TESTIMONY OF MUSLIM MURDER OF EGYPTIAN CHRISTIANS
- From: NUKE MECCA <mormoninfo@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:20:47 -0800 (PST)
From Arab Spring to Coptic Winter: Sectarian Violence and the Strugglefor Democratic Transition in Egypt
Testimony
Michael H. Posner
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
Helsinki Commission Hearing
Washington, DC
November 15, 2011
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for conducting this important hearing on the
situation faced by Coptic Christian community in Egypt, and for
inviting me to testify.
As you know, this is a time of substantial transition in Egypt as
Egyptians strive to move their country towards democracy. This is not
an easy process and it will not happen overnight. Egypt is only
starting on a path from the temporary stewardship of the Supreme
Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), through parliamentary elections
that will begin in two weeks, then the process of drafting of a new
constitution and finally presidential elections. As they move toward
these milestones, millions of Egyptians hope to see the emergence of a
democratic civilian government that respects the universal rights of
all of its citizens.
As part of this vision, it is vital that there be a place in the new
Egypt for all citizens, including all religious minorities, of which
the Coptic Christian community is the largest. President Obama and
Secretary Clinton have made clear their deep concern about violence
against Coptic Christians, most recently during the October 9 tragedy
in front of the Egyptian radio and television building in the Maspiro
area of Cairo. At least 25 people died and more than 300 were injured.
We have urged the Egyptian government to investigate this violence,
including allegations that the military and police used excessive
force that was the cause of most of the demonstrator deaths. We also
have urged that those responsible for these deaths and injuries be
held accountable.
While the focus of my testimony is on the situation of the Copts, I
would like to point out that other religious minorities also suffer
official discrimination. While non-Muslim religious minorities
officially recognized by the government – namely Christians and the
tiny Jewish community – generally worship without harassment, members
of the Bahai Faith, which the government does not recognize, face
personal and collective discrimination. The government also sometimes
arrests, detains, and harasses Muslims such as Shia, Ahmadiya, and
Quranist, converts from Islam to Christianity, and members of other
religious groups, such as Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons. The
Government continues to refuse to recognize conversions of Muslims to
Christianity or other religions, which constitutes a prohibition in
practice.
I would like to set this testimony on the Copts in a broader context.
Last week Secretary Clinton gave an important policy address in which
she outlined our overall policy on democratization in the Middle East
and beyond. She described the US government’s principled engagement in
the Middle East. We support the aspirations of citizens to live in
societies that guarantee freedom, including freedom of expression,
assembly and religion. We also believe strongly in systems that allow
citizens a say in how they are governed and that will provide economic
opportunities for all. These are the demands that we heard in Tahrir
Square, where Copts and Muslims joined hands to protest and to pray in
the weeks leading up to the downfall of the Mubarak regime. We have
heard similar demands echoing throughout the Middle East and even far
beyond that region in the ensuing months.
Secretary Clinton also has spoken out consistently about the
importance of religious freedom and religious tolerance, both of which
are fundamental to human dignity and peaceful transitions to
democracy. Religious freedom is a human right, guaranteed by
international human rights law. At the release of the State
Department’s report on International Religious Freedom in September,
Secretary Clinton emphasized the role that religious freedom and
tolerance play in building stable and harmonious societies. She said:
“Hatred and intolerance are destabilizing. When governments crack down
on religious expression, when politicians or public figures try to use
religion as a wedge issue, or when societies fail to take steps to
denounce religious bigotry and curb discrimination based on religious
identity, they embolden extremists and fuel sectarian strife. And the
reverse is also true: When governments respect religious freedom, when
they work with civil society to promote mutual respect, or when they
prosecute acts of violence against members of religious minorities,
they can help turn down the temperature. They can foster a public
aversion to hateful speech without compromising the right to free
expression. And in doing so, they create a climate of tolerance that
helps make a country more stable, more secure, and more prosperous.”
This is the basis for our belief that in order to succeed and prosper,
Egypt, and its neighbors, must protect the rights of all citizens and
all minorities, including its Coptic population. The corollary is also
true: successful democratic transitions are the best way to safeguard
those rights.
Mr. Chairman, the Copts in Egypt have faced discrimination for many
years. Christians face personal and collective discrimination,
especially in government employment and the ability to build,
renovate, and repair places of worship.
Although they represent about 10% of the population and play an
important role in Egypt’s economy, Copts have suffered from widespread
discrimination and remain underrepresented in prominent positions in
Egyptian politics and society.
The headlines – and the trend lines – continue to tell a disturbing
story.
I was in Egypt just days after the January 2010 attack on the Nag
Hammadi Church in Upper Egypt, when gunmen shot and killed seven
people as worshippers were leaving a midnight Christmas mass. At that
time, I called for an end to impunity for such crimes and full
accountability for those who attacked this holy place. One suspect,
Hamam al-Kamouny was tried under the emergency law in a state security
court, convicted on January 16 and executed on October 10. The other
two defendants, Qoraishi Abul Haggag and Hendawi El-Sayyed, were
acquitted by the court, angering many Coptic activists. Yesterday,
November 14, Egypt’s official news agency announced that Abol-Haggag
and El-Sayyed are to be retried on December 19 under the Higher
Emergency State Security Court, for crimes including premeditated
murder and terrorism with the use of force and violence. We applaud
the pursuit of accountability in this case, although we would prefer
that these types of crimes be dealt with in civilian courts with full
due process of law.
Almost exactly a year after the Nag Hammadi attack, on January 1,
2011, a bomb exploded at the Coptic Orthodox Church of the Two Saints
in Alexandria, killing 23 people and wounding around 100. There are no
suspects in custody for that crime, although the Government of Egypt
reports that its investigation is ongoing.
These two incidents, and others like them, took place before the fall
of President Mubarak on February 11. We have since received reports of
an increase in sectarian violence and tensions, including at least 67
people killed in religious clashes – most of them Coptic Christians.
This brings the total number of reported deaths this year to more than
90. There have been at least six recent major incidents of violence
against Copts:
o On February 23, the Army used live ammunition, including rocket
propelled grenades, against unarmed Copts during a land dispute at a
monastery. A monk, one of the six shot, later died. To our knowledge,
no one has been held accountable for these attacks.
o On March 4, in the village of Sol, a large group of Muslim villagers
destroyed the Church of Saint Mina and St. George after the army
failed to stop them. To our knowledge, there has been no investigation
and no one has been charged despite videos of the perpetrators.
o On March 8, 13 people were killed when Muslims and Copts clashed in
the Mukkatum area of Cairo. Some of the Copts had been protesting the
slow government response to the destruction of the church in Sol. One
Coptic bishop claimed that though news reports listed seven Christians
and six Muslims. To our knowledge, there has been no investigation and
no one has been charged in the deaths.
o On May 8 in Imbaba, a poor neighborhood of Cairo, two churches were
attacked and one burned during sectarian riots. The clashes resulted
in 23 deaths and 232 injuries. That month, the official media reported
that the government referred 48 suspects to trial. Approximately half
of these suspects have been arrested, including a prominent Salafist
leader, while half remain at large. The High State Security Court in
Giza has adjourned the trial until December 4, when it expects to hear
testimony from the remaining witnesses.
o On September 30, in Merinab village in Edfu, Aswan governorate, an
estimated crowd of 3,000 Muslims looted and burned the St. George
Coptic Orthodox Church, in addition to some Copt-owned homes and
businesses, following reported incitement by village imams. Local
media reported that a Ministry of Justice fact-finding committee
traveled to Aswan on October 12, in the aftermath of the Maspiro
violence, to investigate the church burning. The status of this
investigation is unclear.
o And finally, on October 9 in Cairo, violence erupted in front of the
Egyptian television building known as Maspiro, at a demonstration by
Copts protesting the government’s failure to investigate the burning
of the church in Merinab in Aswan governorate. At least twenty-five
people were killed and more than 300 injured.
On October 11, Secretary Clinton addressed the October 9 violence at
Maspiro and called for an immediate, credible, and transparent
investigation of all who were responsible for the violence, with full
due process of law. The White House issued a statement urging
Egyptians to move forward together to forge a strong and united Egypt
and reaffirming our belief that the rights of minorities - including
Copts - must be respected, and that all people have the universal
rights of peaceful protest and religious freedom.
The government of Egypt has stated publicly that they are conducting
two investigations. The Egyptian Armed Forces are reviewing the
conduct of Military Police, who eyewitnesses and video evidence
suggest ran over and shot at demonstrators. The Ministry of Justice
has been tasked by the Egyptian Cabinet with a full investigation of
the incident. Separately, military prosecutors are investigating about
30 demonstrators, including one prominent blogger, who were detained
during the violence. They are accused of inciting violence, stealing
firearms, and attacking security forces. They will be tried in
military courts.
On November 2, a fact-finding committee established by the National
Council for Human Rights issued an initial report on the Maspiro
violence. (NCHR is a quasi-governmental watchdog body, but the
committee was led by respected human rights advocates). The report
found that the march by Copts and their Muslim allies began peacefully
at Shubra and moved toward Maspiro in downtown Cairo. According to the
report and several corroborating accounts, as the marchers approached
Maspiro, they were attacked by civilians throwing rocks and chanting
Muslim extremist slogans. According to the same sources, military
police then confronted the marchers and attempted to keep them from
reaching the building. The MPs used shields and batons, and fired
blanks. Marchers began fighting back against the violent civilians and
military police. The NCHR report acknowledged that 12 or more
civilians were killed when they were run over by military vehicles.
The committee said it could not determine who fired the bullets that
killed at least seven demonstrators.
During the height of the clashes, state TV anchor Rasha Magdy called
on "honorable Egyptians" to defend the Army against "attacks by
violent demonstrators." Twenty-one prominent Egyptian human right
organizations criticized the “inflammatory role played by the official
state media,” charging that a “direct link can be traced between the
outright incitement against demonstrators by state media and the
events at Maspiro.”
On October 13, the head of Egypt’s military justice system, Adel al-
Morsi, said that the military would lead the official investigation
into the events. According to Human Rights Watch and local media, the
military has arrested approximately 30 individuals. The government has
said it will try suspects in military courts, since the crimes
involved attacks on military personnel and equipment.
The Coptic community is concerned, as we are, about the severity and
frequency of sectarian attacks against their community, and while they
recognize that the government has nothing to do with most of these
attacks, they are greatly concerned about the need to hold
perpetrators accountable. I want to make clear that most of these
clashes have involved both Copts and Muslims, and members of both
communities have been the perpetrators and victims of the violence. It
also is important to emphasize that many Muslims have stood up to
defend members of the Coptic community against extremist violence.
The United States Government condemns this sectarian violence and
continues to urge the Government of Egypt to take all necessary and
available measures to reduce these tensions.
In raising our concerns about the Coptic community, we are also aware
and very supportive of the positive steps the Egyptian government has
taken on behalf of the Copts. On March 8, by order of the Prime
Minister, Coptic priest Mitaus Wahba was released from prison where he
was serving a five year sentence for officiating at a wedding of a
Christian convert from Islam. On April 14, the SCAF fulfilled its
commitment to rebuild a church in Sol that had been destroyed on March
4 by mob violence. And as I noted earlier, the government also took
steps in response to the May 8 Imbaba violence; in addition to re-
opening dozens of churches, the government is prosecuting 48
individuals charged with murder, attempted murder, and a variety of
other crimes. The trial is scheduled to resume on December 4.
The government also has pledged to adopt a Unified Places of Worship
Law, which would guarantee all faiths the ability to construct and
maintain places of worship. The Cabinet sent the draft law to the
military council in October. We urge the SCAF to endorse this
provision as soon as possible. The Government of Egypt has promised to
consider this measure for several years, including twice in the last
five months. Numerous cases of sectarian violence in recent years have
stemmed from disputes over church construction. The prompt adoption of
this provision now would send a very strong signal of the government’s
commitment to protect religious freedom. It would recognize the right
of all Egyptians to freely build places of worship they need to
conduct religious activities. As the government reviews this proposal
it should take into account the concerns expressed over earlier drafts
that the suggested multi-stage process of applying for permits to
construct and repair churches is too convoluted, cedes too much
authority to governors to grant permits, and imposes onerous
restrictions on the number and location of houses of worship.
Finally, in the aftermath of the Maspiro violence, we welcome steps
that are being taken by the Government of Egypt to reduce
discrimination in the penal codes. On October 15, the SCAF issued a
decree amending Egypt's penal code to prohibit discrimination on the
basis of religion, gender, language, faith, or race. The decree also
delineated prison sentences and specific fines for acts of
discrimination, as well as failure to prevent discrimination. These
included more severe penalties for government officials found to be
complicit in discrimination.
The new penal code provisions bolster the Egyptian constitution’s ban
on discrimination. Article 7 of the March 31, 2011, constitutional
declaration states that "all citizens are equal before the law. They
have equal public rights and duties without discrimination on the
grounds of race, ethnic origin, language, religion, or creed." We urge
the government to enforce these and other anti-discrimination laws and
hold violators accountable so that all minorities, including Copts,
can enjoy equal protection.
Like Egyptian Muslims, Egyptian Copts are concerned about their
country’s future and their own place in it. In addition to security
from sectarian violence and equal treatment under the law, they want
equal representation in parliament and a proportional voice on the
committee that will draft Egypt’s new constitution. Like moderate
Egyptian Muslims, the vast majority of whom support religious freedom,
Copts and other religious minorities consider themselves full partners
in a new Egypt.
As Secretary Clinton said last week, “If – over time – the most
powerful political force in Egypt remains a roomful of unelected
officials, they will have planted the seeds for future unrest, and
Egyptians will have missed a historic opportunity.” The door to real
democratic change is only beginning to open. We hope Egyptians will
walk through it together to a more peaceful and prosperous future.
Thank you.
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