President Morsi, FJP Neglect W. Alex Bedouin, Claims Tribal Council

Egypt’s High Council of Bedouin Tribes has expressed its displeasure with President Mohamed Morsi and his Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), which, the council asserts, are “ignoring” major Bedouin tribes, Al-Ahram’s Arabic-language news website has reported.

The president and his party, the council claims, ignored an invitation to meet with council members, preferring instead to attend another meeting in West Alexandria with other Bedouin tribes.

“President Morsi and the FJP are continuing the policy of neglecting Bedouins in West Alexandria by not inviting them,” council coordinator Wageeh Abu-Hagar was quoted as saying.

“This is the spark to a real revolution against the Brotherhood regime; and it will be sparked from the west of the city,” he added.

The High Council of Bedouin Tribes includes most tribes in West Alexandria, Egypt’s North Coast and the Marsa Matrouh governorate.

“The president and his group have forgotten that the Bedouin tribes are the original inhabitants of this land,” read a Wednesday statement by the council.

On Thursday, President Morsi visited Bangar El-Sokkar village in Borg El-Arab City, located in West Alexandria, where he met with representatives of other tribes.

“Not inviting senior sheikhs and tribes’ families has led to a massive revolution among them. This does not amount to ‘ignoring’ the tribes, but in Bedouin culture it’s seen as a grave insult,” said Khomeis El-Agramy, secretary-general of the High Council for Alexandria Tribes.

He added: “We do not accept that the FJP continues to ignore senior tribes.”

Ahram