Coptic Christians, women paying the price of the increasing Islamization of Egyptian society

Dhimmi Watch

“There can be no solution to the problem in isolation from Egyptian society. When there is a reasonable degree of freedom in Egyptian society, there will be a reasonable degree of freedom for Copts.” "Italy: Copts the victims of Islamisation says prize-winning Egyptian author," from AKI, November 10 (thanks to Banafsheh Zand-Bonazzi):

Otranto, 10 Nov. (AKI) – Coptic Christians, women and other minorities are paying the price of increasing Islamisation in Egyptian society, leading author and intellectual, Tarek Heggy, has told Adnkronos International (AKI). The fundamentalist opposition Muslim Brotherhood was one of the groups responsible and was indoctrinating young people through its welfare work, Heggy said.

“I believe the major problem for the Copts in Egypt is related to the overall cultural environment. The more radical society becomes, the worse the situation gets. This is also true for Bahaiis,” Heggy said, referring to a smaller religious minority in Egypt which now numbers only a few hundred people....

The Islamisation of education in recent decades is a major cause of an intolerant mindset that has developed in Egypt, which the Muslim Brotherhood has helped create under the guise of aid to local communities, Heggy argued.

“The Muslim Brotherhood is well regarded by the average Egyptian, who equates the government with autocracy, corruption and repression,” Heggy said.

”The group is seen as less corrupt and more supportive of people, and serving them in the real arena of need – health and education. ”...

“There can be no solution to the problem in isolation from Egyptian society. When there is a reasonable degree of freedom in Egyptian society, there will be a reasonable degree of freedom for Copts.”

President Hosni Mubarak’s successor will be the key to Egypt’s future, according to Heggy. "It needs a competent leader who can bring about economic and social progress and improve the living conditions of women and men. "

He said the country's gross domestic product per capita is 1,200 dollars and 25 percent of the population is unemployed with joblessness concentrated in the 20-40 age group.

The high unemployment and low living standards of ordinary Egyptians is in stark contrast to the wealth of Egypt’s cabinet ministers, seven of whom are on the Forbes rich list, Heggy said. “There is a conflict of interest between these people and the long-term interests of Egypt,” he stressed.

Heggy has lectured at many universities and research centres including University of California in Berkley and The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. He is also a board member or trustee of numerous institutions including the Egypt Bar Association, Egypt Writers Association, the MSA University and Girls College Ain Shams University in Cairo, and the Council for Supreme Education in Abu Dhabi.