Lessons from Sarsena:

Unearthing truths and solidifying patterns 

 

 

The attack on the church in Sarsena, Fayoum on February 15 is the latest installment in a series of incidents involving church buildings in Egypt, and unfortunately, echoes many of the outcomes of its predecessors.  Each of these outcomes is an element in recognizable patterns. Breaking with these patterns requires first acknowledging their existence, which Cornelis Hulsman endeavors to do in his analysis of church-related attacks.  

 

Of these patterns, misrepresentation is one that we have seen time and again in media all over the world, but especially in underdeveloped villages in Egypt, where a vacuum of truths often exists.  A scarcity of facts then often builds a stage for the most imaginative of storytellers at times masquerading as journalists.  Stories are woven into the mainstream fabric and, for many, become accepted truths.  

                                                             

 

When reports surfaced about the attack in Sarsena, again the flurry of media depictions followed.  Arab-West Report sent Jayson Casper to Sarsena to dissect the media’s claims and unearth details of the events surrounding the attack in hopes of quelling the surge of fabrications and emotional responses.  Casper offers a thorough analysis of the media coverage surrounding the attack, providing interviews with several key figures in addition to examining media reports.

 

Jenna Ferrecchia