Persecution of Copts

Copts (Coptic: ⲟⲩⲣⲉⲙ'ⲛⲭⲏⲙⲓ 'ⲛ'Ⲭⲣⲏⲥⲧⲓ'ⲁⲛⲟⲥ ou.Remenkīmi en.Ekhristianos, literally: Egyptian Christian) are native Egyptian Christians, usually Orthodox, who currently make up around 10 to 20%[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] of the population of Egypt — the largest religious minority of that country. While Copts have cited instances of persecution throughout their history, Human Rights Watch has noted "growing religious intolerance" and sectarian violence against Coptic Christians in recent years, and a failure by the Egyptian government to effectively investigate properly and prosecute those responsible.[13][14] The abduction and disappearance of Coptic Christian women and girls remains a serious ongoing problem.[15][16]

Ancient era

Roman rulers

St. Mark the Evangelist is said to have founded the Holy Apostolic See of Alexandria and to have become its first Patriarch.[17] Within 50 years of St. Mark's arrival in Alexandria, a fragment of New Testament writings appeared in Oxyrhynchus (Bahnasa), which suggests that Christianity already began to spread south of Alexandria at an early date. By the mid-third century, a sizable number of Egyptians were persecuted by the Romans on account of having adopted the new Christian faith, beginning with the Edict of Decius. Christianity was tolerated in the Roman Empire until AD 284, when the Emperor Diocletian persecuted and put to death a great number of Christian Egyptians.[18] This event became a watershed in the history of Egyptian Christianity, marking the beginning of a distinct Egyptian or Coptic Church. It became known as the 'Era of Martyrs' and is commemorated in the Coptic calendar in which dating of the years began with the start of Diocletian's reign. When Egyptians were persecuted by Diocletian, many retreated to the desert to seek relief. The practice precipitated the rise of monasticism, for which the Egyptians, namely St. Antony, St. Bakhum, St. Shenouda and St. Amun, are credited as pioneers. By the end of the 4th century, it is estimated that the mass of the Egyptians had either embraced Christianity or were nominally Christian.[19]

In 451 A.D., following the Council of Chalcedon, the Church of Alexandria was divided into two branches. Those who accepted the terms of the Council became known as Chalcedonians or Melkites. Those who did not abide by the Council's terms were labeled non-Chalcedonians or Monophysites (and later Jacobites after Jacob Baradaeus). The non-Chalcedonians, however, rejected the term Monophysites as erroneous and insisted on being called Miaphysites. The majority of the Egyptians belonged to the Miaphysite branch, which led to their persecution by the Byzantines in Egypt, this continued until the Arab conquest of Egypt.

Islamic era

The Arab-Muslim conquest of Egypt

The Muslim conquest of Egypt took place in AD 639. Despite the political upheaval, Egypt remained a mainly Christian land, although the influx of Arab immigrants and gradual conversions to Islam over the centuries changed Egypt from a mainly Christian to a mainly Muslim country by the end of the 14th century.[20]

This process was sped along by persecutions during and following the reign of the Fatimid caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah (reigned AD 996–1021) and the Crusades, and also by the acceptance of Arabic as a liturgical language by the Pope of Alexandria Gabriel ibn-Turaik.[20]

Modern era

In Egypt the government does not officially recognize conversions from Islam to Christianity; also certain interfaith marriages are not allowed either, this prevents marriages between converts to Christianity and those born in Christian communities, and also results in the children of Christian converts being classified as Muslims and given a Muslim education.

The government also requires permits for repairing churches or building new ones, which are often withheld.[21] Article 235 of the 2013 draft constitution requires the next legislative body to create a law that would remove the restrictions on the building of churches.[22] Foreign missionaries are allowed in the country only if they restrict their activities to social improvements and refrain from proselytizing.

In 1981, President Anwar Sadat, internally exiled the Coptic Pope Shenouda III accusing him of fomenting inter-confessional strife. Sadat then chose five Coptic bishops and asked them to choose a new pope. They refused, and in 1985 President Hosni Mubarak restored Pope Shenouda III.

Specific incidents

1980's
1990's

March 13, 1997 — Muslim mob attacks a Tourist Train with Spanish Tourists, killing 13 Christians and injuring 6, in the Village of Nakhla near Nagge Hammadi.

The terrorists increased the frequency of their attacks and widened it to include those whom they viewed as collaborators with the security force, launching an attack on the eve of the Adha Eid using automatic weapons killing Copts as well as Muslims.[24]

2000s
Main article: Kosheh Martyrs

Al Kosheh a predominantly Christian Village in southern Egypt. After a Muslim customer and a Christian shoe-store owner fall into an argument, three days of rioting and street fighting erupt leaving 20 Christians, (including four children) and one Muslim dead. However the killings where not committed in the village of Al Kosheh only in surrounding villages of Al Kosheh where Muslims are the majority. In the aftermath 38 Muslim defendants are charged with murder and possession of guns in connection with the deaths of the 20 Copts. But all are acquitted of murder charges, and only four are convicted of any (lesser) charges, with the longest sentence given being 10 years." After protest by the Coptic Pope Shenouda the government granted a new trial.[27]

2010
Main article: Nag Hammadi massacre

Machine gun attack by three Muslims from a Berber tribe called Al-Hawara on Coptic Christians celebrating Christmas. Seven are killed (including a Muslim officer who was trying to defend them).[31]

2011

A car bomb exploded in front of an Alexandria Coptic Orthodox Church killing at least 21 and injuring at least 79. The incident happened a few minutes after midnight as Christians were leaving a New Year's Eve Church service.[32][33][34]

Main article: Maspero Massacre

Thousands of Coptic Christians took to the streets in Cairo to protest the burning of a church in Marinab and were headed towards Maspiro, where they were met with armoured personnel carrier, APCs, and hundreds of riot police and special forces. Army vehicles charged at the protesters and reports of at least 6 protesters being crushed under APCs, including one with a crushed skull, has emerged. In addition, witnesses have confirmed that military personnel were seen firing live ammunition into the protesters, while the Health Ministry confirmed that at least 20 protesters have undergone surgery for bullet wounds.[45] In total, an estimated 24 Copts were killed, while numbers as high as 36 and 50 were reported, including unconfirmed reports of the death of several soldiers.[46]

The events came against the backdrop of tensions simmering due to the violent military breakup of a sit-in staged at Maspiro by Coptic demonstrators a few days earlier to protest the burning of the church of Marinab in the Governorate of Aswan by the Salafis of the region.

2012
2013

For ages Copts suffered being marginalized, under discriminatory acts on many of their rights through many decades, but it got worse after January 25, 2010, when the Islamists reached power.

The bloodshed appeared to mark a turning point in the revolution. Police and armed civilians have laid siege to the seat of the Coptic church in Cairo, St. Mark's Cathedral, killing three people and injuring at least 21 Copts and Muslims, as a funeral for four Christians killed in sectarian clashes on Saturday descended into chaos.

Some mourners were about to be attacked as they tried to leave Egypt's largest cathedral, forcing them back inside the cathedral precinct and sparking a siege that lasted all afternoon and stretched into the night. Police fired teargas over the cathedral walls and stood by as unknown men armed with birdshot, knives and petrol bombs scaled nearby buildings to try to attack those inside the church grounds, however they were soon confronted by a young group of Copts who were trying to defend the mourners inside the Church by exchanging petrol bombs and rocks with Islamic extrimists on opposite side of the Church entrance.

As The Guardian reports, four Christians and one Muslim were killed in sectarian clashes that broke out north of Cairo after children allegedly drew a swastika on Islamic property. On Sunday Christians gathered in Cairo to remember the dead in a service that ended by further escalating sectarian tensions reslulting in two Christians being killed and one Muslim killed. Local news reports that the sixth Coptic victim who has died was set on fire during the clashes died in hospital a few days later, while according to other media sources the second Muslim victim died from a fractured skull.[48] Doctors and Interior Ministry officials said bullet wounds accounted for most of the deaths, including that of Mina Daniel, a young political activist a doctor said had been shot in the shoulder and leg.

Abduction and forced conversion of Coptic women

Coptic women and girls are sometimes abducted, forced to convert to Islam and marry Muslim men.[49][50] In 2009 the Washington, D.C. based group Christian Solidarity International published a study of the abductions and forced marriages and the anguish felt by the young women because returning to Christianity is against the law.

In April 2010, a bipartisan group of 17 members of the U.S. Congress expressed concern to the State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Office about Coptic women who faced "physical and sexual violence, captivity ... exploitation in forced domestic servitude or commercial sexual exploitation, and financial benefit to the individuals who secure the forced conversion of the victim."[49]

Post-revolution anti-women radical trend afflicting Coptics

The synchronization of such fatwas of Abu Islam's and similar scholars[51] that categorize certain groups of women (basically Coptic women) as 'asking for it' just because they are not in the radical boat, or that they are opposers to the regime have been seen as unacceptable and degrading to Egyptian women in general, independent women (widows and divorced) in particular and more specifically to the Coptic women who were categorized as Crusaders, sharameet (prostitutes), lewd and willing to be raped.[52] Salma Almasrya, an Egyptian Activist said that what the scholar has claimed comes in harmony with the official declaration from state men which blamed the female activists for the rape crimes they were subject to,[52][53][54][55][56] then comes the un-deterred harassment on the part of the Ministry of Media for two media female interviewers in two different situations calling one (hot) on air while asking the other to (come and I will show you where!) when she asked about the freedom of expression, a phrase that was considered very offensive by the media[57] causing many activists to believe there was a state-orchestrated terrorism against female activists by humiliation and intimidation rather than force which has been condemned by many media people around the country.

The parliamentary quota for women was removed without debate and a promised female vice-president failed to materialise, amid what political commentator Moushira Khattab called "a radical anti-feminist sentiment". Morsi threatened but stopped short of decriminalizing Egypt's practice of female genital mutilation, carried out on almost three-quarters of Egyptian girls, making it clear he would not tackle an issue he called "a family matter". Such anti-feminist sentiments mobilize the community against 'liberal' Muslim women, female activists, and Coptic women.

See also

References

  1. "The 2009 American Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life" (PDF). Retrieved October 10, 2011.
  2. ""Institut National Etudes Démographiques" – Research in population and demography of France estimates the Coptic population to be". Asharqalawsat.com. Retrieved October 10, 2011.
  3. "Egypt from "The World Factbook"". American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). September 4, 2008.
  4. "The Copts and Their Political Implications in Egypt". Washington Institute for Near East Policy. October 25, 2005.
  5. IPS News (retrieved 09-27-2008)
  6. . The Washington Post. "Estimates of the size of Egypt's Christian population vary from the low government figures of 6 to 7 million to the 12 to 15 million reported by Christian leaders. The actual numbers may be in the 9 to 15 million range, out of an Egyptian population of more than 60 million." Retrieved 10-10-2008
  7. Chan, Kenneth. Thousands Protest Egypt's Neglect of Coptic Persecution". The Christian Post. December 7, 2004. Accessed September 28, 2008.
  8. NLG Solutions <Online>. Egypt. Accessed September 28, 2008.
  9. "Egypt from "U.S. Department of State/Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs"". United States Department of State. September 30, 2008.
  10. "Egypt from "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"". Foreign and Commonwealth Office -UK Ministry of Foreign Affairs. August 15, 2008.
  11. "Egypt Religions & Peoples from "LOOKLEX Encyclopedia"". LookLex Ltd. September 30, 2008.
  12. Egypt from "msn encarta". Encarta. September 30, 2008. Archived from the original on October 31, 2009.
  13. Egypt and Libya: A Year of Serious Abuses, hrw.org, January 24, 2010
  14. Zaki, Moheb (May 18, 2010). "Egypt's Persecuted Christians". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved June 4, 2010.
  15. United States. Congress. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (July 18, 2012). Escalating Violence Against Coptic Women and Girls: Will the New Egypt be More Dangerous than the Old? : Hearing before the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, Second Session, July 18, 2012. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  16. "Masress : Sectarian tensions rise in wake of crime boss death". Masress. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  17. "Egypt". Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs. Retrieved December 14, 2011. See drop-down essay on "Islamic Conquest and the Ottoman Empire"
  18. "Some Coptic Legends about Roman Emperors". Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  19. Jankowski, James, Egypt: A Short History (One World (Oxford)), 2000, p. 32
  20. 1 2 Kamil, Jill (1997). Coptic Egypt: History and Guide. Cairo: American University in Cairo.
  21. "Egypt". Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs. Retrieved December 14, 2011. See drop-down essay on "Religious Freedom in Egypt"
  22. "English Translation of Egypt's 2013 Draft Constitution". Atlantic Council. 6 December 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
  23. "EGYPT NOW SAYS 10 DEAD IN MUSLIM-CHRISTIAN CLASHES". The New York Times. June 21, 1981.
  24. 1 2 article by Nana Ameen published in "Modern Discussion"
  25. 1 2 Murphy, Caryle, Passion for Islam : Shaping the Modern Middle East: the Egyptian Experience, p.236-7
  26. Murphy, Caryle, Passion for Islam, p.242
  27. Murphy, Caryle, Passion for Islam, p.247, 9
  28. "Copts Under Fire". The Free Lance-Star. November 23, 2002. Retrieved June 10, 2011.
  29. "News article". BBC News. April 20, 2009. Retrieved October 10, 2011.
  30. "بوابة مصرية وطنية - wataninet.com". Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  31. "Church attack spark riots". Arab news. January 8, 2010. Retrieved October 10, 2011.
  32. Yolande Knell Middle East specialist (January 1, 2011). "BBC News – Egypt bomb kills 21 at Alexandria Coptic Church". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved October 10, 2011.
  33. Saleh, Yasmine (January 1, 2011). "Bomb kills 21 at Egypt Church". Reuters. Retrieved October 10, 2011.
  34. Yolande Knell Middle East specialist (January 1, 2011). "BBC News – Egypt's president calls for unity after church bombing". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved October 10, 2011.
  35. Archived February 1, 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  36. Abouzeid, Rania (March 10, 2011). "After the Egyptian Revolution: The Wars of Religion". Time (magazine). Retrieved March 11, 2011.
  37. "Ten dead after Copt-Muslim clash in Cairo". Bbc.co.uk. March 9, 2011. Retrieved October 10, 2011.
  38. "In Qena elections, Copts have no fear". Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  39. http://english.alarabiya.net/en/perspective/analysis/2014/04/11/Tribal-infighting-plagues-Upper-Egypt.html
  40. "Egyptian tribes shift their approach to politics - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East". Al-Monitor. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  41. "10. Tribal Fanaticism reigns supreme in southern Egypt". Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  42. KIRKPATRICK, DAVID (May 15, 2011). "Muslims and Coptic Christians Clash Again in Egypt". NYTimes. Retrieved June 9, 2011.
  43. "Egypt sentences Copts over church scuffle". France 24. May 29, 2011. Retrieved June 9, 2011.
  44. Patrick Kingsley. "Egyptian Christian funeral ends in violent clashes, killing one". the Guardian. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  45. Kirkpatrick, David (October 9, 2011). "Church Protests in Cairo Turn Deadly". NYTimes. Retrieved October 10, 2011.
  46. Elyan and Blair (October 10, 2011). "Egypt Christians vent fury after clashes kill 25". Reuters. Retrieved October 10, 2011.
  47. Ibrahim, Ekram (September 18, 2012). "Egyptian Copt jailed for 'insulting Islam, Morsi' on Facebook". Egypt Independent. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
  48. "Two more dead after sectarian clashes in Egypt". The Reuters. April 8, 2013. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  49. 1 2 Abrams, Joseph (April 21, 2010). "House Members Press White House to Confront Egypt on Forced Marriages". foxnews.com. Retrieved November 8, 2010.
  50. "Christian minority under pressure in Egypt". BBC News. December 17, 2010. Retrieved January 1, 2011.
  51. "Muslim Preacher Warns Christian Women: "Wear a Hijab Or Get Raped"". Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  52. 1 2 "أبو إسلام تحت طائلة سب المسيحيات والدولة متهمة بالصمت". Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  53. "الرئيسية". Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  54. "مصرس : مسئولية الفتاة عن اغتصابها بين القبول والرفض". مصرس. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  55. ""حقوق الإنسان" بـ"الشورى": الفتيات يتحملن مسؤولية التحرش.. وما يحدث فى الخيام "دعارة"". Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  56. "إنتقادات لتصريحات أعضاء الشوري الخاصة بتحميل الفتيات مسؤلية التحرش بهن خلال المظاهرات - بوابة الشباب". Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  57. "الأخبار - msn". Retrieved 6 January 2015.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Tuesday, February 09, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.