Christian rage at demo deaths
Source: Agencies |
October 11, 2011, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
EGYPTIAN Christians turned their fury against the army yesterday after at least 25 people were killed when troops crushed a protest using tactics that deepened public doubts about the military's ability to steer Egypt peacefully towards democracy.
In the worst violence since Hosni Mubarak was ousted, armored vehicles sped into a crowd late on Sunday to break up a protest near Cairo's state television. Online videos showed mangled bodies. Activists said corpses were crushed by wheels.
Tension between Muslims and minority Coptic Christians has worsened since the anti-Mubarak revolt, which has given freer rein to Salafist and other strict Islamist groups.
The ruling military council called on the interim government to investigate the clashes urgently and said it would take necessary measures to maintain security, state TV said.
But much of the anger from Sunday's violence targeted the army, accused by politicians from all sides of worsening social tension through a clumsy response to street violence and not giving a clear timetable for handing power to civilians.
"This is a huge crisis that could end in a civil clash. It could end in dire consequences," presidential hopeful Amr Moussa said.
Investors sold Egyptian shares, pushing the benchmark index down as much as 5.1 percent at the open.
"One big problem Egypt faces now is that, increasingly, there is no one in power with the authority and credibility to calm the situation down," said a senior Western diplomat.
Christians, who make up 10 percent of Egypt's roughly 80 million people, took to the streets after blaming Muslim radicals for partially demolishing a church in Aswan province last week.
"Why didn't they do this with the Salafists or the Muslim Brotherhood when they organize protests? This is not my country any more," said Alfred Younan, a Copt speaking near Cairo's Coptic Christian hospital.
The violence overshadows Egypt's first parliamentary poll since Mubarak fell. Voting starts on November 28.
Prime Minister Essam Sharaf said yesterday that attempts to build a modern, democratic state were being disrupted by security concerns and talk of plots against democracy.
"We will not surrender to these malicious conspiracies and we will not accept reverting back," he said.
The Health Ministry said 24 people were killed and 322 wounded. State media later said 25 died. News channel Al Arabiya said 36 may have died.
Justice Minister Mohamed Abdel Aziz el-Guindy said the investigation and any trials would be handled by military courts. State newspaper Al Ahram said 15 people were being investigated.
In the worst violence since Hosni Mubarak was ousted, armored vehicles sped into a crowd late on Sunday to break up a protest near Cairo's state television. Online videos showed mangled bodies. Activists said corpses were crushed by wheels.
Tension between Muslims and minority Coptic Christians has worsened since the anti-Mubarak revolt, which has given freer rein to Salafist and other strict Islamist groups.
The ruling military council called on the interim government to investigate the clashes urgently and said it would take necessary measures to maintain security, state TV said.
But much of the anger from Sunday's violence targeted the army, accused by politicians from all sides of worsening social tension through a clumsy response to street violence and not giving a clear timetable for handing power to civilians.
"This is a huge crisis that could end in a civil clash. It could end in dire consequences," presidential hopeful Amr Moussa said.
Investors sold Egyptian shares, pushing the benchmark index down as much as 5.1 percent at the open.
"One big problem Egypt faces now is that, increasingly, there is no one in power with the authority and credibility to calm the situation down," said a senior Western diplomat.
Christians, who make up 10 percent of Egypt's roughly 80 million people, took to the streets after blaming Muslim radicals for partially demolishing a church in Aswan province last week.
"Why didn't they do this with the Salafists or the Muslim Brotherhood when they organize protests? This is not my country any more," said Alfred Younan, a Copt speaking near Cairo's Coptic Christian hospital.
The violence overshadows Egypt's first parliamentary poll since Mubarak fell. Voting starts on November 28.
Prime Minister Essam Sharaf said yesterday that attempts to build a modern, democratic state were being disrupted by security concerns and talk of plots against democracy.
"We will not surrender to these malicious conspiracies and we will not accept reverting back," he said.
The Health Ministry said 24 people were killed and 322 wounded. State media later said 25 died. News channel Al Arabiya said 36 may have died.
Justice Minister Mohamed Abdel Aziz el-Guindy said the investigation and any trials would be handled by military courts. State newspaper Al Ahram said 15 people were being investigated.
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