MB condemns military’s role in politics in statement marking Oct 6 anniversary

The people will not allow the military to turn into a political party that will dominate the country, the Muslim Brotherhood declared in an official statement issued Monday, the 41st anniversary of the October 6 War.

The Brotherhood, which was banned by court order and declared an illegal terrorist organization last year, has been locked in a deadly confrontation with the military-backed government since former President Mohamed Morsi was ousted in July, 2013.

“The Egyptian people will not allow the military to turn into a company monopolizing the economy, or a contractor for construction projects,” the statement added, referring to the Armed Forces’ vast economic activities.

“And the people will not allow the army to change its dogma. In October, the army was fighting enemies, while under the leadership of the coup supporters, the army is killing the sons of the great people with whom the army made its victory,” the Brotherhood continued.

The group went on to declare that the army’s defeat on June 5 in the 1967 War was due to the military’s intervention in politics, in a word of warning against the institution’s present-day political activities.

“The great Egyptian people are confident that their will shall be achieved, and that those who do not learn from the lessons of the past will be punished by the people soon when they take revenge for the blood of its sons,” the statement asserted.

Last year, the anniversary of the October 6 War witnessed deadly clashes between Brotherhood protesters and military and police forces, which left over 50 people dead.

Striking quite a different tone, on Monday Interior Ministry spokesperson Hany Abdel Latif also issued a statement, congratulating the Egyptian people on the anniversary and stating that the performance of the police forces in 1973 complemented the performance of the military, as was the case in the June 30 mass protests that led Morsi’s downfall.

Abdel Latif declared that the Armed Forces and the police will remain the backbone of the country’s protection, both domestically and abroad.