http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=2&id=24082
Egypt's Earthquake and the Muslim Brotherhood
08/02/2011
By Dr. Hamad Al-Majid
Dr. Hamad Al-Majid
Egypt remains peaceful under God's protection, but the Islamists seem to be
behind every ordeal, creating unrest. It was them who provoked the Egyptian
people, until they angrily flocked to the Tahrir square. It was them who
conspired with the Iranians, coordinated with the Israelis, and made
arrangements with the Americans. It was also the Islamists who brought
pocket-knives, blades and Molotov cocktails [into Tahrir square], and they were
the ones who used horses, camels and donkeys to ride around and provoke unrest.
The list of accusations is endless. Were it not for the trace of shame that
still remains in the mentality of Egyptian officials, they could have accused
the Islamists of creating a hole in the ozone layer, having a hand in the
Greenhouse Effect, or being responsible for avian or swine flu.
Recently, several words have accurately portrayed the position of the Muslim
Brotherhood in Egypt's political arena, but they were lost amidst the huge
clamorous demonstrations that took place in Tahrir Square. These words were
uttered by Egyptian Minister of Defence Hussein Tantawi, when he stepped out of
his armoured car to ask whether the protestors could convince the Muslim
Brotherhood's Supreme Guide to enter into dialogue with the regime. Thus, the
Egyptian government's attitude has changed in the twinkling of an eye, shifting
from a refusal to engage with the Muslim Brotherhood for decades, to a position
now where it has to beg for dialogue with them.
The Egyptian government deceived itself, rather than its nation or Western
governments, when it sought to conceal a force as active in the Egyptian
political arena as the Muslim Brotherhood. The government is well aware that
this is a peaceful movement, which has shown patience and tolerance towards the
government's provocations, when it was prevented [from legal political
activity], when constraints were imposed upon it, and when arbitrary detentions
were made against its cadres and headquarters. The movement never resorted to
violence, and this is something which the government did not fully appreciate.
Had the government at least kept up some form of relationship with the Muslim
Brotherhood, in the manner in which the Jordanian government has sought to
handle the Islamist offshoot in Amman, then it would have not reached the stage
of pleading with them for dialogue.
Although it is regionally and internationally recognised that the Muslim
Brotherhood movement is a significant figure in the Egyptian political
equation, the Islamist movement has not been immune from the same lethargy that
infected the Egyptian government, in keeping pace with the new developments. As
a result, the Brotherhood acted like all other passive Egyptian political
currents, witnessing the political earthquake brought about by Egypt's youth.
The movement was neither a leader nor was it active in the earthquake; rather
it was only influenced by its consequences. It is no surprise that the Muslim
Brotherhood faced similar protests a few years ago internally, albeit on a
smaller scale to those in Tahrir Square. They were led by a youth current which
formed the core of the Hizb al-Wasat. In the manner in which the Egpytian
government is resisting the popular protest movement demanding change these
days, the Muslim Brotherhood leadership also resisted youth-led calls for
change in the past, and suppressed them, maintaining its traditional outlook.
Had the Brotherhood responded to the calls for internal change, it might have
emerged in a new guise and held greater influence. This is what happened in
Turkey, with the Turkish National Salvation Party led by Erdogan, against the
lacklustre current within the Refah party led by Erbakan, who resisted change
but failed eventually. Such a failure marked the launch of real progress not
only for the Islamist current there, but rather for the country in general. In
short, there is no difference between some Arab governments and opposition
currents in terms of their weaknesses; their inabilities to evolve and change.
It is natural that there is regional and international apprehension regarding
the role of the Muslim Brotherhood in the post-earthquake period in Egypt. It
could be to the advantage of the Brotherhood, and Egypt in general, if the
movement was to be content with seeking wider recognition for the time being,
and distance itself from running to the upcoming presidential elections, in a
manner similar to the Ennahda Movement. The Muslim Brotherhood should employ
its "technocrats", who enjoy a great deal of financial and administrative
credibility, in order to contribute to the country's development. In Turkey,
the Islamist current appointed Erdogan as the Mayor of Istanbul, and he was
indeed a distinguished model of professionalism and financial integrity. This
prompted the Turkish nation install him as a trustworthy and honourable
President.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
------------------------------------
Post message: [email protected]
Subscribe : [email protected]
Unsubscribe : [email protected]
List owner : [email protected]
Homepage : http://proletar.8m.com/Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
[email protected]
[email protected]
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[email protected]
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
