The website of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood has published a letter written by antiwar activist Cindy Sheehan to the wife of Egyptian President expressing sympathy for the plight of the families of Muslim Brotherhood currently being tried by a military court. An earlier post discussed, Ms. Sheehan is currently in Cairo to protest the trial of Muslim Brotherhood members. The letter introduces herself as a “human rights and peace activist” and says that she has “become an advocate for human rights violations all over the world.” The letter then presents Ms. Sheehan’s professed reasons for her concern:
I am sad to say that my first visit to your beautiful country of Egypt brings me here under this guise to appeal for fair and just treatment for the forty members of the Muslim Brotherhood, all civilian, who are being tried through a military tribunal. As I understand it this process is illegal both under Egyptian law and International law and since the defendants have all been found innocent on four different occasions in civilian courts, I can only conclude that the Egyptian government is trying them in a military tribunal as a last resort to guarantee a guilty verdict. In addition to this being an unfair practice to the defendants, it is also unfair to their families and places a great burden on them. I have spent time during my visit getting to know some of the wives and children of detainees and have heard heart breakings stories of how they have been tormented because of this matter; many of them have been deprived of personal funds and possessions and it has been very difficult for them to support their basic needs. The children have been deeply traumatized by seeing their fathers violently arrested without cause or provocation. The detainees have suffered a great deal while in jail, some have been denied access to proper health care causing serious medical conditions.
The letter goes make several demands of Ms. Mubarak relating to the welfare of the Brotherhood family members. The letter itself shows no particularly understanding of the Muslim Brotherhood nor their role in Egypt raising further questions about Ms. Sheehan’s motivations for her participation in the affair. It should be noted that Ms. Sheehan closed her letter as follows:
Thank you for your consideration in this important matter, inshallah we will work together for a peaceful and just resolution for the betterment of humanity.
The use of the Arabic word is likely a tactical attempt at politeness but given the erratic nature of Ms. Sheehan,s behavior in recent years, a future conversion to Islam cannot be completely ruled out.