[Debate] Egyptian Copts call for 'Brotherhood' of their own

[Yoshie Furuhashi]

Not helpful, though understandable. . . .

<http://bit.ly/HcCibo>
Egyptian Copts call for 'Brotherhood' of their own
In wake of last year's revolution, Coptic-Christian activists revisit
proposals for 'Christian Brotherhood' along lines of Muslim
counterpart
Sherry El-Gergawi, Saturday 31 Mar 2012

Prominent Egyptian Coptic-Christian thinker Michael Fahmy is calling
for the establishment of a "Christian Brotherhood" along the same
lines as Egypt's well-known Muslim Brotherhood movement.
The idea is not a new one. In late 2007, Coptic journalist Joseph Nagy
made asimilar proposal. The idea, however, was quickly shot down by
both the Mubarak regime and Egypt's official Coptic Church under
recently-deceased Pope Shenouda III.

"The idea was first proposed years ago, but last year's revolution
encouraged me to revisit it," Fahmi told Ahram Online. "I would like
to emulate the Muslim Brotherhood's success and its powerful rapport
with the masses, which was reflected in the group's electoral
victories in recent parliamentary polls."

After the ouster of longstanding president Hosni Mubarak early last
year, the Muslim Brotherhood – which had been formally outlawed since
the 1950s – established its own political party, the Freedom and
Justice Party (FJP). The FJP managed to capture almost half the seats
in Egypt's first post-Mubarak parliament.

According to Fahmy, many Coptic-Christians – as well as Islamists –
suffered under the Mubarak regime. "We faced sectarian discrimination
and we, too, lost many martyrs," he said.

The proposed Christian Brotherhood, Fahmi explained, would work to
improve the Egyptian economy by bolstering tourism, while
simultaneously working to combat illiteracy, ignorance, poverty and
intolerance. The slogan of the proposed brotherhood, he says, should
be "Love of Egypt is the solution" – a play on the Muslim
Brotherhood's well-known electoral motto, "Islam is the solution."

"We agreed that the group's logo should include two olive branches – a
symbol of peace – rather that the two swords featured in the Muslim
Brotherhoods' logo," he added.

In terms of its organisational structure, Fahmy said the group would
closely emulate its Muslim counterpart. Funding, meanwhile, would be
drawn entirely from its membership base, he explained, stressing that
the group would not have a Guidance Bureau – as the Muslim
Brotherhood's authoritative higher council is called – nor would it
entertain any political ambitions.

Fahmy went on to say that the proposed group would maintain a safe
distance from Egypt's Coptic Church and exclude participation by
Coptic clergymen. "We believe there are no politics in religion and no
religion in politics," he said. "Religion is a strictly personal
affair between man and God."

In a recent opinion poll conducted by US-based organisation Copts
United, which is devoted to safeguarding Coptic rights,51 per cent of
respondents voiced approval for the establishment of a Christian
Brotherhood.

"There's an urgent need to protect the rights of Christians after the
problems they've suffered," said Hani Ramses, member of Egypt's
Coptic-oriented Maspero Youth Union. "The recent ascendancy of
political Islamist groups in Egypt reveals the need for a Christian
political party, along the lines of Islamist parties like the FJP and
the Salafist Nour and Asala parties, which currently control the
lion's share of seats in both parliament and the constituent assembly
[tasked with drafting a new constitution]."

Ramses has few doubts, however, that a Christian Brotherhood would
face its share of "problems," including accusations of receiving
funding from abroad. "There might also be claims of treason, but the
Muslim Brotherhood, too, has been accused of receiving funding from
the Gulf – especially during recent parliamentary elections."

The Coptic Church, however, along with other Christian denominations
in Egypt, does not appear to favour the idea.

Father Marcos, Coptic bishop of Shubra Al-Khaimah, and Father Safwat
El-Bayaadi, head of Egypt’s Anglican Church, both rejected the idea of
a Christian Brotherhood – or of any political party, for that matter,
based on religion. Both churchmen, however, said they "could not
prevent" the establishment of such a group.

The UK-based Baptist Church, meanwhile, which closely follows Coptic
affairs, recently issued a statement rejecting the establishment of
any political party based on religion, including the proposed
Christian Brotherhood. The statement went on to note, however, that
"everyone has the right to do what they want, unless such actions
threaten the welfare of Egypt’s Coptic community.”

The idea has also drawn criticism from a number of high-profile Coptic
figures in Egypt, including Naguib Gobrail, chairman of the Egyptian
Federation for Human Rights; Kamal Zakhir, founder of the Secular
Coptsmovement; Medhat Beshay, a Coptic journalist; and Rasmy Abdul
Malak, member of Egypt's confessional council (Mejlis Al-Milli). Abdul
Malak even warned that the establishment of a Christian Brotherhood
could end up "fostering sectarian strife in Egypt and lead to the
further polarisation of Egyptian society."

Coptic lawyer Mamdouh Nakhla, director of the Cairo-based Word Centre
for Human Rights, however, dismissed such concerns. "The Muslim
Brotherhood's existence hasn't caused sectarian strife, so why would a
Christian Brotherhood necessarily do so?" he asked.

Notably, the Muslim Brotherhood itself appears to wholeheartedly
support the right of Egypt's Coptic-Christians to establish a group
like theirs.

Mohi Hamed, member of the Muslim Brotherhood's Guidance Bureau, told
reporters earlier this month that Egypt's Copts enjoyed the "same
rights as Muslims." He stressed that it was "only fair" to allow them
to form their own brotherhood.

"If we’re calling for democracy and freedom of speech, it must be
applied to all Egyptians equally," Hamed said. "The Copts have the
right to form an organisation that represents their interests. We
support them in however they want to do this."

Hamed stressed that the project's success or failure would depend
entirely on Christian support for the idea. "If the idea enjoys enough
support among Copts, it will prosper the way the Muslim Brotherhood
has," he said. "Otherwise, the idea will simply fade away."
-- 
Yoshie Furuhashi
<http://mrzine.org/>