Since the revolution of 1952, the Egyptian regime decided to distract the Egyptian people from their real problems. During the fifties and sixties, they started dividing the Egyptian community between fans of Ahli and Zamalek clubs, fans of Farid al-Atrash and Abdel Halim Hafez, but terrorizing the Copts was not part of this scheme, and the state didn’t allow this though the Copts were already persecuted in several places and the Hatt-i humayun restricted the building of churches.
In the Sadat era, the regime supported terrorizing and killing of the Copts to distract the Egyptians from their economic problems and the Mubarak regime did the same as well. The Copts have always been the victims to save the government! This also happened upon the crisis of Tiran and Sanafir islands as well as the recent economic crisis. Moreover, the Salafis have already enough hatred to the Copts to start attacking them even for no reason.
Since Mubarak days, the president promises to punish the assailants, but his government does the best to protect them. Demonstration is a right and of course “You are not wrong for using your right”. However, the government supports such sectarian attacks and such demonstrations aim to expose such support before the whole world and not requesting external intervention.
We don’t regret our support to president Abdul Fattah al-Sisi since the revolution of June 30. Yet, we ask him to stop such evil plan against the Copts, and find another alternative to distract the public opinion rather than the sectarian attacks against the Copts. You should fulfill your promise to punish the aggressors and negligent officials.
Nasser didn’t allow the fanatics to terrorize the Copts and had a good relationship with Pope Cyril, and participated in the construction of the Coptic cathedral in Abbasiya. Therefore, he was honored though he was responsible for the disastrous defeat of 1967. On the contrary, Sadat persecuted the Copts and exiled Pope Shenouda III for three years. Thus, he was assassinated though he achieved great victory in 1973. Mubarak also suffered after he was overthrown because he let the Copts suffer under his regime.
Field Marshal Tantawi refused to punish those responsible for killing the Copts in Maspero massacre. Thus, he was isolated by the Muslim Brotherhood. It is time for president al-Sisi to choose which way he wants to go because it will mark the end of the road as well.
