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4. Coptic open sit-in if demands aren't met concerning Idfū church incident

Sun, 2011-10-02 15:03 — Diana

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Year: 
2011
Week: 
40
Article number: 
4
Article pages: 
4
Date of source: 
October 2, 2011
Author: 
Sāmih Lāshīn
Reviewer: 
Diana Maher Ghali
Article summary: 

Approximately 300 Coptic youth, representing different Coptic movements, cut access to Ramsīs Street objecting threats by a number of Muslims to demolish Idfū church in Aswan governorate.

Coptic movements demanded forming a fact-finding commission to investigate the attack on the church, arresting the perpetrators, renewing the church, ousting Aswan's governor, and the rapid issuance of a unified law for building houses of worship.

Movements gave the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) 48 hours to meet their demands or else they will organize an open sit-in.

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Article full text: 

Father Mattias Nasr Manqarius, editor-in-chief of al-Katībah al-Tībīyah, priest of the Virgin Mary and Pope Kyrillos Church and the Godfather of Maspero Youth, warned from the outrage of the youth as a result of what is happening.

Archpriest Makarious, priest of Saint George's Church in Marīnāb village of Idfū town (Aswan governorate), welcomed the Coptic demonstration in Cairo, and stated that Aswan's Coptic youth will stage a protest by the governorate's headquarter.

Usāmah Rif'at, church lawyer, said that an inspection committee from the Engineer department visited the church site and will prepare a report, adding that a number of public figures sent the building licenses to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF).

Muhammad Hasan, head of the Media Department in Aswan's governorate, belied the church leaders in claiming that the church had a licence when it was only a house owned by a citizen, Mu'awad Yūsuf Mu'awad, then he changed it to an events house. Mu'awad then asked the governor to rebuild it as a guest house and it was agreed however with the same old design [In al-Wafd, page 1, October 3, 2011, this article has no link online].

Muslim-Christian clashes in Aswan resulted in the burning of the church and three Coptic houses. Coptic Orthodox Pope Shenouda III asked for a comprehensive file on the church's licenses to be sent to the SCAF, noting that the demolition license was issued for a 'church' not a 'guest house'.

He added that the village's Copts had asked Aswan's Engineer department to renovate the Church. After studying the request by an advisory committee of the department, the administration asserted that the church is not suitable for renovation or prayer and it should be rejuvenated. The governor of Aswan asked for the advise of the State Commissioners Authority who said that there is no objection on the rejuvenation of the church. The governorate then approved and gave the church license 42 in May 2011 as the church of Saint George and not a 'guest house' [this came in al-Dustūr, page 3, October 3, 2011 and has no link online].

[Reviewer's Note: News story was also covered in al-Shurūq al-Jadīd, page 1, October 3, 2011 and has no link online.]

 

Fulltext type: 
Summary
Quality: 
The article contains no obvious errors...
Classification: 
News reporting
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