Vragen aan Europese Commissie over sectarisch geweld in Egypte

opwekking_2006_015_kruis_wbfvrijdag 19 april 2013 22:30

Deze week heeft de Europarlementariër Peter van Dalen, samen met collega-parlementariërs Charles Tannock en Konrad Szymanski, vragen gesteld aan de Europese Commissie over het toenemende sectarische geweld, vooral tegen Christenen, in Egypte. Hier de toelichting en de vragen (in het Engels):

In recent days renewed sectarian violence took place in Egypt. The situation has been tense and at times explosive in the town of Wasta, about one hundred kilometres south of Cairo. Reportedly, a local Muslim young woman went missing, after which local Salafis blamed the Mar-Girgis Church, claiming they had forced the woman to convert to Christianity. In the week between 19 and 25 March Salafis and their supporters forced Christian stores and businesses to shut and threatened all Christians to leave the town.

In recent days renewed sectarian violence took place in Egypt. The situation has been tense and at times explosive in the town of Wasta, about one hundred kilometres south of Cairo. Reportedly, a local Muslim young woman went missing, after which local Salafis blamed the Mar-Girgis Church, claiming they had forced the woman to convert to Christianity. In the week between 19 and 25 March Salafis and their supporters forced Christian stores and businesses to shut and threatened all Christians to leave the town.

On Friday 5 April sectarian violence in the village of El Khusus cost the lives of four Christians and one Muslim. Following a funeral mass in the main Coptic cathedral of Cairo on Sunday 7 April, street battles raged for many hours on the cathedral premises and in the surrounding neighbourhood. Another Coptic live was lost and many dozens of people were wounded. It appears the police did little to subdue the crowds of angry Muslim youths outside and may even have fired tear gas into the church's courtyard.

 

1. How does the High Representative assess the situation in Egypt? Does she believe the Egyptian authorities are doing enough to protect one of Egypt's oldest and indigenous communities, the Coptic Christians?

2. What actions have the EEAS and the EU Delegation in Cairo undertaken, or proposed, to assist the Egyptian authorities in their efforts to protect the Copts and to prevent further sectarian violence?

3. Does the High Representative share the opinion that Article 2 of the EU-Egypt Association Agreement is no dead letter and that the Egyptian authorities should be held to account for any actions or lack of actions that harm the basic human rights of the Copts?

4. Will the High Representative consider undertaking sanctions, such as an aid freeze, as a means of pressurizing the Egyptian regime into taking concrete action to protect the Copts?

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