CAIRO: Residents of the Minya village of Deir Abu Hanas celebrated the governor’s decision to keep the village’s name, after Minister of Justice’s decision to change it to Wadi Al Na’na’ promoted widespread protest among its predominantly Christian community.
The decision by Governor Ahmed Diaa El Din Monday night to reverse Minister Mamdouh Marei initial decision was welcomed by Abu Hanas’ Coptic community of 35,000.
They see it as a positive response to their call to keep unchanged the name they believe carries the Coptic identity of the Upper Egypt village.
On June 9, residents of Abu Hanas were informed of the decision to change their village’s name, which was taken by the Ministry of Justice on April 12.
As a result, around 4,000 of the Coptic village’s residents took up the streets in protest. They also launched a campaign to collect signatures on a petition voicing their objection and sent complaints to several governmental institutions.
Ashraf Ashiry, National Democratic Party MP representing the village’s Malawi constituency, sent an immediate request on Monday to Minister of Local Development Abdel Salam Mahgoub urging him not to implement Marie’s decision.
Ramsis El Nagar, the lawyer representing the village’s residents, met with Diaa El Din who issued decree 927/2009 that reinstated the village’s name as Deir Abu Hanas.
“All inhabitants of the village are Christians; the village houses several Coptic antiquities in addition to its historical significance. I see no need for the government to change its name, El Nagar told Daily News Egypt.
Abu Hanas’ historical significance dates back to the fifth century when it was built next to a prominent monastery named after Bishop Yuhannas Al Kaseer, from which the name Deir Abu Hanas was derived.
In 1964, the government attempted for the first time to change Abu Hanas’ name, promoting strong objection from the residents.
