Archive for Construction and Development Party

Egyptian Islamic Jihad mulls election alliance with ‘Hazemoun’ group

by admin
December 31st, 2012

Egyptian Islamic Jihad is considering joining the emerging electoral coalition led by ultraconservative Salafi cleric Hazem Salah Abu Ismail, according to one of the organization's leaders.

Osama al-Qasem of Islamic Jihad said that the talks also include Jama'a al-Islamiya's political arm, the Construction and Development Party, who will contest in the upcoming parliamentary elections mandated by the new Constitution.

Al-Qasem said that negotiations are ongoing, but that Islamic Jihad is likely to field candidates on a shared electoral list with disqualified presidential candidate Abu Ismail's coalition, since it is expected to form the largest Islamic bloc in the elections. 

Qasem told Al-Masry Al-Youm he hopes the Construction and Development Party and other Islamist political forces including the Muslim Brotherhood will join the coalition to "form a whole Islamic alliance."

Another leader of the organization admitted that the Brotherhood is not interested in joining forces with Islamic Jihad and other ultraconservative Islamist groups "because Jihad and its thoughts do not reflect them, as they cannot tolerate the name of jihad on their lists."

Ali Farag said that Islamic Jihad would likely cooperate with Abu Ismail, who he called "the black horse in the next parliamentary season."

He said that Islamic Jihad will play to win by choosing the side most likely to gain more votes, but noted that Jama'a al-Islamiya is a logical partner for his group given their shared ideology and history. 

Farag said that his group will nominate 'historical' leading candidates including Mostafa al-Desouki, Ahmed Saleh Jahin, Osama al-Qasem, Ahmed Yousef and Abbas Shelen, in addition to a large number of group leaders in most of the Upper Egypt governorates.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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April 6 accuses Jama’a al-Islamiya of assaulting members in Minya

by admin
December 20th, 2012

The April 6 Youth Movement accused two Jama’a al-Islamiya members of fracturing one of its member’s noses as he was distributing leaflets in Minya Tuesday urging citizens to vote against the draft constitution.

The activist organization claimed the assailants are the brothers of two prominent members of the Construction and Development Party, the political arm of the conservative Islamist organization Jama’a al-Islamiya. They say the victims filed a complaint. 

The incident comes amid an increasing rift between the opposition and Islamists over the constitutional referendum, the second phase of which is scheduled for Saturday. While most Islamists are endorsing the draft constitution, many secular forces say it is not representative of the people and are lobbying against it.

The Free Egyptians Party issued a statement condemning the assault and accusing Jama’a al-Islamiya of violating a “code of honor” the group's party had called for before the incident.

The Construction and Development Party called on opposition forces in Minya to approve a document guaranteeing nonviolence and protecting people's right to vote and campaign for or against the draft constitution, the statement said.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Islamist parties to form citizen security committees for referendum

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December 14th, 2012

The Jama’a al-Islamiya and its Construction and Development Party announced they would form joint citizen committees with the Muslim Brotherhood to protect polling places during the constitutional referendum, and to secure Muslim Brotherhood headquarters against possible attacks.

"Mobilizing for the 'yes' vote will continue until the day of referendum, as both the group and the party will work on mobilizing voters by distributing instructions that explain the importance of voting and reading the constitution,” said Khaled al-Sherif, the media advisor to the Jama’a al-Islamiya.

"Working spaces for the party and the group have been established in all governorates, and the group's shura council is in permanent session to take any quick decisions,” he continued.

Sherif also said that the Interior Ministry has to perform its duties by protecting Tahrir Square protesters after rumors about plans to attack them have been circulated.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Islamist coalition: all options are open to “maintain legitimacy”

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December 8th, 2012

The Islamic Forces Coalition warned on Saturday of what it described as “manipulators of the will of the people” who were attempting to coup against legitimacy.

The coalition, comprised of 13 parties and Islamist movements, including the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafi Dawah, released a joint statement saying, “All options are open before the Islamic forces to maintain legitimacy and elected state institutions.”

 “Representatives of the Islamic Current in Egypt will not allow, under any pretext or under any name, the return and [resurrection] of the former corrupt regime,” the statement said. “Millions who have gathered in this peaceful revolution will not stand idly by, while seeing the gains of their revolution taken away.”

The statement added that the coalition “supports all activities aiming to maintain legitimacy,” while also condemning what it described as the “paid corrupt media.”

In the statement, the coalition emphasized the need for the constitution referendum to be conducted on time, and emphasized the need for political and economic stability.

Other groups signing on to the statement, aside from the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafi Dawah, included the Jurisprudence Commission for Rights and Reform, Jama'a al-Islamiya, the Association of Sunni Scholars, the Preachers Syndicate, the Revolution Board of Trustees, the Salafi Front, the Nour Party, the Freedom and Justice Party, the Construction and Development Party, the Asala Party and the Reform and Development Party. 

Edited translation from MENA

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Update: Islamist movements rally outside Media Production City

by admin
December 7th, 2012

The privately-owned satellite channel ONTV Live, the sister channel of ONTV, reported Friday that its staff had been assaulted by Islamist protesters at Media Production City in 6th of October City.

The news anchor of the channel didn’t add any further details on the incident. Islamists accuse satellite channels, including ONTV, of trying to tarnish their image. ONA news agency, also affiliated with ONTV, estimated the number of participants at 400 protesters.

The privately-owned Sada al-Balad news website reported that Salafi Sheikh Hazem Salah Abu Ismail was present among the crowd. It said that supporters of Abu Ismail announced their intention to sit-in before the city until the media is “cleansed.”

Youm7 newspaper published photos of the Central Security Forces cordoning the gates to block the protesters from storming the city.

Sixteen parties and movements, including the Salafi Front, the Construction and Development Party and the Peace and Development Party, called for the demonstrations, while the Muslim Brotherhood and leading Salafi parties did not immediately say whether or not they would take part.

In a joint statement Thursday, organizers said, “We call on the Egyptian masses to be present in huge crowds for a demonstration outside Media Production City to stop the suspicious, agitational role of these channels and to free the will of the people,” citing “the escalating events [that aim] to abort the blessed Egyptian revolution of 25 January.”

Organizers directed protesters to start gathering after Friday prayers in front of Media Production City’s Gate 4.

Abu Ismail said on his Facebook page that “the media has become biased against Islamists.” In his statement, he also said that the protests would happen “far from the opposition crowds to maintain national balance [and] peacefulness.”

The general coordinator of the Hazemoun Campaign, Gamal Saber, added, “We support the rally in front of the Media Production City because of the clear bias we see in media, which belongs to the feloul and which takes an immoral position against Islamists.”

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
 

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Islamist movements to rally outside Media Production City

by admin
December 7th, 2012

Islamist political forces have called for a protest outside Media Production City in 6 October City Friday, citing the "inciting role" of some channels.

Sixteen parties and movements, including the Salafi Front, the Construction and Development Party and the Peace and Development Party, called for the demonstrations, while the Muslim Brotherhood and leading Salafi parties did not immediately say whether or not they would take part.

In a joint statement, Thursday, organizers said, "We call on the Egyptian masses to be present in huge crowds for a demonstration outside the Media Production City to stop the suspicious agitational role of these channels and to free the will of people," citing "the escalating events [that aims] to abort the blessed Egyptian revolution of 25 January."

Organizers directed protesters to start gathering after Friday prayers in front of Media Production City's Gate 4.

Former presidential hopeful Hazem Salah Abu Ismail also joined the call for protests, saying on his Facebook page tthat "the media has become biased against Islamists." In his statement, he also said that the protests would happen "far from the opposition crowds to maintain national balance [and] peacefulness."

 

The general coordinator of the Hazemoun Campaign, Gamal Saber, added, "We support the rally in front of the Media Production City because of the clear bias we see in media, which belong to the feloul and which take an immoral position against Islamists."
 
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
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Jama’a al-Islamiya: We will fight for Sharia, even if blood is shed

by admin
October 13th, 2012

 

Jama'a al-Islamiya hinted Friday that it may be willing to resort to violence in order to see Sharia adopted in the latest draft of the constitution from the Constituent Assembly.

 The group called on Egyptians to collect funds for what it described as a battle against “secularists and liberals.”

Jama'a al-Islamiya leader Mohamed Salah is a member of the Jurisprudence Commission for Rights and Reform, which is comprised of a number of Islamist figures, including Khairat al-Shater, deputy supreme guide of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Salah said during a conference in the Ain Shams neighborhood that Egyptians should “support Islamic Sharia in the Egyptian constitution,” and that “Jama'a al-Islamiya will fight for the application of God’s law, even if that requires bloodshed.”

He called on Islamist movements to organize mass demonstrations to “trap secularists inside the place where the Constituent Assembly holds its meetings, so that everyone knows that the people want an Islamist [state].”

He also demanded that President Mohamed Morsy issue a decree to “defeat the schemes of liberals to reject the law of God.”

 He stressed that the referendum on the constitution in its current form is forbidden by Islam, calling on the Egyptian people to “[wage] jihad and fight in support of Sharia.”

Assem Abdel Meguid, leader of Jama’a al-Islamiya’s political arm, the Construction and Development Party, said that “the conference is the first step to announce the rejection of the second article [of the constitution] in its current form.”

He noted that the next step would be mobilizing millions for jihad with their lives and money in the battle to support Sharia.

He stressed on the need to unite the Islamist currents to face the liberal and secular groups that “implement Western agendas.”

Sheikh Abdel Akher Hammad, a member of the group’s Shura Council, called on group members to “mobilize themselves and get ready for the battle of applying Sharia, in the case of [the second article] remaining as it is.”

Hammad condemned what he called “the fear of Islamist members at the Constituent Assembly from secularists.”

Hammad added that Al-Azhar does not want to apply Islamic law, that the sheikh of Al-Azhar attacked Salafis on various satellite channels.

He called on Egyptians called to “donate and raise funds to be used in the battle for supporting Sharia in the constitution.”

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Constitution Party to compete for third of seats in Parliament, Islamists consider alliances

by admin
October 7th, 2012

George Ishaq, a founding member of the newly established liberal Constitution Party, has said that the party seeks to compete for at least a third of the seats in the upcoming parliamentary elections, adding that the party will also consider entering electoral alliances with other secular forces.

Speaking to party members in Alexandria, Ishaq said that the party is currently working on forming powerful lists to run in the next parliamentary elections, without giving further details.

The Constitution Party was formally recognized by the Egyptian authorities in mid-September. Mohamed ElBaradei, former Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, is among its founders. Several parties have announced mergers with the party.

Secular parties performed poorly in the last parliamentary elections that ended in January, failing to get a third of the seats in the Islamist-dominated Parliament.

In June, a Supreme Constitutional Court ruling resulted in the dissolution of the lower house.

The next elections are scheduled to take place two months after a public referendum on a new constitution.

Nasr Abdel Salam, head of Construction and Development Party, the political wing of Jama'a al-Islamiya, told Al-Masry Al-Youm that he is currently working to develop an integrated vision for the upcoming polls with the Freedom and Justice Party, as well the Salafi-oriented Nour, Asala and Fadila parties.

He added that contacts between the political bureau of the party, namely Tarek al-Zomor, and the political bureaus of the other parties.

Abdel Salam said the future of proposed alliances depends, however, on a 15 October verdict by the Supreme Administrative Court, regarding an appeal on the dissolution of the People's Assembly.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Jama’a al-Islamiya plans to run in elections on independent lists

by admin
September 30th, 2012

 

Candidates of the Construction and Development Party, the political arm of Jama’a al-Islamiya, will run in the upcoming parliamentary elections on independent lists, party leaders told Al-Masry Al-Youm Sunday.

Assem Abdel Maged, a party representative in the Shura Council, also denied media reports that its lists would include members of the now-disbanded National Democratic Party.

Abdel Maged said that while he prefers the party compete for seats independently, joining alliances has not been ruled out.

Party Assistant Secretary General Gamal Samak said the Construction and Development Party would compete for all seats and ruled out any alliances with the Muslim Brotherhood or Salafis.

“There will be 50 MPs from our party in the next Parliament,” he said. “We aim to take 15 percent of the seats.”

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Jama’a al-Islamiya, Sudan ruling party sign cooperation agreement

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September 24th, 2012

Sudan’s ruling party and the political party of Jama’a al-Islamiya in Egypt signed a joint cooperation agreement Monday in Khartoum.

The two parties — Sudan’s Islamist-oriented National Congress and Egypt’s Construction and Development Party — held a meeting headed by Nafie Ali Nafie, assistant to the Sudanese president, and Safwat Abdel Ghany, head of the Construction and Development Party.

Ibrahim Ghandour, head of the National Congress foreign relations sector, attended the meeting.

The two sides said in a joint statement that the real challenge facing Islamists in both Sudan and Egypt is to unite by establishing strong alliances on the state level and to work together.

They claimed that the anti-Islamist currents in the two countries are sometimes able to attract some elites, but they are separate from the street and don’t have an impact on people. The statement also discussed what the parties referred to as secular forces' denial of democracy when it does not bring them to power.

Ghandour said the joint cooperation agreement includes political and economic axes and activates action, especially among active groups in the two countries, including youth, students and women.

He said after the 25 January revolution in Egypt, the two countries are headed towards further mutually beneficial cooperation.

Edited translation from MENA

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