The undersigned organizations and associations have observed with great concern the rapid increase of the violence against the Egyptian Christian citizens by terrorist groups from the fundamental Muslim Brotherhood and Salafi Members.
Churches in Benisouef, El Menia, Asyut, Port Said, Marsa Matrouh, Rafah, and Al Ariesh have been attacked; properties of Christian citizens have been looted and burned.
Most Christian families in Upper Egypt and Sinai are terrified after some Christians were kidnapped and slaughtered for no reason.
Since the 1970’s the ruling regime followed a policy which encouraged sectarian strife in order to secure its authority. By the end of Mubarak’s reign religious unrest increased and spread across Egypt.
After Mubarak was ousted from power, unrest continued to accelerate culminating into the burning and demolishing of churches, exiling Christians from their homes, killings at gunpoint and running over them by armored vehicles. This happened in Sol, Dahshour, Mansheyit Naser, Imbaba, Ein Shams- El Gharbeya, Marinab, Al Amireya, Maspero etc.
Likewise the reign of the ousted Muslim Brotherhood President, Mohamed Morsi, saw a continuation of the same policies that created religious unrest. This was to keep the public busy instead of drawing their attention to the government’s failure in solving long term and short term problems in Egypt.
Since the Egyptian Revolution of the 25th of January 2010. Egypt has not experienced any serious attempts to change Mubarak’s economic, social nor political policies… Egyptians suffered a bitter failure in fulfilling the aims and objectives for which they rose, namely: Bread, Freedom, Social Justice and Human Dignity. Contrary to their expectations, the problems of Egypt and the Egyptians worsened and none of the aims of the revolution were realized.
On the 30th June 2013, the second wave of Egyptian revolution removed the Muslim brotherhood from power and put an end to their objective to establish a religious state .At this stage , conscious attempts were made to punish Egyptian Christians for taking part in this second wave of the revolution and sectarian strife was encouraged.
In only one month, gangs of Muslim brotherhood and Salafis attacked Christians in several villages, cities and provinces across Egypt. Many Christians were killed; their churches, homes, shops and cars were looted and burned. Christian families were terrorized, evicted from their homes and forced into exile
- El Minia Province
28th July 2013: Christians in the village of Delga and Touna el Gabel were attacked. On 1st of August, Christians of Nazlit Ebeid village were also attacked, and the inhabitants working in the query were forbidden to go to their work. Bani Ahmed village was attacked on 4th of August. On the 28 of July both Mar Gurguis and Mar Marcos churches in Minia were under fire and Molotov bottles and stones. The Anglican Church and its infirmary were also attacked. A car parking in front of the church was smashed and a number of Christian homes were burned. Threats continue. Movement Nedal affiliated with the Muslim Brothers and Salafis distributed a statement on the 2nd of August instigating the murder of priests , the burning of churches and storming of police stations and headquarter in case the sit ins of Rabaa and El Nahda are dispersed by force.
- Sohag Province
3rd August 2013: In the Sohag province Christians were attacked in the village of Banaweet, Gerga city in addition to other villages.
7th August 2013: On the last day of Ramadan in the city of Tahta a Christian family was attacked. The father was killed, his son and his wife were seriously injured and his other son was kidnapped.
- Luxor Province
5th July 2013: In the village of Dabeya Copts were attacked; five Copts were slaughtered and 35 homes were burnt to the ground and looted. Copts were driven out of the village also.
9th August 2013: On the first day of Eid El Fitr, 12 Christian homes were burnt and an old Christian lady reported dead.
- Cairo Province
28th July 2013: In the district of Abu Hasheesh Christians were attacked and their homes were looted and burnt down.
- North of Sinai Province
6th July 2013: The Priest Mina Aboud Sheroubim was followed and murdered.
11th July 2013: A Christian citizen, Magdy lamei Habashy in sheikh zewayid city was kidnapped and tortured for six days and then killed.
- Asyut Province
Imitating the Nazi atrocities against the Jews, the Muslim Brotherhood and the Salafi members wrote on Christian homes “Boycott Christians”.
We condemn these acts of terrorism carried out by the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafi members, who are trying to promote discrimination and prejudice against Christians in Egypt. They are trying to create civil unrest throughout Egypt by causing religious intolerance and terrorism which they believe will weaken the country’s security.
We condemn the fact that the police force is not fulfilling its duty in protecting the Christian Egyptian citizens.
We condemn the lack of media coverage on what is happening to Christians across Egypt.
We condemn the policy of double standards and intervention in Egyptian domestic affairs displayed by European and American mediators who have shown great concern and prejudice for the welfare of armed protestors in Rabaa El Adawya and Nahda but no interest in the killings and terrorist acts directed against Christians across Egypt. We find it strange that their attention was never directed towards the atrocities committed against the Christians .Additionally these mediators were not interested in the 4 Shiite Muslims who were slaughtered by groups of Muslim Brothers and their salafi allies for no reason other than being a religious minority in Egypt.
Starting with these 4 Muslims and ending with the numerous attacks against Christians is against all local and international laws.
We believe that after the protests are dispersed in Rabaa El Adawya and Nahdit Masr, there will be terrorist attacks in Egypt and therefore we ask for the following:
- Immediate actions to protect Egyptians and stop those who threaten citizens using religion. The Ministry of Interior should protect all Egyptian Christian citizens. To increase security measures around churches
- Enforce laws on those that promote terrorism or religious intolerance and turn them over to the courts of law. To avoid local settlement talks that avoid the enforcement of law for those who have disobeyed the law.
- To stop all media discussions that promote religious intolerance and to punish those who are promoting that on the spot.
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