Australian Coptic leader calls on Australian Government to support Christians seeking protection

Coptic community mourn loss of innocent lives in another targeted attack

Melbourne, Australia; 27 May 17

(Translation of this article appears in Arabic section)

Australian Copts are in mourning over horrifying news of 28 dead and 24 injured, including children, in an attack targeting Coptic Christians as they travelled to a monastery in central Egypt yesterday.

Australian Coptic leader Bishop Suriel has called on the Australian Government and particularly the Minister for Immigration Peter Dutton to immediately intervene where members of his community seek protection and are now being forced to return back to Egypt.

“Since the establishment of the Coptic Church in Australia almost 50 years ago, it hurts me to see that for the first time the Minister for Immigration has chosen not to intervene in protection visa matters that we as a church directly support,” he said. “These families were persecuted in Egypt and we feel compelled to support them. By condemning them to return to Egypt, we are genuinely concerned that they will face further unprovoked attacks.

“It is unconscionable that we have more than 20 families from our community here in Australia being forced to return to Egypt despite the unprecedented attacks and acts of terrorism that Copts in Egypt now face regularly. Our community does not understand the Federal Government’s tough stance on this matter. These families have genuine fears of returning back and our community fear for them. As a peace-loving community and valuable contributors to Australian society, I feel that we deserve to be treated better than this.

“It is horrifying and inconceivable that our innocent people have been terrorised and murdered through another senseless attack. Not only is this a sad moment for our Christian community, but also for mankind following what happened in Manchester earlier this week.”

This latest attack on Coptic Christians comes just one month after the Palm Sunday bombings that left at least 45 people dead and 126 injured and a Cairo Church bombing, in lead up to Christmas, which claimed the lives of 29 people and injured 47 others.

“For the past 10 years we have witnessed horrific acts of persecution towards the Copts and other Christians in the Middle East,” Bishop Suriel said. “This attack has once again deeply affected our local Coptic community because many Australians have lost close family and loved ones from Egypt.

“Our 80,000 strong Coptic community in Australia is again grieving but we must also holdfast to a positive message of unity, peace and hope to help heal the hate. We ask for all those in authority to support us in our pursuit of upholding justice and righteousness.

“By recognising past atrocities and moving forward together, we can shine a light on the power of forgiveness and love to help break this cycle of violence.

“I urge all Australians to walk in solidarity with our Coptic community and call upon the Australian government to urgently offer protection for our Copts. Our government must join forces with the Egyptian government in a concerted effort to ramp up security to ensure safety for the Copts of Egypt,” Bishop Suriel concluded.

Founded by the apostle St Mark in 55AD, Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Church is the largest Christian church in the Middle East and one of the oldest Christian churches in the world. The past 50 years has seen the Coptic Church thrive in Australia and internationally through serving communities, promoting spirituality and establishing missionary work.