Al-Ahram Weekly Issue No. 248 23 - 29 November 1995
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875

Free for all

Liberal Party leader Mustafa Kamel Murad, 68, graduated from the Military Academy and fought in the 1948 Palestine war shortly afterwards winning military decorations for valour. He was a junior member of the Free Officers Movement that overthrew the monarchy in 1952, took part in the Suez War of 1956, and obtained a masters degree in political science from Cairo University the following year.

Since 1975, he has acted as a consultant to the UN Development Programme. Murad was appointed board chairman of the Eastern Company for Cotton Export, a public sector enterprise, in 1976. It has been argued that this post tied his hands politically, obliging him to support President Anwar El-Sadat's policies. He lost the job in 1985 for alleged financial malpractices.

He joined the Peoples Assembly in 1960, remaining a member for 20 years, and afterwards joined the Shura Council, where he has been a member for 15 years. He grew a beard after forging the 1987 coalition with the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood and the Labour Party.

How do you assess the performance and popularity of the Liberals in comparison with other opposition parties?

I don't think the Liberal Party's performance is excellent, but the same could be said of other opposition parties. Generally speaking, the opposition faces numerous obstacles. The media is the monopoly of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) and restrictions are imposed on the organisation of public rallies. Financial difficulties are another problem.

But the Liberal Party is very popular throughout the country and it will become even more popular if it is allowed greater access to the public.

The Liberal Party has suffered from repeated divisions and power struggles. Why is this?

This is not true. For nearly 20 years, there were no splits in party ranks. However, it is only natural that party officials have different views on certain subjects.

For example, when we decided to form the coalition with the Muslim Brotherhood, some party members opposed it. This was their opinion and as a liberal party which acknowledges freedom of expression, we should respect it.

It has been said that the re-emergence of the Wafd Party has had an adverse effect on the Liberals. Do you agree?

Of course I don't agree. When the Wafd came back in 1978, some people expected that it would affect our standing, particularly because the Wafd's programme was, to a great extent, similar to ours. But time has proved their expectations wrong.

Our party still enjoys great popularity and we have more than 50,000 members. It is true that the Wafd managed to become opposition leader in the 1984 elections, but this is no reflection on our popularity.

It has been said that you play a dictatorial role vis-à-vis the party newspapers, dismissing any editor-in-chief who disagrees with you. How true is this?

I have never imposed my own view on any journalist. The editors-in-chief of all our publications have complete freedom as long as they adhere to the party's liberal line. If they overstep this line, I bring it to their attention a couple of times. But if they persist, I find myself obliged to dismiss them. I don't think it is dictatorial to try to protect my party.

The party has a large number of publications, but each has a policy which is different from the party's policy. How do you explain this?

As a liberal party, we believe in the freedom of thought and expression. This is why we do not tend to impose censorship on our publications. At the same time, I don't think that any of our publications has overstepped the party's line.

The newspapers Al-Nour and "Al-Haqiqa, while carrying an Islamic stamp, abide by our general programme.

It has been said that the party opposes the government only when its interests are at stake. Is this true?

This is very far from the truth. Our opposition is strong and objective. It aims at serving the public interest.

ARCHIVES Letter from the Editor Editorial Board Subscription

WEEKLY ONLINE: www.ahram.org.eg/weekly Updated every Saturday at 11.00 GMT, 2pm local time weeklyweb@ahram.org.eg

Al-Ahram Organisation