Badie to Reuters: MB condemns violence in all its forms and calls for a united front to combat intolerance

Regarding the MB participation and rumors that the ruling regime will not offer the group the same opportunities as in the 2005 parliamentary elections the chairman responded that the MB relied on the publics' intuition stressing that if the elections were free, fair and transparent then the MB would accept the people's choice emphasizing that the movement adhered to respecting freedom of choice and opinion

 Muslim Brotherhood MP's role in Parliament

The chairman proudly boasted of the brotherhoods' achievement in parliament and its extensive use of the deputies monitoring methods such as inquiries, interrogations, submitting of questions and proposes of draft laws  He  detailed the Brotherhood's keenness to attend the people's assembly meetings and participation and interaction with controversial discussions adding that 90% of the questions submitted in Parliament were those of the MB MP's saying  that in fact if the regime hadn't interfered, the brotherhood would have been allotted an additional 40 seats which they were entitled to. The chairman asserted that the problem is not in the legislative body, or the nominations, but rather the lack of an effective mechanism to conduct free and fair elections. He mocked the current running of elections where ballot sheets and boxes recorded the names of deceased citizens who cast there votes in favor of the NDP.

He stressed that the constitutional amendments recently enacted were not perceived as any  kind of political threat to the group, since  the Muslim Brotherhood are not only interested in politics but , are  an Islamic group whose  presence is  derived from the Qur'an and Sunnah. The group is more preoccupied with reform and progress in Egypt and for Egypt.

 We encourage the people to fight for their rights and we oppose the current subjugation and, deprivation of the most basic civil liberties therefore we demand that our rulers and Government provide this right.

  Muslim Brotherhood and the Copts

 With regard to the position of the Brotherhood to women and Copts Badie stressed that the Copts are our fellowmen in the country, explaining that the group's decision on the nomination of Copts or women for presidency depends on the scholars religious views. Hence it is ultimately up to the people, to determine their leader. He quoted a statement by Pope  Shenouda III, in which he said that the Copts had no intentions of nominating  for  presidency since this matter is subject to the will of the majority,  which in Egypt's' case would be for Muslims.

The chairman claimed the Pope's decision was wise, and similar to the view of the Muslim Brotherhood; that Egypt is an Islamic state and the post of president has certain requirements related to the identity of the State.

  Brotherhood and Violence

President Mubarak's warning of a tough approach against violence did not apprehend the group since they also opposed violence. Any form of violence is criticized by the Muslim Brotherhood. The Movement never has nor will advocate violence on the  

contrary it calls for peace, forbearance and tolerance. He used the groups' guidance bureau elections as an example of their moderate line of thinking where they called for democracy and mature dialogue rather than violence and oppression.

With regards to the presidential elections he denied that any leader of the Muslim Brotherhood had run as a candidate in the presidential election or that they intended to run in the next election or support a candidate at the expense of another, pointing out that this issue was immature

He called on the community's organizations, trade unions and student unions to be used to its full potential. Badie denied that there is any dialogue with any American or European administrations, stressing that any dialogue with them must be through the legitimate channels of the Egyptian state.

Badie concluded his interview highlighting that that freedom of rights is a humane cause and all nations should be treated equally. No nation has the right to subjugate or oppress people and the West should advocate equality to all people and stand united in the face of tyranny and injustice similar to that practiced in Palestine by the Israeli occupation, and also in Iran and Afghanistan. He reminded that to fight oppression we must cry out, since oppression can only survive through silence

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