Tough Going for Reconciliation? Mohammed Salem What will come after the fall of Mohammed Morsi? The question was not considered before the June 30 demonstrations and remains unanswered. Its complexity may arise from the fact that the protests focused solely on the immediate removal of the Muslim Brotherhood, without considering how to deal with them after their fall from power. This has led to the present crisis, which if not defused could easily reverse the gains of the January 25 Revolution. A solution to bypass a potential catastrophe is desperately needed to move forward—turning back is not an option and the status quo is not sustainable. Undoubtedly, national reconciliation appears difficult at the moment, with a host of challenges standing in the way: Both sides are digging in and refuse to yield ground or listen to creative compromises proposed in good faith. The post-Morsi period began with muzzling the media, freezing the assets of Brotherhood leaders, and a massacre by the Republican Guard, all of which created an atmosphere hardly conducive to reconciliation. A sense of fascism—whether religious or exclusionary fascism within secular opposition circles seeking to wipe out the Brotherhood—is rising to the surface as both sides reject any calls for reconciliation. The military leadership is not offering solutions that would incorporate the Brotherhood in the political process. El-Sisi and the other generals are making two critical mistakes in this regard: they are not offering any compromise solutions, and their actions have proven different from their initial promises. The Brotherhood is also refusing to participate in any dialogue unless Morsi is reinstated. For the Brotherhood, this is a fight for survival. Even though the chances of reconciliation appear remote, there is some cause for hope in the fact that overcoming the crisis is in both sides’ interest. Despite the Brotherhood’s unyielding rejection of dialogue, there are members who see a need for a safe exit and some reassurances for the post-Morsi era. Although they are few and far between, the idea could gain traction in the future, particularly since the military seems disinclined to yield to the Brotherhood’s demands—not to mention that the Brotherhood’s illusion of defections within the army’s ranks now seems far-fetched. Meanwhile, it is in the army and the secular opposition’s interest to legitimize the new political process, prove that what took place wasn’t a military coup, and demonstrate that its aim is to put the revolution back on track and prevent Egypt from reaching civil war. Talk of political diversity must be anchored in comprehensive national reconciliation—before rushing off to the ballot box. This text was translated from Arabic. Mohammed Salem, a researcher at the Cairo-based Ibn Khaldoun Center for Development Studies.
Posted on: Sun, 28 Jul 2013 06:29:59 +0000
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