission should by rights be visiting other countries that persecute minorities, such as the Palestinians and “48 Arabs” who live in the Zionist entity, and should prioritize going to see the genocide conducted by the Zionist occupation army. It would have been better for them – as they claim to be democratic and in favour of human rights – to research and investigate the practices of American forces in Iraq and in Guantanamo Prison, which history has not witnessed the like of, as if the United States has enslaved the world and granted itself the right to interfere in its affairs in accordance with its interest.

In an exclusive statement to Ikhwanonline, Dr. Morsy stated that the Commission is biased and racist, biased in form and substance towards the Zionist entity, and forms part of the United States’ plan to be the world’s policeman. He clarified that Egypt has never seen prejudice among its religious groups, and that there is nowhere on earth where faiths coexist as well as they do in Egypt, where Christians practice their beliefs freely, form part of the national fabric, have ministers in the Cabinet and representatives in Parliament, and have strong friendships with Muslims that tie them together historically, to the extent that Muslim men have taken Christian wives, a circumstance unparalleled throughout the world. Even in Europe there is no freedom between Christian denominations comparable with the harmony between the Muslims and Copts of Egypt.

At the same time, he insisted that Egypt is one fabric without fault, and questioned why there was this attempt to portray Egypt as having a problem. He called on the Commission to go to Eastern Europe, Russia and the Balkans, and even to France, Germany, Italy and Britain, to see for themselves how Muslims are treated there, and how they are persecuted over their Muslim appearance, and how their mosques and companies are threatened.

Dr. Morsy called on the Commission to see what happens in their own country, not against Muslims, but against naturalized citizens, and how they are discriminated against. He stated that the Brotherhood are not against those who defend human rights, but they are against those who try to use this to destroy Egypt and fray its fabric. He clarified that this does not mean they are defending the government, but simply taking a patriotic position against any who try to trifle with what this nation holds dear.

Dr. Morsy affirmed that the Commission’s priority should be to go to Palestine and report on what the Zionist criminal organization is doing to the Palestinians, indicating that there is no greater proof of the Commission’s bad faith and motivations than its country’s refusal to condemn the building of the apartheid wall which was condemned by the International Court of Justice. He asked if any Egyptian had complained to the Commission that they were persecuted? Had anyone said that Egypt has problems between its Christians and Muslims? He denied that anyone could do so except those weak souls who do not want stability in Egypt.

He clarified that these types work alone, and are rejected by the Egyptian church itself because they are attempting to relate the problems of life that occur between citizens, Muslim or Christian, to issues caused by religion and belief. He said that what we want from this Commission is to leave Egypt and never return, because Egypt –its Muslims and Christians – don’t need them.

There was an air of mystery surrounding the Commission’s visit to Egypt from last Thursday, and clear secrecy surrounding its agenda, which begins on Sunday with a meeting with the Sheikh of Al-Azhar, then with the Mufti of Egypt, then with Dr. Mostafa El Feky – head of the Parliamentary International Relations Committee, and Pope Shenouda and Archbishop Wissa, and various Coptic figures like lawyer Mamdouh Nakhla, who issued a statement welcoming the Commission’s visit and its intervention in Egyptian affairs.

*”Sils Gayers” is actually Felice D. Gaer

This was originally published in Arabic on Ikhwanonline, but has since been removed. It is accessible here.