Various organizations tied to the Global Muslim Brotherhood have been issuing statements regarding the ongoing refugee crisis in Europe. For example, the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood Vice-Chairman, currently living in the UK, is asking all countries and institutions “to do all they can to support those helpless exiles, and remove all obstacles to help them move to their countries.”
September 2, 2015 The Muslim Brotherhood expresses its full solidarity and support for those who are forced to flee with their families and children from the brutality of their countries’ repressive regimes and despotic rulers who have – with their reckless policies – destroyed their homelands and so forced their people to migrate in search for new homelands where they may find freedom and humanity.
The Muslim Brotherhood offers sincere thanks to all states and governments that offer support and assistance to these oppressed people, for the noble humanitarian position they have taken by sheltering these tortured men, women and children, and for their good reception and treatment of those people.
We call on all countries and institutions to do all they can to support those helpless exiles, and remove all obstacles to help them move to their countries, to find safety and stability for those victims who have committed no sin, no crime, especially as international powers stood unable to stop the murderous injustice of these people’s tyrannical governments with their ruthless policies against their own people.
Ibrahim Mounir
Muslim Brotherhood Vice Chairman
The Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe (FIOE), the umbrella group represent the Muslim Brotherhood in Europe is demanding “adherence to humanitarian obligations and human rights stipulations in the reception and processing of asylum seekers, in such a way as to preserve their dignity,
September 3, 2015 Brussels The Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe follows with great concern the escalating crisis in dealing with asylum seekers in Europe, and expresses its distress for the tragedies that have led to the increasing numbers of victims through drowning or suffocation in the journeys of pursuing safe haven.
It is impossible to ignore the conditions suffered by asylum seekers, especially with the worsening phenomena of living exposed to the elements in the open, sleeping rough on the pavements, and massing of persons at train stations, as well as the shortcomings and overcrowding in refugee shelters. This calls for urgent and serious review of the legal and procedural protocols applied to refugees.
The Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe demands adherence to humanitarian obligations and human rights stipulations in the reception and processing of asylum seekers, in such a way as to preserve their dignity, while developing the framework of legislation and procedures that assure this. The Federation also urges a improvement in the relief response, and the material and moral support for asylum seekers, to overcome any existing shortcomings in the provision of refuge.
The Federation calls for measures to curtail the activities of greedy human traffickers, who exploit the humanitarian needs of those seeking safe haven, and take reckless risks with the lives of innocents. Fundamentally, this requires improvement in the procedures for seeking asylum and building a general awareness of the dangers inherent in the journeys of illicit entry by sea or land.
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The GMBDW would be remiss if we did not take this opportunity to ponder the question of what the global Brotherhood may be seeking to gain from the refugee situation. Given that the ongoing crisis in Europe is an event of epic proportions, centered primarily on Muslims, it would be surprising if the various Global Muslim Brotherhood organizations did not feel compelled to issue commentary. To be seen as staking out the “moral high ground” in an issue like this is critical to the Brotherhood as it as always seeks to gain the position of being seen as the legitimate representative of the Muslim community wherever it finds itself. Beyond that, a vast increase in the Muslim population of Europe represents a once in a lifetime opportunity to both increase its membership base in Europe as well as its influence over local politics. That is not to to suggest that all of the new Muslim citizens will either be Islamists or be susceptible to Islamist recruitment, but it would be naive to pretend that a certain and unknowable percentage will not be. Thus, calling on European countries to “remove all obstacles” to refugees moving to Europe makes nothing but sense when issued from the lips of a Muslim Brotherhood leader in exile living in the United Kingdom.