Muslim Brotherhood Statement on Tenth of Ramadan Anniversary

After the 1967 catastrophe, Egypt and the Arab world went through bleak and difficult times, whose impact can still be felt today. In that battle, the Egyptian army was a victim of a misguided leadership that had deviated from its role, got involved in politics, distracted by whims and desires, and neglected its real military duties.

In 1973, with a new military leadership that focused on its real mission, held principles and ethics in high regard, and kept out of the political quagmire, the armed forces fought its war of dignity in the holy month of Ramadan with soldiers chanting ‘God is Great’, crossed the Suez Canal, defeated their enemy, erased the shame and achieved the greatest victory in modern times.

Now, as we remember that great moment, Egypt is living through a dark nightmare, a serious threat to its national security, of civil war, ruinous strife between the people and their own army who they love and support, or a treacherous split within the ranks of the army itself, as a result of the return of a group of military commanders to meddling in politics, the desire to control governance and leadership through a coup against constitutional legitimacy, abducting the elected civilian President, suspending the Constitution endorsed by popular referendum, disbanding of the democratically elected Parliament, committing bloody massacres that claimed the lives of more than a hundred people and injured over a thousand peaceful protesters as they went down to their knees in dawn prayers, and arrested over 800 citizens.

This group of coup commanders betrayed the trust of the people and the oath they took, when they violated constitutional legitimacy, abducted the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces – the legitimate elected President, holding him incommunicado at an undisclosed location, fired their weapons with live ammunition into the heads and chests of unarmed peaceful civilian demonstrators, instead of protecting them from harm and aggression, in an unprecedented departure from the essential military patriotism and honor Egypt’s army doctrine dictates.

The great masses of the Egyptian people who turned out to all public squares and streets, in huge demonstrations and persistent sit-ins for three weeks already, will not give up its solid determination to restore legitimacy and abolish all the coup’s decrees, actions and processes, using all peaceful means, whatever the cost.

We hold our brave armed forces, which protect us and defend the homeland, in a very high regard. They are our brothers and our sons. If any parties or individuals try to sow sedition or strife between us the people and the army, reject those immediately.

Needless to say, our congratulations to the people of Egypt and their army on this great occasion are marred by current threats as the bloody-minded traitorous putschists push Egypt through a dark tunnel, to the edge of an unfathomable abyss.

We reaffirm that the people of Egypt are determined to restore their revolution, their sovereignty and legitimacy, and to achieve a dear victory by the people themselves, trusting that the army will not agree to such a heinous coup and gross usurpation of power.

We, therefore, must make this Friday, tenth of Ramadan, a major victory by coming out in huge demonstrations that will deafen the ears of coup commanders and cronies and totally uproot them.

“Do fulfill the covenant of God, whenever you make a covenant; and do not break your oaths after making God your surety, for God knows what you do.” (Quran 16:91)

The Muslim Brotherhood

Cairo – July 18, 2013