A Rally Against The Forced Conversion Of Young Girls And The Recent Massacre

Media Release


18th January 2010

Coptic Orthodox Christian Church, Sydney Australia

A Rally Against The Forced Conversion Of Young
Girls And The Recent Massacre Of Christians In
Upper Egypt.




WHEN: Tuesday 19th January 2010, 12.00pm to 2.00pm

WHERE: Meeting at the St James end of Hyde Park
(Corner St James St and Macquarie St)

AIM: The rally will be led by the clergy of the Coptic Orthodox diocese of Sydney and its affiliated
regions along with members of the Coptic Community, politicians and other religious leaders from
various denominations and all peace loving people.

The aim is to raise awareness to fellow Australians and the Government regarding the atrocities being
committed against Coptic Christians in Egypt and to highlight the dangers of religious extremism that is
escalating rapidly in Egypt and around the world.

BACKGROUND: On the eve of Coptic Orthodox Christmas, which is celebrated on the 7th January,
three men in a car sprayed automatic gunfire into a crowd of churchgoers in Upper Egypt as they left
Midnight Mass. This violent act resulted in killing at least six people and injuring many others. The
massacre took place in the town of Nag Hammadi in Qena province, about 64km from the famous
ancient ruins of Luxor.

This is not an isolated incident. It is just one of a long list of coordinated attacks against Coptic
Christians that have resulted in hundreds of deaths in the last few years, with NO judicial reprimand.

Among these attacks, Muslim extremists are kidnapping, assaulting and forcing young CHRISTIAN
GIRLS to convert from Christianity to Islam (refer to the Christian Solidarity International Report
November 2009), they are destroying and looting properties belonging to Christians, they attack
Christian places of worship and even clergy.

Once again, factions of the Egyptian Government has not only failed to protect its Christian citizens
against violent acts of religious extremism but have also supported and/or facilitated acts of breaches of
human rights. The Egyptian government is sending a strong message that Coptic Christian blood is
worthless and consequently giving the Islamic extremists the green light to kill more Christians.

We are speaking up on their behalf, in the hope that the Media, the Australian Government and Human
Right organisations expose the Egyptian Government for their denial of Human Rights for Christians in
Egypt. We are making formal appeals to the Australian Government, a signatory to the Universal
Declaration on Human rights. Seeking that the Australian Government make inquires, requests and
demands to the Egyptian Government which is a member of the Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in
Islam.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Peter Tadros: 0411 344 771
Fr Shenouda Mansour 0418713733 or Fr Gabriel Yassa: 0411 555 195
Email: [email protected]