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Syrian Muslim Brotherhood Demands Political Participation
LONDON, Feb 17 (IslamOnline & Quds Press) - The dissolved Muslim Brotherhood movement in Syria claimed on Friday rights for open political participation and the resumption of activities in Syria and its territories.
The group, banned by the Syrian government 20 years before, held a meeting Friday signaling its desire to resume its political activities in Syria after two decades of prohibition and persecution by the Syrian authorities.
"The Muslim Brotherhood realizes and appreciates the new wave of modernization initiated by intellectual and cultural elite in Syria, and it had been listening to the voices calling for political and economic reform," stated the group in a communiqué, referring to the "gradual process of change" in the Syrian regime.
The group added that several years ago, the Muslim Brotherhood called for these very changes stating that political and economic reform were the basic and preliminary steps in a long road of national reform.
The communiqué also denounced the reluctance of the Syrian government to act on the File of Political prisoners that the Brotherhood calls "the Humane File".
As for modernization within the country, the communiqué assured that the dignity of man and liberal society were the first steps towards a modernized state.
"Modernization and civilization can never be achieved through martial laws, emergency laws or exceptional laws," the communiqué stated. "They are rather achieved by the respect of human rights and human freedom," it added.
The Muslim Brotherhood, the largest Islamic movement in the Arab world, states it is claiming its right of political participation and national work of which it has been deprived.
"We need a dignified right of return, a return boosting the unity of the Syrian people and widening the scope of political participation and political pluralism," the communiqué stated.
It also urged the Syrian government to issue a national manifesto regarding all political ideologies and intellectual elites.
The interest of Syria should be the priority of every Syrian citizen, it said. Moreover, individuals and organizations with different ideologies should have a mutual democratic dialogue away from persecution, extermination and banishment.
The communiqué added that the political powers and civil elite should support each other to uphold freedom and liberty and drive back any sort of aggression on Syria.
At the same time, the Brotherhood's Shura Council denounced Israeli violence against the Palestinians, and supported the Intifada and the Islamic resistance in South Lebanon as "the only way to dignity and victory for the Muslim Nation."
"We should not disregard the Palestinian over the so-called tables of peace negotiations," said a spokesman of the Shura Council.
"The Zionist entity is a parasite entity and has no place on our Arab land," he said.
"Palestine and Golan Heights are Muslim Arab lands, which would be liberated soon," he assured.
Furthermore, the communiqué urged the lifting of the decade-long embargo imposed on Iraq saying, "As Muslims we denounce the tyrant embargo on Iraq and U.S. aggression against the innocent Iraqi people; as Muslims we should put this drama to an end through Arab unity and tenacity."
The Syrian Muslim Brotherhood emerged in 1935 following the return of Syrian students from Egypt. Upon their return, they established Brotherhood branches in different Syrian cities, the most important of which became the headquarters in Aleppo - later moved to Damascus in 1944.
Currently, with over 70 branches worldwide, the movement is flexible enough to allow working under the 'Ikhwan name or working under other names according to a country's circumstance.
After the foundation of Israel and the Baath party coup in 1963, the Brotherhood's mission became clearer, especially after the Baath banned the Brotherhood and other political parties from representation in government.
After the ban, the Brotherhood issued a Manifesto in November 1980 stating, "the present regime has reached the point of no return, and now it is impossible for it to undergo a radical revision, we declare that there will be no truce, no laying down of arms, and no negotiation with those who are known for their deceit and for breaking their promises,"
"We shall continue in our course, disregarding dangers and obstacles, until the oppressive regime has fallen and gone forever," the Manifesto added.
The Brotherhood clearly states their policy towards Israel: "We [will] not tolerate the invasion of apostates into the Muslim homeland, and the efforts of all Muslims should be paramount to the task of eradicating the cancer of the Middle East."
The slogan of the Brotherhood is "Allah is our objective, the Messenger is our leader, Qur'an is our law, Jihad is our way, Dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope."
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