Egypt
Mission Network News
"Over the weekend, Egypt suffered its worst religious violence since President Morsi came to power last year. Tensions were already high from Saturday's deadly clashes between Christians and Muslims. They flared again Sunday at St. Mark's Cathedral, the seat of the Coptic Church in Cairo, following the funerals for four Christians. Paul Estabrooks with Open Doors says, "At least 80 people were wounded in these clashes, so there was obviously tremendous fighting. Six people had been killed in the violence over the weekend. It just shows that things are very challenging there." Christians say the police didn't protect them. Rather, they joined in the attack. Estabrooks notes, "It just kind of shows again that the 'Arab Spring' has become a 'Christian Winter.'" Christians face economic and social challenges because of their faith. This prayer need is especially important: "Pray that God reveals to them how they should biblically respond to this challenge. It would be a great help for them." "
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Media Contact: Aidan Clay, Regional Manager for the Middle Eastclay@persecution.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Christians Killed, Mourners Attacked by Muslim Rioters in Egypt
4/8/2013
Washington D.C.
International Christian Concern
International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that one Christian was killed and at least 21 were injured by Muslim rioters during a violent assault on mourners attending a funeral at St. Mark's Coptic Cathedral in Cairo on Sunday. The attack was the third day of anti-Christian violence in Egypt which has claimed five Christian lives.
A funeral procession held at St. Mark's Cathedral in Abbassia, Cairo honoring four Christians who were killed on Friday was attacked by a mob of some 200 Muslims on April 7. The assault started when Muslims began pelting mourners with stones on Sunday morning. This quickly escalated into a massive attack on the cathedral involving firearms, Molotov cocktails, and tear gas, Morning Star News reports. At least one Christian was killed from gunshot wounds and more than a dozen were injured.
Tensions leading up to the assault ignited Friday when youth spray-painted inflammatory symbols, including a swastika, on an Islamic institution that led to a quarrel with onlookers in Shubra el-Kheima, located just north of Cairo. The argument spiraled into a street fight involving automatic weapons, Deutsche Welle reports. Meanwhile, a local imam called on Muslims who own weapons to, "Kill the Christians and cleanse el-Kheima [of] infidels," during Friday prayers, Morning Star News reports. The mob attacked a Baptist church and damaged a nursery run by St. George Coptic Church, in addition to destroying and looting several Christian-owned businesses. Four Christians and one Muslim were killed in the violence.
"It was a problem between a few people. The church and others had nothing to do with it," Wagih Yacoub, a Coptic human rights activist, told ICC "But, since one person was Christian, the Muslims decided to unleash their rage against the entire Christian community and the church."
Hundreds of Christians and sympathetic Muslims had gathered at the funeral procession, calling on President Mohammad Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party to step down from power. The protestors accused the Brotherhood of failing to protect religious minorities. "With our blood and our soul we will sacrifice ourselves for the cross," chanted protestors, according to The New York Times.
"The Brotherhood doesn't like Christians, it's that simple," said Yacoub. "They believe Egypt is their own country and that Christians are inferior, second-class citizens. It's in their books and a core value of their beliefs. Christians will never have freedoms until the Brotherhood steps down."
Aidan Clay, ICC Regional Manager for the Middle East, said, "Though the weekend's violence was the worst anti-Christian assault in Egypt this year, there have been several churches attacked and more than a dozen Christians killed since the Muslim Brotherhood rose to power last year. In the face of mounting Islamic aggression and the Brotherhood's failure to protect non-Muslim minorities, Christians see no other alternative but to leave the country for good. And who can blame them? Christian rights are now practically non-existent following the country's 2011 revolution, which many hoped would bring greater freedoms and equality, but has instead only given control to a new form of tyranny under an Islamists dominated government. The hopes of Christians in the country have been all but dashed and little incentive remains for the community to remain in their homeland. ICC calls on Egyptian officials to carry out a thorough investigation and arrest those responsible for the killing of five Christians and the attack on mourners at St. Mark's Cathedral."
Please call the Egyptian Embassy in your country to express your concerns:
United States: +1 202 895 5400
Canada: +1 613 234 4931
United Kingdom: +44 207 499 3304
Germany: +49 30 47 75 470
France: +33 1 53 67 88 30
Australia: +61 2 6273-437
For interviews, contact Aidan Clay, Regional Manager for the Middle East: clay@persecution.org
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You are free to disseminate this news story. We request that you reference ICC (International Christian Concern) and include our web address, www.persecution.org. ICC is a Washington-DC based human rights organization that exists to help persecuted Christians worldwide. ICC provides Awareness, Advocacy, and Assistance to the worldwide persecuted Church. For additional information or for an interview, contact ICC at 800-422-5441.
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