Members of tribal communities attacked a Coptic Orthodox monastery in al-Minia. The vandals destroyed buildings that are owned by the monastery and set fire to the monastery’s farm. Moreover, they abducted three monks and insulted and tortured them for hours.

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In the space of a few weeks at the end of May and the beginning of June, Egypt has witnessed two incidents of a sectarian nature.

On May 31, 2008 armed “Arab” groups attacked Abū Fānā Monastery in the Upper Egyptian governorate of al-Minyā and assaulted the monks there. Three monks were abducted and tortured through the night. [the term “Arabs” is used in Egypt to refer to tribal communities in the desert.]

The vandals claimed that are the true owners of the land surrounding the old monastery that dates back to the fourth century as Watanī of June 8, 2008 reported.

The monastery had bought the surrounding land years ago and had started to build a fence around the monastery, which aroused the wrath of the Arabs who attacked the monastery and caused serious damage to the building and things inside the monastery in addition to injuring the monks.

Moreover, the assailants abducted three monks and tortured them for 12 hours that night.

In the aftermath of the attacks, the Egyptian media and concerned observers responded differently. Some considered the incident to be a conflict between the tribes and the monks of the monastery over the land surrounding the monastery, while others stated that that interpretation of events is unfair because it “dilutes” the “horrendous” attack in the public’s eye.

In this respect Rose al-Yūsuf of June 5, 2008 reported on Egyptian Minister of Interior, General Habīb al-cĀdilī’s denial of the sectarian nature of the attack, claiming that it is a conflict between the tribal groups and the monastery over a piece of land which is government property. Al-cĀdilī also denied any connection between the attacks against the monastery and other incidents like the robbery of a jewelery shop in Alexandria and the murder of a Coptic jewelery shop owner with his son and two other people in al-Zaytūn in Cairo.

The governor of al-Minyā, Ahmad Diyā’ al-Dīn confirmed al-cĀdilī’s claim and asserted that the “conflict” was neither religious nor sectarian in nature.

Al-Misrī al-Yawm of June 6, 2008 and al-Wafd of the same day reported on the National Council for Human Rights’ report on the incident. The report called for the inviolability of houses of worship to be preserved and mentioned the need to provide them with adequate protection. The National Council of Human Rights formed a special committee to investigate the incident and called for citizenship rights to be enforced and the law to be upheld.

On the same day, al-Ahrām stated that the the National Council of Human Rights’ report revealed that the incident was not sectarian but a conflict between individuals over a piece of land.

Al-Misrī al-Yawm of June 1, 2008 reported that monk Mīnā Abū Fānā had claimed that large parts of the Saint Antonius and Saint Bula churches were burned with the tractor of the monastery farm. Eight monks were injured in the attacks and were first taken to a hospital in al-Minyā. However, shortly afterwards and as a result of the bad treatment that the monks received there, Pope Shenouda ordered that they be taken to Cairo for better medical care.

Al-cArabī of June 8, 2008 published the testimonies of Father Bula and a number of the “Arabs.” Father Bula asserted that the monastery had all the legal documents to prove that it owns the surrounding land and that the “Arabs” have been trying to take the land that legally belongs to the monastery, which is the crux of the problem.

Moreover, al-cArabī reported on the story as narrated by members of the tribal communities in the area. A “peasant” claimed that they have lived in the area for 400 years and that the monks of Abū Fānā “took over” 200 fadān and that the monastery area extends over three villages.

The anonymous peasant also claimed that the monks want to take over the surrounding land because it is of special archaeological significance.

Furthermore, Al-cArabī reported Muhammad Ahmad’s, 30 years old, comment. Ahmad, who is a member of the tribal communities in the region, alleged that the monastery does not have any archaeological significance and that the resting place of Shaykh Muhammad al-Dūfānī, an honored figure is located in the area under dispute and that women used to visit the site to be blessed and ask to become pregnant.

Muhammad Abū Hamad, [al-cArabī does not make it clear whether Muhammad Abū Hamad is the same person as Muhammad Ahmad.] claimed that the monks came to the region looking for antiquities and accused them of attacking them with mechanical weapons. He also accused the monks of having kidnapped a child in 2005 for two days as a punishment for disturbing the monks. He also stated: “they always threaten us with the Security of State and the Americans.”

Another man from the tribe accused the monks of possessing destructive weapons that could destroy the whole area. He also accused them of taking over 65 faddān of the state’s property.

During the attacks, Khalīl Ibrāhīim Muhammad Muftāh was killed. His family has accused the contractor who built the fence surrounding the monastery of killing him. The victim’s father stated that they are a neutral party and that his son was killed during the battle between the monks and the “Arabs.”

His mother denied what she called the monks’ slanders when they described her son as mentally disturbed. His sister called the contractor a criminal who had previously killed a Coptic man.

Fath Allāh Khafāī’s, secretary of the Nāsirī party attributed the accident to the shortage of security presence and the government’s reluctance to protect state property. He stated that it is the law of the jungle that rules the distribution of the lands.

Bhā’ cAtīyah, deputy of Mallawī at the People’s Assembly believes that moving the injured monks to a hospital in Cairo was unnecessary and was intended to provoke the situation further.

Al-cArabī’s article was authored by cAbd al-Rahmān al-Dāqūqī who headlined his article: ’The monk’s sedition at the monastery of Abū Fānā.’ cAlī Ibrāhīm of the same publication also ruled out the possibility of sectarian reasons and headlined his article: ’Mallawī attacks; look for the land mafia.’

Ahmad Pasha and Shawqī cIsām of Rose al-Yūsuf of June 6-13 blamed both “Copts” and “Muslims” for using arms and for attempting to take over a piece of land that primarily belongs to the government. The author criticized allegations from both sides, stating that the monk’s allegations about being tortured and coerced intosaying the Shahādah.

The authors also denounced what they referred to as the “irresponsible” and “unacceptable” action of abducting monks under any pretext.

Nāsir Hātim and Yāsir Nasr of al-Usbūc of June 7, 2008 published seven points summarizing the issue. They mentioned the ruling of the minister of culture in which he identified the borders of the monastery. The ruling was issued in 2000.

Later, the monastery was able to obtain an authorization to erect a wall around the monastery which was in line with the determined borders. However, construction works were halted on May 18, 2008 according to the recommendation of the General Committee for Muslim and Christian Antiquities for transgressing the specified limits.

The author also mentioned that troubles started in 2005 when the monastery was again recognized by the Holy Synod as a monastery. Since then there have been many problems between monks and the people of the tribes concerning land possession.

There are 18 monks and 12 novices in the monastery that occupies 3000 faddān.

The main conflict is over a piece of land that the former governor of al-Minyā had authorized to the monastery and was supposed to be fenced in 2005.

The May 31 attacks have resulted in three lawsuits being filed: a murder in which a Coptic contractor was accused, quarrel and abduction.

The Mallawī bishopric refused to hold a reconciliation session with the “Arabs.” Father Bula denied the rumors that monks killed the victim, asserting that monks do not use weapons.

Nasr and Hātim finally pointed out four other areas where conflicts between monks and “Arabs” could take place. They mentioned Anbā Samuel monastery, the Holy Virgin monastery in Samālūt, a monastery in al-Bahnasā and a church in Samālūt which is being renovated.

They also referred to conflicts in Durunkah monastery in Assiut, problems in Abū Maqār’s monastery in Wādī Natrūn and in Najc Hammādī. Muslims are not content because Copts want to turn a house into a church. Finally they mentioned Farsco in Dumyāt but did not provide any further information about the case.

As for the Coptic Orthodox Church’s official reaction, Pope Shenouda III called on Copts to calm down and not have violent reactions. He visited the injured monks in Burj Mīnā hospital in Cairo where they had been transferred to receive better care following allegations about the bad treatment that they had received in al-Minyā.

Rose al-Yūsuf of June 6, 2008 reported on Pope Shenouda’s meeting with bishops from al-Minyā at the cAbbāsīyah Cathedral in Cairo. Pope Shenouda called the bishops to deal with the incident in a rational way and cooperate with General Ahmad Diyā’ al-Dīn, governor of al-Minyā. Consequently, Bishop Demetrius of Mallawī contacted parliament members in al-Minyā in the hope that they can reach a compromise.

In the parliament a Coptic parliament member who is part of the Committee of Defense and National Security, Badr Hilmī called for the attacks to be discussed in the parliament and to put an end to such incidents. Hilmī suggested that the government sell every monastery in the surrounding five kilometers. [Reviewer: This text about selling is taken from al-Ahrār of June 5, 2008. The author does not identify to whom the  5 kilometers should be sold. However, from the general context of the article one can understand hat the five-kilometer safe-zone should be sold to the monastery.]

However, cĀdil al-Samadūnī rejected the suggestion and considered it a call to establish a state within the state. Dr. Ibrāhīm al-cAnānī, the committee deputy stated that such suggestions are not part of the committees’ authority but members can call on the responsible people in the government to try and find solutions.

From the government’s side, al-Jumhūrīyah of June 6, 2008 reported on the detention of 13 people after the attacks.

On the public side, Copts of al-Minyā organized demonstrations protesting against the attacks. Al-Dustūr of June 2, 2008 reported on Copts’ demonstration in front of the archbishopric of al-Minyā. Protesters expressed their wrath toward the government and the security services. Al-Hayāh of the same day reported that seven Copts were injured during the demonstration.

Nahdat Misr of June 3, 2008 published photos of Copts’ demonstrations in al-Minyā and commented that Copts used Muslim Brotherhood slogans in their demonstrations. One of these slogans reads: “I will pray I will pray, no matter what may come.”

The incident called into question the efficiency of the security guidance on churches and monasteries. Commenting on the incident Father Salīb Mattá of the Coptic Orthodox Church stated that the security presence at churches and monasteries is like “scarecrows,” because they “are not well trained.” He elaborated that had there been an efficient and effective security presence at the Abū Fānā monastery, the attacks would never have taken place.

Coptic lawyer Najīb Jibrā’īl believes that the incident is part of the regime’s strategy to trivialize and persecute Copts. Jibrā’īl also stated that the incident is a violation of citizenship rights, elaborating that the government uses these rights primarily as a means to promote itself.

Al-Ahālī of June 4, 2008 published that it was the second time in 2008 that a former security officer guide had led an attack against Abū Fānā Monastery. Al-Ahālī mentioned that the leader of the attack was a former officer who was a guide who used to work for the security service, against the Muslim Brotherhood and al-Jamācah al-Islāmīyah.

Under the headline, ’The issue of the illusive fitnah in al-Minyā,’ al-Wafd of June 5, 2008 covered the issue and published arguments of people from both sides.

Al-Misrī al-Yawm of June 8 reported on the visit of al-Minyā governor to the hospitalized injured monks in Cairo. General Ahmad Diyā’ al-Dīn denied rumors about the government’s reluctance to deal with the issue. He declared that 11 people were detained and investigations are still ongoing.

Al-Misrī al-Yawm mentioned that three official rulings were issued in 2007 to remove illegal buildings that were built by nuns on government-owned land. It also mentions that police minutes and official recorded claims reveal the occurrence of a number of armed confrontations between the two parties over the last couple of years.

In the same context, al-Misrī al-Yawm of June 14, 2008 reported that the local board for defending Mallawī archbishopric and Abū Fānā Monastery had complained to Councilor cAbd al-Majīd Mahmūd against al-Minyā governorate’s prosecution service because of its reluctance to question the accused and resume the investigations.

Mahmūd al-Zāhī of the same publication had reported in June 3, 2008 the friendly relations between Muslims and Copts of Mallawī in al-Minyā. He quoted a Copt, “whose hand was injured in the confrontation with the security forces during the demonstration, as saying that the problem is not with the Muslims of Mallawī but with the tribal communities.” the Coptic man stated: “In Mallawī, there is no difference between Muslims and Copts and the problem is more related to the Arabs around the monastery.”

Finally, Muslim and Christian youth came together to watch a football match between Egypt and the Congo.