Sadly, the question that inevitably arises is whether, as a community, the Copts will survive the overblown hype of the Arab Spring. A new report from the Egyptian Union for Human Rights Organisations show that nearly 100,000 Christians have fled in the past six months - 14,000 of them to Australia. Copts are not emigrating voluntarily, according to the human rights group. They are coerced by threats and intimidation of hardline Salafists and a lack of protection from the Egyptian regime. An estimated 250,000 members of the Coptic community, which comprise 10 per cent of Egypt's 80 million people, will have fled by year's end. And who, given the way the ruling military junta has shamefully kow-towed to the Muslim Brotherhood and ultra-extremist Salafists and failed to protect the Copts, can blame them for fleeing?
Paradoxically Copts were in the vanguard of the revolution. They stood shoulder to shoulder with Muslims in Tahrir Square demanding freedom and democracy, believing there would be a place for them in the new Egypt. But before long they were targeted by the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafists given free rein by the junta. Churches have been razed and individuals brutalised. A new Christian governor in Upper Egypt was barred from his post. Muslim clerics have been referring to Copts derisively as dhimmis, inferior citizens who should pay a special tax.
Cairo has seen its worst sectarian violence in modern history, with dozens of Christians killed and wounded by Islamic mobs and the army driving armoured vehicles full-tilt into Christian crowds. Stung by the outcry, the junta has now promulgated a law feebly setting a $4920 fine for discrimination on the basis of gender, origin, language, religion or beliefs.
This is unlikely to assuage Coptic fears. By allowing Islamic extremism to gather such a head of steam, the feckless military council has betrayed the noble ideals that echoed across Tahrir Square. Egypt as a whole will be the ultimate loser.
