Den egyptiske redaktøren og kommentatoren, Karima Kamal, kaller massakren sist søndag mot kopterne begynnelsen på etnisk resning og oppspill til en borgerkrig mot de kristne.
Vold mot kopterne er ikke nytt. Flere kirker er brent ned og mange er drept den siste tiden. Hun mener likevel drapene i Kairo av koptiske demonstranter sist søndag var et veiskille fordi disse for første gang var utført av staten og ikke muslimske fundamentalister. Observasjonene av militære kjøretøy som kjører over demonstrantene igjen og igjen, og hele forløpet den kvelden viser at dette ikke var tilfeldig.
No one can deny that what took place on 9 October was a major shift with regard to the dynamics of sectarianism in Egypt. For this was the first massacre of Copts at the hands of the Egyptian state, represented by the authorities currently ruling the country – the SCAF, in other words – with the support of state media outlets.
We are now without a doubt witnessing an escalation, which cannot be solely attributed to the state simply aligning with its religious affiliation. We are now facing a scene in which armored vehicles are running over Copts, while the media calls on Muslim citizens to support it against the Copts, who allegedly initiated the attack on the unarmed army soldiers, who were there to protect them.
Hun advarer mot at landet nå seiler i retning av en brutal forfølgelse av de kristne. Og hun ber muslimer nå ta til motmæle. Bare muslimske protester kan nå hindre videre eskalering.
I’m not asking Christians to raise their voices for the world to hear their cries against the beginnings of an ethnic cleansing and the incitement of civil war against them. Rather, I am calling on the Muslims to do so, especially those whose online accounts of what actually happened expose the authorities’ political agenda.
Can anyone imagine what will happen to Egypt in the coming days? I doubt any of us has an answer to this daunting question. Unfortunately, only the SCAF has the answer. After all, it was the SCAF who wrote the scenario and carried it out, and only they know how their scenario will develop in later stages.
As for those of us who believe that Egypt is for all Egyptians, Muslims and Copts alike, all we know is that this is no longer the case.
Kamal har fulgt kopternes sjebne i mange år og publisert en rekke artikler og bøker om emnet. Hun er knyttet til avisen al Masry al Youm der artikkelen er publisert 10. oktober.