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Egypt's Coptic pope criticises Islamist president over sectarian violence Egypt's Coptic pope criticises Islamist president over sectarian violence
(about 3 hours later)
The leader of Egypt's Coptic church has criticised the country's Islamist president's handling of recent deadly sectarian violence, including an attack on the main cathedral in Cairo. The head of Egypt's Coptic church has strongly condemned the country's Islamist president, Mohamed Morsi, for failing to deal properly with last weekend's sectarian violence that ended with six Christians being killed and the country's largest cathedral besieged by police and armed civilians.
The remarks by Pope Tawadros II add to rising Muslim-Christian tensions in Egypt. They were his first direct criticism of the president, Mohamed Morsi, since he was enthroned in November as the spiritual leader of Egypt's Orthodox Christians. They are also likely to fuel the political turmoil that has gripped the country for the two years since the President Hosni Mubarak was ousted. In an outburst unusual for its tone and directness, Pope Tawadros II called a live current affairs programme on Monday night to criticise what he sees as Morsi's negligence. On Sunday, Morsi had claimed that any attack on the cathedral was an attack on him personally and telephoned Tawadros to promise to do everything he could to protect it.
Tawadros said Morsi had promised him in a telephone conversation to do everything to protect the Coptic cathedral, "but in reality he did not". "But in reality he did not," said the pope, arguing that Morsi's action "comes under the category of negligence". Police continued to fire teargas into the cathedral precinct after Morsi's phone call – though it is unclear how much control Morsi exerts over security services.
Asked to explain the president's attitude, the pope, who spoke in a telephone interview to a political talk show aired on Egypt's ONTV, said it "comes under the category of negligence and poor assessment of events". Tawadros also criticised Morsi's decision on Monday to revive a body aimed at promoting religious equality, seeing it as a meaningless gesture. "We want action not words," he said, adding that such committees would not stem an alarming rise in sectarianism.
On Sunday, a crowd of Muslims threw firebombs and rocks at the Coptic cathedral in Cairo, leaving two people dead. The strength of Tawadros's words suggested a change in tack from the Coptic leadership, said a leading analyst of Coptic affairs. "What was shocking was the tone of the language," said Dr Vivian Ibrahim, the author of Copts of Egypt, and a fellow at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. "It's also interesting that he called in to a television show. He hasn't used a sermon. He is trying to reach as large an audience as possible."
The attack followed a funeral service for four Christians killed in sectarian clashes in a town north of Cairo the day before. A fifth person, a Muslim, was also killed. It was the deadliest sectarian violence since Morsi came to office nine months ago as the country's first freely elected president. It is not unprecedented for a pope to criticise the Egyptian state. Tawadros's predecessor, Shenouda III – whom he succeeded last year – began his papacy four decades ago with similarly fiery outbursts against the then dictator Anwar Sadat.
Tawadros also criticised the president over his decision on Monday to revive a state body mandated to promote equality between Egyptians regardless of their religious and ethnic background. But Tawadros's statements represent a significant departure from Shenouda's more recent behaviour, when the erstwhile pope made his feelings known through very indirect means. "One of his big things was to retreat to a monastery, or to speak through his bishops," said Ibrahim.
"Enough already of formations, committees and groups and whatever else," Tawadros said. "We want action not words and, let me say this, there are many names and committees but there is no action on the ground." Tawadros may have been particularly angered by a statement by a Morsi aide that laid the blame for Sunday's cathedral siege at the feet of Copts.
Morsi has condemned the recent violence and said he considered any attack on the cathedral to be an attack on him personally. He also ordered an investigation into the violence. Thousands of Christians had gathered at St Mark's Cathedral on Sunday to mourn the death of four Copts in earlier sectarian clashes north of Cairo. Those present said they were attacked as they tried to leave Egypt's largest cathedral, forcing them back inside the cathedral precinct and sparking a siege that lasted all afternoon and stretched into the night. Police fired teargas over the cathedral walls and stood by as unknown men armed with birdshot, knives and petrol bombs scaled nearby buildings to attack those inside the church grounds. Two Christians were killed and at least 80 injured.
The office of his assistant for foreign relations issued a statement shortly after the pope's remarks, saying: "The Egyptian presidency would like to affirm its full rejection of violence in all its forms, and under any pretext, and affirms that all Egyptians are citizens who should enjoy all rights and are equal before the law." Christians form about 10% of Egypt's population of 85 million, and have lived largely peacefully alongside Muslims for more than a millennium. Sectarian tensions have steadily risen over the past four decades, and the prominence of Morsi and his associates in the Muslim Brotherhood has raised tensions further. Egypt's new constitution, drafted mainly by Islamists, is believed to inadequately protect the rights of Christians and other minorities.
The statement added: "The presidency further stresses that it will not allow any attempts to divide the nation, incite sedition, or drive a wedge among Egyptians under any pretence and that it is doing all it can to realise the sovereignty of law and hold the assailants accountable." But anger at the president crosses sectarian boundaries. Outside the cathedral on Sunday, a crowd of Muslims gathered in support of Christians, and chanted anti-Brotherhood slogans. "Christians and Muslims are from one hand," they sang.
Christians make up about 10% of Egypt's estimated 90 million people. Copts have complained for decades that the Christian minority suffers from discrimination and recurrent localised violence over issues such as building places of worship and inter-religious love stories that ignite Muslim-Christian tension. Muslims and Christians are also expected to march together on Tuesday night to the cathedral in solidarity with those who died.
But attacks against Christians have increased since Mubarak was ousted in 2011, including more attacks on places of worships and at times forced evictions of whole communities of Christians from their villages.
With Islamists increasingly empowered in Egypt's politics, Christians are also worried about their freedom of worship and belief.
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