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MICHAEL MEUNIER: "CHRISTIANS IN EGYPT WILL NOT BEND TO ISLAMIC JIHADISTS AND TERRORISTS"
Mediamax, Armenia
July 17 2013
Wednesday 17 July 2013 14:21
Almost 3 weeks have passed after the Egypt's President Mohamed Morsi
ouster, but unrest in Egypt continues. In different regions of Egypt
violence against the Christian population has increased.
Mediamax has talked with Michael Meunier, who is the President of Al
Haya Party in Egypt. He is the founder of the U.S. Copts Association
and a democracy, human rights and religious freedom activist in Egypt.
- An Orthodox priest was killed in Egypt recently. Father Cheroubim
was shot and killed by masked gunmen in the streets of a northern
Sinai Egyptian city. It appears to be a deadly trend of targeting
Christians as supporters of the popular uprising that led to the
removal of Mohamed Morsi from office.
- It is obvious that the religious establishment in Egypt and the
Muslim brotherhood have tried to use religious hatred to motivate
their supporters even before June 30 revolution. They have attempted
to intimidate Christians and threaten them not to go on the streets on
June 30 otherwise they will be attacked. The terrorists who supported
Morsi tried to threaten leaders such as myself with death threats,
in case if I was to show up on the streets on the June 30 or if I
ask Christians to participate.
After losing the power they are using violence and attacks in attempt
to punish Christians and to incite a civil war. They have killed
another Christian in Sinai during weekend and decapitated him. They
have burnt 4 churches and have burnt 5 Christians in Luxor people
inside their homes. They also killed 4 other Christians in the south
of Egypt. All those attempts are designed to push Egypt into civil
war. However, the Egyptian people are smart and understand what the
Muslim brotherhood are trying to do.
- There were reports that the Muslim Brotherhood was trying to
represent the protests as the ones organized only by Christians. What
are the real aims of Islam radicals connected with the Christians
of Egypt?
- They tried to represent the protests as the ones only organized by
Christians to mobilize the fanatic elements of the population to go
against the protest. They also used this tactic to stop regular Muslims
from participating in the protest. All these attempts failed and
Muslims and Christians together went on the streets and removed Morsi.
- Under what conditions were the Christians of Egypt, Armenians in
particular, living during the one year of Morsi presidency?
- All Egyptians were persecuted in Egypt during that period. Armenian
community in Egypt is not very big, so they are not distinguished from
most Egyptian Christians. As I know, Armenians are not participating
actively in political life of Egypt. The Muslim Brotherhood was trying
to install a religious state in Egypt with no rights for non-Muslims
and for even Muslims who are not members of their clan. They have
modified the Constitution to turn Egypt into a religious state.
Christian churches were attacked, Christians were excluded from public
life and the political process. Many Christian business owners ended
up closing their business and immigrating.
- What does the post-Morsi Egypt look like?
- The most important step is the roadmap that we have set up. We are
now forming an interim government to lead Egypt into modifying the
constitution, then we will hold presidential and then parliamentary
elections. This was the path that we should have taken after removing
Mubarak but the Muslim Brotherhood derailed the process.
- A report last year by Civitas, a British think-tank, warned that
Christianity in the whole Middle East was facing "extinction" due to
mounting attacks and persecution. How real is this fear?
- That is very true due to the intervention of the US in Iraq and other
countries without providing protection to the Christian minorities
living in those countries. Christians were immigrating from Egypt
in huge numbers. However, after the revolution I hope we can get
them to come back. There are 18 million Christians in Egypt and they
will stay strong in the Middle East as long as the Copts are well in
Egypt. Egyptian Christians are the original inhibitors of this land.
We are all here determined to stay and reclaim Egypt as a untied
nation for all Egyptians. We intend on living as first class citizens
and will not bend to Islamic jihadists and terrorists.
Narine Daneghyan talked to Michael Meunier specially for Mediamax.
- See more at:
http://www.mediamax.am/en/news/interviews/7747/#sthash.V9rJHGqj.dpuf
Mediamax, Armenia
July 17 2013
Wednesday 17 July 2013 14:21
Almost 3 weeks have passed after the Egypt's President Mohamed Morsi
ouster, but unrest in Egypt continues. In different regions of Egypt
violence against the Christian population has increased.
Mediamax has talked with Michael Meunier, who is the President of Al
Haya Party in Egypt. He is the founder of the U.S. Copts Association
and a democracy, human rights and religious freedom activist in Egypt.
- An Orthodox priest was killed in Egypt recently. Father Cheroubim
was shot and killed by masked gunmen in the streets of a northern
Sinai Egyptian city. It appears to be a deadly trend of targeting
Christians as supporters of the popular uprising that led to the
removal of Mohamed Morsi from office.
- It is obvious that the religious establishment in Egypt and the
Muslim brotherhood have tried to use religious hatred to motivate
their supporters even before June 30 revolution. They have attempted
to intimidate Christians and threaten them not to go on the streets on
June 30 otherwise they will be attacked. The terrorists who supported
Morsi tried to threaten leaders such as myself with death threats,
in case if I was to show up on the streets on the June 30 or if I
ask Christians to participate.
After losing the power they are using violence and attacks in attempt
to punish Christians and to incite a civil war. They have killed
another Christian in Sinai during weekend and decapitated him. They
have burnt 4 churches and have burnt 5 Christians in Luxor people
inside their homes. They also killed 4 other Christians in the south
of Egypt. All those attempts are designed to push Egypt into civil
war. However, the Egyptian people are smart and understand what the
Muslim brotherhood are trying to do.
- There were reports that the Muslim Brotherhood was trying to
represent the protests as the ones organized only by Christians. What
are the real aims of Islam radicals connected with the Christians
of Egypt?
- They tried to represent the protests as the ones only organized by
Christians to mobilize the fanatic elements of the population to go
against the protest. They also used this tactic to stop regular Muslims
from participating in the protest. All these attempts failed and
Muslims and Christians together went on the streets and removed Morsi.
- Under what conditions were the Christians of Egypt, Armenians in
particular, living during the one year of Morsi presidency?
- All Egyptians were persecuted in Egypt during that period. Armenian
community in Egypt is not very big, so they are not distinguished from
most Egyptian Christians. As I know, Armenians are not participating
actively in political life of Egypt. The Muslim Brotherhood was trying
to install a religious state in Egypt with no rights for non-Muslims
and for even Muslims who are not members of their clan. They have
modified the Constitution to turn Egypt into a religious state.
Christian churches were attacked, Christians were excluded from public
life and the political process. Many Christian business owners ended
up closing their business and immigrating.
- What does the post-Morsi Egypt look like?
- The most important step is the roadmap that we have set up. We are
now forming an interim government to lead Egypt into modifying the
constitution, then we will hold presidential and then parliamentary
elections. This was the path that we should have taken after removing
Mubarak but the Muslim Brotherhood derailed the process.
- A report last year by Civitas, a British think-tank, warned that
Christianity in the whole Middle East was facing "extinction" due to
mounting attacks and persecution. How real is this fear?
- That is very true due to the intervention of the US in Iraq and other
countries without providing protection to the Christian minorities
living in those countries. Christians were immigrating from Egypt
in huge numbers. However, after the revolution I hope we can get
them to come back. There are 18 million Christians in Egypt and they
will stay strong in the Middle East as long as the Copts are well in
Egypt. Egyptian Christians are the original inhibitors of this land.
We are all here determined to stay and reclaim Egypt as a untied
nation for all Egyptians. We intend on living as first class citizens
and will not bend to Islamic jihadists and terrorists.
Narine Daneghyan talked to Michael Meunier specially for Mediamax.
- See more at:
http://www.mediamax.am/en/news/interviews/7747/#sthash.V9rJHGqj.dpuf