An Egyptian living in the United States recently penned a scathing recount of the persecution the Coptic Christian minority faces in Egypt. The article appeared in Arabic, in a London-based newspaper, al-Quds al-?Arabi and details what the author sees as state sanctioned, or at least passively observed, persecution of the Coptic minority. The author of the al-Quds al-?Arabi article states that the Egyptian Coptic Christian minority has been attacked time and again, at least since 1972 and into the present, including an attack on churches and Christians on February 10, 2002. Such repeated attacks, in the author?s view, can be traced to both cultural, legal and historical causes.
Most interestingly, the Egyptian-American columnist cites former president of Egypt Anwar Sadat as saying that he intended ?to make the Copts bootblacks and beggars.? It was, the author claims to have read in an American journal, part of an agreement between Sadat and the Saudi regime ?regarding the elimination of the Christian presence - primarily Egypt's Copts - in the Middle East.? An understanding that ?expanded after Sadat's death,? writes the Egyptian author. Furthermore, Anwar Sadat is responsible for ?espousal of the accursed policy of equalizing [the attacker with the attacked] - which developed into claims about [clashes between] 'extremists from both sides??? writes the author, ?By what logic, law, or religion is the attacker compared to the attacked?? The article interprets the Sadat policy as ?the victim relinquishing his rights. This means that the state is not neutral, and it encourages crime against the Copts.?
The Egyptian Copts, reveals the al-Quds al-?Arabi column, suffer from ?[o]ppressive, arbitrary laws.? The laws regarding establishing a church and the special taxes associated with renovation of one, asserts the author, ?are oppressive and unconstitutional.? Not only legal challenges face the Copts, but thuggery accompany the building or renovation of churches, reports the Egyptian expatriate: ?[T]he Christians have paid dearly, in blood and property, for? every attempt to build or rebuild a church? even though they have building permits.?
Such attacks by Moslems on Copts in Egypt, the author states, have become associated with ?recurring rituals? such as the ?incitement against the 'infidel Copts' from the mosques' loudspeakers.? Furthermore, the Moslems involved invariably take to ?blaming the Christians for provoking the Muslims?? writes the author, ?By God,how can a church bell calling people to prayer every week constitute provocation of Muslims? Is the mere existence of the Copt also a provocation??
After such attacks, the author reports, Egyptian officialdom acts as if ?the Copts should be satisfied and thank God? when the sheikhs embrace the priests in front of the television cameras?? According to the al-Quds al-?Arabi opinion piece, the Egyptian authorities seem to send the message that the Copts ?whine about the burning of a few houses, the destruction of a church, and a few people wounded or murdered when a church is opened or rebuilt?? Instead, the article says, the Egyptian public tells the Copts that they should be ?grateful to Allah that we [Moslems] do not annihilate you!?
Another way in which the Egyptian government encourages anti-Coptic aggression, writes the author of the al-Quds al-?Arabi article, is its own destruction of and disrespect for Coptic churches in the country. The author cites the government destruction of several churches, the prevention of others from being heightened (in one case, ?on the pretext that it would interfere with air traffic - although the church is quite far from the airport??), and the construction of mosques in provocative proximity to Christian religious sites. ?When the government thinks with this kind of mentality - what signals does it send to the [Muslim] mob?? asks the Egyptian expatriate author.
The net result is that the aggressor is rewarded for his violence, according to the author. The Egyptian authorities feel the need to ?compensate? the Moslem thugs for rebuilding vandalized churches or constructing new ones. ?Why should they [the Muslim mob] refrain from running wild if it ends in the burning of Christian homes and churches, while at the same time they accomplish their goal [building a mosque]?? asks the author rhetorically.
[With special thanks to the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI)]
Most interestingly, the Egyptian-American columnist cites former president of Egypt Anwar Sadat as saying that he intended ?to make the Copts bootblacks and beggars.? It was, the author claims to have read in an American journal, part of an agreement between Sadat and the Saudi regime ?regarding the elimination of the Christian presence - primarily Egypt's Copts - in the Middle East.? An understanding that ?expanded after Sadat's death,? writes the Egyptian author. Furthermore, Anwar Sadat is responsible for ?espousal of the accursed policy of equalizing [the attacker with the attacked] - which developed into claims about [clashes between] 'extremists from both sides??? writes the author, ?By what logic, law, or religion is the attacker compared to the attacked?? The article interprets the Sadat policy as ?the victim relinquishing his rights. This means that the state is not neutral, and it encourages crime against the Copts.?
The Egyptian Copts, reveals the al-Quds al-?Arabi column, suffer from ?[o]ppressive, arbitrary laws.? The laws regarding establishing a church and the special taxes associated with renovation of one, asserts the author, ?are oppressive and unconstitutional.? Not only legal challenges face the Copts, but thuggery accompany the building or renovation of churches, reports the Egyptian expatriate: ?[T]he Christians have paid dearly, in blood and property, for? every attempt to build or rebuild a church? even though they have building permits.?
Such attacks by Moslems on Copts in Egypt, the author states, have become associated with ?recurring rituals? such as the ?incitement against the 'infidel Copts' from the mosques' loudspeakers.? Furthermore, the Moslems involved invariably take to ?blaming the Christians for provoking the Muslims?? writes the author, ?By God,how can a church bell calling people to prayer every week constitute provocation of Muslims? Is the mere existence of the Copt also a provocation??
After such attacks, the author reports, Egyptian officialdom acts as if ?the Copts should be satisfied and thank God? when the sheikhs embrace the priests in front of the television cameras?? According to the al-Quds al-?Arabi opinion piece, the Egyptian authorities seem to send the message that the Copts ?whine about the burning of a few houses, the destruction of a church, and a few people wounded or murdered when a church is opened or rebuilt?? Instead, the article says, the Egyptian public tells the Copts that they should be ?grateful to Allah that we [Moslems] do not annihilate you!?
Another way in which the Egyptian government encourages anti-Coptic aggression, writes the author of the al-Quds al-?Arabi article, is its own destruction of and disrespect for Coptic churches in the country. The author cites the government destruction of several churches, the prevention of others from being heightened (in one case, ?on the pretext that it would interfere with air traffic - although the church is quite far from the airport??), and the construction of mosques in provocative proximity to Christian religious sites. ?When the government thinks with this kind of mentality - what signals does it send to the [Muslim] mob?? asks the Egyptian expatriate author.
The net result is that the aggressor is rewarded for his violence, according to the author. The Egyptian authorities feel the need to ?compensate? the Moslem thugs for rebuilding vandalized churches or constructing new ones. ?Why should they [the Muslim mob] refrain from running wild if it ends in the burning of Christian homes and churches, while at the same time they accomplish their goal [building a mosque]?? asks the author rhetorically.
[With special thanks to the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI)]