(AFP File Photo)
The Muslim Brotherhood officially reiterated the group’s opposition to “the coup, the military junta and reconciliation initiatives”, according to a Monday statement by the group.
On Saturday former Shura Council member and a leading member of the Muslim Brotherhood Ali Fath Al-Bab called for President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and the leadership of the Brotherhood to enter into a dialogue mediated by Egyptian public figures. Al-Bab, who was recently released from prison, stated that the initiative was a personal one not made by the Brotherhood.
However, Muslim Brotherhood spokeswoman Wafaa Al-Banna claimed that the call was an indirect attempt by the government to seek reconciliation and suggested that it may have been a condition of release imposed by the authorities on Al-Bab.
Al-Banna stated that the Egyptian population has to be represented in parliament or else it will be deemed “unconstitutional”, and alleged that an “indirect” reconciliation attempt is a tactic to legitimise the coming parliamentary elections and make them constitutional.
Since the ouster of Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated president Mohamed Morsi in August 2013 the government has not directly or openly proposed any reconciliation initiatives with the group and in December 2013 the cabinet declared the Muslim Brotherhood to be a terrorist organisation. The security forces has killed and arrested thousands of Brotherhood supporters.
In September President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi said that Muslim Brotherhood supporters can participate in political life “if they renounce violence”.
