Al-Sabāh interviewed Father Dā’ūd al-Rayānī, the spokesman of the Monastery of Saint Macarius, after reported clashes between the bedouins and the monks living in the historic monastery have increased in the last two years. According to Father Dā’ūd, the repeated clashes seem to be more like “a scheme” targeting the Coptic heritage: "We have lived here before the nature reserve. We have a right to the land to revive Coptic heritage," said one of the monastery monks.
The Rayyān Valley (Wādī al-Rayān) nature reserve is one of the most famous nature reserves in Egypt. It is a famous tourist destination in al-Faiyum Governorate, visited both by tourists and safari lovers.
The people accused the monks of taking advantage of the security lapse and the fluctuating political situations to take over a large area of the nature reserve land and build a long, 11-km fence around the magic springs and the sulfur springs which had sprung up in the middle of the desert hundreds of years ago.
The people affirmed that white blocks are moved on large trucks from al-Minya and Sohag governorates in violation of al-Faiyum governor directions to prohibit the transfer of white blocks or using them in construction without prior license.
On their part, the Monastery monks affirmed that their actions are in accordance with a 2007 agreement whereby the monks commit to existing elements, refrain from infringing upon the nature reserve land and environment. They explained that the fence was built to protect the 240 monks who moved to the monastery from different governorates against attacks from thugs and Arabs living in the desert, as well as to protect monastery possessions against theft.
One of the monks pointed out that they obtained a permit from the government to prepare the place for the residence of monks.
According to him, Valley Arabs have imposed royalty on the monks to guarantee their safety and security. He wondered why the government kept quiet about infringements upon agricultural land that are committed under the eyes of the officials, while they focus on a piece of land in the middle of the desert 60 km away from Faiyum and away from urbanization (Husayn Fathī, al-Sabāh, Feb. 4, p. 8). Read original text in Arabic.
