Egypt’s political strife puts Christians in peril
23 Aug 2013 5:09 AM IST
Last Wednesday, AyubYoussef was driving to the southern Egyptian town of Delja where he works as a Catholic priest when a friend called and told him to turn back. By the time he reached the town on Sunday, about 20 houses had been burned. An ancient monastery was smashed and ransacked. Some 20 churches have been attacked just in the Minya province where Delja is located, many burned completely.
The immediate trigger was a bloody crackdown in Cairo last Wednesday when police dispersed two Muslim Brotherhood sit-ins set up to demand the reinstatement of President Mohamed Mursi, deposed by the army on 3 July after mass protests against him. The Brotherhood says it has nothing to do with the attacks on Christians, and accuses the army of cynically using them to justify an ever more brutal crackdown.
The immediate trigger was a bloody crackdown in Cairo last Wednesday when police dispersed two Muslim Brotherhood sit-ins set up to demand the reinstatement of President Mohamed Mursi, deposed by the army on 3 July after mass protests against him. The Brotherhood says it has nothing to do with the attacks on Christians, and accuses the army of cynically using them to justify an ever more brutal crackdown.
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