United Copts GB Statement re. Port-Saeed Event.
The events of yesterday have left us with a bitter taste. After the peak we reached 12 months ago with the standing down of the previous president and things started to improve, optimism filled the tear-gas filler air and people took the time to dream. The dream, however, turned to a nightmare with the emergence of the alternative agenda of the political elite enhanced by the presiding body, the SCAF (Supreme Council of Armed Forces). The SCAF started forming shady and suspicious deals with political bodies, namely the Islamists at the expense of the liberals and the revolutionary powers. The terms of the deal is simple the virtually unopposed parliament for the Islamists in return for immunity for he SCAF.
This became most apparent the events of the following yesterday that shook the world. A friendly football match between two rival teams in the Egyptian league was anything but friendly. The massacre that ensued left 74 dead and 1000 injured. Eyewitness accounts have unanimously agreed that instigators and the perpetrators were trained thugs. The current view is this happened to retaliate against the “ULTRAS” (Egyptian football supporters) mainly the Ahly supporters and punish them for the nationalistic role they played during the revolution. In short the whole event was planned by neither football sides but by the only side that is to stand to benefit from the chaos, the SCAF.
We strongly condemn such attacks. We also strongly condemn any attempts by the government to paint it with the brush of normality. It is crucial at this dangerous stage that the government comes clean and redeem itself by bringing to justice all the perpetrators. The first step of self help is dealing with these incidents with complete transperancy and honesty. We call for justice not just for last nights events but for all the crimes committed against the innocent protestors from January till now. It is only right that the government rids itself of those who are comfortable with bloodshed. Finally we call on the SCAF to at least put an honest and realistic timeline for a peaceful transition to civilian rule.