Heshmat: Brotherhood, Freedom and Justice Party Refuse Military Rule

Dr. Jamal Heshmat, Member of Parliament for the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), said that when the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) and the FJP put forward the idea of forming a new government, they stressed that it would be a broad coalition of all spectra of Egyptian political and social hues.

During an interview in the program ‘90 Minutes’ on the Egyptian satellite channel ‘Al-Mihwar’, Dr. Heshmat also said that MB and FJP members of parliament regard themselves as MPs representing each and every person in Egypt, both those who voted for them, and those who did not, since they are all the sons and daughters of Egypt, who were repressed and persecuted under the former regime.

Dr. Heshmat said that the FJP completely agrees with the demands of those who engage in civil disobedience, because of repeated default and failure of successive governments in the transitional period. However, the party disagrees with them in the method and means they advocate.

Dr. Heshmat said, “These are not the means that I would resort to in these circumstances”, pointing out that civil disobedience means life would come to a complete stand-still, and that could cause the downfall of any country in the world within two or three days, “something we did not do under the old regime which lasted 30 years”.

The FJP MP went on to say that the idea of civil disobedience is not appropriate at all – especially now as we endeavor to complete the rebuilding of our institutions that had been ravaged by the former regime.

 

He pointed out that free elections were held and completed at Egypt’s syndicates and universities, “And we are on our way now to complete the People’s Assembly and Shura Council. As for the presidential elections, they will be completed no later than June 30. So, we should hold onto all these gains, in order to achieve for our country real rejuvenation, development and social justice, to restore the rights of the martyrs, and fulfill all the demands of the revolution, which the current weak government cannot accomplish, as it moves hesitantly, with the disastrous, chaotic results we’re facing now”.

Further, Dr. Heshmat said that the (MB) Brothers have been the most persecuted by military rule over more than 60 years. Hence, they are the political stakeholders who now reject military rule the most.

He added, “Some of the political stakeholders, such as Naguib Sawiris’ Free Egyptians Party, that now stand against the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF), cursing and attacking it viciously, were one day – before parliamentary elections – pleading with SCAF to remain at the helm for two or three years at least.

Further, Heshmat said that the so-called supra-constitutional Selmi Initiative was preceded by the Yahya Al-Jamal dubious document. That was signed and approved by only a few stakeholders, including the Free Egyptians Party.

Dr. Heshmat then pointed out that the Brotherhood and the FJP turned out on November 18 in a million-man march in rejection of any special ‘supra-constitutional’ status for the military.

In conclusion, Dr. Heshmat stressed that the Brotherhood and the FJP reached out, after the revolution, to all political stakeholders on the scene, pointing out that they took the initiative and formed the Democratic Alliance, which included 40 parties and alliances from the outset.