Le présent article est aussi disponible en français

Below is a translation of an excerpt of Monem’s post “Bird Voices” originally published on February 12, 2007 in his blog Ana Ikhwan: [Translated by Nora Younis- Egypt]

Inside the Egyptian society there is a big bloc perceived as legendary, secret and ambiguous: the Muslim Brotherhood. They are Egyptian human beings who joined this group….

With the blossoming of blogging among the young generation of the Brothers. New free areas started to appear and reflect self-expressions far from the elitist terminologies chosen by the group leaders and cadres….

These areas represent the MB base and include a small number of female members of the group who are commonly known as the Sisterhood.

Le présent article est aussi disponible en français

a view of the university (credit: Karima Eurica)

Below is a translation of Monem’s post “Alexandria University Detour” originally published on November 1, 2006 in his blog Ana Ikhwan: [Translated by Nora Younis- Egypt]

I had always defended the University of Alexandria because I am Alexandrian and graduate of this old university. I was also active with its Muslim Brotherhood (MB) student group. Yet I am no longer able to play this role, I can no longer bear what MB student leaders are doing. Their position from student union elections this year provoked me and their passiveness is driving me mad.

It is the first time MB students of Alexandria refrain from participating in the student elections under claims of hopelessness and that every year they bear beatings and clashes yet without any benefits. For this they decided to give up their rights to participate in student elections…. We are teaching students to be passive. Maybe some people won’t understand what I will say but this is the reality.

We are helping making people’s minds more shallow, because we always care for external issues and ignore our internal ones, we demonstrated for Afghanistan, Iraq, and Palestine – which is of course needed - but we did not demonstrate for our own freedom. We demanded freedom of others and forgot our own freedom. We held many long campaigns to promote veil and prayers which is needed, but we never held similar campaigns for freedom although freedom is now an obligation and should be implemented before Islamic Sharia’a because without it there will be neither Sharia’a nor belief.

People now don’t need someone to talk to them about prayers or veil. People are now committed (conservative) and the moral commitment and Islamic practice scale is rising, this is of course due to our efforts, but now we need to change our discourse. We need to teach people to call for freedom and live as free people. It is true we led women in Helwan University to wear the veil, but the university denied them access and admission. If I taught the woman to wear a veil, I should teach her to claim her right in entering the university with the veil.

We have to call for freedom and active participation whatever happens, however long it may take, however few the results may temporarily be. Freedom is more important than bulk meal boxes you distributed during the month of Ramadan. Advocating freedom is more important than sticking posters advocating prayers on the walls.

Please, freedom is the ultimate priority.

Anya - Privet tebe !!! =)
Priezjai k Anjele na DR =)))

In November 2006 he writes criticizing the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) and its media machine for being passive towards detentions of its own members. In his post Eryan and Morsy reduced to a news item Monem says apparently after feeling fed up from the group “Can’t the Muslim Brotherhood group and its communication department, of which I am a member, do more than just write every two weeks that Eryan and Morsi’s detention has been renewed? I believe it is very shameful when the Leftists take out to the streets demanding freedom for Morsi and Eryan while the MB and their communication department and its website visited daily by thousands of readers have not started neither a media nor a web-based campaign for their release”. Its probably the first time a group member ever makes public criticism, Monem adds addressing group members and calling for individual action “I hope we will all break our silence and demand freedom for the two figures who were detained only because they led the masses in support of the judges in May 18th. Let’s start campaigns for the release of Essam el Eryan and Mohammed Morsi”.

Monem is especially concerned with MB students and young activists to whom he belongs. Also in November 06 he writes Alexandria University Detour “I had always defended the University of Alexandria because I am Alexandrian and graduate of this old university. I was also active with its MB student group. Yet I am no longer able to play this role, I can no longer bear what MB student leaders are doing. Their position from student union elections this year provoked me and their passiveness is driving me mad. It is the first time MB students of Alexandria refrain from participating in the student elections under claims of hopelessness and that every year they bear beatings and clashes yet without any benefits. For this they decided to give up their rights to participate in student elections“. He continues “.. we are teaching students to be passive. Maybe some people won’t understand what I will say but this is the reality. We are helping making people’s minds more shallow, . because we always care for external issues and ignore our internal ones, we demonstrated for Afghanistan, Iraq, and Palestine – which is of course needed - but we did not demonstrate for our own freedom. We demanded freedom of others and forgot our own freedom. We held many long campaigns to promote veil and prayers which is needed, but we never held similar campaigns for freedom although freedom is now an obligation and should be implemented before Islamic Sharia’a because without it there will be neither Sharia’a nor belief. People now don’t need someone to talk to them about prayers or veil. people are now committed (conservative) and the moral commitment and islamic practice scale is rising, this is of course due to our efforts, but now we need to change our discourse. We need to teach people to call for freedom and live as free people. It is true we led women in Helwan University to wear the veil, but the university denied them access and admission. If I taught the woman to wear a veil, I should teach her to claim her right in entering the university with the veil. We have to call for freedom and active participation whatever happens, however long it may take, however few the results may temporarily be. Freedom is more important than bulk meal boxes you distributed during the month of Ramadan. Advocating freedom is more important than sticking posters advocating prayers on the walls. Please, freedom is the ultimate priority.”

In January 2007 he writes a review for the Egyptian movie “Hostage” produced by female producer Sandra and tackles discrimination against copts. Monem applauds the movie for giving the message that such discrimination is not called upon by Islamists. Monem starts organizing and posting on children campaigns “Kids for Freedom” demanding release for their fathers.  Same month Monem also re-posts videos of citizens tortures inside police stations, and writes about internet censorship in Egypt, while he continues to post on MB detentions.
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