Egyptian authorities commits a heinous crime against Coptic Christians
Elias Bejjani*

October 11/11

What is a shame and a disgrace, when the Military Egyptian authorities with no mercy, and with cold blood commits a heinous and barbaric massacre against unarmed Coptic Christian civilians who were just protesting in a peaceful and civilized manner the shameful atrocity of burning one of their churches by fundamentalist (in the village of Elmarinab in Edfu, Aswan).

Click Here to read the report that shows the details of the savage attack http://www.aina.org/news/20111010003621.htm

On Sunday, Egyptian military forces attacked the Coptic demonstrators savagely using all kinds of weapons including armored vehicles, tanks and tear gases. Initial reports indicated that at lease 35 Coptics were killed and more than 300 injured.  The number of the victims could rise dramatically as many bodies are still unidentified and disfigured beyond recognition

We strongly condemn this savage crime of hatred and barbarism and call upon the Egyptian authorities to assume their full responsibilities and once and forever stop justifying their anti Coptic crimes with false fabrications and empty accusations of foreign conspiracies.  

An immediate judicial thorough investigation must be carried out without any delay under international supervision. All officials and military personnel who instigated and executed the criminal attack must be held responsible and put on trial.

Apparently, the ruling Egyptian Military Council has completely abandoned its governing responsibilities, negated its security obligations and with the Salafist fundementalists is openly persecuting and murdering the Coptics. The crime of yesterday is a huge insult to the military Egyptian rulers and to all the Arab countries .

It has become a must that the persecuted, threatened, scared and abandoned Copts call on the UN and Free World countries to step in and protect them from their own rulers, army and people. The Free World countries and UN have a moral obligation to intervene by all available means and on all levels in a bid to protect the Egyptian Copts and to condemn the escalating anti-Coptic stances that the military rulers of Egypt are taking, while the fanatical Muslim Salafists are attacking the Copts, invading their homes, killing them, burning their churches and threatening to kill their clergy.

We offer our heartily felt condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives in Egypt yesterday and wish a quick recovery to those who were injured. Our thoughts are with all those were affected by the savage crime.

In conclusion, it’s the national duty of the Egyptian state and people to produce an effective legal, social and security apparatus through which the safety, freedom, faith, churches and property of the Copts are safeguarded from the savagery of the Salafists and other fanatics. Meanwhile, all Copts' rights as equal Egyptian citizens should be fully honored without racism, discrimination or injustice. And most importantly, both Article Two of the Egyptian constitution and the "Hamayoni Decree" (a clause in the Egyptian law, dating back from Ottoman rule, February 1856, that regulates Church construction and maintenance), MUST be abolished.
 

Elias Bejjani*
Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
Elias Bejjani's Face Book site http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=602442765#!/