Protect Us, Say Egyptians Christians

By Joseph Keenan
Christian Today
May 23, 07

Christians in Egypt have voiced their anger at the Egyptian government for "failing to adequately punish a single Muslim perpetrator" as a human rights research centre shows that over 4000 Copts (Christians of Egypt) were killed or injured during the past three and a half decade.

The Ibn Khaldoun Research Center (headed by the human rights advocate Saad Eddin Ibrahim) documents that over 120 major attacks had occurred against the Coptic community in Egypt. In a press statement the Coptic Christian communities from around the world said that the terrifying nature of these attacks was conducted by 'seemingly ordinary' people under the influence of the hate propaganda being spread by the media and other channels.

"One phenomenal one can't help but observe is that much of these attacks took place after attending the Muslim Friday prayers in mosques," the press statement said. "Most significant, also, is that the vast majority of these attacks were not committed by organized terrorist groups, but by seemingly 'ordinary' people from the neighborhood, under the influence of hate propaganda emitted through the media, the education system and mosque preaching."

The Coptic world-wide community is calling on 'freedom-loving governments' and human rights organisation to intervene saying that the Egyptian government failure to guarantee freedom to the Copts will ensure that violence will continue to dominate their life.

"We ask all freedom-loving governments, Human Rights organizations and individuals of the world to intervene on behalf of the Coptic Christians of Egypt.," said the Coptic Christians press statement. "The reprehensible failure of Egypt to guarantee religious freedom, justice and accountability towards the Copts simply amounts to an invitation to continue the same (violence) against them in the future."