"It is a message ..Egypt has cacophonous voices all calling for reform," Ouda

By Abdul Raheem Ali, IOL Staff

CAIRO, March 6 (IslamOnline.net) – The Muslim Brotherhood came under fire for an internal reform proposal, which the government and political parties called a step in the wrong direction.

The group unveiled the initiative Wednesday, March 3, pressing the need for wider political participation, restricted presidential powers and economic changes.

"It is a message to the Americans to the effect that Egypt has cacophonous voices all calling for reform, something Washington could exploit for interference," said Jihad Ouda, a member of the ruling National Democratic Party’s Policies Committee.

Ouda said that the Americans could justify interference into the country’s internal affairs allegedly to guarantee neutrality and keep intact its interests amid these potential wrangling.

The gap between the government’s initiative and the Muslim Brotherhood’s is too wide, allowing the U.S. to step in and impose its own plans, he added.

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

Speculations rose high that releasing the initiative the same time the pan-Arab organization was looking into Egyptian and Jordanian proposals for reforms smacked of a blackmail. 

The alternatives came after the U.S. "Greater Middle East Initiative" - which promises political and economic incentives in return for reforms – was dismissed as a high-handed attempt to reshape the region and serve the interests of Washington and Israel.

New Look

It is "part of  the Muslim Brotherhood's attempts to get Washington ’s support," Sayyed

For Refaat El-Sayyed, the leader of the leftist Al-Tagammu Party, the Muslim Brotherhood’s reform plan has much to do with currying favor with the United States and of the same wording as its platform.

The initiative made no mention of the situation in Palestinian territories or Iraq – occupied by Israel and American occupation forces, in order for the group to - seemingly - follow in the footsteps of the ruling Justice and Development Party in Turkey.

U.S. Undersecretary of State Marc Grossman – the opposition leader recalled - said in Cairo a few days ago with much admiration of the ruling Turkish party.

"So the initiative came as part of  the Muslim Brotherhood's attempts to get Washington’s support for Islamic alienations much of attraction to ordinary people and a policy deeming U.S.'s red-line issues untouchable," Sayyed said.

He warned against a U.S. scenario “bringing about an Americanized party getting Washington’s support on one hand and enjoying key strategic relations with the Zionists on the other”.

Grossman met with a number of Egyptian leaders at the official residence of David Welch, the U.S. ambassador in Cairo.

But the Muslim Brotherhood was absent at the meeting, that was due to discuss the U.S. initiative – which the group "categorically" rejected with a scathing attack on Washington's foreign policy in Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestinian territories.

General Atmosphere

"It is a boost to the Egyptian efforts," Abu Al-Futuh

Egypt's Center party joined the club, blaming the Muslim Brotherhood for "pre-maturely" releasing an initiative for reform before knowing the details of the government’s proposal.

Reform could not be dominated by one party, whatever its weight is, the party's under secretary Abu El-Ela Madi said.

He said that the Muslim Brotherhood did want to be a precursor with unveiling the plan now, as it is exactly the same of its platform "nothing more, nothing less".

"Each party or group could now have a reform initiative as long as it does not differ from that of its political agenda,"  El-Sayyed El-Badawi, the secretary general of Al-Wafd opposition Party, said.

‘Boost’

The Muslim Brotherhood, on the other hand, dismissed the accusations, saying that the group’s plans came to support the government’s plans.

"It is a boost to the Egyptian efforts aimed at forming a unified stance on the official initiative released by President Hosni Mubarak," the group’s guidance bureau’s member Abdel-Moneim Abu Al-Futuh said.

Her referred to the group's attitude as supportive to the government against pressures.

He blamed the same government for blocking political forces' attempts to reach a "common initiative" probed in 1997.

Al-Futuh admitted the group’s initiative was in response to the American plans to impose reform.

The Muslim Brotherhood has launched a heavy dose of criticism against the United states.

Its leader Mohammad Akef,  appointed in January following the death of Maamoun Al-Hodeibi, called that 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 said.