The International Religious Freedom Report Part 5: The Muslim Brotherhood

The International Religious Freedom Report Part 5: The Muslim Brotherhood

As the public attack on the State Department’s International Religious Freedom Report started the Muslim Brotherhood could not waste this chance to join.

In an interview on the 20th of September 2007 with the Muslim Brotherhood’s English website, Dr. Abdel Moneim Abul Fotouh, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Executive Office rejected the content of this report.

He said that America should rather condemn itself first before it attacks other countries and that we reject any intervention from the US administration for a blackmail.

He said he didn’t want to comment of such a US report because the truth and neutrality of the US administration in issuing the reports is questioned and because it also exploits such reports to blackmail regimes in various countries.

As for the religious freedoms in Egypt, he said: Egyptian regime persecutes all Egyptians in general- Muslims, Copts or any other. It exercises a political and social exclusion against all political and social powers in Egypt.

Regarding the effect of such reports, Dr. Abd Al-Moneim said: Undoubtedly, this report may increase the gap between Muslims and other sects in Egypt. This is because the report contains a flagrant exaggeration which is divorced from reality. There is no shred of accuracy in this report.

Some parties in Egypt may exploit such a report to achieve their interests, also through showing Copts in Egypt as oppressed, which is actually divorced from reality.

The most hilarious part in his interview was when he said that if we compare between rights given to our Coptic brothers in Egypt, with rights given to Muslims in France or any other western country in general, we will find that situations in Egypt are much better that many other countries.

He wondered about rights of the Muslim minority in America itself where there is no mosque in Washington or New York, while churches and mosques are simultaneously in Egypt.

He then said that there were no Muslim US secretaries or under secretaries in the US government. All of us remember when a Muslim reached a certain post in the US State Department, a state of fury and rage was unleashed at that time!!

He added that we also differ between that a human being has a freedom of choice of religion and the creed he wants, and between absurdities. What is currently taking place in Egypt is absurd and an offensive to religions. The misunderstanding comes from here.

Mr. Abul Fetouh’s comments constitute a complete negligence of the facts on the ground and an intentional ignorance.

Mr. Abul Fetouh compares the situation of Christians in Egypt, who are historic inhabitants of Egypt to Muslim minorities in the US or France whom have immigrated there in recent years.

Mr. Abul Fetouh seems completely ignorant on the fact that there is a Muslim member of the US Congress, and that the US’s Ambassador to the UN is also a Muslim.

He also chooses to ignore the fact that France has a Muslim Minister in its cabinet.

As to his hilarious comment regarding there being no mosques in New York or Washington, I do not know if I should laugh or cry. I don’t know where this guy gets his information?

As to the state of fury and rage that he talked about, I am honestly at loss here having read nothing on such an instance. My personal assumption is that he is mistakenly talking about Keith Ellison, the Congressman from Minnesota.

The Myth that Mr. Abul Fetouh says that all Egyptians are persecuted is unfortunately shared by many Egyptians. This deserves a special article, but I can briefly say that while all Egyptians suffer under the current regime, Copts have endured an added persecution due to their religion.

Mr. Abul Fetouh’s conviction that there is no shred of accuracy in this report deserves a challenge to him to highlight this lack of accuracy.

Did the Bamha attack never take place Mr. Abul Fetouh?

Are Churches allowed to be built Mr. Abul Fetouh?

Are Baha’is allowed to worship Mr. Abul Fetouh?

Are there any Christian Presidents of Universities Mr. Abul Fetouh?

Are there any elected Christian Members of Parliament except Youssef Boutros Ghali Mr. Abul Fetouh?

Which part of this holds no shred of accuracy Mr. Abul Fetouh?

Which part of the report is a flagrant exaggeration which is divorced from reality Mr. Abul Fetouh?

Mr. Abul Fetouh warns us that this report may increase the gap between Muslims and other sects in Egypt. Mr. Abul Fetouh no one will use it in such a way except yourself and your followers.

I dedicate this story to a friend who still believes that Mr. Abul Fetouh is a Moderate.

Cheers for Moderates folks.