In place of strife

By Raouf Moussad

---

Despite repeated claims that national unity remains strong recent events in Alexandria have underlined the fragility of relations between Muslims and Christians in Egypt. That several thousand citizens could be mobilised within a short period and then burn a police car and attempt to storm a church more than once within 24 hours is a situation that clearly demands serious consideration.

There appear to have been two fundamental errors. The first concerns the play, against which the crowds were demonstrating, which dealt with the sensitive and complex issues that are regularly reduced to the term "terrorism", and which was performed in a church. As a house of worship, the church must distance itself from daily politics and focus on kindling acceptance of the other (Muslims). This also applies to the Islamic religious establishment.

The second error concerns the position of the two newspapers that published inflammatory reports of the play, that was performed for a single night two years ago.

Along with hundreds of Egyptian intellectuals I have long argued against custodial sentences for publishing offences. Now, though, it is time to seriously investigate the way in which some papers serve narrow and suspect interests. This investigation should be spearheaded by the Press Syndicate and by Egyptian intellectuals. It is no longer enough to issue statements of regret and condemnation or hold conciliatory meetings between citizens.

A comprehensive and transparent investigation must be launched into the causes of sectarian strife. Those who instigate it must be punished, regardless of their social, political or professional standing.

Like millions of other Egyptian Copts I am proud of my cultural roots that stretch across Egypt's Pharaonic, Hellenistic, Coptic and Islamic periods. We reject the use of religion for political purposes and we refuse to allow Egyptian Copts to be coopted into partisan struggles.

This week's Soapbox speaker is an Egyptian writer residing in Holland.