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Middle East and North Africa Said Shehata N 2012, the Middle East and North Africa Be Characterized by Deep Divisions

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Middle East and North Africa Said Shehata N 2012, the Middle East and North Africa Be Characterized by Deep Divisions LIBYA LEBANON SYRIA ISRAEL/OT/ Palestinian Authority EGYPT JORDAN IRAQ KUWAIT IRAN SAUDI ARABIA BAHRAIN QATAR U.A.E . OMAN YEMEN ARABIAN SEA Middle East and North Africa Said Shehata n 2012, the Middle East and North Africa be characterized by deep divisions. Tariq witnessed several dramatic changes that al-Hashimi, the Sunni vice-president, was I affected ethnic and religious minorities in sentenced to death in absentia on terrorism different countries. Egypt elected its first Muslim charges, but he insisted that the charges and Brotherhood president, Mohamed Morsi, and the sentence were politically motivated. Tensions country experienced waves of violence and instabil- in the government reflected the fraught ity after he came into office.1 Morsi was a polarizing relations between the Sunni and Shi’a Muslim figure and steps taken by his government caused communities. Christians, Turkmen, Yezidis concern among minority communities. While and other minorities in Iraq continued to be the number of fatalities and injuries from sectar- targeted, and large numbers remained displaced. ian violence decreased in 2012 compared to 2011, For smaller minorities, such as the Sabean Coptic Christians continued to experience attacks Mandaeans, their continuing existence as a on churches and properties throughout the year, community is in doubt. and some were imprisoned. The violence reached its In Syria, the violence increased for the second peak a few months after year’s end with an attack year since the uprising in March 2011. According on the Coptic Orthodox Cathedral, seat of the com- to the Office of the High Commissioner for munity’s Pope, in April 2013. Human Rights (OHCHR), nearly 93,000 During 2012 the ‘Arab Spring’ turned into people had been killed by spring 2013. By the an ‘Arab Autumn’ in Egypt and other countries, end of 2012, 750,000 had left the country, and such as Libya, Tunisia and Yemen. A 2012 Pew well over 2 million people had been displaced Center study found that the Middle East and inside Syria. Minorities, such as Christians North Africa region ranked the worst with regard and Alawites, fear being targeted if the Bashar to government restrictions on freedom of religion al-Assad regime collapses. There were cases of and religious sectarian violence; according to the Christians being forced to leave their houses and Pew Center, governments in the region are more flee for their lives by both government and anti- restrictive than anywhere else. government forces. In Libya, there were elections for the General In Saudi Arabia, Shi’a Muslims continued to National Congress in July, but there were face arrest and detention. In Iran, the regime disputes about representation of some areas, continued to discriminate against minorities. such as Jebel Nafusa. At the same time there There were executions and imprisonment were several incidents of violence, since the of members of different ethnic and religious government was unable to control the militias. minorities in 2012, including Ahwazi Arabs. The American ambassador to Libya was killed Across the region then, the picture is gloomy. in Benghazi in September. Prime Minister Ali There is an urgent need throughout the Middle Zidan formed a new government, which was East and North Africa to ensure the protection of approved by the General National Congress minorities, in accordance with UN instruments in October. Zidan attempted to forge a broad of human rights and minority rights. Secular coalition by including liberals and Islamists in his authoritarian regimes, as in Syria, have sought cabinet. Meanwhile, the situation for minorities to convince minorities that they are safer when remained serious, with non-Arabs and Christians their forces remain in control. However, in the being targeted by militant groups. Black Libyans, long term, this strategy is fraught with danger for including persons of sub-Saharan origin, were minorities, as they risk being targeted by opposition particularly vulnerable. The population of forces as having been too closely linked to such Tawergha remained displaced, after having been regimes. Clearly, true democracy remains a distant forced out of the city in August 2011 by armed prospect for both minorities and majority groups. groups from Misrata. In Iraq, there were hundreds of incidents of Egypt violence and in one day more than 100 people In June 2012 the country elected its first Islamist were killed. The number of civilian casualties president, Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim increased. The political scene continued to Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party. This 194 Middle East and State of the World’s Minorities North Africa and Indigenous Peoples 2013 marked a turning point for Egyptians generally 100 families escaped after Christian homes and and minorities in particular. There were shops were set on fire. hopes that Morsi could be a president ‘for all While the number of fatalities and injuries Egyptians’, as he said on several occasions, but from sectarian violence fell in 2012 compared Morsi excluded opponents from decision-making with 2011, the situation remained very serious processes and appointed members of the Muslim and escalated in early 2013 with the attack on Brotherhood to key positions in government. the Coptic Orthodox St Mark’s Cathedral, seat Morsi faced repeated controversy in taking of the Coptic Pope Tawadros II, in April 2013. some decisions, such as setting the date of the Two people were killed and over 80 were injured. House of Representatives elections for April Police fired tear gas into the compound and were 2013, despite widespread fears that the country accused of standing by as assailants attacked those was not yet prepared, and with regard to the inside. The congregation had gathered to mourn reinstating of the People’s Assembly (the lower four Copts who had died the weekend before house of parliament) in July, despite a ruling in religious violence in Khosous. A Muslim also by the Supreme Constitutional Court that died in that earlier incident. the electoral law was flawed. Morsi was also During 2012 a number of Copts were criticized for rushing the draft Constitution to imprisoned on blasphemy charges. In September referendum in December. Although nearly two- Bishoy Kameel, a Copt from Sohag, was detained thirds of voters backed the new Constitution, it and then sentenced to six years in prison after was widely criticized for ignoring women and posting cartoons on Facebook allegedly insulting not going far enough to protect minorities. For to the Prophet Muhammad and President Morsi. example, Article 43 affirmed freedom of religion Also in September, Alber Saber, an atheist from but limited it to Islam, Christianity and Judaism a Coptic family, was sentenced to three years’ – risking the further exclusion of Bahá’is. Several imprisonment on blasphemy charges with regard articles appeared to criminalize defamation of to both Islam and Christianity. He posted videos religion; similar clauses or legislation in other critical of religions. He was released in January countries have led to the targeting of minorities.2 2013 and left the country. In contrast, Ahmed Religious minorities, including Copts, Mohammed Abdullah, known as Abu Islam, Shi’as and Bahá’is, continued to experience mocked Christianity on his TV show and tore discrimination and their situation did not the Bible in front of the American Embassy in improve in 2012. There has been an increase Cairo. He was tried but released on bail. in attacks on Christians and churches in Egypt In May, 12 Copts in Minya were sentenced to since the fall of the former regime. The Egyptian life in prison and eight Muslims were acquitted government has failed or been slow to protect by an Emergency State Security Court in Copts, who comprise about 10 per cent of the connection with clashes between Muslims and population, and other religious minorities. Christians in 2011. No Muslims were jailed on There were a number of incidents in which this occasion. The case went to retrial in January Copts and churches were targeted during the 2013. year. In January 2012, homes of Copts in Sharbat The violence and lack of accountability gave village, near Alexandria, were burned following rise to a growing climate of impunity. Moreover, rumours of an alleged relationship between a legislation remained in place requiring official married Muslim woman and a Christian man. In permission that made it difficult for Coptic February, eight Christian families were evicted communities to construct churches; no new from the village by police, and local religious churches were built during 2012. A rising and political figures, reportedly following a number of Copts were leaving the country by the so-called ‘reconciliation’ session. The eviction end of 2012, according to community leaders. was overturned two weeks later after media Shi’a Muslims, Bahá’is and other religious campaigns and a visit by some parliamentarians minorities also face discrimination. Analysts to the village; however no one was prosecuted. fear that Egypt is becoming increasingly divided In August, in Dahshour, Giza governorate, about along religious and political lines. The lack of State of the World’s Minorities Middle East and 195 and Indigenous Peoples 2013 North Africa official recognition of Shi’a Islam and the Bahá’i who was tried for sexual assault of some female faith puts these groups in a difficult position with protesters was acquitted by a military judge. regard to their religious practices and their daily Moreover, an article guaranteeing equality lives. Some Egyptian Sunnis question whether between men and women was removed from the Shi’as are real Muslims; this stereotype persists 2012 Constitution, although there is provision in spite of some attempts by al-Azhar University, for equality before the law without discrimination a leading Sunni institution in Egypt and the and an article that says that the state shall Muslim world, to bring Sunnis and Shi’as guarantee coordination between the duties of the together.
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