The outbreak of sectarian violence in Cairo could signal a major flight of Coptic Christians from Egypt, says an expert on religious freedom.
Violent clashes between Christians, Muslims and the military in Egypt’s capital last week, in which 26 people – mostly Christians – were reported killed and an estimated 500 injured, was the latest bloody chapter in a deteriorating climate for Egypt’s Christian minority, which comprises about 8 million of the country’s 82 million inhabitants.
Pope Benedict XVI has called on all Catholics to pray that Egypt will “enjoy true peace based on justice and respect for the freedom and dignity of every citizen”. The Vatican’s apostolic vicar of Alexandria, Egypt, Bishop Adel Zaky, has said Egypt needs prayers, encouragement of the international community to respect human rights and protect minorities, and an elected government to replace military rule. “One cannot rule with an iron fist,” Bishop Zaky said. “For too long there has been a climate of violence which has led to the burning of churches, to maltreatment, but especially to the death of many innocent people.”
While the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, Pope Shenouda III, announced three days of mourning, praying and fasting, the Coptic Church issued a statement that “strangers got in the middle of our sons and committed mistakes to be blamed on our sons,” reflecting a belief among Copts that anti-Christian forces had infiltrated a peaceful march and fuelled violence as a pretext for intervention by Egyptian security forces.
Last week’s violence, following a year of sporadic attacks against Christian churches, does not bode well for a hamonious future, according to Nina Shea, international human-rights lawyer and director of the Hudson Institute’s Centre for Religious Freedom in Washington. The co-author of Silenced: How Apostasy & Blasphemy Codes Are Choking Freedom Worldwide explained her fears for Christians in Egypt to National Catholic Register senior editor Joan Frawley Desmond.
Q: What happened in Cairo?
A: Coptic Christians organised a protest against religious persecution. It was announced in advance and was a march to the state broadcasting station to protest recent burning of churches by Salafi Muslims. There have been sporadic church burnings over the past year. The Copts felt they were not being protected, the government was not guarding the churches. The armed forces ruthlessly crushed this protest. There is videotape of an armed personnel carrier going into the mob and crushing six people — running them over. Others were killed as well. I have a Coptic Christian working for me, and we were getting reports last night that after the military police showed up at the march Muslims had come into the streets to support Christian marchers.
Q: As an expert on religious freedom throughout the world, what is your assessment of the situation?
A: The real significance of this is that it signals the future treatment of the Christian Coptic community by the state. The military was their last hope in protecting them from lawless forces in society that were religiously motivated to [eradicate] them, namely the Salafis.
I think we can expect to see a major exodus of Coptic Christians from Egypt. This is a watershed moment. The whole reason they were in the streets was to protest lawless forces. It extinguishes all hope for them. They are utterly vulnerable.
Q: How did the collapse of the Mubarak government change the status of Christians in Egypt?
A: Under the Mubarak government, Salafi Muslims were kept in check. They followed their Salafi practices in their villages, but did not exert real political influence. In the transition to democracy, the Salafis have started to get organised. They are trying to shape society more assertively. They have held joint rallies with the Muslim Brotherhood. What they want is a more Saudi Arabian model, where the country is cleansed of religious minorities, and there would be coerced Islamic practice — in dress, in no co-mingling of the sexes, and in enforced prayer and fasting. Egypt has a large population of Muslims who do not practise their faith so rigorously. Now there is a push for forced orthodoxy according to the most rigid Salafi teaching.
Q: Is that why some Muslims had joined the Christian marchers when the military police showed up?
A: Other Egyptians are frustrated and angry with the military for a variety of reasons. There is frustration that state security laws still apply and there is brutality.While the Muslim Brotherhood wants quick elections, the military is trying to delay elections.
Q: How has the Arab Spring influenced the status of Christians in the Middle East?
A: Right now, it is extremely precarious for Christians. Last February, Coptic Christians joined other protesters in Tahrir Square, where demonstrations took place. The Christians were hopeful; they wanted a democratic opening.
Q: What will happen to Christians in Syria if that government falls?
A: Many Christians who left Iraq have found refuge in Syria, where about a million Christians now live. About 50 per cent of Iraq’s Christian population has left since the 2003 US invasion. While we were told by the Bush administration the surge would be the solution, it helped everyone but the Christians. The surge drove al Qaeda to the north, where the Christians were living. Since then, Christians have been selectively targeted and driven out. Now that they are scattered, many fear they will lose their ancient culture, which goes back 2,000 years.
The Syrian government has been more liberal regarding religious freedom because it is secular. But if the Syrian government falls, we have to start preparing to help Christians in the aftermath. They were protected by the Assad regime, but the majority of Syria’s population is Sunni. If they come to power, there could be a bloodletting against the Christian minority, which, in their eyes, is associated with the Assad regime.
Q: What had been the political role of Christians in this region?
A: Christians were among the leaders of the Arab nationalist movement that was the ideology of Iraq and Syria. That ideology of Arab nationalism has been replaced by Islamism, where there is no role for Christians. In the past, Christians were able to establish some of the premier universities in the region. Christians have been skilled professionals. They were a moderating influence, and thus a bridge between East and West, because of their treatment of women and their knowledge of foreign languages.
Q: What is the Vatican’s policy?
A: The Vatican wants to defuse the situation and maintain a presence. It does not see asylum as an easy solution.
But when the Pope spoke out in January, Egypt broke off both secular and religious dialogue with the Vatican. The Vatican got a slap in the face.
This is an edited version of an article first published by the National Catholic Register.