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Egypt’s Christian protestors under violent attack

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Published: Thursday 10 March 2011

Egypt’s Christian protestors under violent attack

Project(s): 00-345

Country: Egypt, Middle East and North Africa

“It is quite obvious that this was a well-organized and deliberate attack on Christians.”
A senior church leader from Cairo

A Muslim mob has turned on Christian demonstrators who were protesting in Cairo against the burning down of a church by Islamists. The ensuing violent clashes left 13 dead and 140 wounded.

Thousands of Christians took to the streets of the capital this week after the destruction of a church in the village of Soul, 30km from Cairo, on Saturday evening. A Muslim mob attacked the Christian demonstrators, resulting in deadly clashes.

The violence broke out around Mokattam garbage village, where Barnabas Fund has been helping the Christian residents with various projects over several years. A number of homes in the vicinity were looted and torched by the mob during the violence.

A senior church leader from Cairo said:

Large groups of Muslim youths from surrounding areas began to form and attack the Christians. Within hours there were many thousands in the fight, and the attackers had all kinds of weapons, whereas the village youth mostly had stones. Although the army sent in several tanks, they apparently did nothing until later in the evening, when they are reported by eye witnesses to have shot in the air indiscriminately.... It is quite obvious that this was a well-organized and deliberate attack on Christians.

The incident that sparked the Christian protest involved a mob of nearly 4,000 Muslims, who attacked Christian homes and destroyed the church in Soul by exploding gas cylinders inside. In an act of "collective retribution", the Muslims were seeking revenge against all the Christians in the village because of a personal dispute involving one Christian and a Muslim family.

Severe anti-Christian violence has also broken out elsewhere in the region. Mobs of Muslim extremists have been rampaging through western Ethiopia this week, setting dozens of churches and Christian homes ablaze after accusing a Christian of desecrating a copy of the Quran.

Egyptian authorities target Christians

Since the overthrow of President Mubarak, Christians have come under a series of attacks by Islamists and the authorities. On 22 February, church leader Dawoud Botrous was found stabbed to death at his home near Assiut, Upper Egypt.

Christians protest against plans to demolish a church-run welfare centre for the disabled in Minya

Image Source: www.aina.org

That same week, Egyptian armed forces stormed ancient Christian centres, firing live ammunition at the Christians, wounding some, and demolishing fences they had erected to protect themselves during the revolutionary protests.

And Christians in Minya are seemingly being targeted by the province's governor, who has ordered the demolition of a church-run welfare centre for disabled children and young people. Last Monday (28 February) more than 10,000 Christians protested against the governor, who on the same day had ten newly-built houses belonging to three Christian families demolished.

Dr Patrick Sookhdeo, International Director of Barnabas Fund, said:

Christians in Egypt are reeling from this barrage of assaults that are coming from all angles. It is becoming increasingly apparent that the Egyptian revolution has made the country's Christians even more vulnerable to attack – not just by unrestrained Islamists but also by the authorities. They need our prayers and practical help today.

Give Today

If you would like to help Christians in Egypt and Ethiopia affected by by these attacks please send your donation to project 00-345 (Victims of Violence). Please click to donate online using our secure server.

If you prefer to telephone, dial: 0800 587 4006 from within the UK or +44 1672 565031 from outside the UK. Please quote project reference 00-345 (Victims of Violence).

If you prefer to send a cheque by post: Click this link for the address of our regional office. Please quote project reference 00-345 (Victims of Violence).

For a quick donation of £3.00 by SMS (see terms and conditions here) text Barnabas/345 to 70007 (Please note: This facility is presently only available to UK supporters).

Please Pray:

That Egypt's depleted security forces, which are struggling to maintain order, will be able to establish peace between the country's Muslim and Christian communities.
That Christians who have come under attack in recent weeks will know the Lord's comfort and peace.
For the future of the Christian community in Egypt; pray that Islamists will not gain a political foothold in the country and so make the conditions for Christians even more unbearable.

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