Cairo, Egypt - The violent clashes in Egypt that have resulted in at least 24 deaths have highlighted the deepening plight of the country’s Coptic Christians. The Copts, who constitute about 10 per cent of Egypt’s 85 million-strong population, have been subjected to a continuous campaign of sectarian attacks since the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak last February. Islamist militants linked to Egypt’s Salafist sect have been blamed for orchestrating the campaign of violence that has resulted in the destruction of several Coptic churches and led to hundreds of Coptic worshippers being killed or injured.
At a time when Christians throughout the Middle East find themselves increasingly under attack from radical Islamic groups, the failure of Egypt’s interim government to afford the Copts adequate protection does not bode well for the country’s future political development. The elections which are due to commence next month to elect a new parliament and president are supposed to herald a new beginning for a nation whose political institutions have been stifled by decades of authoritarian rule. But the prospects of Egypt developing into a modern, democratic state will be severely undermined if its Christian population feels too intimidated to participate in the electoral process. It is therefore very much in the interests of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, the body responsible for steering Egypt to democracy, to offer the Copts the protection they deserve.
Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, won plaudits this week for his robust condemnation of the “mindless and godless” violence that has brought misery to large swathes of Zimbabwe, not least the Christian community. This might also be a good moment for him and other world leaders to highlight the plight of Christians in the Middle East.