Print

   

statement regarding the forceful relocation of Christians from Rafah, Sinai


Al Kalema Center for human rights (ACHR) condemns in the strongest terms the recent terrorist activities that have forced the relocation of Christian Coptic residents of Rafah, located in Sinai Peninsula.

These terrorist operations were undertaken by Islamic fundamentalist groups and are happening while the government media and security forces are covering up that barbaric crime.

(ACHR) is considering the Egyptian government a partner in that crime by advising the Christians to relocate instead of providing them with the protection they are entitled to by law.

A civilized government in the 21 century would arrest those groups that participate in ethnic and religious cleansing rather than advising targeted Christian minorities to abandon their homes.These fanatic groups intend to transform Sinai peninsula into an Islamic Emarat following the Taliban Afghanistan style, and the first step to achieve such goal is to cleanse Sinai peninsula from infidels that is Christians Copts from the fanatic Islamic groups point of view.

It is useful to remind everyone that the only Christian Coptic church in Rafah was bombed and burned a few months ago amid complete silence from the Egyptian government.Forcing the Coptic Christians to leave their homes in masses have been a pattern that is happening all over the country , starting from Atfieh village in Giza,Dahshour , Giza , Al Ameria alexandria and lately Rafah Sinai peninsula.

(ACHR) is requesting that President Mohamad Moursi intervention so that the state would ensure that those Coptic Christians are able to return to their homes while under the protective umbrella of the law as Egyptian citizens.(ACHR) also call upon the civic society and all the NGO to stand firm against that wave of hatred aimed at the Coptic Christian minority.

(ACHR) call upon the honorable human rights commissioner and the freedom of religion secretary and the independent expert for minorities rights to investigate the continuous forceful relocation of the Coptic Christians and to intervene with the Egyptian government to perform its obligations that has been signed before the international bodies and thus became an integral part of Egypt constitution as per article # 56 of the current constitutional declaration.Chairman of the board of trusteesMamdouh NakhlaCairo- Egypt