Egypt church attack prompts fears of further violence against Copts
Suspects’ arrests fail to quell anxiety that spans decades
CAIRO // Last week’s suicide bomb attack marked a bloody escalation by Egypt’s militants.
For years, they have largely fought their battles in the Sinai desert and targeted policemen, soldiers and officials. But after a suicide bomber killed 26 worshippers and wounded dozens during Sunday mass, Egypt’s Christians now fear they are a main target in ISIL’s attempt to spread chaos.
Last Sunday’s attack was the worst suffered by Christians since a suicide bomber killed 20 at an Alexandria church in 2011. But many Egyptian Coptic Christians, who make up about 10 per cent of the country’s 90-million population, say they have been marginalised by the state and education system.
As a boy growing up in Egypt, Mina remembers the an- ti-Christian slurs Copts would hear at school and on the street. One day, a Muslim youth snatched the crucifix from his neck during a football game and stamped on it. “I won’t forget that day,” said Mina, now in his 30s.
Some say the roots of discrimination can be found in schools.
Religious education is compulsory and Christians leave classrooms during Islamic lessons for separate tuition.
In Arabic classes, Christians memorise Quranic verses – a primary reference for teaching the language – while Muslims are taught about Christianity from an Islamic perspective.
“They don’t learn anything about my religion,” said Peter, a Copt in his 30s. The bigotry drove him to leave Egypt. “It made me feel like I’m not from this country,” he said. Coptic Church spokesman Boulos Halim Halim traces the roots of violence against his community to the 1970s, when president Anwar Sadat empowered extremists against his socialist opponents.
Muslim attacks on Christians, especially in rural areas, carried on after Sadat was assassinated by extremists in 1981 and succeeded by his vice president, Hosni Mubarak.
Dozens were killed in sectarian clashes after Mubarak was overthrown in the 2011 uprising. Under president Mohammed Morsi, fundamentalists regularly incited violence against Christians. When he was overthrown in 2013, dozens of churches and Christian- owned properties were attacked after Muslims accused the Copts of having sided with the army.
When Abdel Fattah El Sisi was elected in 2014, Copts hoped they had found an ally who understood the dangers of extremism. He cracked down on Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood, pledged to wipe out extremism and became the first Egyptian president to attend Christmas mass. But this made little difference. The violence increased, often ignited by rumours of a church being built. In February, authorities blocked the appointment of a Christian woman as a school principal after student protests in Minya province.
In May, Muslim villagers set fire to Christian homes and paraded an elderly Coptic woman naked over rumours that her son was in a relationship with a Muslim woman.
But there are also pragmatic reasons why Egypt would want to crush all extremists. The country desperately needs to rebuild its wrecked economy and revive its vital tourism industry.
Authorities said the church suicide bomber was a former Muslim Brotherhood supporter- turned- militant and have arrested four others. ISIL later claimed responsibility.
The government must address the prejudice running through Egyptian society, said Mr Halim.
“Police and military power have never been able to erase terrorism. It must be accompanied by the power of thought.”