Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Press Release

ACU and peace loving people, Human Right Activists, and freedom of religion supporters are shocked and disturb with the White House invitation to Mubarak and his son for the direct peace talks between Israel and Palestinians. It is obvious and clear that Mubarak has no interest in achieving a successful peace between the parties.

This invitation is a wrong message to all of us on the light of the presence of his son who is planning to inherits his father position as if it were a real estate issue. This invitation to both of them is a slap on the face for those who believe in your position on promoting democracy in Egypt. His participation with his son is truly the opposite rather that their presence is a real obstacles for the intended peace.

Mubarak, his son and others officials in the regime are partners in the Anti-Christians movement in the Middle East and in the USA. Their crimes against Humanity has been reported to the UN Human Rights in a complain submitted by ACU, on Aug, 18, 2010.

Hosting Gamal Mubarak in the White House is a clear message that United States of America is a clear support for his plan to steal the election which is already will be cheated for his favor. Other candidates, Dr. ElBaradie, and Dr. Ayman Nour should not be punished because they believe in democratic free election.

More, hosting Mubarak and his son is a clear negative message, at this particular time, that US is supporting the Anti-Christians of which Mubarak and his son are active member in that movement, in addition to their violating freedom of religion against Egyptian Coptic Christians, who are facing genocide and terror of that vicious regime.

Furthermore, they are violating and abusing the human rights of almost all Egyptians including Muslims. The list of crimes they have committed are:

Ethnic cleansing against hundreds of thousands, displacing and forcing families to leave their homes, and lands. And Confiscations of private properties.

Massacring of Egyptian Copts, terror attacks, and raids on Coptic Christian villages.

Thousands killed in orchestrated attacks all over Egypt.

Kidnapping, raping, more than 500,000 women, and underage girls, forcing them to convert, and marry of those who commit the crime against them.

For millions of Coptic Christians to convert to Islam, by force, and distorting their civil records.

Killing worshipers inside the Churches. Burning and destroying hundreds of worship places, and historical monasteries.

Protecting terror secret organization to kill those Coptic Christians who convert back to Christianity.

Destruction of Egyptian Coptic historical sites, such as Luxor, Akhmim, Al Giza area of the Pyramids, and religious sites.

  • Severe economic strangulation. President Mubarak issued a presidential decree to kill and exterminate all Pigs owned by Egyptian Christian Copts and confiscate their Farms. As a result about 3 million lost their income, and become unemployed.
  • Ten of thousands of Egyptian Copts victims illegally imprisoned with false and fabricated, or no allegation at all, and without any trial, or Court hearing.


Mr. President ACU is requesting you the following:

  1. A White House statement expressing that USA doesn’t support hereditary rule in Egypt. If is it too late for the President Barack Obama cancel appearance with Gamal Mubarak, at least respecting the principal of “ Equality of Equal” by inviting Dr. El Baradie, and Dr. Aymen Nour to the White House.
  2. We are sure the President Barack Obama is a real Christian man, even though, the distortion of the Media that suggest otherwise. Therefore we call you to support Coptic Christian legitimate and justifiable case before the US Human Rights Commission, OHCHR.

Friday, August 27, 2010

The American Coptic Union (ACU) Submits a Complaint to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights


On August 17, 2010, the ACU issued a complaint on behalf of the oppressed Coptic Christians of Egypt to the OHCHR. This complaint was filed against President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt; Interior Minister Muhammed Habib AlAdley; Chairman of Committee of Policies of the NDP (ruling party) Gamal Mubarak; Speaker of Parliament Fat’hey Suror; and Speaker of Shura Council Safwat ElSherif. They are accused for their criminal policies and practice of crimes against humanity and genocide against Coptic Christians in Egypt. The crimes include:

• Ethnic cleansing against hundreds of thousands, displacing and forcing families to leave their homes, and lands. And Confiscations of private properties.

• Massacring of Egyptian Copts, terror attacks, and raids on Coptic Christian villages.

• Thousands killed in orchestrated attacks all over Egypt.

• Kidnapping, raping, more than 500,000 women, and underage girls, forcing them to convert, and marry of those who commit the crime against them.

• For millions of Coptic Christians to convert to Islam, by force, and distorting their civil records.

• Killing worshipers inside the Churches. Burning and destroying hundreds of worship places, and historical monasteries.

• Protecting terror secret organization to kill those Coptic Christians who convert back to Christianity.

• Destruction of Egyptian Coptic historical sites, such as Luxor, Akhmim, Al Giza area of the Pyramids, and religious sites.

* Severe economic strangulation. President Mubarak issued a presidential decree to kill and exterminate all Pigs owned by Egyptian Christian Copts and confiscate their Farms. As a result about 3 million lost their income, and become unemployed.

* Ten of thousands of Egyptian Copts victims illegally imprisoned with false and fabricated, or no allegation at all, and without any trial, or Court hearing.

The ACU and Coptic community are committed to bringing these criminals to justice. No more can the crimes of a cruel government against its people continue with impunity.

On behalf of American Coptic Union, and US Coptic Community, we call upon, President Barack Obama, US Congress, and Government, all leaders of New York City, and State, Democrats, and Republicans to show their vigor support to “Freedom of Religion “for Coptic Christian, in the US and Egypt as they support the freedom of religion for American Muslims to build Ground Zero’s Mosque.

Anti-Christian Movement is the Driving Force behind Islamization

The Ground

Zero Mosque Propaganda Portrays M

uslims as Persecuted Group

Islamization in America is a serious and dangerous matter, more so than the financial crisis America is facing right now. This is not to confuse Islamization with regular Muslims. Islamists spread along with anti-Christian ideology of hatred, racism, sexism, and encourage Sharia (Islamic) law in society. Muslims are just regular followers of the religion of Islam. There is no doubt that Muslims in America, like Christians and Jews, have the constitutional right to build a place of worship.

They still have the same right to build a Mosque in Ground Zero as long as

New York City’s Mayor and authority approve the project despite sensitivity and hurting Americans’ feeling. The question puzzling us as American Christians is why New York City Council, and Mayor were quick to approve immediately to build Cordoba mosque in Ground Zero location, while they suspiciously showed procrastination to permit re-building the Greek Orthodox Church that destroyed in 9/11 attacks and was already stand at that location, also they did not seriously investigate a fire in a Catholic church in the Bronx which served the people of this Community?

However, that Mosque was not built for the sole purpose of worship. No, it was built by Islamists to pursue an anti-Christian agenda in the United States. Even the name of the Mosque, Cordoba, is symbolic of historical anti-Christian sentiment. The name Cordoba indicates an anti-Christian alliance was formed in the Spanish province of Andalucía and was a main cause for the Crusades. This Andalucía alliance also burned numerous churches in Egypt and Palestine, including the Resurrection Church in Jerusalem, shortly after the Fatimid took control of Egypt.

Why there is such a fervent propaganda campaign against the Cordoba Mosque while the number of Mosques and Islamic centers has quadrupled since 9/11, while Muslim population did not increased at the same rate? And why Islamists picked that particular location?

Some numbers are helpful in answering this important question. The number of Mosques and Islamic centers in 2001 were about 1500. Now, there are more than 6000. While Catholic churches, schools, and hospitals are going bankrupt and closing down, Islamic places of worship increased tremendously in the last decade.

There are reasons why Islamists want to build the Cordoba Mosque in New York City. First, Islamists already acquitted before American’s public opinion from the 9/11 attacks. Second, since New York City is home to quite a number of Jews, the Cordoba Mosque is a gesture of peace from the Islamists. This is a reminder to them of their past cooperation in Andalucía during the Arab occupation of Spain.


This reckless resolution taken by the authorities of New York City, that we all love, and our hearts go out to those who lost loved on the attack. The resolution is a reward and sanitization for the Islamists that committed this heinous crime against 3000 Americans -- mostly Christians. It also represents a victory for Osama bin Laden, the most wanted terrorist in the world; he is still out of the hands of American justice. Also, the permit at this particular place would save and clean the image of Islamists and Jihadists.


pastedGraphic.pdf

As American Christians, we welcome peace between Muslims and Jews. However, our main concern is a religious-based alliance and ideology. The current situation of Middle Eastern Christians made us alert the American people of this legitimate concern.

Allowing political Islamization and anti-Christian policy to spread in the United States would result in religious and cultural wars that would destroy the Western world and culture.

We have no intention of hurting the feelings of Muslims. Our main concern is politicizing Islam in a way that divides American society by creating religious alliances. Studying the Islamization of the Middle East over the last 30 years is a must and a national security issue for the United States. Christian communities in countries such as Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, and the former Yugoslavia face their worst period in history because of political Islamization and anti-Christian agendas. There is an anti-Christian crusade on Christians and Western culture.

The anti-Christian movement is gaining more influence every day, helping Islamists at the expense of Christianity. In Europe, numerous incidents show Muslims being “persecuted” by depriving them from building Minarets in Switzerland and wearing the Burqa (veil) in France. At the same time, Mosques are being built and Islamic centers are expanding services to convert Christians. Legislation and court orders are issues to limit Christian culture and practices in Christian countries in order to avoid hurting the feelings of Islamists.

In England, for instance, the Bishop of Canterbury, the origin of British and American Christianity, supports Sharia law for Muslims instead of British common law. Despite hundreds of Mosques across England, the Bishop allows Muslims to use churches for prayer. In Italy, the crucifix is now banned in Italian schools to destroy Catholic Christianity.

In America, anti-Christian sentiment is booming. The Catholic Church is facing an existential threat. The Coptic Orthodox church is under severe pressure from the Mubarak regime’s intelligence agency, a main partner in the anti-Christian alliance. Other Christian denominations are infiltrated by anti-Christians as well.

Even some churches are helping the anti-Christian movement by generating sympathy for Islamists. They depict Muslims as being deprived from freedom of religion and persecuted. This is designed to fool the American people into sympathizing with Islamists. For instance, a church in Gainesville, Florida decided to burn the Quran, the book of Islam. This is not Christian practice to burn any book. Churches during the pagan and heretic periods of history did not even do this. The Gainesville church also gave the al-Azhar institute a chance to condemn Christians and show that Muslims are persecuted. The church in Gainesville must cancel its plan immediately.

Anti-Christian policy is evident even in domestic issues such as immigration. The anti-Christian movement in America is targeting Catholic immigrants from Central and South America trying to escape the capitalist-imposed poverty in their respective countries. According to the 2004 Kennedy-McCain Immigration Bill, approximately 700,000 illegal immigrants enter the United States annually. On the other hand, thousands of international flights land every day with people from the Middle East and Asia staying illegally in the US after their Visas expire.

Anti-Christians have had tremendous success in helping Islamization destroy Christianity in the United States, Europe, and the Middle East. Although it is widely known and documented that Saudi Arabia and Egypt perpetrated the 9/11 attacks, US foreign policy considers these countries to be “strong allies” and “close friends.” They allow them to expand Islam but hurt Christianity under the banner of “peace in the Middle East.” No one seems to hold 9/11 against these countries. Instead, they are rewarded without impunity. September 11 conspiracy is not over yet.

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Letter to UNESCO


May 27, 2010

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO
7, place de Fontenoy
75352 Paris 07 SP, France

UNESCO General Director

Mrs. POKOVA, Irina


Mubarak’s Regime Continues to Raid and Loot the Tombs of the ancient Egyptians, the ancestors of the Copts.

Dear Madam,

The recent events directed at the Coptic Christians of Egypt are not only despicable, but contribute to the cultural genocide of Egypt and its sons. The Copts face genocide, ethnic cleansing, rape, and kidnapping on a daily basis. Hundreds of Coptic businesses and churches are also destroyed every year, further condemning the Copts to dictatorship and leaving them defenseless against oppression. Since the Copts cannot defend their rights, the government under President Hosni Mubarak continues to raid and loot the tombs of the ancient Egyptians, the ancestors of the Copts.

Recent months featured the unearthing of dozens of tombs of ancient Egyptian pharaohs, including 57 burial places discovered in Al-Fayoum. But what is to say that these archaeologists are not hired by the Mubarak regime rather than an independent organization? Reports from the New York Sun and Huffington Post indicate that several ancient Egyptian artifacts and art were stolen from tombs. The Mubarak regime continues to excavate in upper Egypt and refuses to explain the sudden disappearance of these ancient artifacts. Yet, the international community continues to ignore these cultural crimes because they have regional and political interests with Egypt.

The following link goes into much more detail regarding the catastrophic of secret excavations of the Pyramids of Giza: www. gizamap.com/

The Mubarak regime also employs the policy of eminent domain, or the taking of private property, for its own use. The government seizes Coptic graveyards in one of the oldest cemeteries in Akhmim, and Luxor in Upper Egypt, They remove tombs and caskets without regard for the Copts’ rights to property. The graveyards are then sold to foreign investors and corporations.

The American Coptic Union (ACU) asks UNESCO to do the following:

  1. Condemn the actions of the Mubarak regime regarding ancient artifacts and property owned by the Copts.
  2. Demand the return of the stolen artifacts and property back to the Coptic people.
  3. Implement policies and regulations designed to prevent further looting and corruption by the government in the ancient tombs.

Thanks and God bless.

Sincerely,

Rafique Iscandar

American Coptic Union –President

Email: americancu@hotmail.com


CC: Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, UN (Fax)



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Tuesday, May 18, 2010

ElBaradei is the Only Hope for True Democracy in Egypt

Egypt is now preparing for a presidential election that will determine the status of democracy in

that country for at least another generation. For a similar period, it will affect US interests and

policies in the Middle East, as well the prospects for peace in that most dangerous region. The

survival of Egyptian Copts, an estimated 15 million out of an mostly Muslim population of more

than 80 million, is also at stake. For most of the past 30 years, the regime of Hosni Mubarak has

retained power through election fraud and suppression of the international norms of an open,

democratic society. In the 2005 presidential election, the opposition candidate, Dr. Ayman Nour,

was imprisoned and sentenced to 5 years at hard labor and banned from ever holding public

office. Independent observers agree unanimously that this was a fraud. Now a new potential

opposition candidate with impeccable credentials is being proposed. Mohamed ElBaradei is a

Nobel Peace Prize winner and the former director of the International Atomic Energy Agency

(IAEA), a United Nations body. He is expected to form a coalition of disparate opposition

elements that include Copts The Muslim Brotherhood as well as other opposition parties. He is

just starting a carefully managed tour in the US to gather political, financial and media support.

Meanwhile, the Mubarak regime is attempting to pass the office to one of Mubarak’s sons. That

effort is reinforced by election laws, passed by the Mubarak controlled legislators, that many

observers believe will prevent ElBaradei from even getting on the ballot. But, the Muslim

Brotherhood, despite being officially banned and definitely no friend to Mubarak, openly

controls a significant number of the Parliamentary votes that the Egyptian constitution requires

for a place on the presidential ballot. Together with Coptic and other minority support, the

candidacy of ElBaradei begins to appear Possible, but is admittedly a real long shot, especially

absent pressure from the USA.

Copts are Members of one of the world’s oldest Christian churches, founded AD 42, at

least a dozen years before the Roman Catholic Church in Rome. In modern times, they have

become the target of such wide-spread assaults in Egypt that their numbers are declining. Human

rights organizations Reports there have been tens of thousands of forced conversions to Islam.

Some say that that there appears to be a campaign of kidnapping, rape and forced marriage of

young Coptic girls and women to those who kidnapped them.

Others cite widespread destruction of their schools and entire communities. For their

part, the Muslim Brotherhood presents itself as opposed to sectarian violence and in fact has its

own history of being persecuted by the Mubarak regime. The BBC and other media have

regularly reported mass arrests and secret imprisoning. However, there have been few reports of

violence by, or against the Muslim Brotherhood similar to those regarding the Coptic minority.

Meanwhile, the US State Department is playing a dangerous game of trying to appear as

a neutral ally, but not so neutral as to upset the Mubarak regime. So we recently had the recent

said spectacle of the US Department of State quoted in Foreign Policy Magazine as

acknowledging the “anti-Christian” campaign but declining to urge the Mubarak regime to clean

up its dismal and dangerous repression of Copts or to call for genuine, open and fair democratic

elections.

This systemic unwillingness to confront the human rights record of our alleged

international “friends” only does us harm. We are exposed as hypocritical to the one moral

position to which we might lay claim. The violators take support from our silence, for that’s what

silence in the face of repression is. That silence only comforts and encourages even more

repression, and persecution.

Yet, like all hypocritical positions, we gain nothing from it but the dubious loyalty of less than

genuine friends.

As long as an ElBaradei or any other democratic candidate is kept off the ballot, as long

as Coptic innocents are put to the sword of conversion, as long as the USA declines to speak

truth on these subjects, we lose the respect and forfeit the trust of those who would be our

genuine allies. All the forces and factors in that explosive region are noting our cynical approach

of wanting friends at any cost to our self-respect. They surely recognize that every day of USA’s

tacit approval of the status quo in Egypt is one step closer to the day we will again regret having

supported a repressive regime. That’s how we got where we are in Iraq. It is at the foundation of

our situation in Afghanistan. It was at the core of Vietnam. Proponents of that kind of

“diplomacy” claims it is realistic and practical. But what could ever be more realistic and

practical than supporting genuine, open, democratic elections in Egypt?

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Reply to Ms. Kosa, United States Department of State

Lauren S. Kosa
Egypt Desk Officer
Office of Egypt and Levant Affairs
U.S. Department of State

Dear Madam;

Thank you for your reply to our remarks and concern regarding Ms. Chapman’s statement to the Egyptian Al Masry Alyoum newspaper.

First, we apologize for our error in Ms. Nicole’s name and title. We have corrected our records.

Secondly, despite the welcome comment that US is not against ElBaradei, it unfortunately continues, by omission, to imply US support for Mubarak. Further, we wish to point out that a vague support for “reform” is seriously inadequate in addressing the outrages and human rights violations that continue under his regime against an innocent population who’s only “offense” is their Christian faith.

Silence is complicity. Mubarak understands that what you do not oppose, you accept; what you do not criticize, you approve. You owe the Egyptian people, more than your tacit approval.

Thirdly, your most recent reply ignored the crisis of Egyptian Copts. Ms. Chapman minimized the officially sanctioned attacks on them as “intimidating.” That would be an appropriate word for a threat. But the crimes against innocent people are reality. There is a physical, religious and cultural genocide underway.

In 1938, at the Evian Conference, the US walked away from the impending holocaust with the same complicit attitudes that now abandon Egyptian Copts. Recently, the US condemned atrocities 95 years ago in another middle-eastern country that are all too similar to those now underway in Egypt.

We strongly suggest that a position more worthy of the United States of America would be proactive public and private objection specific to the crimes and unequivocal in its aversion to the perpetrators. That alone will avoid the need for another too-late apology decades after the complicity.

We respectfully urge the USA to openly acknowledge the plain fact of the Mubarak regime’s anti-Christian policy and actions. We ask that your office issue a public statement condemning the genocide of Egyptian Copts. Finally, we ask that a corrective statement be made that clarifies that the US neither opposes El Baradei’s presidential candidacy nor does it support the candidacy of Mubarak.

Thank you,,
American Coptic Union

Rafique Iscandar, president

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ElBaradei’s Policy Is Right To Engage Muslim Brotherhood

In recent months, many newspapers and members of the US media showed no sympathy for the people of Egypt, who desperately seek freedom and dignity. Some of these newspapers insulted and falsely accused Dr. Ayman Nour, former Egyptian presidential candidate, of being anti-Semitic. A recent report by Foreign Policy Magazine expressed support for the Mubarak regime despite the regime’s crimes against humanity and anti-Christian sentiment. They also criticize ElBaradei for his campaign of freedom and dignity for all Egyptians.

Foreign Policy’s statement of ElBaradei joining main stream Islamists is not true. He reached out to opposition groups, activists, and the Coptic community in Egypt and abroad. He is a supporter of Coptic human rights in Egypt and calls for an end to the genocide and ethnic cleansing against the Copts.

ElBaradei’s primary goal is to change the Egyptian Constitution that favors Mubarak and his son’s desire to continue that dictatorship.

It is strange and hypocritical for a respected foreign policy publication to recognize, but without critical comment, a despotic constitution such as Mubarak’s that denies basic human rights according to international law.

The magazine disparages ElBaradei, claiming he lacks a constituency. Such statements by their editors merely parrot the official line of the regime, designed to lower his appeal to the people of Egypt and make the American people reluctant to support him. The lack of a past incumbency and the lack of a constituency are not the same thing at all. Despite blatant repression, a great many Egyptians are widely known to support the democratic policies that ElBaradei proposes.

Although the American Coptic Union (ACU) disagrees with the Muslim Brotherhood on many issues, comparing them to the Mubarak regime is unfair. The ACU supports ElBaradei’s policy of inclusion. He knows they cannot be ignored. They are a political force in Egypt. The US government has held negotiations with the Brotherhood and supports their 20% role in the People’s Council (Parliament). ElBaradei wants the Brotherhood to work within the public spectrum, not as an underground movement. Some of the effective governments in the world are based on a live and functioning coalition such as ElBaradei proposes. In fact, it might be said that many of the political stagnation in the USA today is the lack of functioning bipartisanship that has effectively suffocated balanced governance.

It cannot be denied or ignored that the Mubarak regime, not the Muslim Brotherhood, is responsible for deliberate crimes in Egypt against humanity, ethnic cleansing, genocide, kidnapping and raping of the Copts. The Mubarak regime is, on the face of it, far more dangerous to Egyptians of all religious and political persuasions than the Brotherhood.

While US Department of State Egyptian Desk Director Nicole Chapman acknowledged anti-Christian sentiment in Egypt, the Foreign Policy overlooks it. While US media criticize Iran for its harsh treatment, and poor record in Human Rights, FP Magazine, and others are continue to praise and support the Mubarak regime, despite their obvious but undeclared agenda, which is in most cases against US interest in the Middle East. Some media outlets cry for women’s rights in Afghanistan. While that is wholly justified and laudable, it is careless and irresponsible to ignore the crimes against 500,000 Coptic women who have been kidnapped, raped and forced to convert and marry with Muslim perpetrators.

We call on the American people, the America Media and the American Government, through the US State Department, to support ElBaradei’s freedom movement in Egypt. We ask that all media, print and electronic, demand just for all Egyptians. American Coptic Union speaks again, responsibly and forthrightly, demanding justice for all Egyptians, as well as for Egyptian Copts.

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Tuesday, March 23, 2010

American Coptic Union Calls for Equal US Respect for Egyptian Presidential Candidates

The American Coptic Union (ACU) protests the recent statement by US Department of State Egyptian Desk Director Nicole Chapman regarding the current Egyptian political spectrum. Chapman said, “[her] country would not support Mohamed ElBaradei if he decided to run in Egyptian presidential elections slated for next year.”

This apparent washing of the hands in the name of dubious impartiality is actually an endorsement of a regime that maintains its power through intimidation, violence, and genocide. A claim of “non-interference”, when the issue is justice and human rights, should be exposed as the endorsement of repression that it really is.

Chapman also told US reporters that the US was not concerned with “specific personalities.” However, she singles out ElBaradei, but does not say the same about Mubarak.

At the same time Chapman stated that the US would not support ElBaradei, she failed to say that the US would not support Mubarak in the presidential election. This clearly demonstrates US hypocrisy and favoritism regarding Mubarak and the Coptic genocide in Egypt.

Coptic Christians, as well as Muslims, see ElBaradei as the only hope to end Mubarak’s “reign of terror” for crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing, and genocide against the Copts.

The Egyptian people see the United States of America as the last great hope of the world, the symbol of freedom, liberty, and democracy. However, with the current statement, the US has narrowed its interests to fit the interests of Mubarak’s despotic regime and his family, while the needs of the Egyptian people are ignored.

We would like to offer Ms. Chapman a small thanks for acknowledging anti-Christian sentiment in Egypt. However, she then went on to say, “What happens to the Copts is intimidating.”

That is very soft language for an outrageous and violent repression of human rights. The Mubarak regime kidnapped and raped Coptic girls, raided villages, killed innocent Copts, and burned Coptic homes, businesses, and churches. Her mild criticism is not even a slap on the wrist and that actually facilitates Mubarak’s campaign of terror and genocide.

Coptic Christians wish to hear the US Department of State speak on behalf of releasing the Coptic blogger, Hany Nazeir, who has been imprisoned for more than three years and is being tortured in attempts to convert him to Islam. Mr. Nazeir’s ominous fate has never been mentioned in any official US statements. How is such repression in Egypt any different from the often protested repressions of similar individuals in China, Russia, Myanmar and other dictatorships?

The ACU is looking for Ms. Chapman and the US Department of State to correct her recent statements and to fairly readdress the election issues by affirming that the US will treat all presidential candidates equally. Furthermore, the ACU and the Coptic Community in the US, Egypt, and abroad hope that the US Department of State will demand an immediate end to genocide against the Copts and end its own policy of silence that tacitly approves continued human rights violations in Egypt.

Source(s): Al-Masry A l-Youm

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Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Urgent Letter to White House, Department of State, and Congress

The American Coptic Union (ACU) and the Coptic community in the United States of America demand the expulsion of Sameh Fahmy, Egypt’s ambassador to the United States.

Mr. Fahmy’s recent incendiary comments and involvement in controversial activities would result in retaliation by Islamists and terrorists against the defenseless Coptic Christians of Egypt. More massacres, rape, and kidnappings will surely follow.

On Saturday, March 13, 2010, he informed an Arabic newspaper, Alquds, of his discussion of some Egyptian dissidents without any pretexts. This will inflame and intensify the genocide, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity against the Copts.

The Ambassador expressed undesired and unrequested issues regarding the Copts, such as “autonomy separation” and the hiring of Blackwater Security forces for protection. Blackwater, notorious for its war crimes in Iraq, is hated in the Middle East. If they “protect” the Copts, terrorists will surely target more Coptic people and villages. The Copts cannot even pray in their own homes, let alone ask for security. Mr. Fahmy wants to portray the Copts as traitors and separatists.

The issues of autonomy and protection are excuses for the Mubarak regime to continue committing crimes against Copts. They will incite Islamists and terrorists to kill more Copts, raid more villages, and kidnap and rape more women. The regime’s survival is based on Coptic genocide to distract the general public from government actions, or lack thereof.

The regime is also using the Coptic situation to take attention away from independent presidential candidate Dr. Mohamed El Baradei. He is set to challenge widely unpopular incumbent President Mubarak, or his son, Gamal Mubarak.

The regime is painting Dr. Baradei as a Coptic sympathizer in order to stump his popularity. Last week, Islamists and Mubarak’s National Democratic Party (NDP) sabotaged a rally in Al Fayum City, accusing Dr. Baradei of supporting Copts instead of his own country.

The United States’ interests in the Middle East are already in jeopardy. Continuing to deal with Mr. Fahmy, and Mubarak regime will result in more instability in Egypt and would further jeopardize US interests.

Therefore, the American Coptic Union is seeking the following:

  1. The immediate expulsion of Mr. Fahmy from United States.
  2. Despite our repeated request for the US Congress to take serious actions against the regime for its violations of human rights, our calls are go unheard. Therefore, we request the US Congress to reconsider relations with the Mubarak regime and put US interests first. The US Coptic community is frustrated because of US foreign policies of “Anti-Christianity” and “Anti-Copts,” and seeks the reversal of treating Copts as if they were “Al-Qaeda”.
  3. We still see President Obama as the most serious defender of human rights. Thus, we call upon him to interfere on our behalf and put an end to the violation of human rights by the Mubarak regime.
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Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Press Release for the White House

The American Coptic Union (ACU) would like to thank United States President Barack Obama for his support for Coptic Christian human rights in Egypt.

Recently, the United Nations Human Rights Council reviewed the status of human rights and freedom of religion in Egypt. No recommendations or resolutions arose from the UN  to make the Mubarak regime to comply with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other human rights treaties. The ACU and the Coptic community in the United States  still hope President Obama, Congress, and the United States government will help ease the genocide and ethnic cleansing against the Coptic Christians in Egypt.

Mubarak, however, continues to defy these human rights treaties. He did not delete the second amendment of the Egyptian Constitution, which rules the government through Sharia, or Islamic, law. He did not nullify the laws that do not criminalize terrorists for massacres on Coptic villages. On January 6, 2010, Islamic extremists opened fire on a Coptic church in Nag Hammadi, killing six Copts and wounding dozens more. Although the Egyptian government brought the terrorists to trial, the “justice” quickly ended. The police arrested, tortured, and killed dozens of Copts who witnessed the massacre. This is a blatant violation of civil, political, and human rights.

After the Nag Hammadi massacre, American delegates from several human rights commissions visited Egypt and met with government officials regarding the Coptic situation. Until now, however, no comprehensive report of their findings was sent to the Department of State and no necessary action was taken to curb the oppression against the Copts. The regime showed no intention to improve the situation nor amend current laws that systematically persecute Copts.

The ACU and the Coptic community in the United States requests the following from the White House:

  1. President Obama speak on behalf of the voiceless victims to restore their unalienable rights and to demand the return of more than 500,000 Coptic girls kidnapped by terrorists under the cover of the regime.
  2. White House address the anti-Christian movement in the Middle East. Take necessary measures to stop illegal actions against Christians in the Middle East. United States go to the UN to protect Christian rights and pressure countries to pass laws criminalizing those who commit anti-Christian crimes.
  3. Adjust or change foreign policy and curb anti-Christian movements in the Middle East.

We hope the White House takes these requests into consideration to end the oppression against the Copts, the native people of Egypt. Thanks and God Bless.

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