AS MANY CHRISTIANS BEGIN THEIR EASTER WEEKEND CELEBRATIONS,  
[THIS ARTICLE] TAKES A LOOK AT  EGYPT'S COPTIC CHRISTIAN MINORITY AND 
THEIR GROWING ANXIETIES AFTER ISLAMIC RADICALS LAUNCHED NEW 
ATTACKS AGAINST CHRISTIANS IN SOUTHERN EGYPT.

SEVERAL ATTACKS AGAINST COPTS IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS HAVE 
RAISED CONCERNS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THE MINORITY IS ONCE AGAIN 
BEING TARGETED.  

FOR MORE THAN FIVE YEARS, ISLAMIC RADICALS HAVE AIMED THEIR WRATH
AT GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, SECURITY FORCES, TOURISTS, AND 
CHRISTIANS AS PART OF A CAMPAIGN TO OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT AND 
REPLACE IT WITH A PURE ISLAMIC STATE.  

IN SOUTHERN EGYPT, THE RADICALS OFTEN TARGET WEALTHY CHRISTIAN 
SHOPKEEPERS, DEMANDING SPECIAL TAXES OR ROBBING THEIR STORES TO 
FINANCE THEIR OPERATIONS. 

COPTIC POPE SHENOUDA DESCRIBES HIS STRATEGY FOR PROTECTING THE 
COPTIC MINORITY AS TWO-FOLD -- MAINTAIN GOOD RELATIONS WITH THE 
GOVERNMENT, AND KEEP A LOW PROFILE.

THE COPTIC POPE'S CRITICS SAY HE SHOULD TAKE A MORE OUTSPOKEN 
STAND ON THE ISSUE.  HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST MARLYN TADROS SAYS THE
GOVERNMENT SHOULD, TOO.  

         YOU SEE, WE'VE BEEN FOR YEARS SAYING THERE ARE PROBLEMS 
         IN UPPER EGYPT.  FOR YEARS WE'VE BEEN SAYING THERE ARE 
         SOMETIMES PROBLEMS IN CAIRO, AND THE GOVERNMENT WASN'T 
         DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

SOME ANALYSTS DESCRIBE THE GOVERNMENT'S ATTITUDE AS BENIGN 
NEGLECT.  THE CHRISTIAN ERA IN EGYPT, WHICH SPANNED SEVEN 
CENTURIES, IS GLOSSED OVER IN PUBLIC SCHOOL TEXTBOOKS.  A 
CENTURY-OLD MINISTERIAL DECREE REQUIRES PRESIDENTIAL APPROVAL FOR
THE CONSTRUCTION OR EVEN REPAIR OF CHURCHES.  A LIMITED NUMBER OF
COPTS ARE APPOINTED TO PARLIAMENT. VERY FEW HOLD HIGH GOVERNMENT
POSITIONS.

MRS. TADROS SAYS THE TIMING OF A RECENT GOVERNMENT DECISION TO 
REPAIR THE WORLD-FAMOUS HANGING CHURCH IN CAIRO APPEARED TO BE A 
POLITICAL GESTURE TO COMPENSATE FOR THE RECENT ATTACKS.

         IT IS A VERY POLITICAL MOVE BECAUSE IT COMES AT A TIME 
         WHEN NINE COPTS HAVE BEEN MURDERED IN UPPER EGYPT.  YES,
         THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO 
         TYPICALLY POLISH ITS IMAGE IN FRONT OF THE OUTSIDE WORLD
         WITH SUCH A FAMOUS CHRISTIAN MONUMENT.

A CONSERVATIVE TREND THAT IS SWEEPING THE ISLAMIC WORLD IS ALSO 
AFFECTING THE CHRISTIAN MINORITY.  CHRISTIAN SCHOLARS SEE A 
PARALLEL MOVEMENT AMONG EGYPT'S EIGHT-MILLION COPTS. 

CHURCH OFFICIALS ARE ENCOURAGING A REVIVAL OF COPTIC TRADITIONS 
AND MORE PARTICIPATION BY CHRISTIAN YOUTH IN CHURCH SERVICES AND 
CHURCH ACTIVITIES.

MRS. TADROS WELCOMES THE EFFORT, BUT SAYS IT IS IS ALSO WIDENING 
THE GAP WITH THE MUSLIM SOCIETY AROUND THEM. 

         THEY THEMSELVES HAVE REACTED TO THIS IN BEING MORE 
         CONSERVATIVE THEMSELVES.  COPTIC CHRISTIANS ARE ALSO 
         FUNDAMENTALIST IN THEIR OWN WAY -- NOT  VIOLENT.  THEY 
         HAVE BECOME PEOPLE WHO ASSOCIATE ONLY WITH THEMSELVES, 
         SOCIAL LIFE ONLY WITH THEMSELVES, AND WHO ARE ADOPTING 
         MORE CONSERVATIVE INTERPRETATIONS AND STANCES IN 
         GENERAL. 

MRS. TADROS SAYS POPE SHENOUDA IS TRYING TO SHOULDER TOO MUCH OF 
THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROTECTING HIS COMMUNITY.  SHE AND OTHER 
ACTIVISTS ARGUE THAT MORE COPTS NEED TO GET INVOLVED --- TO SPEAK
OUT AND TO PROMOTE THE COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO STRENGTHEN IT.

28-Mar-97
Source: Voice of America

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