Egypt: Coptic Christians under fire, live targets for Muslim Brotherhood - expert

Egypt: Coptic Christians under fire, live targets for Muslim Brotherhood - expert


The Egyptian capital of Cairo is poised for renewed anti-government protests. Earlier, the Muslim Brotherhood called on its supporters to join a nationwide ‘march of anger’ to be held under the slogan ‘the people want to topple the coup’. Egypt’s community of Coptic Christians are literally under fire. The pro-Morsi camp is increasingly scapegoating the Copts as its confrontation with the army-backed Egyptian authorities continues to worsen. Edward Coughlan, Head of Middle East and North Africa Analysis at Business Monitor International, talked with the Voice of Russia about the evolving crisis.
Why do you think are the copts singled out for prosecution by these Islamist leaning firebrands? Is it because of their religion or something else? Are they viewed as agents of the west, perhaps historical allies of the Crusaders? What is your take on this?
I think the key thing to remember is that the copts and the Sunni Muslims are the major frontline in the country. 90% of the country is Sunni Muslims, about 10% are copts. Whenever there is any protest or any decedents or anarchy or near-anarchy, then these are the frontlines that become apparent. The copts hold a majority of the businesses and most of Egypt's men are coptic, they are generally wealthier. I think that is why they have been targeted given what has happened to the Muslim Brotherhood in the last few days.
Are the copts also viewed as maybe beneficiaries of social injustice? Is that in place somehow?
Yes, I think so. They generally work in wealthy parts of Cairo, and in the south of the country, and it seems like the government has been over the years more favorable towards the copts to detriment of the broader sense of injustice among some elements as the Egyptian population and in terms of what happened economically and socially in the last few days and also in a last few months, those divisions become exacerbated.
What about the previous ruler or the one before that – Hosni Mubarak? Was his regime more tolerant of the copts or could it be called even the copt-friendly? And also we keep in mind that one of the top Egyptian diplomats Mohamed ElBaradei was prominent under Mubarak and he is coptic.
Yes, I think under Hosni Mubarak the copts did get some sort of positive treatment that perhaps has been watched by the broader elements of the population. I wouldn't say that the government was copt-friendly. It could have been seen that way just because some of the higher elements of government and also business were copt. There are a few obvious examples such as Albaradei. Although there hasn't been division until recently, it is well-known which major politicians are copts and they tend to be against the Msulim Brotherhood and did hold quite powerful positions under Mubarak.
So, if the Islamists rebellion in Egypt doesn't subside, what is next for copts in Egypt? Is it possible that we could witness even their exodus from the country?
I think exodus is possibly too strong word at the moment and although there is a difference in the religions, the copts do think of themselves as Egyptians, they are Egyptians, they have a long history of remaining in Egypt and it would take a lot for them to leave. I do think though they are possibly the most mobile elements of all the Egyptian population and they tend to have more money behind them and so as you've seen in the other countries such as Syria and Iraq a few years ago, the wealthy elements tend to leave when trouble begins. So, there may be some copts that do leave Egypt. But they have been in Egypt for so long. It will be hard for them to leave Egypt permanently.
Which of Egypt’s current political factions are prepared to come to terms with the copts, and which are against them?
I don’t think there are any parties that are against the copts even in the ideological sense, they are such an important part of the business community, it makes sense to be pragmatic and include them in any government, even Muslim Brotherhood won’t outwardly oppose the copts. Within other elements the army seems to be maybe not favorable but they are not unfavorable towards the copts. There are large elements of copts in the Tamarod movement and also in the National Salvation Front including ElBaradei, so in all the opposition movements there do seem to be quite strong elements of Coptic presence in the Muslim Brotherhood.
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