Statement Regarding the Events in El-Kosheh

January, 2000

"And the Gates of Hades Shall not Prevail Against it" (Matt. 16:18)

   As the world celebrates the beginning of a New Year and two millenniums since the birth of Christ, the King of Peace, our Christian brothers and sisters in the village of El-Kosheh and the neighboring villages in Upper Egypt have been exposed to four days of savage aggression. These events started on Friday, December 31st, 1999 with a financial dispute between a Christian merchant and another Moslem one. The events escalated to the point of brutal assault on the Christian homes and shops by many of the villagers. These assaults included arson, looting, plundering, and random killing. These savage assaults caused the death of at least 20 Christians, the injury of more than 44 others, and some are missing. Additionally, more than 50 homes and shops were burned and robbed. Also, one church was burned in the village of West Awlade-Touke. The eyewitnesses and the reports coming out of the region confirm that one of the major factors, which led to the escalation of the situation to that point, was the fact that the local police did not take firm actions in the beginning to stop the assaults. This led some of the criminal factions to take advantage of the situation and attack the defenseless Christians. It is noteworthy to mention that in 1998, during a murder crime investigation in the village of the El-Kosheh, hundreds of Christian villagers were exposed to torture and insults by some of the local policeman. Instead of punishing those policemen, they were rewarded by means of bonuses.

    At the present time, calmness has returned to the area. On Tuesday, January 4th, President Hosni Mubarek sent his secretary for political affairs, Dr. Osama El-Baz, to meet H.H. Pope Shenouda III. The President also sent a medical delegation headed by the Minister of Health to care for the injured people in the area. The Egyptian Cabinet held a special session to look into the causes of these events and how to prevent them in the future.

    As we face these painful and unfortunately repetitious events, which our
brothers and sisters face in our dear homeland, Egypt, we place our trust in our powerful and just God, Who promised His Church that "the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." (Matt. 16:18) He also said, "No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn." (Is. 54:17) We are under the protection of a powerful and just God, Who does not allow injustice, for He said, "the scepter of wickedness shall not rest on the land allotted to the righteous."
(Ps. 125:3)

    We pray that God may protect His Church and His children in Egypt and lift from them all injustice and aggression. We ask the Lord to grant them a strong faith and joy that they are worth to suffer shame for His Name.
(Acts 5:41)

    We pray for our dear homeland, Egypt, that it may always be an oasis for peace, security, and safety for everyone regardless of religion and without discrimination. We pray that God may grant the Egyptian leaders wisdom to handle these situations peacefully and fairly.

   Special prayers for the departed souls of the victims of El-Kosheh will be held on Saturday, January 15th, 2000 at Holy Virgin Mary Church in Los Angeles. The religious leaders from the other churches are invited to attend.

Bishop Serapion
Bishop of Los Angeles