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Muslim Brotherhood promises to protect Copts over Christmas
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Muslim Brotherhood promises to protect Copts over Christmas

Tuesday, 3 January 2012, 16:46 (IST) Font Scale:A A A Enlarge this picture 
Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood organisation has said it will protect Christian 
believers as the Coptic Christmas holiday rolls around. (AP) Egypt’s Muslim 
Brotherhood organisation has said it will protect Christian believers as the 
Coptic Christmas holiday rolls around. This is happening due to the slew of 
attacks brought against the Christian population during 2010 and 2011. The 
Coptic Christmas holiday will take place in the country on January 7. “We have 
decided to form Muslim Brotherhood committees to protect the churches so that 
the hands of sin do not ruin the festivities like they did several times under 
the old regime,” the group said. Adding, “We call on the Supreme Council of the 
Armed Forces and the police to protect the churches in the same way they 
protected polling stations during the elections.” Coptic Christians currently 
account for 10 percent of Egypt’s 82 million population. However, they have 
been the target of frequent attacks by opposing religious followers. Christians 
in the region have alleged to systematic discrimination from the leaders of 
their home country. Attacks on Christian churches in Egypt during the holiday 
season have frequently occurred in the past. Last year, at least 21 people were 
killed in a car-bombing incident. The explosion occurred during a New Year’s 
Eve mass at All Saints Church in Alexandria. In Jan. 2010, six Copts were shot 
dead during a Coptic Christmas Eve mass in the southern Egyptian town of Nag 
Hammadi. A Muslim security guard was also killed in the shooting. Thousands of 
Christians marched to the state television building in Cairo last October after 
a church was attacked in Aswan. They demanded justice and greater equal rights 
from Egypt’s government officials. The group was met with military opposition, 
however. Military forces proceeded to fire on the protesters and run them over 
with armoured vehicles. At least 27 people were killed. Joseph Zaki, a 
Christian from Alexandria, told Bikyamasr.com that the harrowing situation in 
Egypt only needs a few outspoken leaders to speak out against the violence. 
Only then can this change the sentiment toward the Christian community of 
Egypt. “You know, we talk all the time about how to end sectarianism, but the 
reality is that all we really need is to have leaders speak out and talk about 
the fact we are all Egyptians,” he said. “I know it sounds cheesy, but many of 
my friends, Muslim and Christian, have been at the front of all protests. We 
have all died together, so why not live together.” The volatile situation for 
Egypt’s Christian community may continue, but the Muslim Brotherhood will 
ensure that little to no harm comes to them next year.

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