Nader Shukry WATANI International
12 May 2011
The legal authorities in the southern town of Aswan are investigating the disappearance of the young Coptic student, Christine Wahib, on Monday evening in the village of Sibayia in Edfu, Aswan. Christine’s father had filed a report with the police that his 17-year-old daughter had gone missing.
Christine was found on Thursday morning in the town of Qous near Edfu. She had eloped with 29-year-old Anis Salah Mohamed, who happens to be the brother of one of her teachers. Mohamed had promised the young woman he would marry her once she turns 18.
The disappearance incident had promised to cause another sectarian problem, since it was circulated in her village that Christine, who is not yet 18, was on her way to convert to Islam.
As soon as word got around, hundreds of Copts gathered inside the village demanding that the security authorities inform them of Christine’s whereabouts and destiny. They threatened to block the Cairo-Aswan highway if they get no information concerning the young woman.
“My daughter went missing on Monday evening after we had attended together the wedding party of one of our neighbours,” said Christine’s father who is an inspector at the Ministry of Education.
Fr Hedra of the village church of the Holy Virgin received a telephone call from anonymous persons informing him that the teenager was with them and that she intended to legally convert to Islam as soon as she turned 18
Copts called on security authorities to help track down Christine, confirming that they need to confirm she would be converting of her own free will. Right now, her father said, she is underage and legally entitled neither to marry nor to convert.
Dozens of bearded Muslims gathered in front of the police station after Christine was found, demanding that she should not be handed to her parents and should be allowed to become a Muslim. But other Muslims insisted that, even if the girl converts, it would not be because she wished to embrace Islam, but because she wanted to marry a Muslim man, which is meaningless, they said.
Social customs and traditions in Egypt frown upon mixed marriages and marriages that do not enjoy full family consent and support.
Christine’s family demanded that their daughter be handed over to them since she was underage and needed their care and support. They again confirmed that if she wishes to choose her own path in life once she is of age, they would in no way stand against her.