U.S. Copts Association

By  Adel el-Dargali   

Politicians and partisan leaderships described the recent incidents in Egypt as “sectarian congestion”, refusing to call them “sectarian sedition”.

They attributed the state of congestion to the Church’s growing political role and the prevailing climate in the society. They called for bringing into effect citizenship values and solving problems apart from official institutions.

There is a state of sectarian congestion rather than sectarian sedition in Egypt, Secretary General of Wafd Party Munir Fakhri Abdel-Nour said, noting that the problem would aggravate with each time we bury our head in the sand. He deemed such a problem serious, saying it does harm to the state’s security and stability.

Abdel-Nour attributed the congestion to the prevailing climate in the society due to the cultural effects, part of which is imported and another part is the outcome of education, syllabuses, media output and the religious discourse from both sides.

Assistant general coordinator with Kefaya Movement George Ishac held the same opinion, attributing the sectarian congestion to the media discourse that promulgates fanaticism. A category of the Egyptian people feels distinct in several sides.

He called for activating the citizenship as enshrined in the constitution, as well as the rule of law and equality between all.

Muslim Brotherhood MP Ali Laban denied the existence of sectarian sedition, stressing that there are only separate incidents such as the domestic quarrels that took place between brothers. “Enemies, who want another Iraq in Egypt, make capital out of these incidents, but they are stupid because the Egyptian people are aware of that.”

Laban noted that the solution lies in keeping the religious and government institutions, security and courts away from these problems, saying, “The people are more capable of solving their own problems.” He underlined the necessity of a meeting between the most sincere people from both sides to reach a down-to-earth solution apart from official and pro forma techniques.

Chairman of Al-Karama Party, under foundation, MP Hamdein Sabbahi said there is an obvious crisis in the way the state deals with the Coptic-Muslim disputes, which mainly have political or economic, rather than sectarian, character.

The Egyptian citizen comes under pressure that impacts both Muslims and Christians, he said, stressing the lack of a national project in Egypt that combines both sides.

Sabbahi ascribed the aggravation of the crisis to the increasing political role of the Church and the security intervention in tackling each crisis, not to mention the failure to achieve the principle of citizenship.

The culture of deepening the sectarian division dominates the religious groups and feeds the idea of sectarian affiliation and religious fanaticism and all that could not be solved through reconciliation sessions.

Chairman of the Free Social Constitutional Party MP Mohamed el-Omda said the Muslims and Christians have very close and intimate relations. All the current quarrels are incited by foreign sides, in the forefronts of which are the nongovernmental organizations that work under Western agendas in return for high finance. Some of these organizations have recently started to arouse some ideas meant to foment sedition.

El-Omda warned against drifting towards seditious calls that are promoted by a minority of people concerned only with the millions of dollars.

Independent MP Saad Aboud said there is a state of congestion incited by several forces that have interest in turning it into sedition. Injustice is done to both Muslims and Christians, he added, noting that the crisis has social, rather than sectarian, reasons and the solution lies in a societal dialogue not decisions from above.