Muslim Brotherhood Leader Yehia Hamed: No Intention to Arm Revolution

Muslim Brotherhood Leader Yehia Hamed: No Intention to Arm Revolution

Yehia Hamed, Minister of Investment in the government of President Mohamed Morsi (the first elected civilian president in Egypt), denied the existence of a trend within the Muslim Brotherhood to arm the Egyptian Revolution in the next phase.


Numerous calls launched recently by activists on social networking websites demanded the Muslim Brotherhood must declare Jihad in Egypt and arm the Revolution, in response to what they called a "policy of liquidation and assassinations pursued by the Egyptian regime against the group’s leaders".


In an exclusive interview with the Anadolu news agency Friday, Hamed said: "If the Revolution wanted to be armed, it would have done so, a long time ago. But it consciously and carefully refused that, due to the nature of the Egyptian situation, which is different from other countries where revolutions got armed".


With regard to possible disagreements within the Muslim Brotherhood relating to the group’s approach in facing up to the illegitimate military ruling regime, Hamed said: "Any disagreements within the Muslim Brotherhood have nothing to do with the peaceful approach. For the Brotherhood, non-violence is an essential principle – the group’s basic modus operandi. As Muslim Brothers, we are committed to the peaceful approach. We endeavor to clarify this for fellow revolutionaries".


Hamed, the former Minister of Investment, said the ruling regime in Egypt would implement the execution sentences in the coming weeks, adding: "The approach of liquidation and assassinations now used by the state’s various apparatuses against its opponents does not differ much from executions by unjust courts.


"When families are called at night to receive the bodies of their loved ones, isn’t this a heinous form of executing death penalties? The regime will carry out the executions, because it aims to drag the country to more violence, to replicate in Egypt the sad model witnessed in Syria, Libya and Yemen, something which the men and women of the Egyptian Revolution are determined to avoid."


Hamed further said: "This is a crucial moment that requires true revolutionary unity, in order to save the homeland, which is now on the brink of the abyss. Young people (more than 60% of the population in Egypt, or nearly 40 million people) have reached a stage of desperation that may push some of them to the path of violence and militancy.


"The assassination of Hisham Barakat, Egypt’s public prosecutor, is the work of intelligence agencies. It is strongly denounced by the Muslim Brotherhood. We hold Al-Sisi and his cronies responsible for committing this crime. Al-Sisi is a usurper of power. He is the only beneficiary of this assassination, so he comes out to the people pouring accusations against the Muslim Brotherhood and the elected President Morsi, in an attempt to trick the people yet again.


"With this latest atrocity, Al-Sisi will try to justify the adoption of a number of ‘instant’ laws the like of which have never been seen in Egypt’s legal or human rights history, not in the last hundred years at least."


The Brotherhood leader described the situation in Egypt, two years after the July 3, 2013 military coup, as bleak and disconcerting.


He expressed fear for Egypt, saying, "I’m not only concerned, but indeed very fearful for both the present and future of Egypt, which has turned into a failed state under the control of an extremely harsh and repressive military junta that prefers to rule over a failed and fragmented state, rather than have a state where there is an active opposition and the people can protest peacefully".


Hamed pointed that: "Indicators of Al-Sisi’s failure at state administration are many. Economically, real cash reserves at the Central Bank are less than half a billion dollars, the remainder are loans and deposits from foreign countries. At least 40% of Egyptians are below the poverty line. The security situation is in total chaos. Socially, there are cracks and divisions the like of which Egypt has never seen in its entire history.


"Two years after the illegitimate coup, Al-Sisi camp’s message is clear: they will continue with more of their inhuman atrocities – murder, repression and forced disappearances for any opponents, whether Islamic, liberal, secular, or even those who belong to June 30 camp (who came out in anti-Morsi demonstrations demanding early presidential elections), or to the July 3 camp (who supported the overthrow of Morsi by the military) then realized it was in fact a military coup – all of these are in the range of Al-Sisi fire."


Hamed denied there were any initiatives or moves for reconciliation in recent months between the Muslim Brotherhood and the ruling regime: "There is absolutely no talk about reconciliation with Al-Sisi, not in any way. The camp of the coup commander is now very troubled, its acts of repression against his opponents prove he is very weak.  He is trying to push the country towards civil war".


Hamed emphasized that Egypt is witnessing the worst years in its recent history – since the military coup. In these two years, about 100 thousand citizens were thrown in junta jails. There are 41 thousand detainees, less than half of them are not Muslim Brothers. Those include more than 60 women and girls, and thousands of university professors, students and even children under the legal age. The systematic practice of enforced disappearance is widespread throughout the homeland. More than 500 laws have been issued by the coup commander, in the absence of parliament, including laws that allow the sale of state lands.


"Revolutions, anywhere in the world, do not end in days or months. We have confidence in these generations that have decided to sacrifice all."


Hamed asserted that: "The Revolution includes much more than the Muslim Brotherhood. The group may be at the heart or in the forefront of the Revolution, but there are many other large groups from the people of Egypt.


"The current conflict is not simply between the Muslim Brotherhood and the military junta, but between two opposing sides: one that wants liberty and sovereignty for the people, and the other – led by the military junta – has been suppressing the people of Egypt for more than 60 years now, and controls about 95% of state land."


Hamed further said: "Now, the Revolution – in spite of all its mistakes – is defying Al-Sisi’s deeply rooted state, that has formed around itself large groups of cronies and beneficiaries. But no… neither the Muslim Brotherhood nor anyone else will complete the Revolution on behalf of the people.


"We are certain the people will rise in revolt once again, in a much greater and more powerful way than on January 28, 2011. In fact, the task of the Brotherhood and the rest of Egypt’s revolutionaries may be to awaken the rest of the people and remind them of their rights to freedom and a decent life, and liberate them from the clutches of injustice and the repressive authoritarian state."


About the developments in Sinai, the former Minister of Investment said: "The violence and atrocities happening in Sinai – for two years now – are strong evidence of the abject failure of Al-Sisi regime, which is a traitorous one working for Israel and the Zionist project. The people of Sinai are being attacked with missiles by F16 war planes. They have lost more than 1,600 civilians killed by the junta and their allies. Meanwhile, the army can not deal with terrorist groups in the Sinai, and the region seems devoid of any presence of the Egyptian army".


Earlier, dozens of police and army personnel were killed or injured in attacks by gunmen on checkpoints in Sinai (northeast of Egypt) Wednesday. A militant group that pledged allegiance to ISIS recently (calling itself "the State of Sinai") claimed responsibility for the attack.


On the possibility of the Muslim Brotherhood relinquishing the condition of restoring Morsi to power to bring about national accord, Hamed said: "With his steadfastness and resilience, Morsi has turned into a symbol of the Revolution, which is greater than individuals. He may be executed at any time, under the newly approved Anti-Terrorism Act (passed by the Egyptian government on Wednesday). Morsi said: "The price of legitimacy is my life", which means he is not holding onto power. What we all can agree on is the need to return to the people".


Hamed did not deny that meetings are held between Muslim Brotherhood leaders and foreign officials abroad, saying, "We welcome dialogue with all. We met with representatives of more than 12 countries – members of the European Union. However, unfortunately, some of the world powers remain silent on the atrocities committed by the coup regime in Egypt, thinking that would lead to stability. We sent them letters telling them that the whole world will reap the results of this shameful silence on what is happening in Egypt".


Regarding Saudi Arabia’s position, Hamed said: "Some say that Saudi Arabia’s stance toward Egypt changed relatively after King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz came to power, but this is not enough at all. Saudi Arabia supported the coup, under the late King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz, with $25 billion. It must correct past mistakes".