Christians of Egypt "Copts" need your support

The Council of Coptic Churches of Canada

Official Statement Regarding the Maspero Massacre, Cairo Demonstration
October 09, 2011

Earlier this year, the whole world looked upon Egypt with excitement as Egyptians appeared to reclaim their nation and on the path to establishing a free democratic society. The January 25th revolution, as it came to be known, seemed to bring promise of a future for all citizens of Egypt to live in harmony.

However, only weeks later, this idealistic dream began to fade as churches and Christians in Egypt once again faced attacks, at an unprecedented scale.

Today, all Coptic Orthodox congregations across Canada, both Clergy and Laity, are following the continuous and escalating attacks in Egypt against Coptic Christians in Egypt by the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (the Military Council) and Islamic fundamentalists with great concern and sadness. Horrified, we continue to observe how the interim government, which is the Military Council, has allowed, and in some cases, aided and facilitated, the burning and destruction of Churches and turned a blind eye to the extreme violence against Coptic Christians. This includes the recent violent beating of a Coptic youth by over 25 members of the Military Police. These heinous acts of violence toward our brothers and sisters, the Coptic Christians of Egypt, can no longer be tolerated.

As a result, the Council of Coptic Churches of Canada has convened by the grace of God, and has issued the following:

1. A CALL FOR PRAYER - We request that all people to pray in one accord for: (i) the safety of Egypt and our brothers and sisters there, (ii) the repose of the souls of the martyrs of Maspero, (iii) comfort for the families of the victims, (iv) and healing of the injured.

2. INVESTIGATION OF DISCRIMINATION - Canada, together with the international community, the United Nations and all human rights groups, must immediately investigate the escalation of the political unrest in Egypt and the increasing systemic attacks on churches and Christians.

3. POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC SANCTIONS - We demand that Canada imposes political and economic sanctions on the Military Council based on its continued and explicit discrimination against Egypts Christians and their failure to provide basic protection to civilians, regardless of creed.

4. INVESTIGATION OF THE MASPERO MASSACRE - We demand that the Canadian Government immediately freeze any form of military aid or collaboration with the Egyptian interim government until investigations into the Maspero Massacre are complete in accordance with the rule of law and that the culprits, including members of the Military Council, responsible are brought to justice.

5. A CALL ON THE UNITED NATIONS - We demand the Canadian Government to intervene and request the involvement of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to send a delegation to investigate this tragic massacre, publish a detailed report of findings and ensure the fair prosecution of those responsible in the International Criminal Court for committing extreme and heinous crimes against humanity.
6. REFUGEE STATUS IN CANADA - We urge the Canadian Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration to expeditiously take all necessary actions towards increasing the quota of Egyptian Christians who are permitted to immigrate to and claim refugee status in Canada, and to shorten the processing time of existing applications. We also request the Ministry to grant visiting visas to Egyptian Christians, especially during this time of crises.

7. APOLOGY FROM THE EGYPTIAN STATE INFORMATION SERVICES We demand the immediate recanting and explicit on-air apology from the state controlled media broadcaster, Egyptian Radio & TV, concerning the propaganda which it spread during the Maspero Massacre, which included unsubstantiated claims that demonstrators were armed, and called upon civilians to support the military in their attacks on the Christians.


The blood of those martyrs will never go in vain but will be the reason for the safety of all Egyptians.