Hundreds of Islamists have demolished a
building owned by the Coptic Orthodox Church of St. George Taymah in the
diocese of the Fayyum (central Egypt 133 km south of Cairo).
According
to the Egyptian news agency Middle East Christian News the
incident occurred yesterday afternoon.
The reasons for the assault are
currently unknown.
The two buildings, a meeting room and a center for
parish events were under construction.
Fr. Rafic Greiche
spokesman for the Egyptian Catholic Church, points out that these facts
have become commonplace in Egypt ruled by the Muslim Brotherhood. "This
week - he says - another three buildings were attacked in other parts of
Egypt."
The priest said these events happen in rural areas and are
often linked to disputes between the Coptic and Muslim communities.
Religious hatred is just an excuse. In addition, the climate of impunity
and insecurity, which in recent years has allowed many families linked
to crime to act unscathed.
After the fall of President Mubarak
and the rise to power of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Salafists,
attacks against churches and Christian buildings have increased. In the
poorest areas of the country, but also in the capital, cuts to public
security and the army have left them powerless in the face of these
attacks instigated by Salafis.
With their money and their promises, the
extremists urge residents to drive Christians out to take over their
lands, taking advantage of the absence of a clear law that regulates the
construction of religious buildings.
On 7 July 2011
a hundred extremists armed with sticks and iron bars occupied an area
located a few meters from the church of St. Mina in Shubra al-Kheima in
the heart of Cairo.
As in the case of Taymah a new center for parish
meetings was under construction. Amid police indifference, Islamists
presided over the area for more than 24 hours and hoisted a banner
reading "Mosque Ebad al-Rahman."
Another case is that which took place
in May 2011 in Merinab
(Aswan - Upper Egypt) where more than 3 thousand Muslims incited by the
local imam set fire to the small Coptic church in the village accusing
the Christians of building it without the permission of the authorities.