2 June 2016
Background
On 20 May 2016 a violent mob shamefully
stripped Soad Thabet, an elderly woman, of her clothes and paraded her through
the streets of El Karm village in Egypt as a result of unsubstantiated allegations
concerning her son having an affair with a Muslim woman. Since the attack, the woman
in question has categorically denied the claims on national television, and as
investigations continue, the armed forces, at the request of the Egyptian
president, have begun to rebuild Christian homes torched during the attack.
Statement by His Grace Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of
the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom
Days after having been
stripped and dragged through the streets of her village in the most undignified
and inhumane of ways, the gracious and forgiving response of Soad Thabet, an
elderly mother and grandmother, is both courageous and inspiring.
The ethos of the Coptic
Christian community in Egypt has always been one of forgiveness, as was
particularly evident in its peaceful and reconciliatory response to the burning
of over one hundred churches and places of ministry in August 2013, and following
the brutal execution of 21 Coptic Christians in Libya last year. Having said
that, there is currently a rejection of conventional ‘reconciliation meetings’ based
on the fact that they have historically been used as a cosmetic short-term
solution, without addressing root causes or preventing the recurrence of
similar incidents. Despite an ongoing commitment to genuine reconciliation
efforts, there is an immediate and pressing need for tangible solutions, as
superficial measures that aim to pacify will by no means have a lasting effect,
and can never lead to true reconciliation and social cohesion.
It is indeed shameful
that such mob crimes can be perpetrated against innocent communities or
individuals, of whatever faith or ethnicity, and especially as a result of
slanderous and unsubstantiated allegations; and that an elderly woman
could be so publicly and indecently humiliated. What is also unacceptable is
the utter disinterest (at best) and/or complicit and criminal negligence
(at worst) with which the local security services conducted themselves, and
the Menia Governor’s initial denial that these crimes actually
occurred.
In this light, President Sisi
of Egypt has expressed a need for fair and transparent investigation, and
amidst allegations that those apprehended for these crimes have been released
on bail, the hope is that measures to safeguard every Egyptian citizen,
irrespective of his or her chosen faith or belief, will indeed be effectively
implemented.
As I commented
last week, Egypt is at a formative stage of its contemporary history
which requires a robust system of law and order that underpins an ethos of
equal citizenship and accountability. Any such steps taken at the national
level however are severely hampered and undermined by these recurring failures
at the local level.
Our prayers are with all now
tasked to carry out investigations and to bring healing and restoration to this
community. Little can possibly be done to compensate the unprovoked injustice
suffered by an innocent elderly mother in rural Egypt, but we continue to pray
for peace and for the hearts and minds of perpetrators to be changed, paving
the way for true reconciliation.
*Ends*
