Arab West Report Egyptian press summaries and media research for dialogue

The author said that intellectual Silīm

al-‘Awā’s recent statements are

marked by partiality, as he said in a program on the Arabic

news channel al-Jazīra that Copts in Egypt are

dependent on foreign support, mainly from the U.S.,

noting that Copts in church applauded the US ambassador to

Egypt more than anyone else last

Easter.

He urged Pope Shenouda and other archbishops to cancel applause in

churches as they are

considered holy places and not political and social forums.

The author added that

Silīm al-

‘Awā’s statements are very dangerous as they accuse Copts of betraying their

country by

depending on foreign support. He underlined that such accusations are not new and this is the reason

that

many senior officials avoid appointing Copts to the state intelligence and the leadership of the

army.

Copts are really suffering and being oppressed in Egypt; however the government does not do

anything

concerning that.

The author emphasizes that instead of blaming Muslims for failing to solve

their Coptic

compatriots’ problems, they are blaming Copts for trying to solve their problems, even from

abroad, asserting

that the government solve some Copts’ problems only for the sake of the US.

Copts

are seeking to live in

peace with Muslims in their country in the framework of citizenship, the author

underlined.

The author

strongly criticized Silīm al- ^cAwā for saying that Copts in

Egypt do not have any problems

and that Copts in Egypt are treated better than Muslims.

Silīm al

- ^cAwā criticized

calls to amend the second clause of the constitution which makes the

Islamic religion the formal religion of the

state and Sharī‘a the main source of its

laws, and he condemned Egyptian intellectual

Mīlād Hannā’s rejection of the application of

Islamic Sharī‘a in

Egypt.

The author concluded that the state had to be civil,

based on citizenship, noting that the second

clause of the constitution means that Egypt is a religious

state, which violates the principle of citizenship.