U.S., U.N. Advocate Inclusion of Muslim Brotherhood; Mass Rallies in Cairo On First Friday of Ramadan
The U.S. has warned that no single group be excluded from negotiations for an elected government in Egypt
In a confusing state of events following the ouster of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi, diplomats are calling for a government that represents interests of all political parties, including the Muslim Brotherhood.
Referring to the arrests of members of the Brotherhood, White House spokesperson Jay Carney was quoted by BBC News, “You're working against yourself if your effort is to be inclusive."
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has issued similar statements asking the government not to exclude groups. U.S. State department officials say that the arrest of nine senior members of the Brotherhood is contradictory to the assurances of a peaceful resolution offered by Egypt’s government.
The U.S. has warned that no single group be excluded from negotiations for a new government and that includes the Muslim Brotherhood, whose members have been targeted and arrested arbitrarily, reports rocketnews.com
More protests are expected Friday as supporters call for Morsi to be reinstated. The first Friday of Ramadan, leaders of the Brotherhood are calling for supporters of Morsi to come together for mass rallies in Cairo.
A crisis that ensued after the house arrest of former President Morsi has resulted in bloodshed and violence on the streets of Cairo and elsewhere in Egypt. Unprecedented claims of 101 sexual assaults on women and the killing of several civilians. Representatives of Human Rights Watch and other women’s groups have called the attacks on women a glimpse of th cruel injustice suffered by Egyptian women on a daily basis.
Despite calls for a truce, protesters and supporters of Morsi have clashed, killing and injuring scores of people across the country, say news reports. In the initial overthrow of Morsi, the Obama administration had emphasized a government chosen by the people of Egypt in a free election.
in a news report by CNS News before the ouster of Morsi, Coptics and other Christian groups expressed concern about their future in Egypt. They described the Morsi government as neglecting human rights and women’s rights. Christian leaders also said that the Muslim Brotherhood was intolerant of Christianity.
According to Representative Frank Wolf who visited the region, Christians in Egypt were under the impression that the Obama administration was supporting the Muslim Brotherhood in exchange for protecting U.S. interests in the region.