Christians Hopeful After Egyptian Election
By Joseph DeCaro, Worthy News Correspondent
CAIRO, EGYPT (Worthy News)– Egyptian Christians have welcomed the election of President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi in the hopes that the former field marshal will protect them from Islamic extremism, according to Barnabas Aid.
Al-Sisi — who received more than 93 percent of the vote — is popular with Egyptians who opposed the Islamist regime he forcefully removed from office back in July. But as a result, many Christians were scapegoated by President Mohammed Morsi’s supporters who set ablaze churches, Christian homes and businesses following the break-up of protests by Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood in August.
Al-Sisi has promised that all of the damaged churches will be rebuilt or repaired by Egypt’s own armed forces; repairs have already begun on ten churches.
Al-Sisi has also overseen a crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood; about 16,000 members have been detained and over 1,400 killed while dozens of Brotherhood leaders face trial on charges of inciting violence. But in reprisal, Islamists have launched numerous attacks against Egypt’s Coptic Christian community through kidnappings for ransom, or for forced conversion to Islam.
Despite all this, Christians are still looking forward to the implementation of the country’s new constitution that will guarantee freedom of belief and remove restrictions on future church construction.