Voice of the Copts
Press Release
Egyptian Media and Islamic Justice
by Dottore Architetto Ashraf Ramelah
A few days ago an Egyptian newspaper, Al-Ahram, reported the massacre of six Muslim employees of the Al-Mokauloon al Arab construction company and the wounding of six others when, apparently without warning or provocation, a Muslim bus driver stopped his bus, took out a rifle and began shooting. The incident took place about three hundred meters from the entrance of the company's office building. The driver then returned to his seat and drove the bus to its final destination.
During the interrogation, the killer justified his action by saying that his fellow workers were teasing him for his refusal to allow some of them to search for historic relics underneath his home for their own personal gain. He purchased a gun from a police officer more than two years earlier for seven thousand Egyptian pounds ($1,500) for the purpose of defending himself against these "old monument mafia." Previously, he contacted the police to report this issue in order to protect his property but the police did nothing.
According to the same newspaper article, this outrageous act was particularly shocking in a society that is always peaceful and where civilians are not allowed to carry a gun without special permit. For these reasons the attorney general deemed the case urgent and ordered an immediate examination in order that justice would not be delayed.
On July 11, 2010, Osama Saraia, the editor-in-chief of Al-Ahram, the same government-controlled Arabic newspaper where the original story appeared, wrote a comment condemning the horrible incident,
The massacre committed by the bus driver of Al-Mokauloon al Arab is an ugly crime. This person is a real criminal and must be judged severely and given the proper punishment in order for all of us to feel safe. (translated from Arabic into English)
(http://www.ahram.org.eg/224/2010/07/11/10/28884.aspx)
For the remainder of the article, Saraia goes on to rule out mental illness as a defense and adopts a hard-line approach toward such crimes. Those from the West who are unfamiliar with the internal politics of Egypt will find it difficult to understand why those who know better will take serious issue with his straight-forward statements. It is certainly correct to agree with him in his call for immediate justice and maximum punishment, but the problem is that he gives the general impression that Egypt's criminal justice system is fair and just, and similar to our democratic system in the West when, of course, it is not. Soraia's statements project exactly what serves to present and protect the pristine image of Egypt seen by the West. Soraia's comments lead us to believe that Egypt is a peaceful and stable country with justice for all, Muslim and non-Muslim. This is at best misleading.
Repeatedly we see that there are no guilty verdicts for those accused of killing Coptic Christians, no serious attempts at finding the facts in cases where Copts are massacred, no expediency in bringing justice to those families; but instead, false conclusions derived from scant evidence, hasty round-up of citizens, and paltry attempts to find the truth which satisfy appearances in the international community. Finally, no regard for safety and protection of Copts and their communities.
In short, Soraia's commentary is no less than a cover-up for Egypt's corrupt police force and its dual system of justice. He capitalizes on this crime to further a phony narrative that the Egyptian legal system serves everyone equally and affords everyone law and order. This is propaganda, pure and simple. Is the West gullible enough to accept this? The answer to this question could make all the difference to the minorities suffering in Egypt today.
We never read similar statements to Soraia's when eight Copts were murdered leaving their church after celebrating Christmas mass this year. After almost seven months, there is still no real attempt at accuracy in this case or progress in reaching a judgment regarding the captured criminals. Soraia's comments represent the hypocrisy of the Egyptian regime.
All citizens are equal under the law in civil countries while anyone who really knows Egypt knows their law is applied only when it is convenient to those in power in ways that are always against those who do not belong to the majority.
When innocent lives are taken, no one wants to see a killer get away with murder by reason of insanity, in any murder case. This then only casts more doubt upon the motive of Soraia's chosen commentary about the Al-Mokauloon al Arab massacre when this editor-in-chief of Al-Ahram espouses an uncompromising stand even though he has been so conspicuously silent in instances where Coptic blood is shed in the same senseless fashion. His earnestness now on behalf of his fellow Muslims in this horrible massacre has reminded us of how he and his colleagues have chosen not to act likewise in response to Coptic tragedies when there have been numerous opportunities to do so.
Is Soraia himself and others like him so adapted to a perverted justice system under the Egyptian regime of the last 60 years that he can automatically use his position at Al-Ahram, once a respectable newspaper, as a mouthpiece to further the needs of the regime? Whether intentional or not, the myth he promotes continues to bury the truth of the Egyptian regime's agenda and furthers the cause of inequality and instability which is fostered by rampant discrimination against the non-Muslim population of Egypt.
About Us
Voice of the Copts Website is an independent electronic news site which belongs to the Organization known under the same name.
Our goal is to report news of discrimination and oppression of religious minorities in every corner of our planet. A special attention will be given to those taking place in countries ruled by the Arabs, as well as providing an in-depth explanation of their mentality, behaviour and their way of living.
Since we are Copts, events of interest to the Copts concerning issues in their homeland, Egypt, will be covered, Our website would be an open window on the Coptic culture, as well as a comprehensive source of information on the Copts' suffering in their own land.
Voice of the Copts
A non profit human rights organization working to free the pressed and persecuted Coptic Christians of Egypt.
Position Statement / VOTC Local Chapter Membership
Copts of Egypt have been suffering for more than 1,430 years of oppression, discrimination and persecution from the time of Arab invaders until now.
The Arabs' ultimate goal and express purpose is to conquer the whole world and convert its population to their faith (Islam).
While we at Voice of the Copts respect each and every faith, we do not accept aggression and violence under any circumstance. Copts (Christians) of Egypt, representing more than 20% of Egypt's population (80 million), encounter persecution under the current Egyptian regime lead by Hosni Mubarak, a dictator who is following in the footsteps of his predecessors.
According to the 2009 U.S. Report on Religious Freedom, the Egyptian government has been placed on the Watch List for tolerating Islamist violence of Coptic citizens. The participation of the Egyptian regime in this violence is evidenced by its law enforcement's support of Arab attacks on Copts and their homes, businesses, churches and monasteries. They have allowed the kidnapping and raping of Coptic girls and women as a means of forcing them to embrace Islam.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom 2009 states,
"The government has not taken sufficient steps to halt the repression of and discrimination against religious believers." In all cases the regime punished the attacked instead of the attackers.
The Commission goes on to state, "Christians face official and societal discrimination.... and the Egyptian government generally does not recognize conversions of Muslims to other religions."
Our mission is to speak for the oppressed Copts and all others who are persecuted for their faith. While the Coptic Christians suffer in Egypt in the same way that Christians and non-Muslims do in all countries with a Muslim or Arab majority, Westerners ignore this fact and how it may relate.
Voice of the Copts therefore is compelled to make the argument that Islam is the common thread linking the daily news stories we present from around the world (www.voiceofthecopts.org in Italian www.lavocedeicopti.org) and that a pattern and intention is apparent in their actions to target and submit the non-Muslim population to Shariah in the nations where their presence is a stronghold. In this way, we wish to bring the West a concise picture of what the future holds if the free world continues to be complacent about this matter.
Our goal will always be to create awareness and spread the truth about those who neglect to uphold the freedoms of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as exhibited currently in the forces against Christianity in Egypt today. In doing so, our particular emphasis is on the concept of political correctness as a device which is relied upon by those who hate the rights and freedoms of the West and will therefore cause the eroding of our freedom of speech and freedom of religion.
In the beginning, Voice of the Copts solely targeted the media and political leaders around the world. Now with the local chapter initiative, VOTC reaches out to the grassroots in an effort to build a worldwide coalition to speak out for freedom and fight to preserve it for the future of our children and grandchildren.
Our human rights organization does not belong to any political party nor do we operate as an extension of any organized religion. We are fighting for freedom. Our language is straightforward and does not adhere to political correctness.
In our struggle to empower our Copts in their homeland, we believe this will happen when they attain absolute full rights and equalityunder fair law with respect to the Egyptian secular constitution -- in existence before the coup of 1952 -- along with standard international conventions as per human rights conformity.
We are looking to extend our organization to be present in each state and in every town and city around the world. Our goal is to serve the following purposes:
- To promote political awareness.
- To increase assistance to those in need.
- To increase connections with local political leaders, administrative personnel, local media and citizens.
- To emphasize equality for women and defend the human rights of women.
- To promote better understanding of the Middle East dilemma in order to avoid the same in our homelands.
If you agree with our goals, please become a VOTC member. We encourage you to join us. We need you! We cannot achieve our goals without you.
Become a leader of a VOTC local chapter and help the oppressed, discriminated and persecuted of Egypt and around the world.
Sign up for a membership today and support our cause by clicking on the membership link at: http://voiceofthecopts.org/en/membership_application.html