Copts in Socio-political Systems of Egypt and Sudan
Since Egypt became the main intellectual and cultural centre in the Arab Islamic world, the fate of Copts and all Christian community of the Middle East in general, has been the future of other religious minorities in this region. A unique state of Egypt, in which a single ethnic group divided on religious grounds, leads to opposition parties. No doubt deliberate policy of persecution and discrimination against Copts, if not by the Egyptian government, with its acquiescence. The Copts are in a position to save «the evil peace» by any opposition or hostility to the state. Hostility to the Copts manifests itself at different levels with varying degrees of intensity. The first level is religious it's enmity between Muslims and Christians, when each group of believers has the opinion of the only true doctrine. The second is ideological where one nation of different philosophical positions bases on different religions. Accordingly, they have a different attitude to life situations and different behavior in everyday life. The third is state. Established belief of Islam, reflected in the state structure, contraries to the Christian vision. Muslim government creates a system of Islamic law, with no place to another worldview. The fourth is international. On the one hand, financial assistance to Egypt by the U.S. government gives opportunity the U.S.A. to influence at the Egyptian government. On the other hand, requiring the observance of the rights of smaller populations, the U.S. government released the Copts into the means for creating tension in the state, because it supports to the forces that are with the government of Egypt in tension. The fifth level is pastoral where hostility is between the heads of the communities holding the minds and hearts of his parishioners. It's impossible to talk about hostility of the Copts as they do not have the freedom of expression of thoughts and feelings. Hostility between leaders of the two communities generally comes to the reflection of the tension in ordinary life of two communities. The sixth is household. At this level of hostility arises from the difference in the level of culture, development and the granted privileges. Persecution of Copts in Egypt is the part of a General trend persecution of dissent in Egypt. Despite the fact that the government of Egypt itself has been active in the fight with terrorists, but it allows the persecution of the Copts by the extremist Islamic groups. Destabilization in the region will give a new excuse of religious confrontation in Egypt, hiding the real opportunity the existence in peace of two religious groups. Analysis of the causes of Copts survival in Muslim surrounding can help other minorities to solve their conflicts. Nowadays in global instability it's very important to study and have experience a settlement of religious and national conflicts within the state.
Keywords
копты, меньшинства, христианский, конфликт, Египет, Copts, minority, conflict, Christian, EgyptAuthors
Name | Organization | |
Krivets Elena A. | Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russiann Academy of Sciences (Moscow) | hel-helena@yandex.ru |
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