Nine years ago, on September 23, the late Eng. Adly Abadier had invited the Coptic activists all over the world to participate in a Coptic conference in Europe that was entitled: "Copts under Siege", which aimed to unify the Coptic work and effort to claim their rights and equal citizenship with the majority of Muslims in Egypt.
The conference issued recommendations which included: the complete separation between religion and state, a quota for the Copts, the removal of religion on national Identification Cards, and ensuring freedom of worship for all Egyptians according to the Constitution.
Unfortunately, Mubarak's regime just ignored these demands, and claimed the Copts who presented it were betrayals! Additionally, the state bought some writers to refute those ideas. Yet, Mubarak's regime was overthrown, as well as the autocratic regime of the Muslim Brotherhood.
After the uprising of January 25, 2011, the Copts thought their freedom and equal citizenship are at hand. Thus, many conferences were held inside Egypt, and many coalitions and fronts were formed. Furthermore, Coptic activists have been talking about the Copts and their problems freely in TV shows.
In fact, their ideas copied what came in the recommendations of "Copts under Siege" conference. The only difference is that the media became more welcoming for hearing such ideas and proposals.
Giving the current surroundings, the Coptic Christians in Egypt have to be united under one umbrella instead of their wasted individual efforts with all due respect.
Coptic organization and coalitions should be united in order to support their issue and make a real difference and help the suffering Copts.
Copts being united will stop them being so penetrative by state police, and will be much stronger before the state. I call them for unity hoping they would listen. The future is for the strong people who have their vision and plans.
