Koptische bisschop: 'Elke twee of drie dagen worden er Egyptische christenen aangevallen'

After the latest round of attacks on Egypt’s Christian minority—which saw at least one Copt stabbed to death and many Christian homes and a church burned—Coptic Bishop Makarious of al-Minya, the region where many of the attacks on Christians take place, was interviewed on television. Although Church authorities in Egypt are regularly diplomatic and sensitive to what they say—more elements in Egypt, including in the government, can seek “retribution” if Christians openly complain and make them look bad—Makarious made many revealing comments.

Although only Christians, no Muslims, were killed and hurt, he wondered why the government and media continue to describe these incidents as “clashes”—which suggests two quarrelling parties—when the reality is always that one side attacks the other: “Within minutes [of the start of one of the attacks], 100 Muslims instantly appeared, fully armed, as if ready for war.”

"Zolang de aanvallers nooit gestraft worden, en er net wordt gedaan alsof de politie en het leger hun werk doen, zullen steeds meer radicalen aanslagen plegen op christenen omdat ze weten dat ze, zelfs als ze wél opgepakt worden, snel weer vrij zullen komen."

"Nou, wat denk je ervan als de aanvallers op heterdaad betrapt zijn en meteen gearresteerd worden, met al het nodige bewijs erbij, maar dat ze dan nog steeds onschuldig worden genoemd en worden vrijgelaten? Dit gebeurt iedere keer.