The privately-owned Islamist al-Misrīyūn reported yesterday, January 30, that the three major Coptic Churches have not been invited to the national dialogue sessions held between civil and political representatives and the presidential administration.
Coptic activists stated that the Churches do not object to participate, however a framework of a clear agenda should be set in consensus before the meetings take place.
Dr. Rev. Safwat al-Bayādῑ, head of the Evangelical Church in Egypt, said, that the Church did not receive an invitation for a dialogue with the president; however, he ascertained that in case the Church is invited, there are a number of proposals which need to be discussed and a commitment to abide to the outcome of the dialogue required. The presidential invitation addressed to the political forces for a national dialogue is in itself a positive sign; however, a clear agenda should precede the dialogue, according to Rev. Al-Bayadῑ. He, further, added, that the demands of the Church can be expressed in three words: dialogue, decision-making, and stability.
In the same vein, Father Bulus Ouwaida, professor of Church (Canon) Law, confirmed that the framework of a clear agenda is inevitable for an effective (national) dialogue. He, further, condemned the state of emergency law put on the three Suez Canal cities as this reminds of policies the former (ousted) regime adopted.
For his side, lawyer Najῑb Jubrā’ῑl (president of the Egyptian Union for Human Rights and legal consultant for the Coptic Church) considers the Churches’ prior withdrawal from the national dialogue sessions as more probable for uninviting them (Churches). Najῑb added that a national dialogue was ineffective as the (political) willingness to revise former decisions is lacking, according to Najῑb. [Mu'taz al-Khusūsῑ and Nismah Fāris, al-Misrīyūn, Jan. 30, p. 4] Read original text in Arabic
