Security forces abandoned Coptic Christians during attack

[DJKeefy]

Security forces abandoned Coptic Christians during deadly attack in Luxor.

Security forces stood by and failed to intervene during a brutal attack on Coptic Christians in Luxor, Amnesty International said in a briefing published today. During the sectarian violence, security forces left six besieged men –four of whom were then killed and one hospitalized – to the mercy of an angry crowd.

In an attack lasting 18 hours on 5 July, four Coptic Christian men were killed and four others were seriously injured. An angry mob armed with metal bars, knives, tree branches and hammers attacked Christian homes and businesses in Nagah Hassan, 18 km west of Luxor, after the dead body of a Muslim man was discovered near the homes of Christian families. Despite local residents’ and religious leaders’ repeated calls for help, security forces on the scene made only half-hearted attempts to end the violence and sufficient reinforcements failed to arrive.

“It is outrageous that this attack was left to escalate unhindered in this way. Amnesty International has documented a series of cases in the past where Egypt’s security forces used unnecessary force or live fire during demonstrations, yet in this case they held back even though people’s lives were threatened,” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Deputy Director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Programme.

“A thorough, impartial and independent investigation must be conducted into the events in Luxor and the grossly inadequate response of the security forces to the attack.”

The violence began at 3am, shortly after the Muslim man was found dead in the vicinity of Christian homes. His family blamed the death on a local Coptic Christian. By mid-day more than 100 Christian homes had been attacked, with scores of them looted or torched. Local residents reported calling the police and army’s hotlines throughout the day in vain. Local religious leaders also approached other security officials.

“The attack went on for 18 hours, and there was not a door on which I did not knock: police, army, local leaders, the Central Security Forces, the Governorate. Nothing was done,” said Father Barsilious, a local priest from Dab’iya.

In one incident, security forces evacuated women and children trapped inside a house surrounded by an angry mob but left six men behind, apparently following demands from the crowd that the men remain. Four of the abandoned men were later stabbed and/or beaten to death and another required hospital treatment. Three other Christian men were hospitalized in separate violent incidents. One woman said she had begged police officers to save her sons who were left behind, but they ignored her pleas:

“I kissed the police officer’s hands and legs and begged him to protect my two sons and take them out… he completely ignored me and said he would only take women and children…. I buried my two sons in one day,” she said.

Other female relatives said they had given men their abayas (gowns) to try to disguise them as women so that they could escape.

Discrimination against Coptic Christians has been prevalent in Egypt for decades. Under President Hosni Mubarak at least 15 major attacks on Copts were documented. Sectarian violence continued under the Supreme Council of Armed Forces and following the election of President Mohamed Morsi. At least six attacks on Coptic churches or buildings took place in 2013 during the final months of deposed President Mohamed Morsi’s administration.

Investigations by the Luxor prosecution are ongoing. At least 18 men remain detained on charges of murder, attempted murder, destruction of property and ‘thuggery’, amid reports that some were beaten by security forces upon arrest.

“The continued sectarian violence in Egypt is an irremovable stain on the record of successive governments which have repeatedly failed to end attacks on minorities. Immediate steps must be taken to ensure the safety of Coptic Christians and other minorities,” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Deputy Director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Programme.

“The latest attacks will test the new Egyptian authorities’ political will and their ability to break the pattern of inaction and injustice once and for all.”

Source: http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/egypt-se ... 2013-07-23

[LovelyLadyLux]

Sad tragic situation that is almost beyond comprehension.

[Dusak]

Perhaps one day the world will wake up to the fact that in this country Christians, in the eyes of many Muslims, are beneath their feet. All those that are contemplating giving funds to this country should withhold every single penny until they learn to respect their fellow men. This has always been a problem in this country, and one that has been continually swept under the carpet. They should equalize all police forces to contain near equal numbers of both Christian and Muslim officers. Perhaps then civilization will begin to gain a foothold in Egypt. The officers that stood back are beneath contempt and should all be imprisoned for at least ten years of hard labour bettering the lives of the people they deserted.

[LovelyLadyLux]

What I find sad is that Muslims are so closed towards other religions. Really Islam and Christianity are not that far apart. While one can ascribe to one religion and believe it with all your heart and soul this should also preclude that other people hold belief systems that are important to them as well.

To do nothing while being in a position of authority and to stand idly by while another groups beats down another faction is reprehensible. Even taking Muslim/Copt out of the equation how can an authority figure who has presumably taken some sort of oath to 'serve and protect' do NOTHING and allow atrocities like this to happen? Can't get my mind around this.

[Hafiz]

Read the article!

There was inexcusable violence but the other half of the story is that the army/police were strangely absent. For 18 hours!

There is nothing new in Egyptian inter-communal violence, particularly in rural villages, and cutting aid is going to do little to change local prejudices any time soon. The only thing that can be done is police acting quickly and bringing perpetrators to justice. Seems unlikely in this case which will probably mean that there will be payback soon. The police should be criticized along with the criminals and share blame in the followup.

Inter-communal violence is not new in the west. London and New York have had their share and Los Angeles probably holds the record so don't think that prejudices change quickly. Short term better policing is all governments have and I don't see that the police are interested in doing their jobs or any government forcing them to do their duty.

More western aid to the shambolic police force (an immense and hopeless, politicized organization not averse to stirring up things for political benefit) might be the best course in the short term rather than waiting for prejudices to miraculously change by withholding aid.

[Dusak]

Money is a great motivator when withheld.

[carrie]

Not all Muslims are so closed minded LLL many believe that Christians and Jews are "people of the book" and should be protected. Many Muslims live in the same buildings here in Luxor with Copts, Muslim and Copts attend the same schools. Children never differentiate between colour or creed until they are taught to do so by us adults. In every faith their are minorities, just look at the recent problems in Northern Ireland between Christian Protestants and Roman Catholics.

[LovelyLadyLux]

@ Carrie - oh yes and let me clarify as I didn't mean it to read "all Muslims." I wasn't clear in what I wrote but I was thinking the more fanatical fundamentalists of the MB. The ones who are threatening suicide bombing etc. The ones who refuse all compromise - the my way or the highway types. Sorry - I knew what I meant when I wrote it but it just didn't come out my fingers that way