The declaration by the head of the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS), Abu-Bakr al-Guindy, that the number of Copts in Egypt is little over 5 million has aroused a furore among Copts
The declaration by the head of the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS), Abu-Bakr al-Guindy, that the number of Copts in Egypt is little over 5 million has aroused a furore among Copts.
Acting patriarch Anba Pachomeus voiced his amazement at the estimate and sceptically asked whether this figure indicated the Copts in Egypt or those in the Cairo suburb of Shubra, famous for its high Coptic population? CAPMAS, he said, ought to announce the detailed number of Copts in each of Egypt’s governorates, in order to cite non-erroneous figures.
Anba Pachomeus wondered at the timing of the declaration; until as recently as last June Mr Guindy refused to set a straight figure to the number of Copts, claiming it was not possible to know the real figure unless the government decides to allocate some USD500 million to conduct a new census. The last census—and accordingly the most recent figures—was conducted in 2006, and the next should be carried out in 2012. “This is a crucial time for Egypt,” Anba Pachomeus said. “A lot is going on, and Copts are facing difficult times of sectarian tension. So what is the government attempting to say?
“It is true,” he said, “that Copts practice birth control, but even this would not explain that the figure announced now is less than the previous figures. Can the government tell us how that is so? Is the number of Copts in Egypt decreasing because of Coptic immigration? Is Egypt pushing out her Coptic children; is she trying to tell the world that she is today Christian repellent?
“Copts are first and foremost Egyptian citizens,” Anba Pachomeus said, “and are entitled to be seen as such.”
“This is not the time to fragment the nation by propagating false, unsubstantiated information,” he said. “The interest of the homeland should be above all.”
Anba Morqos, Bishop of Shubral-Kkeima in the north of Cairo, reminded that in 1974 the number of Copts was officially declared as 6 million. Does this mean their population is dwindling while that of Egypt is exploding, he asked. If so, then why? he insisted. And again, why now make that declaration?
The Rev. Andrea Zaky, who is vice head of the Evangelical Church in Egypt, said that the number of Copts in Egypt is indefinite, and has not been declared for years on end. Independent studies place the figure at 10 to 12 per cent of the entire population. In all cases, he said, and no matter how few they are made to appear, they are entitled to full citizenship rights as the Egyptian citizens that they are.
Throughout the last years, and as the controversy over the real number of Copts rose, the late Pope Shenouda III had said that the Church has the real figures according to the baptismal registers; “The Church knows its children,” he said, “and is waiting for no official figure to recognise them.” Even if, as argued by some, the Church figures are not accurate because some Christians may not be on the register, this would indicate a higher not a lower number of Copts.
But there will be no official figure declared to back it.
Watani International
25 September 2012