Ikhwanweb :: The Muslim Brotherhood Official English Website

Interview with Dr. Mahmoud Ezzat

The statement issued by the MB Chairman regarding the expected major strike in April 6th arouses many questions; many people expressed their amazement towards the MB’s attitude regarding participation in the strike.

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The statement issued by the MB Chairman regarding the expected major strike in April 6th arouses many questions; many people expressed their amazement towards the MB"s attitude regarding participation in the strike. Others accused the group of aborting the expected strike and the reform movement as well, if not effectively participating in it.

On the other hand, the government goes on arrests and persecution of the MB candidates and their advocates…so that many people may call the group to withdraw from the comedy of the municipal elections…

In a comprehensive interview with Ikhwanweb, Dr. Mahmoud Ali Ezzat, Secretary General of the MB, will answer the questions. He would answer clearly.
 
1- How do you see the arrests campaign against the MB members, and how would you face it?

"The Egyptian regime deals with the MB barbarically to break the MB"s will and curb their reform marsh. But the MBs insist on going on their march of reform despite tyranny, because we have no other alternatives other than reform…we will take all possible legal actions to nullify these councils and their consecutive decisions."

2- Was the group expecting such escalation in the municipal elections?

"Despite very barbaric, what happens is less than what happened in previous elections; such as the Shura Council and the People"s Assembly; the detainees were more than the current number".

3- Why does the MB insist on such elections with pre-planned results?

"The MB will never withdraw, because the judicial verdicts nullifying such councils will be our last resort. We will also call for the execution of the judicial decisions, and will call all the people and the administrative authorities to implement them as well. Of course, this is not withdrawal; it"s positive strife, because withdrawal leads to despair and frustration".

4- Is the group going to participate in the expected strike in April 6th? Is it going to call its members allover Egypt to participate?

We see that every group; including the MB, has to strive for their rights. However, calling for a random strike will be gotten by the regime in a way different from what the MBs want, and consequently, the security forces would ferociously and barbarically deal with this group; the same as dealing with us in the municipal elections. The strike should have its missions, means, and resorts very clear…but our statement regarding such a random strike is very clear. We can neither participate nor ban the chaos. The regime is responsible for banning the chaos through reform, release of freedoms, and real reconciliation with the people.

5- Does this mean that you will never participate in April 6th strike?

In dealing with the political forces, MB seeks forming certain forces resisting dictatorship and tyranny we experience nowadays, so that we are keen on all gatherings unifying the opposition trends in Egypt and participating with them provided that coordination should take place.

As for this strike, the idea was not discussed with the group; we only heard about such a strike from many sides. All summons were through the media, however we don"t know what is the strike"s aims or means, why this time? Is there any coordination? Of course, we will never participate in the strike and are not responsible for its aborting, because we are not the organizers.

6- Some people see this as a fallback of the MB"s stances, you are going to abort the strike, you are seeking the regime"s conciliation before the military tribunal of the MB leaders… what do you say?

This is not real because of the MB relation with the regime. How can we make up with the regime while having more than 850 MB detainees in prisons due to the municipal elections?! How can we make up with the regime while having all our candidates denied from being enlisted in the elections and all verdicts may not be executed?!
As for aborting the strike if not participating, it is illogical, because it is supposed that the strike organizers should have set forth all probabilities, so they did not coordinate with us. The group has nothing to do with aborting the strike!