Statements made by Muslim Brotherhood (MB) member Soghi Saleh at a symposium on Sunday in which he called for an Iranian-style Islamic revolution in Egypt has triggered widespread criticism among secular opposition parties.
“Those who love Egypt should call for reform rather than revolution,” said Wafd Party Executive Committee member Ali al-Selmi. “Revolutions destroy people, not regimes."
At the Sunday seminar, Saleh reportedly called for "a revolution like that seen in Iran in 1979,” which, he said, had "succeeded in toppling the Shah, who had headed up the strongest regime in the Middle East at the time.”
Al-Selmi also condemned calls by MB member Saad Emara–reportedly made at the same event–for staging peaceful sit-ins on the day of next month's parliamentary elections. “People should participate in elections positively,” al-Selmi said.
Tagammu Party speaker Nabil Zaki, meanwhile, asserted that the Iranian people had been adversely affected by the revolution. “They suffer from authoritarianism in the name of God,” Zaki said.
Nasserist Party Vice President Mohamed Abul Ela agreed.
“We need democracy, not revolutions,” he said, likewise calling for "positive participation" in elections on the part of the public.
Democratic Front Party Vice President Sekina Fouad, for her part, said, “We need to revolutionize democracy.”
George Ishaq, member of the pro-reform National Association for Change, said he was "astonished" by the recent MB statements.
“First they say they want a civil state. Then they call for an Islamic revolution,” he said. “What exactly do they want?"
Since the 1970s, the MB has eschewed violence and called instead for political reform through political participation. Ever since, the group–which advocates the adoption of Islamic Law–has actively participated in almost every national election in Egypt.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
