Background:

The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR) organized small study groups in order to examine the topic of Copts rights in a scientific and practical way. This conference is about Copts rights in Egypt through a historical examination of the facts, of the roots of the problems and by discussing some recommendations.

*For more information, please refer to the preceding tapes I and II of EOHR Seminar on Copts.

http://arabwestreport.info/en/eohr-seminar-copts-ii

http://arabwestreport.info/en/eohr-seminar-copts-iii 

*For more information on Copts rights and violence in Kafr Dimyān, please refer to the Ibn Khaldūn Center’s Conference on Copts rights, May 1, 1996 http://arabwestreport.info/en/conference-ibn-khald%C5%ABn-copts-rights-i 

Side A:

The first speaker (name not mentioned) talked about the importance of treating such topic in that particular time especially after the Kafr Dimyān incident that revealed a dangerous fact which is that attacks against Christians have started to become committed by ordinary people who live in the concerned area and not by organized groups of extremists. Thus, he emphasized the importance to adopt a solution-oriented approach during the conference.

Dr. Mīlād Hannā, a leading Coptic intellectual, gave a speech on what is observed in the Egyptian society from the absence of values such as tolerance and acceptance of differences which he associates to the influence of the Wahābī ideology that has infiltrated in the Egyptian society and has altered the tradition and the heritage of Egyptian Muslims. He expressed his conviction that the Egyptian society will go back to the spirit of tolerance and this can be only be achieved by changing the language of dialogue adopted by spiritual leaders of both religions. He finally insisted on the fact that he is not supporting the Copts’ cause but an Egyptian and cultural one.

Mr. Maurice Sādiq, a Christian human rights lawyer, after the speech on the 20:38min, made several comments regarding some information mentioned in the speech concerning Khedive ‘Abbās and how he was willing, before his sudden death, to force Christians to convert to Islam. Latter on, there was some discussion expressing doubts about which Khedive did that. He also claimed that Christians did not ask for foreign protection during the Sharm al-Shaykh conference on terrorism, they only demand he government to examine the Christians situation in Egypt rather than terrorism in Israel.

Side B:

According to one of the attendees, the marginalization of Christians started with the Revolution of 1952, this continued in the seventies because of the cooperation of President Muḥammad Anwar al-Sādāt with Islamic movements.

Sirī Shafiq, lawyer, presented his research paper on the right of citizenship by examining legal and historical aspects of this right in the Sharī’a and what it said about the rule in Dār al-Ḥarb and Dār al-Islām regarding Christians and Jews back in the early days of Islam.

He explained how the law on nationality and citizenship was influenced by the French Revolution and the ideas the latter has spread in all Europe; dissociating the ties with religion which has an impact later on the Hague Conventions. Mr. Shafiq also made some recommendations regarding Coptic representation in the Parliament, the need to dedicate some subventions from the State to build Coptic libraries and schools and to eliminate all sort of censorship on Christian publications.  However, Dr. Mīlād Hannā criticized the lack of practical approaches in this paper.

An attendee added that there is a need to look back at what has been said in a previous conference to see which of the previous recommendations reached by the EOHR is applicable. He also pointed out that it is important to understand that Christian problems in Egypt are not only caused by discrimination on religion bases but by the structure of the state. Thus, he criticized that most of the speeches are focusing on enumerating all forms of discrimination but no one examines practical way to put an end to such practices.