11 - 17 June 1998
Issue No.381
|
Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 11 - 17 June 1998 Issue No.381 |
||
| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 | Current issue | Previous issue | Site map | ||
Tolerant times
The issue of the persecution of Copts in Egypt continues to preoccupy members of the US Congress and the Jewish lobby. Well, I grew up in Egypt, as an Egyptian, and I never had reason to believe that Copts were being persecuted or suffering discrimination.
Before the 1952 Revolution, Copts occupied many key positions in the state apparatus. In those years, the bureaucracy was a good indicator of the state of society. The ruling party could appoint or remove top officials as it saw fit. When the Wafd came to power, my Coptic friends rejoiced, announcing: "This is the age of equality." Persecution at the time was political rather than religious, and affected Muslims and Christians alike. A Wafdist could be removed from his position when the Wafd was not in power, because of his political allegiance. Once the Wafd was back in power, he would also return. At that time, there were 15 ministers in the Council of Ministers. Two were Copts, and the speaker of the lower house of parliament was also a Copt. I can almost say that any discrimination was in the Copts' favour. If certain changes have occurred in this respect, they should not be attributed to a change in the heart of the Egyptian people. Terrorism has proliferated in the past few years, but it does not discriminate against Copts only. It also targets Muslims who refuse to conform to the terrorists' dictates and condemn their extremist positions.
Based on an interview by Mohamed Salmawy. |