Despite attacks on churches: Churches reject Western pressure on Egypt
The Coptic Orthodox Church does not consent to any foreign intervention whatsoever. Catholics: America is an accomplice to the Brotherhood. Anglican Church: We thank the Muslims who defended us.
The three Churches have organized a strike against the United States and the Western countries. They refuse their interference in Egypt's internal affairs decisively, despite approximately 38 churches being burnt and 23 more attacked. Furthermore, hundreds of Coptic houses and property suffered from the assaults carried out by the Muslim Brotherhood and supporters of the ousted Egyptian president Muhammad Mursī since the dispersal of Rāba'ah al-'Adawīyyah and al-Nahdah Square sit-ins last Wednesday.
This is unparalleled in Egyptian history, but the Egyptian churches have registered the distinguishing historic moment the country is going through.
They refused the addresses of the U.S. President, Obama, against Egypt and the mobilizing of the United States among the Western countries to take up a position hostile to Egypt.
The Coptic Orthodox Church has rejected the media fallacies in Western countries. It says in its statement: “The Coptic Orthodox Church follows the unfortunate events that take place in our country Egypt.” It further expresses that it firmly stands with the police, the Armed Forces, and the state institutions for countering armed terrorist groups (For more details on the Churches' statements see Arab-West-Report overview for August 18).
The statement added: “While we appreciate the position of the loyal and allied states which understand the nature of the course of events, we deplore the media fallacies that are spread in the Western countries. We appeal for them to read the facts of the events objectively and not to give international and political cover to those bloodthirsty terrorist organizations and all who belong to them, because those try to spread chaos and ruin in our dear country.”
Father Rafīq Jarīsh, President of the Catholic Church Press Office, said to al-Yawm al-Sābi' (for a longer statement of see August 18 Overview, “Churches criticize American and other Western support for the Muslim Brotherhood. It emphasizes: We will counter the terrorists.”) that the U.S. Administration was either an accomplice of the Muslim Brotherhood or did not understand anything, as it did not learn from its mistakes. He added that Obama did not condemn or reject the terrorist attacks against churches that were destroyed and burned. If he (finally?) would denounce them, this came only in his own interest.
He said that during the Mubarak era America used the Christian minority to put stress on the government, but now, as churches and state institutions burn, it does not condemn the terrorism against these institutions.
The Anglican Church has confirmed in its statement that its backing for the Egyptian Army despite the attack on churches is a state request for their protection.
Spokesman al-Bayadī said that he thanks all Muslims who helped to protect churches.
Coptic Orthodox Church delegate to the Constitutional Committee, Amīr Ramzī, said that he rejects the policies of the United States against Egypt and the usage of the Copts to put pressure on the country. “First does God, then the Egyptian people protect the Copts. There is not protection for Churches from the United States and Europe.” He added that the West is now talking in the name of the Brotherhood, terrorists, and thugs.
The General Copts Union demanded that the Egyptian administration expels the ambassadors of all countries that support terrorism in Egypt and to forbid the officials of those countries to enter Egypt and to cut all politic and economic relations with them (Māykal Fāris, al-Yawm al-Sābi', Aug. 18). Read original text in Arabic.
(Anton Bondarew, Intern)
