Full FJP Statement on Cabinet Street Clashes and Power Transfer Initiatives

Full FJP Statement on Cabinet Street Clashes and Power Transfer Initiatives

Today, Egypt is going through historical parliamentary elections, in which the Egyptian people are turning out to partake positively and express their will freely, strongly and persistently, for the first time – in order to select their representatives in the Revolution Parliament.

There are challenges and obstacles with which certain parties endeavour to drag this homeland back to the era of old injustice, corruption, tyranny, and dictatorship. Meanwhile, we see on the Arab arena, popular revolutions – some already successful, and others just about to achieve the freedom their peoples crave.

What is taking place in central Cairo, and has been repeated in more than one location, is not at all far from or alien to the above scene, as some domestic, regional and international stakeholders do their worst to abort or derail the glorious revolution of Egypt, which will lead the Arab world and the whole region to full rejuvenation, progress and stability.

The repetition of these eventful clashes from Imbaba to the Balloon Theatre and then Maspero and Mohamed Mahmoud Street and finally the Cabinet Street, is but a link in the same chain of absurdity, with attempts to ignite the fires of sedition and stoke up internal conflict and discord to disrupt the democratic process. However, we are confident in the ability of the free, enlightened Egyptian people to march steadily towards completion of the parliamentary elections, which are the beginning of the desired democratic transformation.

The Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), founded by the Muslim Brotherhood for all Egyptians, stresses that the only way to end the cycle of violence – which is evidently moving from one stage to another – begins with treating the underlying causes of these eventful clashes. The most important of required solution actions are:
1 – Granting the families of martyrs and injured people their constitutional rights, after taking the necessary procedural steps that facilitate this.

2 – Respecting people’s right to freedom of peaceful protest and sit-ins as a constitutional right revived by the January 25 revolution. Peaceful protest, naturally, excludes sabotage, arson and destruction of public and private property and facilities belonging to the people who are expressing their free will clearly now through the legislative elections. Thus, preserving public property, especially the buildings of the People’s Assembly and the Cabinet – as well as important scientific and humanitarian establishments, such as the Egyptian Scientific Institute and the Egyptian Museum.

The FJP emphasises that young people who protected the Egyptian Museum with their own bodies during the January 25 revolution cannot be the saboteurs who set fire to the Scientific Institute which is no less historical or important symbol of civilization than the Egyptian Museum.

3 – The FJP believes that to end the violence, which erupts on the scene each time popular will requires full-throttle efforts to complete the legislative elections so the elected People’s Assembly participates in the peaceful transfer of power. Furthermore, the party deems premature all calls for immediate handover of power to the People’s Assembly Speaker-elect, and rejects them, because the idea is not compatible with the current Constitutional Declaration.

4 – The FJP asserts that demands put forward for holding presidential elections before January 25 will not solve the current crisis, because the issue is now about who is stirring strife, sedition and crises, who is acting with exemplary short-sightedness, and fails to appreciate the requirements approved by all parties in the Constitutional Declaration – which provides for elections of the People’s Assembly, then the Shura Council, drafting the new constitution, and finally the presidential elections.

5 – The FJP calls upon the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) to identify the ‘hands’ that disrupt Egypt’s security and fuel crises, referred to by Major-General Adel Amara during a press conference yesterday (Monday, 19/Dec/2011), and also referred to by the Egyptian Prime Minister a few days ago. We are confident that the various Egyptian security forces and authorities have all the information and resources that enable them to carry out this duty. We emphasise the need for SCAF to offer an apology for the use of so much violence, to pledge not to repeat the same practices in the future, and to complete the transitional phase, in order for the homeland to reach the shores of safety.

Freedom and Justice Party


 Cairo: 25 January 1433AH  –  20 December 2011AD