|
When this phenomena started at the time of late President
Sadat,the officials of the Coptic Church sent complaints to Sadat, asked that the
criminals be punished and requested the return of the kidnapped girls who
were under the age of 21.
These complaints were initiated from the Coptic Holy Synod, the Coptic Ethnic Council, the Coptic Clergy and representatives from many
Coptic sectors. They were all gathered into a Coptic Convention in the city
of Alexandria, Egypt and in the presence of H.H. Pope Shenouda III, on
December 17, 1976. A resolution of the convention was concerning "The
pressures made to convert Christian girls to Islam, and marry them to Muslim men under threats and intimidations".
These crimes against Christian girls and Christian families are nowadays committed every where, not only in Upper Egypt, and in villages,
but extended to big cities such as Cairo and Alexandria.
The 1997 report, on pages 46 and 127-137 and 139, of the
Centerof Human Rights in Egypt, mentions the numerous cases of kidnap of
We mention here the latest complaint which we received in this
matter, was from Samy Sedky Rateb, a Christian, 39 years old, who lives in
Nazlat Moustafa, Dairout, Province of Asuit, Egypt. He states that his
sister, Anwar Sedky Rateb, 21 years old, was kidnapped on June 18, 2003, by
persons in the same village, who previously kidnapped her in 1998 and she
then was able to escape.
When the village Priest informed the local police,the national security police detained him for 5 hours and ordered him not tospeak about this subject again. The brother of the kidnapped girl was also threaten that his own children would be kidnapped if he complained to higher authorities.
On April 12, 2003, a Christian girl, Neven Malak, 17 years old, who lived in the village of Kolosna, Samalout, Provinve of Menya, was
kidnapped. In protest, the sister of the kidnapped girl, Heba Malak, 19
years old, was on a hunger strike since then, her health deteriorated and
was transferred to a hospital in Menia city.
The crimes of kidnapping Christian girls threaten the National
unity in Egypt which would lead to a crisis similar to the crisis of
El-Kosheh village.
These inhumane crimes are against all International Laws and
Agreements concerning Human Rights, upon which Egypt signed and supposed to
adopt. These international agreements are considered part of the National
urisdictions in Egypt related to the freedom of religion and not forcing
any one to adopt a certain religion.
These crimes tarnish the reputation of Egypt, in the civilized world, something which should avoid by all means.
We expect from the Egyptian authorities in all levels to
punish the criminals who commit such inhumane crimes and make from them examples which deter others. We expect all families and individuals to live in
peace and harmony any where in Egypt.
May God protect Egypt from such criminals and from those who
encourage and protect them
Pastor Ed McNeely
Mission by the Sea, Alligator Point, FL 32346
|