Copts in Egypt fear being marginalised

Cairo: Egypt's Christians mull boycotting the upcoming parliamentary elections, the first since former president Hosni Mubarak was ousted, in protest against perceived marginalisation from the country's political powers and alleged discrimination, according to activists.

"The Coptic Christians feel deeply frustrated and expect very little from the elections beginning in November in view of the prevalent conditions in Egypt," said Ramy Kamel, a Coptic activist.

"The amended election law and the redrawing of the electoral districts making them bigger than before make it hard for any Coptic contender to win," he told Gulf News.

Under a new election, two thirds of the 498-seat parliament are to be contested by candidates from political parties. One third is kept for single contenders.

Fruits of revolution

Egypt's military rulers have come under heavy criticism after 27 people, mostly Christians, were killed in clashes with army troops in Cairo on October 9.

"The Copts participated in the anti-Mubarak revolution along with their Muslim compatriots to create a better society where justice and equality prevail. But it seems that the Copts are denied enjoying the gains of this revolution," added Kamel.

A recent poll conducted by the Egyptian Union for Human Rights, a non-governmental group, showed that around 67 per cent of 40,000 Christians, covered by the survey, said they will not participate in the upcoming elections.

According to the union, those respondents attributed their plan to stay away from the polling stations to their feelings that the "prevailing climate in Egypt will not help Copts" make gains at the ballot box.

Christians make up around 10 per cent of Egypt's mostly Muslim 80 million population.

Several Egyptian political parties, including the influential Muslim Brotherhood, have fielded Copts on their tickets for the November elections. However, Coptic activists say the number is so insignificant that the new parliament is unlikely to have Christian members.

Apparently worried about having a Christian-free parliament in Egypt, Najeeb Gabrielle, a prominent Coptic activist, suggests allocating a quota of seats in the parliament for Christians.

"The Egyptians have to get accustomed to seeing Copts inside the parliament. The quota is necessary because I am sure that under the current circumstances there will be no Coptic lawmaker in the new parliament," Gabrielle said.

According to him, the proposed quota will not be kept for good. "It should be limited to two or three times until the people become familiar with the representation of the Copts in the parliament," he argued. "This quota should not go beyond 7 per cent of the total parliament's seats."