Dr. Sherifa Zuhur · @SherifaZuhur
6th Feb 2015 from TwitLonger
The #MuslimBrotherhood's Pitch to UC Berkeley. Was That #Democracy? #Egypt
On Feb. 5, 2015, I attended “The Path Forward to Restoring Democracy in Egypt,” a panel of leaders from the Muslim Brotherhood who described themselves as members of Egypt’s government-in-exile in Turkey at Univ. of California, Berkeley. The event was sponsored by the Center for Race and Gender, the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, the Near Eastern Studies Department and the Islamic Studies The advertising was by the Egyptian Americans for Democracy and Human Rights. That FB page claims 58 people attended. I counted 30 at the lecture.
Dr. Hatem Bazian, the moderator, and host told me that he received a call about a week ago to sponsor the group and he translated for two of the speakers.
Dr. Mohamed Gamal Heshmat was introduced as a deputy of the Egyptian parliament-in-exile and a physician from Alexandria. He is in fact a member of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Shura Council (not mentioned in the introduction or by him).
First Dr. Bazian criticized Pres. Obama for embracing Pres. Sisi as a betrayal of human rights. He then referred to a recent admission that the U.S. participated in the overthrow of Mohammed Mossadegh (a fact known by Middle East scholars ever since it occurred) to allude to the U.S government’s not infrequent intervention in MENA political events.
Heshmat said that Egypt’s “parliament in exile” is operating in Turkey and thanked UCB and all in the audience who are freedom-loving. He then provided a history of Egypt since ’52 from the perspective of the Muslim Brotherhood. “There had been a military coup (usually referred to as the Glorious Revolution) in 1952 which Egypt’s people had supported. Then the military removed all who had participated in the revolution, including the Muslim Brotherhood who had given them legitimacy. Sanhuri (a famous judge) had given them legitimacy, and they beat him with their shoes. The Muslim Brotherhood were massacred. (He did not mention the assassination attempt on G. Abd al-Nasser which preceded this purge). Muhammad Naguib (1st Pres of Egypt ) was imprisoned for 22 years. The military ruled behind a veil until Sadat came to power. With the 1973 war, the military were able to take control of all. The military’s economic institution had a 300 million $ budget and now has a 700 billion budget. Mubarak erased all the [Nasserist or ‘52] revolutionary principles and ruled for 30 years. The level of poverty and corruption multiplied many times. A police state ruled all of society, the people tasted only poverty, oppression and lack of freedom. But the world community supported Mubarak. All of the U.S. funds to Egypt were used to control the Egyptian people and resulted in anger with the U.S.
As a result, the Egyptian people revolted and raised their banners for bread, dignity and freedom. The head of the regime fell, but the structure underneath him did not fall. Planning for the return of the [Mubarak] regime began with the support and silence of the world. So then, the situation was a military commander could overthrow his president and tricked people. And he could do this because of a falsified media. Anyone can see the falsification in the media [in Egypt]. International agencies condemned this action and the human rights abuses which were done [by Sisi] as part of fighting terrorism. He [Sisi] has wiped [them?] out. He is the one supporting terrorism in the region from his crackdown, and he is the one who is the problem until now. He has killed 4,000, and there was burning of people (seems to be an attempt to draw a parallel to ISIS). These are the youth of Egypt, the martyrs” and he holds up a publication supposedly by Human Rights Watch with some photos. “These are the ones supposedly confronting terrorism. The Muslim Brotherhood is called terrorist.
Egyptians have tasted freedom but they haven’t experienced it yet fully. He [Sisi] made strategic decisions – but it [the MB or anti-coup] is definitely a popular revolution Numbers are increasing while networking [of the regime] is breaking down. (Actually the numbers of clashes and protesters have been decreasing except for certain symbolic dates) This is the revolution of a people against an oppressor. He [Sisi] laughs at the world saying he is fighting terrorism. But [MB and their supporters]are not violent as claimed by Sisi. He said in a speech he doesn’t oppose people taking revenge on Egypt’s enemies [maybe this was a reference to Sisi’s speech after the attack on the Egyptian military in the Sinai?) What kind of leader would say this? In the absence of a state that would provide for its people; in the absence of a state that would provide security, it’s a military state which forced the military to come from behind the curtains and overthrow its democratically elected president. There is no difference between [the treatment of] Egypt’s protesters in the street and the ISIS burning of that pilot. This regime won’t bring stability or security. These criminals should be prosecuted….. “
Walid Sharabi, a judge, listed as Secretary-General for Egypt’s Revolutionary Council (now this body is a Brotherhood body & not composed of other elements of the revolution nor appointed or selected by them and is outlawed in Egypt along with the MB) http://www.aawsat.net/2015/02/article55341101
“Thanks to the UCB etc…. Until now Egypt’s judiciary practices in violation of the (Jan. 25th) Revolution. The role of the judiciary can be divided into its prerevolutionary situation, during the revolution and post-coup. Before the Revolution, the judiciary targeted activists; judges didn’t pursue corruption around Mubarak. Then, (during the revolution) prisoners were let go (ref. to the 11,000 escapees?) and investigations began concerning Mubarak, not serious ones and they came to nothing. The third stage is arresting activists and a change in that the judiciary began cooperating with the “coup regime” Post-coup judiciary didn’t investigate the killings by the regime (this is a ref. to those killed at Rabaa, I think)
Our heart goes out to Kasasneh (the Jordanian pilot) but why don’t we hear about the killing on 25th of January by Sisi of 25 peaceful protesters? [17 killed this year in clashes, but in 2014, there were 49, but certainly not all were ‘peaceful’ – he seems to mean 2014). It’s been over a year [ he said a year and a half] and no investigations. We have documented cases of rape inside prisons [Egypt’s own National Council for Human Rights has countered these claims, at least in prisons & it did carry out investigations] and no investigations. Read Amnesty and Human Rights Watch’s reports and you will be shocked. Acts of mass killing have occurred and we know about violence against women and children and have videos to document this. This translates to the law of the jungle which Sisi operates. There is no recourse to the judiciary. But the symbols of revolution continue on. {He then repeated 4 times there is no recourse to the judiciary in slightly different wording). [So this] suggests that events will be uncontrollable [that the Muslim Brothers cannot control the ‘people’s (or maybe the radical groups like ABM?) behavior.
Abd Mawgud Derdary (who spoke in English, is said to be very articulate – I found him rather demagogic and aware of audience emotions & he simplified, assuming (probably correctly) little knowledge by the audience – but it is UC Berkeley after all. He may have used “democracy” as often as Pres. Morsi used “legitimacy” in his speech following the 6/30 movement and presentation of the Tamarrod petition).
The struggle is not between Muslims and non-Muslims (he did not say Islamists) but between democracy and militocracy. A militocracy – you know the pyramids. They represented the rule of Egypt’s ancient rulers who united dictatorship and theocracy. Certain people were excluded from these pyramids, for ex. growing up in Luxor, I learned that people like me, the common people were excluded. Jesus, may God bless him, came to Egypt and Christianity there created a hierarchy similar to the ancient [Pharaonic] rulers. Islam does not [support hierarchy – I couldn’t quite catch up here] it supports the right of people to establish their own government (i.e. Islam is democratic). Then, Egypt’s rulers, I go to Muhammad Ali Pasha, who was not an Egyptian and created the ruling class from 1901 – 1952 and together with British colonial power (these ruled the people). They were only half a percent and controlled all and so were like the ancient Egyptians. Unfortunately we moved from foreign colonialism to local colonialism. We suffered under this. We had an expression “al-hitan liha widan” (the walls have ears) – we couldn’t talk abut doing anything and people had no creativity for change and said “let the door open” (and let whatever happen rather than try to change it).
On all levels Egypt was going to hell. 20% of Egyptians have liver failure. There is a terrible problem with transportation – those of you who have been there, know all the problems. Egyptians were fed up and they moved into the streets. They called for Bread, Freedom and Dignity when we moved to the streets and people wanted to bring the whole pyramid down. We brought Mubarak down. And then in April 2013 there was the political crisis and we needed more democracy but instead the other answer was militocracy. And you saw how Sisi, with the Christian (Coptic) Pope and al-Azhar when he announced the coup. [So} Egypt decided to resist. A president was kidnapped and there are 40,000 political prisoners. I became a politician by necessity, I am an academic. All TV channels were shut down [ref. must be to Al Jazeera Mubasher because other channels not shut down].
He shows the four handed Rabaa salute.
If you do this you will be arrested and interrogated. I was elected in Luxor and all the Christians in Luxor voted for me [he has previously claimed that 80% voted for him, no idea if this is true or not]. What could I do, the rest of the pyramid was standing. As a person who believes in democracy, I was fired without even being questioned. ….
And we will remain [refers to MB] and this is our strategic vision. All revolutionary forces who believe in peaceful resistance will support us. So for others (referring to those who are violent) my son is taken and tortured and for what? ISIS is not the problem, it is a symptom of oppression.
ISIS say it backwards = Sisi (audience laughs) The US administration should not have accepted a military coup. No more … we need to develop. Speaks of their meetings in Washington [they were just there and met with State Dept) The White House and the State Dept. said and kept asking us ‘ there is high anti-US feeling – why?’ Just don’t support the military. We were having serious interaction (in Washington DC) discussions with those who support us. What we want is a national dialogue for Egyptians. (4th point) We need international support for our struggle for democracy from faculty and students [like you]. Let us work together so we can bring democracy back to Egypt…. (At this point, I reached my personal limit) He went on to say Human Rights Watch is charging Egypt with crimes against humanity [actually that is a Muslim Brotherhood initiative which has failed thus far]. And that not a single Egyptian was put into jail under Mohammed Morsi and that he himself even demonstrated then.
During Q and A. A gentleman who identified himself as an Egyptian Jew was immediately told that this is not a question of religion. He said, wait, you don’t understand and asked the panelists if they are members of the Muslim Brotherhood. Dr. Bazian told him not to attack and interrogate the panelists. He then showed a photo of the Muslim Brotherhood logo with its crossed swords and motto.
A young woman said she opposes the terrible Sisi and everyone argues against her and Derdary told her she is brave. Another gentleman rebuked the speakers – saying, there are students here, they need to hear the truth. I was in the military and I served in the ’67 war which was a disaster, and I’m proud of serving my country. You have not told the truth about events and they can look it up. I asked about the MB’s recent call to jihad on 1/25/15 and asked them, even if we overlook the distinct lack of democracy under Pres. Morsi, can they at least comment on the use of violence now by their allies and supporters – to whom they have never issued a call to desist. (My question was not answered – Derdary deflected it). Then another woman said she drove for hours to attend, and to me, that Molotovs and rocks don’t equal tanks and we must give allowances for violence not equal to state violence.
Freedom of speech is essential to a free society. What happens if individuals abuse free speech rights to promote political divisions in Egypt or to organize supporters abroad, and to make ahistorical claims about their religiopolitical movement, or Egypt itself? (You may well respond that Syria’s opposition and Iraq’s opposition before them, even a small Free Afghanistan movement organized similarly in the United States.) I am more concerned about colleagues and students who appear to accept and believe in gross misinformation about Egypt.
What if these individuals from the Muslim Brotherhood appropriate the language of Egypt’s revolutionaries for themselves, when in deference to their own leadership, they did not come out onto the streets during the Jan 25th revolution until much later on? What if they claim to be a bona fide government-in-exile and the audience does not know that no-one has appointed them as such, except for their own leadership, and few countries recognize their legitimacy (Turkey). What if the audience is so ill-informed by such publications as the New York Times, the Washington Post, former “democracy supporters” in Washington DC and campus advocates for these and other Islamist movements that they believe the claims that President Sisi is responsible for terrible violence in Egypt which exceeds the violence that the Muslim Brotherhood has unleashed on the regime in the form of bombs, assassinations, and attacks?
What if they believe the statement of Dardary that “not a single Egyptian was put in jail under Morsi,” “that everyone could demonstrate” (obviously untrue at Maspero or in November and December of 2012) or that Pres. Morsi had every right to cancel the Constitutional Court? Does the audience understand that when such speakers claim “Sisi killed X” the reference is to the actions of security forces, in most cases, under attack or when protesters were attacking other citizens, or property?
For audiences to withstand the effects of free speech, they must be informed.