“Comprehensive reforms should come from within and in accordance with Islamic law,” Akef

By Hamdy Al Husseini, IOL Staff

CAIRO , March 4 (IslamOnline.net) - The Muslim Brotherhood unveiled its own proposal for reform on Wednesday, March 4, pressing the need for wider political participation and economic changes. 

The proposal was submitted to the Arab League for consideration prior to the Arab Summit, slated for March 29-30 in Tunis .

Muslim Brotherhood’s leader Mahdi Akef said in a press conference in Cairo that the group rejected the U.S. initiative for reforms in the Middle East .

“Comprehensive reforms should come from within and in accordance with Islamic law,” Akef said.

“The Muslim Brotherhood rejects all shapes of foreign hegemony, and denounces foreign interference into the affairs of Egypt or any other Arab or Islamic country,” he said.

Referring to the U.S. “Greater Middle East Initiative”, which promises political and economic incentives in return for reforms, Akef said that all such foreign proposals are “unacceptable”.

“Our understanding of democracy depends of the criteria approved by Islam – namely values of justice, equality and consultation – unlike what Americans are trying to convince us,” Akef said.

The 76-year-old Akef, appointed in January following the death of Maamoun Al-Hodeibi, called the same month on Arabs and others in the Muslim world to oppose the United States, which he said was threatening Syria and Iran after having occupied Iraq.

“(The) American project in the region is clear: they have established permanent military bases, occupied Afghanistan and Iraq and control the most important oil reserves in the world,” Mahdi has said.

Egyptian sources said that the Muslim Brotherhood was absent at a meeting at  the official residence of David Welch, the U.S. ambassador in Cairo, to discuss the much-criticized “Greater Middle East” initiative with American Undersecretary of state Marc Grossman.

It was not immediately clear whether the embassy invited representatives from the government-banned but tolerated group to the session or it was the group’s decision to  boycott it.

Ready to Cooperate 

Akef expressed readiness to cooperate with Egyptian authorities to face up to foreign pressures for reform, and to act in cooperation with national forces to set up a mechanism for launching a “comprehensive reform”.

He denied blackmailing the government, as the group’s reform proposal was made the same day Egypt tabled an initiative for Arab reforms at the Arab foreign ministers’ meeting.

Akef said in an exclusive interview with IslamOnline.net shortly after his appointment that he was ready to set up a political party immediately should the Egyptian government give it the green-light.

According to the Muslim Brotherhood’s initiative, Akef said, reforms should be rather pioneered by all of the society, rather than by the government or a certain domineering political party.

Akef said the powers of the republic’s president should be defined.

“The president should not lead any political party, turn away from any executive responsibility of ruling and stay in power only for two consecutive periods,” the Muslim Brotherhood leader said.

According to the Egyptian constitution, a presidential period continues for six years.

The initiative called for the freedom to form political parties and guarantee the independence of the judicial authority.

No Violence

The Muslim Brotherhood initiative urges not to resort to violence or threaten using it.

It calls for turning the army from politics, being used by the ruling power to impose its will directly or indirectly or threatening to restrict public freedoms.

The Defense Minister should be a civilian – as the rest of all cabinet members - and jobs in police and security bodies be occupied by civilians.

The Muslim Brotherhood urged police and other bodies not to be exploited for repressing opposition, but rather be used to keep the entity of government.

On the Muslim Brotherhood’s position on Christians taking up senior posts, Akif said that the group supports “whoever approved by the government or springing out of its democratic system”.

“We have to stand behind any one – whether a Muslim or a Copt – as long as he is a patriot Egyptian citizen regardless of his own faith,” he said.

Applying Shari’ah

The plan calls for applying the Islamic law in all fields, as “there is no hope for us to prosper unless with returning back on track of the Shari’ah, and embracing science and technology supported by the religion’s underpinnings”.

On economic reforms, the Muslim Brotherhood called for encouraging up the private sector through a fully-transplant and well-studied plans for privatization based on equity.

The initiative calls for more tough measures against economic and financial corruption.

Akef underlined that Shari’ah is the only outlet of internal and external political, economic, social and cultural ailments.

The outlawed but tolerated movement, which advocates establishing an Islamic state using peaceful means, supports 16 deputies in Egypt ’s 454-member parliament, making it the main opposition force in Egypt , AFP said.

Muslim Brotherhood is represented in other Arab countries, including Jordan and Syria where it was severely repressed.