The Copts of the town of Rafah on the Egypt Gaza border in Sinai have been receiving threats that they should leave town or risk death.
The Copts of the town of Rafah on the Egypt Gaza border in Sinai have been receiving threats that they should leave town or risk death.
Father Mikhail of the church of the Holy Virgin in Arish in North Sinai told ++Watani++ that the threats against the Copts were getting more menacing by the day. Unknown individuals masked in black have, during the last two weeks, been leaving leaflets on the doorsteps of the seven Coptic [extended] families of Rafah, threatening that if they do not leave town in a matter of some 48 hours they risk their lives, and there homes and businesses would be burned.
The security and political authorities were informed and, even though they said they would take matters in hand, nothing was done to protect the Copts. Last Tuesday, masked men shot at a Coptic grocer while in his shop, but he managed to escape uninjured.
Father Mikhail said that, since the church of Mar-Girgis and the Holy Family in Rafah was plundered and burned a few days following the 25 January 2011 Revolution, some 10 Coptic families left town. The others have been receiving threats that they must leave. Now that the threats look real, the remaining Copts are keeping to their homes in terror and; fearing for their lives, children, and livelihood; are preparing to leave. The Rafah church was never rebuilt.
When the Copts who had remained in Rafah went to the governorate officials in Arish last week to ask for protection, they were told the governorate was willing to provide accommodation in Arish for all Rafah Copts; at some 50km west, Arish is the closest town to Rafah. This reply incensed the Copts, since it implied the authorities are unable to offer them protection nor catch the criminals.
Yet for all the promises, Arish officials have in fact done nothing about preparing alternative accommodation for the Copts, North Sinai Bishop Anba Qozman told ++Watani++. The Copts are leaving into the unknown.