Open Letter to Mubarak from Coptic Christians

16 HATOR, 1726 of the Martyrs -- November 25, 2009 AD

The Undersigned appeal to His Excellency Mr. Hosni Mubarak - the President of all Egyptians - to urgently intervene to salvage Egyptian Copts in general and in particular the inhabitants of Farshout (ÝÑÔæØ ) from the wrath of mobs who are mobilized with one resolve; attacking, vandalizing, looting and destroying Copts' properties, concurrently agitating a wave of hatred to the Copts which would eventually seal their fate with a communal massacre as what had happened in "Al Zawia el Hamra", "El Kosheh", etc.

A dedicated politician of your calibre would never miss the opportunity of recognizing the subversive activities of sowing discord and fermenting divisions among the Egyptians while it is the time to enjoy the peace and tranquility you bestowed on Egypt by your firm refusal to involve Egypt into the recent Middle Eastern turmoil. We plead with you to arrest the perpetrators who incited the mobs to attack the peaceful Copts; and embark on a national educative program managed by psychologists and psychiatrists to cement the bond between the Copts and Muslims of Egypt before it is irreversibly worn down.

The signatories to this appeal are expecting President Mubarak to take the necessary measures to hold members of the ruling party, governor of Kena and State Security Officers accountable, together with those who fire up the mobs to loot, burn and sabotage properties of the Copts in Farshout (ÝÑÔæØ ).

We strongly condemn the mass media who went into vomiting their burning emotions for the news of the rough handling of the Egyptians by other nationals, the Algerians while did not bother to delve into the genesis of this shameful national disaster. We also abhor the State Security's deliberate absentia, the forced Deportation and the evacuation of the Copts of Farshout (ÝÑÔæØ ) from their homes and villages which constitutes a blatant assault that is violating all provisions of the Egyptian Constitution. The constitution stipulates in Article 50 and 51 that it may not prohibit any citizen from staying in a specific destination, or coerced to reside in a particular place except in the cases outlined by the Law, "and not" to banish a citizen of the country or prevent his/ her return to it. "

We strongly condemn these Nazi barbarisms while stressing the right of each affected Copt to full compensation for material, psychological and moral damage as these Nazi acts will leave an inerasable print of the ghoulish and monstrous portrayals of the other side which are ideally our nationals of Egypt. This sensational fear generously implanted by the instigators of these Nazi acts into the psyche of Coptic children will deprive them of the comfort of attending either public or private locations for fear of going through a similar experience.

In accordance with the provisions of the Law, please allow the courts to hold the preacher of hatred, accountable for the Nazi blunders against the Copts and to be punished proportionally and specifically for their derogatory and insulting actions to the symbols of Christianity. We call on the State to bring all involved in crimes of public defaming Christianity to justice so as not to allow the current national fission to a permanent cleavage of our ONE nation, Egypt.

This would necessitate abolishing the comic and irrelevant "bedouin tribunals" where on purpose as predetermined by the majority to deny the Copts their rights without chances of appeal to a civil court. Alas, as the civil courts are also infected with anti-Coptic sentiments, please do not blame us for seeking justice elsewhere.

Signatories:

Canadian Coptic Association

Middle East Christian Association