Egypt Discusses how to Live with ’Muslim Brothers’(zaman)

Egypt Discusses how to Live with ’Muslim Brothers’
By Cumali Onal
Published: Sunday, December 04, 2005
zaman.com

 Egypt and the World public is focused on the number of chairs Muslim Brothers (MB) will win after the last tour of the parliamentary elections to be held on Wednesday (December 7) and on the expected struggle between the government and MB.

Some Egyptian authority and politicians talking to Zaman, defend that MB, gaining a surprising 76 chairs in the parliament in the first 2 tours of the elections, may follow a harsher opposition policy in the following period. It is also noted the Husnu Mubarak administration will start a bigger struggle in order to rid the effect of MB in the new period.

 

The number two name of MB, Muhammed Habib, emphasizes they will depend on the constitution and their basic principle will be democracy. The spokesman of the organization, Issam al Aryan, who was released from prison a short while ago, noted they will not be part of a scenario like the one in Morocco and they considered the Turkish model; however they will follow a road unique to Egypt.

 

Mohammad Sid Mohammad, who is one of the leading columnists of Al Ahram Weekly Newspaper, noted both Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Muslim Brothers are subject to similar criticisms although the processes they have experienced are not similar. Mohammad defended both Erdogan and MB are criticized for not assimilating democracy and both are subject to criticisms from especially secular environments. Mohammad Lebib, one of the leaders of Egypt’s oldest party, Wafd, which experienced a great disappointment in the elections, noted the top administrators of the MB are quite modern and rationalist. Lebib noted there may be some radical groups in MB; however, it is difficult to classify the party in all as “radical.”

 

Munir Fakhry Abdel Nour, the second man in Wafd Party, defends MB has alcohol prohibition and Sharia on their agenda. Abdel Nour said: “The government used to have difficulties dealing with 17 MB deputies in the parliament however, this time they will find 100 MB deputies opposite to themselves.”