Could these uprising have been predicted?

What is happening was predictable, and there are three important elements that should have been taken into account, such as opposition within the army, novels and blogs and thirdly the great sense of dignity that led that a young man to commit suicide. Such shame was too great for the community. In Islam suicide is a very various phenomenon, perceived far more dramatically than we do, and when this young man killed himself the shared opinion was that that they had reached a point at which people were no longer capable of defending and protecting their children. This was the last straw.

Was the discontent perceivable?

The main problem was that dictators were surrounded by an establishment that wished to maintain its privileged position, so these people always tried to hide the truth and present situations that were far from real. For this reason dictators lost touch with the world and with the people, and were not aware of rising internal opposition. It is sufficient to bear in mind that in Tahrir Square it was the army that assumed Mubarak’s power. The role played by women, and above all by the young. was fundamental. They took to the streets because they had nothing to lose; they have no work and no prospects and are aware of this.

Is the population in danger?

I would like to emphasize that there is great respect for human rights, regardless of our prejudice and our opinions. As a westerner, at times I was suspicious and thought I would clash with hostility in institutions, and encounter problems in ratifying agreements. Instead there is a profound respect for human rights. The Muslim Brotherhood has, for example, always tried to implement these rights and make them known through non-governmental organisations.

Can Islam and democracy coexist?

We are not the only exclusive owners of democracy, and, above all, we cannot enclose it within pre-established categories. In Europe it was nationalism that led to democracy, while in Arab countries it led to dictatorships. This proves that the answers are not the same for everyone, and one must consider the context in which events develop, because every situation is a different case. Turkey’s AKP is indicated as a model that should be followed to implement change in the Arab world, but it is not a given that the answer is identical for everyone, since it is necessary to remember that the Turks have always been secular.

Does the Muslim Brotherhood pose a risk for democracy?

We fear the Muslim Brotherhood, but then we ourselves have political parties that forbid Muslims from building mosques, that insult women, that use the iron fist as far as immigrants are concerned. The difference is that we do not perceive them as a problem, because they are familiar. So the truth is that we are afraid of what is not familiar. There are extremists in every party, this is a reality we have always had to address, however, if one is aware of this, they can be isolated or fought. Lack of knowledge means criminalizing human being. We ignore things out of laziness, because we are distracted out of habit, while instead one should study and keep updated without ever taking anything for granted.

What do you think of the immigrants expected to arrive in Italy?

This is media operation. One simply needs to be informed to realize that migratory flows have already begun, but they are to Egypt, Tunisia or other Arab countries, where immigrants are welcomed and humanitarian organizations are there to address the problem The Muslim Brotherhood opposes our selfishness, since we have lost our sense of community, and this is destroying us. It is not understood that our lives are linked to those of others, that we are social animals and to live we need to create and plan together, while respecting human dignity.

Would intervention by other countries be useful in resolving this situation?

An aspect that has not been assessed, but that is extremely important, is role played by China. It is sufficient to walk through Egyptian markets to realize they are filled with Chinese goods. The Chinese government has an economic influence that should not be underestimated, and if they can no longer sell oil to Europe, they will certainly turn to China. It is therefore essential that one should understand the role China has played and will continue to play as the current situation develops.

Translated by Francesca Simmons