The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) says it is deeply concerned by the violence against protesters and the targeting of churches in Egypt.
‘The government’s excessive use of force when breaking up protests, the high number of deaths, the return to a state of emergency, and the targeting of Christians by extremists are all profoundly troubling,’ PANA in New York quoted a statement issued by the Washington DC-based agency.
It stated that USCIRF recognised the grave issues at stake related to democracy, rule of law, and human rights in Egypt, adding that the Commission was particularly concerned about the immediate threats to religious minority communities.
‘The level of violence against Coptic Christians, their property and businesses is unprecedented in modern Egypt, both in its scope and the number of churches and structures attacked,” USCIRF Chairman Robert George stated.
Mr. George said that the development could portend even worse violence ahead if the situation was not brought under control.
‘Assaulting religious minorities is not a legitimate form of protest against government action,’ he added.
The USCIRF chairman said Copts in particular, as well as other religious minorities, were among the most vulnerable to extremist reprisal violence.
‘So far, churches have been attacked. But next could be indiscriminate violent acts targeting individuals and groups of Christians,’ he said.
The US agency called on the Egyptian government to immediately ensure the protection of places of worship and urged justice and accountability for perpetrators, both inside and outside of government.
‘Impunity should not be allowed to prevail during such turbulent times,’ it added.
NGOs reported that more than 50 Coptic Christian churches had been attacked across Egypt after the protest sites were cleared.
The Egyptian government confirmed that on August 14 more than 600 people were killed and thousands more injured after Egyptian security services dispersed a sit-in staged by former President Mohammed Morsi’s supporters.
On Friday, dozens were killed in clashes between protesters and security forces across the country as violence erupted during marches called by the Muslim Brotherhood, which organized the sit-ins to demand the reinstatement of Morsi, who was ousted by the military on 3 July.
In USCIRF’s 2013 Annual Report, the Commission recommended that Egypt be designated as a ‘country of particular concern’ for particularly severe violations of religious freedom.
It also stated that US military aid be withheld until the Egyptian government had demonstrated it was implementing policies to protect freedom of religion and related human rights in Egypt.
The US Commission on International Religious Freedom was created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to monitor the status of freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief abroad, as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related international instruments.
It also gives independent policy recommendations to the US President, US Secretary of State, and the Congress.
Source: AfriqueJet
