CAIRO - Copts, who have been camping outside the TV building in Cairo for the ninth day in a row, demand an end to all forms of conflicts with Muslims and dream of an Egypt that is free from sectarianism. They also want to enjoy and practise their full citizenship rights as guaranteed by the Constitution, which regards all Egyptians as equal in terms of religion and gender. "I want to feel that I am a full Egyptian citizen, who is treated equally like Muslims," Father Mosseisse of October 6th Church, who has been staying outside the TV building for five days, has said. Condemning the sectarian violence that broke out in the village of Sol in Helwan last week, which left 13 people killed, Father Mosseisse said attacks on Copts were un-Islamic. He was talking as hundreds of Egyptian Copts protested outside the TV Building to condemn the arson attack that ignited the sectarian tension. The victims were killed in clashes between Muslims and Copts on Tuesday night after the arson attack on a church. He said that the violence was a threat to the January 25 revolution, which toppled over President Hosni Mubarak, and national unity as a whole. "Copts are Egyptians and have the same rights as Muslims," Saber and his wife Maria, two protesters, said. Saber said that Egypt's Christians, with an estimated population of ten million, demanded the Government to adopt a much delayed unified code to ease restrictions for church building permits. He said the law – if approved – would help end sectarian strife in the country. The present law on places of worship, based on the Ottoman Hamayouni Decree of 1856, requires the Copts to obtain the Government's approval for restoring an old church, or issuing permits for building new ones. Gergis said that the Copts and political parties had drafted a new bill called the unified code for places of worship and sent copies of it four years ago to the then president, the Government and parliament for discussion and approval. "But, until now there has been no answer," Maria said. She added that the proposed legislation called for setting up a single agency that would be responsible for issuing permits for building churches without waiting for the Government's approval. "I do not know the reason behind the Government's delay in approving the proposed bill," Maria said, demanding that the Governor of Helwan, where the Two Saints Church in Atfeeh was burnt, be removed from his post. “This law will solve many of our problems and reduce sectarian tensions in the country,” her husband said, adding that approving this law will also deny claims that fundamental inequality between the construction of mosques and churches do exist in Egypt. "At present, there are only 1,000 churches in Egypt and this number is not enough for the Coptic community, whose population increases every year," Father Mosseisse said. The Copts found obtaining permission to build new churches more difficult, according to him. He warned that the divide between the Coptic Christian community and the Muslim majority can grow bigger if the Government delayed discussing the draft bill, or refused to approve it. Father Mosseisse complained that a Coptic congregation, for instance, needs to get the Government's approval, before they can build a church where Muslims can build a mosque without this special permit. He said Copts had for years complained that bureaucracy obstructs plans to build new churches or renovate old ones. Those attending the protest demanded that the Army rebuild the church on the same location and space and bring those who burnt it to justice. "I will not go home until these demands are met," Nermine Akhnoukh, a housewife, vowed, adding that violence between Muslims and Christians poses another challenge to national unity. "It threatens the stability of the nation after the January 25 revolution," she warned. Her sister Jackline urged the Government to tale swift moves to nip sectarian clashes in the bud lest minor conflicts should explode again. "The Government should intervene swiftly...to show that it deals firmly with these incidents," she said, adding that religious strife should be contained to avoid more tensions in the future and cast an unwelcome spotlight on post-revolution Egypt. Jackline said economic and social problems were fanning sectarian grievances. Relations between Muslims and minority Coptic Christians in Egypt are generally peaceful despite sporadic violence, but restrictions on building churches have been one of the main grievances of Egypt's Copts. In Atfeeh village, rumours claim that Christians did not have a permit to build a church had sparked anger among Muslims that turned to violence on Tuesday night when 13 people were killed in the clashes that broke out afterwards. Meanwhile, Tareq Yenni, a Copt, said that the solution to Muslim-Coptic tension laid in setting up a civilian state, where there is no difference between religions. "We, the Copts, want a civilian state with no discrimination," Tareq, a university student, said. He pledged to stay until the Copts' demands are met. "Whatever they say, it doesn't mean we're going to pick up our tents and leave. We still have demands that must be met," Tareq said, adding that the will of the Copts must be realised." In the wake of the Copts' protest, the street facing the TV Building has evolved into a small tent city complete with makeshift clinics and food stalls as the Coptic protesters stood shoulder to shoulder waving Egyptian flags and home-made crosses tirelessly. Meanwhile, vendors sold cold sandwiches of meatless stuffings because it is the Copts' fasting season.
