An Egyptian 120 person-delegation which headed to Riyadh on Thursday 3 May, aiming to dissipate tensions between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, included three Copts. Bishop of Shubral-Kheima in Cairo, Anba Morqos
WATANI International
4 May 2012
Translator: Samia / copy editor: Samia
Word count: 437
An Egyptian 120 person-delegation which headed to Riyadh on Thursday 3 May, aiming to dissipate tensions between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, included three Copts. Bishop of Shubral-Kheima in Cairo, Anba Morqos, represented the Coptic Orthodox Church; Dr Safwat al-Bayadi who heads the Evangelical Church in Egypt represented his Church, and Hani Aziz who heads the NGO Lovers of Peace Egypt represented civil society institutions.
Relations between Egypt and Saudi Arabia had soured to the point of the latter recalling its ambassador to Cairo Ahmed al-Qattan last Sunday.
Thousands in Cairo had surrounded the Saudi Arabia embassy in Cairo, vociferously protesting against the detention of the Egyptian lawyer Ahmed al-Gizawi who had been held by Saudi authorities upon his arrival to Jeddah on 17 April purportedly to perform ++Umra++ (a smaller ++hajj++ pilgrimage). Saudi authorities claimed he had been in possession of drugs, but Egyptian activists insist Gizawy was imprisoned for criticising the Saudi King Abdullah Ibn Abdel-Aziz for the imprisonment of Egyptians in Saudi Arabia without charges and their alleged ill-treatment at the hands of Saudi authorities.
The Cairo demonstrators would not listen to reason or allow for negotiations between the two countries to attempt a resolution for the Gizawi and the Egyptian prisoners’ dilemma. Mr Qattan was not allowed to go into the embassy building, and complained that it had become impossible for him to perform his job requirements in Cairo. Consequently, Riyadh recalled its ambassador.
Several activists and politicians in Egypt criticised the visit of the Egyptian delegation to Riyadh, claiming it was too close to an apology and made a mockery of Egyptian dignity. The Egyptian government should work to solve the problems of Egyptians in Saudi Arabia and in other Gulf countries, they claimed, not to apologise for the protests.
For their part, not a few Copts criticised Coptic participation in the delegation, insisting the Church ought not to be involved in politics. The acting patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church, Anba Pachomeus, however, said the Church had participated upon a request from the State which aimed that the full spectrum of the Egyptian community should be represented in the delegation.
Anba Pachomeus furthermore said that the Church, as a spiritual institution whose major outlook is peace, should work to bring people closer. “There are a few million Egyptians working in Saudi Arabia; among them thousands of Copts, and we should hate it if anything happens to make their lives there difficult.” He reminded that the Saudi ambassador in Cairo had always been courteous to the Coptic Church, recently paid it a visit to offer condolences for the death of Pope Shenouda III.