CAIRO: An independent MP announced last week his intention to set up a “popular movement to resist secularism.
Mohamed Al Omda, deputy of Kom Ombo south of Luxur, wrote in a petition, which he asked members to sign: “We have noticed recently that the ruling party and its government have been using anti-religious slogans such as ‘no religion in politics and no politics in religion’.
“It seems that the regime plans to adopt European-style secularism.
He stressed that the intention to separate religion from the state does not conform to Article 2 of the constitution, which clearly states that the principles of Sharia are the main source of legislation.
The statement explained that he agreed with the plan to ban political parties based on religion, but he refused the proposed amendment to Article 5 which suggested banning political activities framed in religious discourse.
This, he says, is tantamount to saying that simply mentioning religion in a political context is illegal and would require emergency law procedures to check it.
The statement also said that “the government must recognize that Egyptian people, who are the oldest religious people in the world, will not accept the new ‘belief’ advocated by the government and will not accept any humiliation or denigration of their faith.
It confirmed that the new movement will struggle against the secularization of the state, and will refuse any internal or external policy that conflicts with Article 2 of the constitution.
The movement will also stand against any satellite channel that uses the Egyptian satellite Nile Sat to spread anti-Islamic values.
The movement demanded that foreign channels must abide by local legislation that regulates broadcasting in Egypt, especially since they believe that satellite TV poses the biggest threat to the identity of the Muslim world.
