Over the past half century or so, the Christians of Egypt, the Copts, have suffered from systematic efforts including both overt and covert policies, measures, and actions to oppress, persecute, marginalize, and discriminate against them in their own land, Egypt. The Copts trace their lineage to the ancient Egyptians who embraced the Christian faith in the first few centuries AD, and who remained faithful to the true faith in Jesus Christ the Lord after the Arabs conquest in the 7th century AD.
The Copts form the largest indigenous non-Muslim population in the Middle East; however the official census figures of the Copts in Egypt have been kept as some sort of a state secret. Independent sources estimate the Coptic population to be about 15% and possibly up to 20% of the total population of Egypt or 12-16 millions.
The past few years have witnessed an increase in the number and frequency of violent attacks against the Copts, their churches, farms, businesses, and homes. These violent attacks were mostly perpetrated by militant Islamic groups; however some attacks were also made by mobs incited by militant Islamic preachers.
The increase in violent attacks against the Copts can be attributed to the continued denial, obfuscation, and rewriting of the events by the Egyptian state agencies, and negligence of the Justice System to prosecute the perpetrators responsible for the violence. These violent attacks against the Coptic population in our times (1) now span several decades from 1970s through the present. The number of the victims (2) including those who were killed, wounded, dispossessed or otherwise harmed is estimated to be more than 20,000.
A recent Sunday Times article, by Youssef Ibrahim, comments on the ongoing discrimination and persecution of the Copts stating “Copts have been eliminated from all senior positions in government administrations, the army, the police, the security services, and top echelons of the vast public sector. In the educational sector once largely endowed with Christian leadership, there are virtually no Christians left. Out of Egypt’s 17 government-owned and administered universities which have a total of 71 presidents and 274 vice presidential jobs, there is one Coptic Christian dean and one Christian Vice President.” The article further notes that the “narrative of persecution … keeps piling on. Higher and upper middle class Coptic Christians responded by immigrating in huge numbers…estimated to number between 2 million to 3 million spread over Canada, Australia and the USA.”
It is no secret that Egypt desperately needs all the brain power it can muster to address its fragile economy, high unemployment, and population growth. However the ongoing discrimination, persecution and violence against its Coptic population have exasperated the exodus of Coptic talents out of the country. To a great extent this de facto brain drain is self-inflicted. Scores of the Copts, who left Egypt, were among its most highly-talented and well-educated. A large segment of the overseas Copts includes many experienced professionals, practitioners, researchers, and scholars in various fields of the modern sciences, engineering, arts, management, business administration, medicine…etc. These very same Copts who were denied the opportunities of jobs in Egypt because of their Christian faith, ended up successful in their new adopted countries. Many of these very same Copts are now working all over the countries of the Free World, and contribute to the economic growth and welfare of their newly adopted countries.
Though the persecution of the Copts continues to rage on in Egypt, the overseas Copts- regardless of the state-sponsored media attacks against them in Egypt- love and cherish their country of origin and its people, both Muslims and Copts. Many of the successful overseas Copts continue to offer much-needed expertise to help the Egyptian population at large, e.g. many of the well-renowned medical doctors and surgeons from Coptic origin often donate time and expertise to help Egyptians in need of expert medical care. Another example is illustrated by discussions on a recent issue, namely Egypt’s allotment of water from the Nile.
A recent article was published by the Egyptian newspaper al-Masry al-Youm (3) to delineate the background and important parameters influencing of the issue. It included an interview conducted by Mona Yassin with one of the well-renowned authorities on Egypt’s geology and the Nile water basin, Dr. Rushdie Saied. Dr. Saied is one of many Coptic scholars and experts, who reside now in the USA. His research, studies and publications over the years blazed the trail for subsequent scholars. The interview reiterates the fact that about 85% of the water of the Nile originates in Ethiopia. The water allotment seems to have been established by a treaty between Egypt and Sudan, however countries from which the Nile originates such as Ethiopia, seem not to have signatories for the treaty.
The ONE True God of the universe has granted many graces to the Copts, among which a forward-looking culture which promotes education, knowledge and wisdom. Over the ages through both good times and bad times, the Copts, true to the commandments of Christ the Lord, have and continue to “let their light shine before men, so that men see their good works and give glory to their Father in heaven”.
The peace of Christ the Lord be with you all. Irene Passe, Iryny paci.
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References:
(1) A list of atrocities committed against the Copts, 1972- Present, compiled by Copts United of Great Britain, http://www.unitedcopts.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=33
(2) Killing of Egypt’s Christians Escalate in Ghastly Slaughter Nearly Ignored in The West, by Youssef Ibrahim the Sunday Times, May 19, 2020.
http://www.nysun.com/foreign/killings-of-egypts-christians-escalate-in-ghastly/86965/
(3) An interview between al-Masry al-Youm Newspaper and Dr. Rushdie Saied regarding the Nile Agreement with Ethiopia (Arabic), by Mona Yassin, al-Masry al-Youm Newspaper, Cairo, Egypt, dated May 25th, 2010, http://www.almasry-alyoum.com/article2.aspx?ArticleID=256395&IssueID=1781
Ed Rizkalla is a management consultant and a freelance writer. He is the founder of Pharos on the Potomac Group (POPG). POPG is a non-profit organization at Annandale, VA.
