http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jul/14/egypt-muslim-brotherhood-negotiating-army
Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood admits it has been negotiating with army Former ruling party, whose leader Mohamed Morsi was removed by military, says talks stall over demand to have him reinstated - Email<http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jul/14/egypt-muslim-brotherhood-negotiating-army#> - Marwa Awad and Patrick Kingsley<http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/patrick-kingsley> in Cairo - guardian.co.uk <http://www.guardian.co.uk/>, Sunday 14 July 2013 16.53 BST - Jump to comments (23)<http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jul/14/egypt-muslim-brotherhood-negotiating-army#start-of-comments> [image: Egypt pro-Muslim Brotherhood protest] Egypt's ousted Muslim Brotherhood says it has been holding talks with the military, despite a crackdown on its members. Photograph: Hussein Malla/AP Senior officials in the Muslim Brotherhood<http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/muslim-brotherhood> have said that they are involved in behind-the-scenes negotiations with Egypt<http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/egypt>'s army, despite a crackdown on the group's leadership following president Mohamed Morsi <http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/mohamed-morsi>'s removal last week. The admission comes as the Brotherhood announced provocative plans to move their pro-Morsi street protests into spaces such as Tahrir Square, where many anti-Brotherhood protests have been held in recent weeks. It also follows signs that Egypt's interim regime will press on with forging a new government with or without Brotherhood support after the liberal Mohamed ElBaradei <http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/mohamed-elbaradei> was sworn in on Sunday as the country's new vice-president, and the new prime minister Hazem Beblawy appointed several new ministers to his cabinet. Brotherhood officials had denied they were negotiating with a military regime that has arrested several key members since Morsi's fall, and issued warrants for hundreds more. But speaking to the Guardian, Dr Mohamed Ali Bishr a former minister under Morsi admitted that he had already met with senior military officials on Thursday evening to discuss what each side was prepared to compromise on. However, Bishr said that further negotiations were unlikely because the Brotherhood had demanded Morsi's reinstatement as a prerequisite for further dialogue a red line for the military. "There is room for negotiations with the military council," said Bishr, a member of the Brotherhood's guidance council, the group's governing body. "We are open minded and speak to all. They contacted us and we met but they want to continue on the path of the coup but we reject this. Negotiations must start off on the path of democracy and the constitution." Bishr's statement contradicts that of fellow guidance councillor Mohamed Beltagy, who had previously denied negotiations were taking place. His admission also came as prosecutors announced investigations against Morsi on charges of spying, inciting violence, and damaging the economy. It also follows claims by Brotherhood spokesman Gehad el-Haddad that 200 Muslim Brotherhood members were scouting Tahrir Square, in preparation for Brotherhood protests in the area. Bishr admitted that the Brotherhood might agree to Morsi's departure, but only if he was reinstated first, and given the opportunity to leave in a manner of his choosing. He also said that the reinstatement of Egypt's constitution suspended by army chief general Abdel Fattah el-Sisi was essential for negotiations. "All legal solutions are available," said Bishr. "For example, we demand that the constitution is reinstated, instead of being suspended even if Morsi leaves office. But he as president must call for new presidential elections or a referendum on whether he stays in office or not. "Our quarrel is not about whether the president remains in office or not. It about turning a process that was constitutional into a coup. We do not agree to the coup." The army did not immediately respond to requests for comment, but it is highly unlikely to give in to the Brotherhood's demands as they stand. Gamal Heshmat, an official in the Brotherhood's political wing, said that he also met with army officials on Friday, and that the military had demanded that the Brotherhood clear the streets of their sit-ins before any further negotiations can begin. "But we cannot clear the streets," said Heshmat. "The people are free to protest and express themselves." ------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://freethoughtblogs.com/maryamnamazie/2013/07/08/the-historic-advance-of-the-egyptian-revolution/#more-4772 JUL082013 The historic advance of the Egyptian revolution Politics <http://freethoughtblogs.com/maryamnamazie/category/politics/> by Maryam Namazie<http://freethoughtblogs.com/maryamnamazie/author/maryamnamazie/> The Egyptian revolution has taken another important step forward for the people of Egypt, the Middle East and the whole world. The immense Tamarrod (Rebellion) movement, which organised the biggest ever demonstration in history, drove the government of Morsi and Muslim Brotherhood to the brink, finally forcing its downfall by the army. This is the third government, after those of Mubarak and Tantawi, which is being toppled by the power of Al Tahrir and Egyptian revolution. This was not only a decisive step towards weakening the Islamist forces in Egypt and in countries like Iran, but, more crucially, an expression of going beyond the limits of democracy and dealing a fatal blow to the myth of the rule of the ballot, i.e. the rule of the bourgeoisie. The whole world witnessed how tens of millions of women and men came onto the streets in Egypt, directly exercised their will and toppled a government which, although a product of a parliamentary process, nevertheless represented, like all democracies, nothing but a parasitic and reactionary minority. This is a historic watershed which will bear the name of the Egyptian revolution. There is nothing more absurd than the laments of the various bourgeois governments about the loss of democracy and blaming the military coup against a democratically elected government. In fact what they are saddened by is the loss of the option of moderate Islam as a result of the advance of the Egyptian revolution. Last weeks events have also shown the failure of the policy of containment of the revolution through the ballot box and by sending people home. In fact, what they are frightened of is the direct will of the people and the advance of their revolution. They are well aware that the army gave up on the Muslim Brotherhood and carried out the coup from fear of the radicalisation of the situation and in the hope of controlling the revolution later. Also, it is generally known that not only during the time of Mubarak and Tantawi but also under Morsi and the present provisional government it has been the army that has wielded the real power. In order to triumph, the Egyptian revolution in the end has to directly confront and defeat the backbone of the Egyptian state, i.e. the army, which apart from being a military power, is a formidable economic and political power. The magnificent Tamarrod movement and the historic demonstrations of the past few days and the removal of Morsi have placed the Egyptian revolution in a stronger position. Nevertheless, it is clear that the revolution has a winding road ahead. Apart from the army, the Islamists power should not be underestimated. The latter has suffered a heavy defeat, but will remain on the scene as an ultra-reactionary force. More importantly, the bourgeoisie in Egypt has a number of other cards in the bag, like ElBaradei, which it will try to pull later. But the greatest danger threatening the Egyptian revolution is if this revolution remains merely an opposition force, and if the gigantic Al Tahrir movement does not transform itself into state power based on the direct will of the people organised in their mass grassroots organisations. The Al Tahrir and the immense movement of the Egyptian people should elevate the exercise of its will from changing governments and toppling the various representatives of the bourgeoisie to taking political power and setting up a new system based on peoples undeniable freedom, prosperity and dignity. Last weeks events proved that Al Tahrir is the strongest and most decisive force in Egypt. The revolutionary people of Egypt should take political power, organise themselves as a state and govern directly. A humane and equal society without discrimination, prisons, executions and poverty, which is the wish the Egyptian people, can only be achieved through such a path. Worker-communist Party of Iran 5 July 2013 --------------------------------- Egypts Muslim Brothers: An Early Suicide [image: An Egyptian man, supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood and Egypt's ousted presiden] An Egyptian man, supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood and Egypt's ousted president Mohamed Morsi kisses a poster of him as worshipers gather for a dusk payer outside Cairo's Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque on 11 July 2013, during the second day of Islam's holy fasting month of Ramadan. (Photo: AFP - Marwan Naamani) By: Ibrahim al-Amin <http://english.al-akhbar.com/author/ibrahim-al-amin> Published Friday, July 12, 2013 *Egypts Muslim Brotherhood faced a wide array of opposition to its rule from political, religious, and ideological spheres. Figures from these realms played a key role in toppling the old authoritarian regime, and have now succeeded in convincing the countrys silent majority to take to the streets in some of the largest demonstrations Egypt has seen.* Over the past year of Brotherhood rule, an opposition political current coalesced against the Islamist partys disastrous stint in government, drawing in people from all backgrounds and uniting intellectuals, workers, Nasserists, secularists, Christians, the armed forces, and even loyalists of the Mubarak regime. It appears that Egypts Brotherhood is headed for an early suicide, unable to accept its removal from power, and somehow failing to see the sheer mass of people arrayed against it. How Brotherhood members respond to their ousting may very well influence the course of events in other countries where their counterparts rule, like in Tunis, Yemen, Libya, and Turkey. It may also push the Brotherhood in Syria to undermine all attempts at a political solution to the countrys crisis. The first round of presidential elections over a year ago provides an indicator of the Brotherhoods support in Egypt. Their candidate, Mohamed Mursi, won only a quarter of the vote. He was able to get the additional 25 percent in the second round due to the fact that the other option was Mubarak leftover Ahmad Shafik. Those forces standing against the Brotherhood today represent an overwhelming majority, particularly if you count in those who did not even bother to vote in the presidential elections for various reasons, but were present in force on the streets between June 29 and July 2 calling for Mursi to step down. So the armys role in the second wave of the revolution was one of simply completing a step unequivocally taken by the mass of Egyptians ending the constitutional legitimacy of those institutions that the president and his party control. *Ibrahim al-Amin is editor-in-chief of Al-Akhbar.* This article is an edited translation from the Arabic Edition. http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/egypts-muslim-brothers-early-suicide [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- LAAMN: Los Angeles Alternative Media Network --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe: <mailto:laamn-unsubscr...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe: <mailto:laamn-subscr...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Digest: <mailto:laamn-dig...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Help: <mailto:laamn-ow...@egroups.com?subject=laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post: <mailto:la...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive1: <http://www.egroups.com/messages/laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive2: <http://www.mail-archive.com/laamn@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/laamn/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/laamn/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: laamn-dig...@yahoogroups.com laamn-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: laamn-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
