Sydney’s Coptic Christian community marched through the CBD last week, calling on the Australian government to condemn sectarian violence in Egypt.
Media officer for the Coptic Orthodox Church in Sydney, Peter Tadros, said more than 5000 people took part in the march from Hyde Park to Martin Place.
“We’re trying to create an awareness and we’re trying to send a strong message to the Egyptian government that we will not allow this to continue and we will not remain silent in the face of all these atrocities,” Mr Tadros said.
He called on the Australian government to voice their condemnation of the attacks to the Egyptian government. “We deserve more attention than this from the Australian government and we don’t know why the Department of Foreign Affairs is ignoring us.”
“All we are requesting is for the Australian government to raise the concerns against the atrocities that have occurred with the Egyptian government and not ignore it,” he said.
Earlier this month gunmen opened fire at a group of worshipers outside a church in Egypt’s east, killing seven people. Six of the victims belonged to Egypt’s Coptic community observing Christmas Day Eve mass.
This was the deadliest attack since 2000 when 20 Copts were killed in sectarian clashes.
Father Gabriel Yassa, from Mt Druitt Coptic Orthodox Church, criticised Egypt’s government for not recognising the attacks for their sectarian nature. “Every time a massacre happens when say 20 people are killed … they’re always referring to it as a criminal act but not as sectarian violence,” Father Yassa said.
He appealed to Egypt’s Muslim population to condemn and distance themselves from sectarian killings. “We [also] speak to the general Egyptian in the street – Muslims particularly – to say to them that we do not hate you. We love you and we want you to stand with us against the minority who are crazy and who are fanatics.”
Father Yassa also urged the Australian government to pressure their Egyptian counterparts diplomatically.
Mr Tadros said Western leaders were reluctant to strongly condemn such attacks due to their closeness to the Egyptian government. “I believe the reasons behind it is probably due to Egypt being a friend of the Western world, politically. Hence they don’t tend to voice their concerns with the Egyptian government and the Egyptian government therefore does not take the matter seriously about the persecution of Coptic Christians.”
Copts account for nearly 10 percent of Egypt’s population of 80 million and are the Middle East’s largest Christian community.
Last week three men were arrested two days after the attack and charged with premeditated murder. They are due to stand trial before an emergency security court in February.
by Ehssan Veiszadeh
