Minya bishop criticizes Al-Azhar initiative to tackle sectarianism

Minya Bishop Makaryous dismissed efforts by representatives from the church and Al-Azhar as being about publicity and not real reconciliation.

The delegation visited Karm village in Minya governorate, where an elderly Coptic Christian woman was assaulted and Christian houses were looted earlier this week.

Makaryous said interventions by the "Bayt al-Aila" (Family House) initiative just resulted in photo opportunities, but didn’t actually resolve any problems, in a statement on Saturday.

“It is state agencies that need to [intervene],” Makaryous said, “and not religious figures.”

Seven Coptic Christian homes were looted and destroyed on Wednesday after rumors of a romantic relationship between a Christian man, Ashraf Atteya, and a Muslim woman circulated in the village. According to a statement from the Minya Archbishopric, Atteya’s elderly mother Soad was stripped naked, beaten, and dragged through the streets.

Makaryous claimed problems will not be solved until the perpetrators are held accountable and those responsible acknowledge their shortcomings.

The Interior Ministry announced the initial arrest of five people in relation to the incident, followed by the arrest of five more.

“Announcing the arrest of five people is just announcing numbers, with no names,” the bishop stated, adding that not attending the reconciliation meetings sends a message: “implement the law first and then hold meetings.”

Makaryous said several incidents have taken place in Minya before and that the Family House initiative “foiled the cause, and forced the victim to concede.”

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi issued a statement on Thursday declaring that the vandalized properties would be restored within a month, and that police would carry out a swift investigation to bring those responsible to justice.

Makaryous called for implementing the president’s orders as well as the rule of law.

“I urge Azhar scholars to clearly condemn the incident, otherwise their silence is considered corroboration,” he said. 

Pope Tawadros II of the Coptic Orthodox Church appointed Bishop Makaryous the church's official representative in the case, according to a statement by the church's spokesperson.

On Thursday, the head of the Family House initiative and Al-Azhar sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb announced that 20 Al-Azhar preachers would go to the village to preach awareness and tolerance in an effort to contain the situation.

Composed of church and Al-Azhar officials, the Family House initiative attempts to mediate between Muslims and Christians and has played a role in several recent incidents of sectarian violence.