CAIRO: Pope Shenouda’s meetings with Prime Minister Essam Sharaf and his Deputy Yehia El-Gamal stirred debate over the government’s approach towards Coptic grievances, with some saying these issues should be discussed in a wider context.
Coptic figures described the meetings as “positive” but urged that tackling Coptic issues should be acknowledged as a part of the problems of the Egyptian people, separating them from the Church.
Pope Shenouda met Sharaf on Sunday in the Cathedral’s headquarters, where Sharaf asked the Pope to pray for Egypt, urging restraint so that Egypt passes this transitional phase peacefully.
Sharaf also urged the Pope to enforce “The Family House” initiative, initiated by Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar Ahmed El-Tayeb, to combat sectarian tension.
Sources in the Papal office told Daily News Egypt that the Pope gave Sharaf a list that includes the names of 11 protesters detained by the army during the Coptic protests in front of Maspero, asking for their release.
The Pope also urged Sharaf to reopen seven churches that had been closed by security forces, while Sharaf promised to solve all those problems indicating that he asked the education minister to form a committee to purify curricula from subjects inciting sectarianism and enforcing other subjects calling for equality and citizenship.
Sources said that Sharaf and Shenouda discussed Article 2 of the constitution, where the Pope said he is not worried about the article as much as he is concerned with its actual implementation, presenting suggestions to either add a phrase that stipulates that “other religious minorities have their own legislations” or changing “Islamic legislation is the main source of legislation” to “Islamic legislation is a source of legislation.”
The Pope met El-Gamal later, urging him to issue new laws especially the ones related to churches construction and personal status. He also called for the prosecution of those responsible for burning down Etfeeh Church in Helwan, as promised by the Supreme Council of Armed Forces.
The meeting stirred debate over the way the government tackles Coptic issues where the church is considered the representative of all Copts.
Orthodox Church Lawyer Ramsis El-Naggar told DNE that the Coptic Church advocates the same principles of the January 25 Revolution when it comes to tackling Coptic issues, demanding a civil society that grants the rights and liberties of all citizens.
El-Naggar said that when a civil state is based on citizenship, Copts will blend in a democratic society and will not face any discrimination.
“In a civil state, one religion should not be favored over the other, but we have to restore to citizenship roles that guarantees equality to all sides.”
Coordinator of Secular Copts Group Kamal Zakher told DNE that although the meeting is positive, it enforces the same practices of the old regime of personifying Copts in the Pope’s character to politically and socially marginalize them.
“Copts have to be dealt with as part of the national fabric that has political and social demands, not necessarily one bloc represented by the Church.”
Zakher confirmed that solving all the Copts’ problems will start by forming a new constitution based on citizenship, which is demanded by all enlightened political streams.
“The continued debate over the second article in the constitution incites sectarianism and used by Islamists to mobilize the society as a threat to the Muslim majority like the Muslim Brotherhood have who mobilized people to vote yes for constitutional amendments.
“The solution is to deal with the second article in light of a new constitution not modifying it alone,” said Zakher.
