WATANI International
20 September 2011
The Copts of the village of al-Badraman in Minya, Upper Egypt, have sent an urgent appeal to the Military Council to rescue them from the repeated attacks by the village thug Aly Hussein, 34, nicknamed Holako for his cruelty and savagery.
In an attack waged by Holako on Badraman last Thursday, two Copts—the 45-year-old trader Hamdy Khalil Sweiha and his 21-year-old son Sameh—were shot to death. And earlier in the week, Holako killed two Muslims during an armed raid on the village. Two relations of Anwar Mohamed Sadeq, the village Umda (mayor) were injured, and Holaco threatened with more attacks.
Holako had started his attacks against the Badraman villagers last February, in the wake of the 25 January Revolution. He terrorised the villagers with beatings, rape, kidnappings, arson, tribute money, and seizure of land and property, especially targeting the village Copts as easy prey. A number of locals fled their homes and livelihoods for fear of Holaco’s savagery, now going strong into its seventh month.
Several demands for protection were filed by the villagers to the Military Council throughout the past months, in addition to public protests and sit-ins. The result was a lone security raid last April which ended with the arrest of seven of Holaco’s followers and the seizure of a truckload of arms and drugs, but the thug managed to flee into the neighbouring sugarcane and maize fields. Since then he has taken refuge in the nearby mountain caves and the fields, and has been waging occasional raids on the village.
The villagers warn that their village is set to face a bloodbath, since the Umda’s family is intending a vendetta against Holako who continues to terrorise the village.