When emigrant Copts in America find out about the participation of any
political delegation from Egypt in any meetings in the U.S they immediately start to prepare plans to attack Egypt and arouse
fitnah and cyclones against Egypt and its system. Moreover, these trials usually increase when there is an
announcement that Husnī Mubārak will visit the U.S. These groups which belong to expatriate Copt organizations start
to organize marches in front of the White House with slogans about Coptic oppression in Egypt.
More strangely is that
they ask that President Mubārak’s visit to the U.S be canceled as if they belong to another country rather than Egypt.
In fact, Pope Shenouda Patriarch of Alexandria and the See of St. Mark has tried several times on his trips to the U.S to
urge expatriate Copts not to revolute or cause chaos during Mubārak’s visit to the White House. Although Pope Shenouda
met with the leaders of the expatriate Copts in America such as Michael Munīr and ‘Adlī Abādīr and
asked them not to distort the image of Egypt and Egyptian Copts they did not respond to any of his demands but rather kept
asking for things which have nothing to do with the Egyptian church such as recognition for the Bahā’īs in
Egypt. In addition, they started to attack the Egyptian church itself which forced the pope to end his meeting with
them.
Professor Dr. Nabīl Lūqā Bibāwī, member of the Shurá Council and Coptic thinker
believes that it is a strategic fault to deal with the issue of the emigrant Copts as if they are all criminals. He says
that they represent about two million Copts and it is illogical that of all that huge number attack Egypt; according to him,
it is only a few of them, who work for Zionist Agendas and receives special funds to serve these agenda. They are paid to
insult Egypt and its people, and to disturb the country’s stability. This group of emigrant Copts gave up their patriotism
and loyalty to their mother country and work under the mask of civil society work while their main target is financial
interests; those are the only tools in the hands of those who hate Egypt.
Consequently, Father Salīb Mattá
Sāwīris, deputy of the Coptic Orthodox Community Council and the priest of the church of Mar Girgis points out that
the majority of Egyptians abroad are keen to keep their relationship with their home country; they might have some demands
but this never reached a point where they ever gave up their belonging to their country. Hence, he assures that what some of
the emigrant Copts do from time does not represent Egypt abroad.
Similarly, Shaykh ‘Abd al-
Fattāh ‘Allām head of the inter-religious dialogue committee emphasizes that emigrant Copts do not
represent Egypt or its Copts and work for foreign forces which seek to weaken Egyptian national unity. Finally, he stressed
that they would never influence Egyptian foreign policy or any of the visits of the president or others.
العربية