Egypt Moffett Group Government of Egypt in the United States 10 19 11

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Financial Times
Editorial

ceateber 6.20

Religion, tolerance and Egypt’s
tumult

Yrensioms between Muslim extremists and Bayps Coplié Christians ane hat new. But
since Fioshi Mulwiat' dict Adsship ws swepl awa by the Arab spring, sectarian
relations hive worsened worryingly: On Simday, sl lest 24 people were billed in

Cairo as seeurily forees attacked Copls protesting about the larching ofa church. Fgyp's
interim rulers Ihe Sepreme Council ofthe Armed Forees, have repeatelly promised to
protect thu euuntey’s Christian minority. Its tine they did so,

he immediate problem is the security Yacuurn lot by the February revolution, Since
Liven, Egypt's anted police force, widely discredited for its rautine use of violence to prop
up the Mubarals regime, has been partially disman ted. A parge of potice: thugs was
unquestionably nvendue, But the poliee’s disarray is dangerous: as Sunday’s »ppallin
violenes shows, the army is sell ill-equipped lo ill the gap. As soon as posstbie, a
shew police force stalls hy Copts as well as Muslims ~ must be buil

“here ace lnvils, however, to whal even the best-run police foree ean achieve ifthe laws
it caarces ave diserimiinatory. The Seat must also overtura the Tess overt, but no le
pernicious linrms of logaly-sanclioncd discrimination wilh sshich Copts routinely
struggle, Two arvas stand out

Trayptian law makes it fv harder for Copls lo build a ebureh than for Muslims to build a
imosque. The result is that Christians despairing of being granted permission to build a
place of worship apyply for the right te build scrrethiny cise. whieh they thew adapt into a
church. Too often, the sudden apyearanoe of unauihorised churches ets to iensions
‘vith lneal Muslims, The sooner such laws are removed, the beller.

Second, Heypl"sintevinn leadership mus! ensure that sectarian conflicts ere resalveul
through the legal system, and thal the perpetratons are appropriately punished. The old
june tended to Weave: luca elders to desl w'th those resporsibic for vidlence agains!
Copts. Th eesull was that attacks on Christians generally weat unpunished ~ which
only fuelled sectarian tensions.

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The Seis task will he vasigrifit can jump-start gyyl's ailing econuny. As aften as wol,
itis competition for scarce resburces, rather hin ideological difference, that sparks
{inter faith conflict. Inde@d, the solidavit¥ shown by different religious groups was key (0
He early successcs‘af Fyypt's revolution, LRwwould is: tragedy-sf that glimpse of m:ity
swereallovged to vanish for good,

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AGU REPRESI NTS THE GOVENNMAEHT CF EGY?) SHC UNITED STATES atc S
REGISTERED WITH TH NCPARTIMENT OF JUSTICE AS REQUIRED BY LAW

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