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Amid Turmoil, Armenians of Egypt on the Sidelines
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2013/08/25/amid-turmoil-armenians-of-egypt-on-the-sidelines/
By Nanore Barsoumian // August 25, 2013
As violence peaked in Egypt in recent weeks, and rumors spread about
an attack on an Armenian church, the Armenian Weekly contacted members
of the Egyptian Armenian community for their interpretation of the
events unfolding in the country.
Wedding at the Boghos Bedros Armenian Apostolic Church in Alexandria
in 2008 (Photo by Nanore Barsoumian)
For the most part, the community had resented President Mohamed
Morsi's policies - concerned that religious polarization was being
encouraged in the country, with Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood, and
their Islamist allies on one side, and moderate Muslims, Christians,
and liberals on the other. So when tens of millions of Egyptians
flooded the streets calling for an end to Morsi's rule, many Armenians
supported the demands of the protesters, some even joined the crowds.
In recent days, Armenians stood on the sidelines, witnessing the
burning of - mostly Coptic - churches. Armenians still felt safe and, as
our sources confirmed, they did not believe their lives or
institutions were threatened or targeted, despite a recent incident in
Cairo that endangered an Armenian church, and perhaps even lives.
`While police were dispersing the violent crowd at [Cairo's] Ramses
Square, some of the protesters hurled stones at the [St. Krikor
Lousavorich] Church. As a result, the stained glass at the front of
the church was affected minimally. Then, someone threw a Molotov
cocktail. The bomb fell in the courtyard of the church, without any
casualties or harm to the church,' a community leader* in Cairo told
the Weekly.
`The Muslim Brotherhood knows very well what they are aiming at. They
could have burnt the church earlier while marching to Ramses square.
The incident happened later on, when they were dispersing. It wouldn't
be wise to exaggerate incidents we were not the targets of. Their
targets are the Copts because they believe they were mainly
responsible for toppling Morsi,' added the source.
An oral surgeon from Alexandria - Egypt's second largest city that was
once home to a vibrant Armenian community - assured that members of his
community were safe. `Some people are being killed, a lot of churches
are being burnt, but we, Armenians, are ok,' he said.
Armenians are remaining cautious, staying indoors whenever there is a
threat of violence on the streets. An Egyptian-Armenian student said
his family felt safe, since men in his neighborhood stood guard when
mobs approached, despite that hours before the Armenian Weekly
contacted him a protest by Morsi supporters outside his apartment
building concluded with gunshots in the air.
Churches ablaze
On August 14, Morsi supporters targeted Copts and Coptic institutions
in the country, setting ablaze at least 50 churches, schools, and
businesses, according to the Egyptian Al-Ahram newspaper. They
included one of the oldest churches in Egypt, the Virgin Mary Church
in Minya that dates back to the fourth century, as well as Greek,
Baptist, Catholic, and Evangelical churches. The perpetrators threw
Molotov cocktails and firebombs at these establishments.
Remains of burned Coptic religious texts outside the al-Amir Tadros
Church in Minya city on August 19, 2013 (Copyright Matt Ford-HRW)
On Aug. 21, Human Rights Watch (HRW) condemned the attacks, and the
authorities' failure to protect minorities. HRW compiled a list of 42
churches that had been attacked, and noted the shooting death of two
Copts, and the murder of one Muslim and one Copt - coworkers that had
hid in the bathroom of an establishment as a mob set it on fire.
Meanwhile in the city of Minya, residents reported that Coptic-owned
stores had been marked with a black `X' before being attacked.
HRW also condemned the attacks on police officers and stations. Since
Aug. 14, 100 police officers have been reportedly killed. HRW also
noted two instances where policemen were executed - 13 in one case and
15 mutilated in another.
However, the organization also criticized the failure of authorities
to protect minorities. `For weeks, everyone could see these attacks
coming, with Muslim Brotherhood members accusing Coptic Christians of
a role in Mohammad Morsi's ouster, but the authorities did little or
nothing to prevent them,' said Joe Stork, acting Middle East director
at Human Rights Watch. `Now dozens of churches are smoldering ruins,
and Christians throughout the country are hiding in their homes,
afraid for their very lives.'
According to analysts, the attacks against Copts are at a scale that
was never seen before. Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II has cancelled
sermon for weeks in a row due to the looming threat of violence. In a
public plea, Tawadros called on all Egyptians to refrain from
violence, `I ask every Egyptian to preserve Egyptian blood and
exercise self-restraint and stop any assault against anyone,' he was
quoted by Al-Ahram as saying. Meanwhile, pro-Mosri protesters chanted
slogans against Tawadros while attacking three churches, Coptic-owned
businesses, two schools, and an orphanage in Minya city, reported HRW.
The violence directed at Copts is not an attack against Christians,
but against the Egyptian nation, said our Armenian source in Cairo.
And thus, Christians and moderate Muslims are united in their struggle
against Islamist elements that are supported by the West, he added.
The response from the West - mainly the United States - seems to be an
issue of concern for our Armenian sources. `Don't listen to what the
U.S. media is telling you about the Ikhwan [Brothers],' pleaded the
student from Alexandria. `They're not telling the truth. These people
are terrorists. They are ready to kill anyone... they have burnt down
and attacked churches all around Egypt, and still the U.S. and E.U.
are protecting them. We, Armenians, are supporting the army and the
police against Muslim Brotherhood terror,' he added.
The oral surgeon from Alexandria agreed, `Most of this trouble comes
from the West backing the Muslim Brothers,' he said.
Morsi `became a dictator'
Over 30 million Egyptians flooded the streets demanding the
resignation of Morsi on June 30. Protesters waved signs that read
`Erhal ya Morsi' (Leave Morsi). Some local Armenians joined the
protests, in solidarity with neighbors and friends and in fear of the
future under Morsi.
The Rebel (also known as Tamarod) petition, which called for early
presidential elections, reportedly garnered 22 million signatures that
were authenticated through national ID numbers.
Protestors sought the army's protection and support. On July 3, Morsi
was deposed and power was entrusted with the Constitutional Court to
run matters until a new government transitioned to power. Since then,
around 900 people have been killed, including 100 police officers, and
hundreds of Morsi supporters. Violence escalated when the army
dispersed two pro-Mosri protests in Cairo that ended in bloodshed. In
recent days, a number of Muslim Brotherhood leaders were arrested.
Our source in Cairo held that the protests and uprisings that led to
Morsi's removal from power were the result of a popular will, `a
revolution against a fascist regime that harbored terrorists.' He also
rejected the notion that Morsi's removal amounted to a military coup.
In his view, the army - under the command of Defense Minister Gen.
Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, simply backed the will of the majority of
Egyptians - the estimated 30 million protesters that poured onto the
streets of Egypt almost two months ago - just as it had done in January
2011, when protesters demanded the resignation of then-President Hosni
Mubarak.
`Why didn't anyone call [Mubarak's ousting] a coup? We are talking
about ten times that crowd. The military helped [protesters] in that
first uprising. Contrary to [reports by] the Western press, the
military is the most stable element in the country,' he argued.
`[Morsi's government] was driving the country to hell.'
A stained glass window in a Coptic Church in Cairo (Photo by Nanore Barsoumian)
Those who called for the resignation of Morsi had much to blame on the
new government - including intimidation and threats (even against
elected officials), economic hardship, deteriorating security,
political failures, and a drop in the standard of living. Morsi came
to be viewed as a representative of the Muslim Brotherhood, an entity
whose interests differed from those of the majority of Egyptians', and
whose agenda seemed cynical and dark, marked by greed for power and
control.
`[Morsi] failed to provide Egyptians their basic needs. Instead of
achieving what Egyptians had called for in the January 25
revolution - `Bread, Freedom, Social Justice and human dignity' - Morsi
and the Muslim Brothers invested the past year in taking control,
implanting their men everywhere,' said the source, `[Morsi] became a
dictator.'
Among the main grievances of the protesters was Morsi's move to issue
a controversial constitutional declaration in Nov. 2012, concentrating
more power in the hands of the President by exempting presidential
decrees from judicial review.
In addition, religion seemed to increasingly be the order of the day.
The new government made it legal for political parties to be formed
based on religion. Religious television channels were established that
allegedly aired programs that called for violence and attempted to
polarize the country based on religion. The new government also
allegedly prepared a list of journalists, activists, intellectuals,
judges and politicians to be arrested.
`Unfortunately, President Morsi was nothing but the Muslim Brothers'
representative in the presidential palace,' said the source. `They
used religion to seek power and remain in power. They opposed all
factions in Egypt: intellectuals, Christians, the Azhar institution,
the opposition, and even the Salafists - the largest Islamist faction -
who had been their ally,' he added.
The Muslim Brotherhood was founded in 1928 by the Islamic scholar
Hassan al-Banna. The organization is active in most Arab states. The
Brotherhood, which has renounced violence, aims to lead society
through the Koran. In recent weeks some in the organization had blamed
Copts and `the church' for participating in Morsi's ouster and
threatened `reaction,' while others had urged their followers to
refrain from attacking Copts or Coptic establishments, according to
HRW.
U.S. reaction
Currently, the Obama administration is considering whether to cut
military aid to Egypt, and has delayed the delivery of F-16 fighter
jets to the country. But Obama's government has also refrained from
calling Morsi's ouster a coup.
`My sense ... with Egypt is that the aid itself may not reverse what the
interim government does,' said Obama during an interview on CNN on
Aug. 23. `But I think what most Americans would say is that we have to
be very careful about being seen as aiding and abetting actions that
we think run contrary to our values and our ideals.'
Obama also said that there is `no doubt that we can't return to
business as usual, given what's happened... There was a space right
after Mr. Morsy was removed in which we did a lot of heavy lifting and
a lot of diplomatic work to try to encourage the military to move in a
path of reconciliation... They did not take that opportunity.'
However, there are those in Washington who espouse a different view.
In early July, The Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs
Committee and its ranking Democrat released a joint statement urging
support for the Egyptian army. The statement by Reps. Ed Royce
(R-Calif.) and Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) contended that Morsi's government
failed to pursue `real democracy.'
`The decision by the Egyptian military to take state authority out of
the hands of the ruling Muslim Brotherhood government marks another
sharp turning point in Egypt's incomplete revolution. What the
Brotherhood neglected to understand is that democracy means more than
simply holding elections. Real democracy requires inclusiveness,
compromise, respect for human and minority rights, and a commitment to
the rule of law. Morsi and his inner circle did not embrace any of
these principles and instead chose to consolidate power and rule by
fiat. As a result the Egyptian people and their economy suffered
greatly,' read the Royce/Engel statement, adding, `We encourage the
military to exercise extreme caution moving forward and support sound
democratic institutions through which the people and future
governments can flourish.'
Egypt and the Armenian Genocide
Recent reports claimed Egyptian interim President Adly Mansoor
announced on Twitter that Egypt would sign the `U.N. declaration on
the Armenian Genocide.' The story went viral despite the fact that
such a declaration does not exist. It is also unlikely that the
Twitter account actually belongs to Mansoor.
However, as relations between Egypt and Turkey are deteriorating, with
both countries withdrawing their ambassadors, Egyptians have been
increasingly more vocal about the events that took place at the turn
of the 20th century. Turkey's staunch support for the Muslim
Brothers - both the Justice and Development (AK) Party and the
Brotherhood are two apples from the same tree (as is the case with the
Syrian opposition, supported by the Brotherhood) - has given rise to
anti-Erdogan sentiments among those who opposed Morsi. Most recently,
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel for being
behind Morsi's ouster. And thus, Egyptian-Armenians do hold hope that
the country might officially recognize the Genocide.
`Egypt has started a campaign against Turkey, systematically exposing
the issue of the Armenian genocide among other topics. The media,
intellectuals, and politicians are raising this issue on every
occasion. Human rights organizations are asking the Egyptian
government to recognize the Genocide... Everybody seems to be concerned
about the Armenian Genocide, in every talk show someone is bound to
talk about it,' said our Cairo source, adding, `Even the publicity
going on about genocide is a victory in its own.'
Armenians in Egypt
Starting in the 11th century, Armenians have brought their
contributions to Egyptian history, holding important positions
including the role of vizier. Egypt's first Prime Minister (1878) was
an Armenian by the name of Nubar Pasha, who held that post three times
during his career. At the turn of the 20th century, Egypt's wealthy
Armenian community helped organize and support the post-genocide
communities in the area.
However, many Armenians emigrated after the Egyptian Revolution of
1952 led by Muhammad Neguib (first President of Egypt) and Gamal Abdel
Nasser (second President of Egypt). Once numbered at 50,000, today's
Egyptian-Armenian population is estimated to be between 6,000 and
8,000.
Note: Due to safety concerns, we at The Armenian Weekly have refrained
from identifying the names of our sources.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2013/08/25/amid-turmoil-armenians-of-egypt-on-the-sidelines/
By Nanore Barsoumian // August 25, 2013
As violence peaked in Egypt in recent weeks, and rumors spread about
an attack on an Armenian church, the Armenian Weekly contacted members
of the Egyptian Armenian community for their interpretation of the
events unfolding in the country.
Wedding at the Boghos Bedros Armenian Apostolic Church in Alexandria
in 2008 (Photo by Nanore Barsoumian)
For the most part, the community had resented President Mohamed
Morsi's policies - concerned that religious polarization was being
encouraged in the country, with Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood, and
their Islamist allies on one side, and moderate Muslims, Christians,
and liberals on the other. So when tens of millions of Egyptians
flooded the streets calling for an end to Morsi's rule, many Armenians
supported the demands of the protesters, some even joined the crowds.
In recent days, Armenians stood on the sidelines, witnessing the
burning of - mostly Coptic - churches. Armenians still felt safe and, as
our sources confirmed, they did not believe their lives or
institutions were threatened or targeted, despite a recent incident in
Cairo that endangered an Armenian church, and perhaps even lives.
`While police were dispersing the violent crowd at [Cairo's] Ramses
Square, some of the protesters hurled stones at the [St. Krikor
Lousavorich] Church. As a result, the stained glass at the front of
the church was affected minimally. Then, someone threw a Molotov
cocktail. The bomb fell in the courtyard of the church, without any
casualties or harm to the church,' a community leader* in Cairo told
the Weekly.
`The Muslim Brotherhood knows very well what they are aiming at. They
could have burnt the church earlier while marching to Ramses square.
The incident happened later on, when they were dispersing. It wouldn't
be wise to exaggerate incidents we were not the targets of. Their
targets are the Copts because they believe they were mainly
responsible for toppling Morsi,' added the source.
An oral surgeon from Alexandria - Egypt's second largest city that was
once home to a vibrant Armenian community - assured that members of his
community were safe. `Some people are being killed, a lot of churches
are being burnt, but we, Armenians, are ok,' he said.
Armenians are remaining cautious, staying indoors whenever there is a
threat of violence on the streets. An Egyptian-Armenian student said
his family felt safe, since men in his neighborhood stood guard when
mobs approached, despite that hours before the Armenian Weekly
contacted him a protest by Morsi supporters outside his apartment
building concluded with gunshots in the air.
Churches ablaze
On August 14, Morsi supporters targeted Copts and Coptic institutions
in the country, setting ablaze at least 50 churches, schools, and
businesses, according to the Egyptian Al-Ahram newspaper. They
included one of the oldest churches in Egypt, the Virgin Mary Church
in Minya that dates back to the fourth century, as well as Greek,
Baptist, Catholic, and Evangelical churches. The perpetrators threw
Molotov cocktails and firebombs at these establishments.
Remains of burned Coptic religious texts outside the al-Amir Tadros
Church in Minya city on August 19, 2013 (Copyright Matt Ford-HRW)
On Aug. 21, Human Rights Watch (HRW) condemned the attacks, and the
authorities' failure to protect minorities. HRW compiled a list of 42
churches that had been attacked, and noted the shooting death of two
Copts, and the murder of one Muslim and one Copt - coworkers that had
hid in the bathroom of an establishment as a mob set it on fire.
Meanwhile in the city of Minya, residents reported that Coptic-owned
stores had been marked with a black `X' before being attacked.
HRW also condemned the attacks on police officers and stations. Since
Aug. 14, 100 police officers have been reportedly killed. HRW also
noted two instances where policemen were executed - 13 in one case and
15 mutilated in another.
However, the organization also criticized the failure of authorities
to protect minorities. `For weeks, everyone could see these attacks
coming, with Muslim Brotherhood members accusing Coptic Christians of
a role in Mohammad Morsi's ouster, but the authorities did little or
nothing to prevent them,' said Joe Stork, acting Middle East director
at Human Rights Watch. `Now dozens of churches are smoldering ruins,
and Christians throughout the country are hiding in their homes,
afraid for their very lives.'
According to analysts, the attacks against Copts are at a scale that
was never seen before. Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II has cancelled
sermon for weeks in a row due to the looming threat of violence. In a
public plea, Tawadros called on all Egyptians to refrain from
violence, `I ask every Egyptian to preserve Egyptian blood and
exercise self-restraint and stop any assault against anyone,' he was
quoted by Al-Ahram as saying. Meanwhile, pro-Mosri protesters chanted
slogans against Tawadros while attacking three churches, Coptic-owned
businesses, two schools, and an orphanage in Minya city, reported HRW.
The violence directed at Copts is not an attack against Christians,
but against the Egyptian nation, said our Armenian source in Cairo.
And thus, Christians and moderate Muslims are united in their struggle
against Islamist elements that are supported by the West, he added.
The response from the West - mainly the United States - seems to be an
issue of concern for our Armenian sources. `Don't listen to what the
U.S. media is telling you about the Ikhwan [Brothers],' pleaded the
student from Alexandria. `They're not telling the truth. These people
are terrorists. They are ready to kill anyone... they have burnt down
and attacked churches all around Egypt, and still the U.S. and E.U.
are protecting them. We, Armenians, are supporting the army and the
police against Muslim Brotherhood terror,' he added.
The oral surgeon from Alexandria agreed, `Most of this trouble comes
from the West backing the Muslim Brothers,' he said.
Morsi `became a dictator'
Over 30 million Egyptians flooded the streets demanding the
resignation of Morsi on June 30. Protesters waved signs that read
`Erhal ya Morsi' (Leave Morsi). Some local Armenians joined the
protests, in solidarity with neighbors and friends and in fear of the
future under Morsi.
The Rebel (also known as Tamarod) petition, which called for early
presidential elections, reportedly garnered 22 million signatures that
were authenticated through national ID numbers.
Protestors sought the army's protection and support. On July 3, Morsi
was deposed and power was entrusted with the Constitutional Court to
run matters until a new government transitioned to power. Since then,
around 900 people have been killed, including 100 police officers, and
hundreds of Morsi supporters. Violence escalated when the army
dispersed two pro-Mosri protests in Cairo that ended in bloodshed. In
recent days, a number of Muslim Brotherhood leaders were arrested.
Our source in Cairo held that the protests and uprisings that led to
Morsi's removal from power were the result of a popular will, `a
revolution against a fascist regime that harbored terrorists.' He also
rejected the notion that Morsi's removal amounted to a military coup.
In his view, the army - under the command of Defense Minister Gen.
Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, simply backed the will of the majority of
Egyptians - the estimated 30 million protesters that poured onto the
streets of Egypt almost two months ago - just as it had done in January
2011, when protesters demanded the resignation of then-President Hosni
Mubarak.
`Why didn't anyone call [Mubarak's ousting] a coup? We are talking
about ten times that crowd. The military helped [protesters] in that
first uprising. Contrary to [reports by] the Western press, the
military is the most stable element in the country,' he argued.
`[Morsi's government] was driving the country to hell.'
A stained glass window in a Coptic Church in Cairo (Photo by Nanore Barsoumian)
Those who called for the resignation of Morsi had much to blame on the
new government - including intimidation and threats (even against
elected officials), economic hardship, deteriorating security,
political failures, and a drop in the standard of living. Morsi came
to be viewed as a representative of the Muslim Brotherhood, an entity
whose interests differed from those of the majority of Egyptians', and
whose agenda seemed cynical and dark, marked by greed for power and
control.
`[Morsi] failed to provide Egyptians their basic needs. Instead of
achieving what Egyptians had called for in the January 25
revolution - `Bread, Freedom, Social Justice and human dignity' - Morsi
and the Muslim Brothers invested the past year in taking control,
implanting their men everywhere,' said the source, `[Morsi] became a
dictator.'
Among the main grievances of the protesters was Morsi's move to issue
a controversial constitutional declaration in Nov. 2012, concentrating
more power in the hands of the President by exempting presidential
decrees from judicial review.
In addition, religion seemed to increasingly be the order of the day.
The new government made it legal for political parties to be formed
based on religion. Religious television channels were established that
allegedly aired programs that called for violence and attempted to
polarize the country based on religion. The new government also
allegedly prepared a list of journalists, activists, intellectuals,
judges and politicians to be arrested.
`Unfortunately, President Morsi was nothing but the Muslim Brothers'
representative in the presidential palace,' said the source. `They
used religion to seek power and remain in power. They opposed all
factions in Egypt: intellectuals, Christians, the Azhar institution,
the opposition, and even the Salafists - the largest Islamist faction -
who had been their ally,' he added.
The Muslim Brotherhood was founded in 1928 by the Islamic scholar
Hassan al-Banna. The organization is active in most Arab states. The
Brotherhood, which has renounced violence, aims to lead society
through the Koran. In recent weeks some in the organization had blamed
Copts and `the church' for participating in Morsi's ouster and
threatened `reaction,' while others had urged their followers to
refrain from attacking Copts or Coptic establishments, according to
HRW.
U.S. reaction
Currently, the Obama administration is considering whether to cut
military aid to Egypt, and has delayed the delivery of F-16 fighter
jets to the country. But Obama's government has also refrained from
calling Morsi's ouster a coup.
`My sense ... with Egypt is that the aid itself may not reverse what the
interim government does,' said Obama during an interview on CNN on
Aug. 23. `But I think what most Americans would say is that we have to
be very careful about being seen as aiding and abetting actions that
we think run contrary to our values and our ideals.'
Obama also said that there is `no doubt that we can't return to
business as usual, given what's happened... There was a space right
after Mr. Morsy was removed in which we did a lot of heavy lifting and
a lot of diplomatic work to try to encourage the military to move in a
path of reconciliation... They did not take that opportunity.'
However, there are those in Washington who espouse a different view.
In early July, The Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs
Committee and its ranking Democrat released a joint statement urging
support for the Egyptian army. The statement by Reps. Ed Royce
(R-Calif.) and Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) contended that Morsi's government
failed to pursue `real democracy.'
`The decision by the Egyptian military to take state authority out of
the hands of the ruling Muslim Brotherhood government marks another
sharp turning point in Egypt's incomplete revolution. What the
Brotherhood neglected to understand is that democracy means more than
simply holding elections. Real democracy requires inclusiveness,
compromise, respect for human and minority rights, and a commitment to
the rule of law. Morsi and his inner circle did not embrace any of
these principles and instead chose to consolidate power and rule by
fiat. As a result the Egyptian people and their economy suffered
greatly,' read the Royce/Engel statement, adding, `We encourage the
military to exercise extreme caution moving forward and support sound
democratic institutions through which the people and future
governments can flourish.'
Egypt and the Armenian Genocide
Recent reports claimed Egyptian interim President Adly Mansoor
announced on Twitter that Egypt would sign the `U.N. declaration on
the Armenian Genocide.' The story went viral despite the fact that
such a declaration does not exist. It is also unlikely that the
Twitter account actually belongs to Mansoor.
However, as relations between Egypt and Turkey are deteriorating, with
both countries withdrawing their ambassadors, Egyptians have been
increasingly more vocal about the events that took place at the turn
of the 20th century. Turkey's staunch support for the Muslim
Brothers - both the Justice and Development (AK) Party and the
Brotherhood are two apples from the same tree (as is the case with the
Syrian opposition, supported by the Brotherhood) - has given rise to
anti-Erdogan sentiments among those who opposed Morsi. Most recently,
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel for being
behind Morsi's ouster. And thus, Egyptian-Armenians do hold hope that
the country might officially recognize the Genocide.
`Egypt has started a campaign against Turkey, systematically exposing
the issue of the Armenian genocide among other topics. The media,
intellectuals, and politicians are raising this issue on every
occasion. Human rights organizations are asking the Egyptian
government to recognize the Genocide... Everybody seems to be concerned
about the Armenian Genocide, in every talk show someone is bound to
talk about it,' said our Cairo source, adding, `Even the publicity
going on about genocide is a victory in its own.'
Armenians in Egypt
Starting in the 11th century, Armenians have brought their
contributions to Egyptian history, holding important positions
including the role of vizier. Egypt's first Prime Minister (1878) was
an Armenian by the name of Nubar Pasha, who held that post three times
during his career. At the turn of the 20th century, Egypt's wealthy
Armenian community helped organize and support the post-genocide
communities in the area.
However, many Armenians emigrated after the Egyptian Revolution of
1952 led by Muhammad Neguib (first President of Egypt) and Gamal Abdel
Nasser (second President of Egypt). Once numbered at 50,000, today's
Egyptian-Armenian population is estimated to be between 6,000 and
8,000.
Note: Due to safety concerns, we at The Armenian Weekly have refrained
from identifying the names of our sources.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress