On February 24, Islamists in Libya murdered Egyptian foreign workers execution-style after ascertaining their identities as Christians.
However, the brutal murders of Egyptian laborers (Christians) in Libya have yet to be condemned by Egypt’s interim government. To date, Egypt’s foreign minister and political leaders have made no public comment. When Egyptian laborers tattooed with crosses on their wrists were shot in the head, this atrocity was not the first attack on Christian Egyptians in Libya since the fall of Muammar Quaddafi to receive silence. Earlier, Coptic churches were burned and hundreds of Copts arrested on false charges of preaching the gospel. Yet Egypt’s leaders remain silent.
It is time for Egypt to defend its Coptic Christian citizens.
Egypt’s “new direction” instigated by Egypt’s secular, liberal uprisings of the past three years is advancing an agenda of equality and freedom never before seen in Egypt – as fragile and painstaking the steps may be. Now, consistent with this goal, where are the voices of today’s leaders in Egypt to denounce the murders of its Christian citizens in the diaspora?
If Egypt’s leaders express outrage at crimes against Christian Egyptians it would appropriately command the world’s attention not only because it is right and expected of a nation to defend its citizens in foreign lands but because these particular crimes are sectarian.
If the purpose of Muhammed Morsi’s overthrow was to seek equality, religious freedom and separation of mosque and state then condemnation by Egypt’s interim government is now in order to prove its direction authentic as the world looks on.
Rebuking Libya and denouncing religious supremacy
Rebuking the Libyans and defending Christian Copts will demonstrate to Egyptians and the entire world that Egypt’s liberal movement wants to make strides toward equality and religious freedom. Egyptian freedom-seekers who favor secularism and religious equality backed by Egypt’s interim government and military waging war on terrorism inside the country must now be reassured of its nation’s capacity – the political will and intention – to carry out their mandate. Seeing Egypt’s leaders defend Egyptian Coptic citizens fallen under attack by terror rings in other nations would bolster confidence in the fight against similar forces inside Egypt.
Upon the overthrow of President Morsi, Field Marshal Al Sisi — today’s hero of the Egyptian people — summed up a new direction for Egypt when he said, “In Egypt there is no minority religion.” This, for millions of secular, pro-democracy freedom-fighters including Copts meant denunciation of religious supremacy.
Now the General’s statement must be reinforced by a direct address of Libya’s aggression toward Egyptian Coptic citizens. It has been more than three weeks since the occurrence of these violent murders, and we await an official response from Egypt. Call on Libya to ensure justice
The Libyan government is now to blame for allowing the guilty to remain unpunished reminiscent of Egypt’s courts under the Mubarak and Morsi regimes which bypassed justice in cases of crimes committed against Copts. But now a majority voice in Egypt is seeking to transform the misguided prejudice and ill-will against non-Muslim minorities — hopefully de-program institutions that keep Egypt backward and desperate. To call on Libya now to investigate and make arrests for crimes against Egypt’s Christians would emphasize Egypt’s endeavor to address critical human rights issues in modernizing the Egyptian state.
Egypt must send a strong message against religiously motivated crimes such as Libya’s acts against Egyptian Christians. Libya’s lack of defense and protection of Egypt’s foreign workers inside its borders is unacceptable especially to Egyptians who currently struggle for human rights, attempting to undo the misery and suffering caused by past regimes.
Express sincere regrets and stand alongside Coptic families
It is hard to imagine that gruesome acts as such would not elicit expressions of sincere regret by governments of two countries both focused on fighting terrorism and eradicating supremacy. As Egypt strives to right injustices and stresses religious equality – representing the sentiment and goals of the freedom movement — its Islamic-majority government must denounce violence against Egyptian Christian citizens and stand firmly alongside their families anywhere and anytime it occurs.
Egypt must break the silence to illustrate separation of mosque and state
If Egypt breaks its silence toward the Libyan incident and denounces the targeting of Egyptian citizens due to their faith, it would go a long way toward proving that Egypt’s leaders are capable of surmounting existing pressures from mosque leaders and resisting Muslim tradition mandating subjugation of non-Muslims. The consequences of public condemnation of such crimes by Egypt would be for those of us watching and caring to hope that precepts of democracy might gain a foothold to advance a bright future for Egypt.
As Egypt remains the first country (now joined by Saudi Arabia) to legally designate the Muslim Brotherhood a terror organization, it must also lead the way in condemning barbaric crimes against Egypt’s Christians perpetrated by Islamic terror groups in other countries. This would be a substantial step forward for the very values that are at the core of Egypt’s new freedom movement and are fundamental to Egypt’s hope for a very different future.