Sectarian targeting

Sectarian targeting: Types of discrimination against “Christian minorities” in some states in the region The phenomenon of targeting Christian minorities in some countries in the region has escalated, after it appeared in several dimensions including the wide geographical spread; as the phenomenon is no longer confined to a particular country, but it has spread to several countries, specifically Libya, Sudan, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Iran, and Pakistan.

As well as the multiple types of targeting which include murder, arrests, prosecutions, displacement of Christian citizens, kidnapping, plus attacking worship houses and private properties of Christians, and the restrictions that have been put through the decisions of the executive branch, besides the intensity of sectarian targeting operations in terms of quantity, and the convergence of time periods between these operations.

Probably the presence of "Al-Qaeda" incubator environment which is suitable for the growth of “targeting based upon identity” phenomenon is what compounds its effects. In spite of this, still there are factors can rein in this trend, specifically addressing the sectarianism issues by political, developmental, and security vision by the national bodies of the state, and activating the role played by the centrist moderate religious institutions, in addition to modifying the educational curriculum in order to consolidate the values of tolerance and moderation in those communities.

Incubator environment: The Middle East countries are full of catalysts that works to increase the rates of targeting the Christian minorities; these catalysts vary between what is political and ideological, religious and doctrinal, cultural, and security issues; the diversity of these catalysts added to the overlap between these factors make it extremely difficult to separate between them.

In the same context, the rise of religious fundamentalism and the spread of "Al-Qaeda" armed organizations that adopt radical "takfiri" visions toward non-Muslims is considered as a very dangerous factor, especially " Al- Nusra front" and "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Daash)" which were uncovered by the ongoing attacks on Christians in those countries, and the announcement of these groups their responsibility for those attacks.

While the religious groups and political parties with religious references which came to power in post-revolutions period has provided political cover for targeting Christians operations especially in Egypt and Libya. This comes in conjunction with the centrist religious institutions significantly weakened role giving more space for the "Salafist" groups that take a tougher line towards Christians. At the same time some media are teeming with letters of incitement and hate, and the "Fatwas" that permit attacks on Christians especially in Pakistan, Syria and Egypt.

On the other hand, the weakness of security services, and its inability to provide the necessary protection for religious minorities generally, and Christian minority precisely;

contributes significantly to multiply the effects of that "targeting" trend, particularly in each of; Libya, where the armed militias control large areas of the country. Iraq, since the outbreak of Al- Anbar crisis and the increasing frequency of armed conflicts. Egypt, after the fall of the Muslim Brotherhood regime, and the escalating rates of violence and sabotage by the Jihadist groups allied with the Muslim Brotherhood.

Various forms: Christian minorities face a big package of persecution and systematic targeting forms in many countries in the region, Where the incubator environment for "Al-Qaeda" exacerbated it providing a convenient cover for its growth, those forms are summarized below: 1- Murders and assassinations: As the Christian minorities are exposed to frequent killings and assassinations , either by individual incidents, or attacks on worship houses, which leads to widening the circle of victims. At the time the circle is widening in Pakistan, it's relatively shrinking in all of Egypt, Iraq, and Syria.

Pakistan is experiencing operations targeting worship houses and churches, which caused a large numbers of dead and wounded, most notably was in the September 23rd, 2013; where a church was bombed in Peshawar, causing 83 people dead and nearly 150 wounded, in an operation has been described as the bloodiest in targeting Christians. At a time when Iraq witnessed a bloody operations targeting Christians, Especially that took place in the Christmas celebrations on the December 25th, 2013; where four explosions rocked "Al Dora" an area densely populated of Christians, south of the capital Baghdad, in particular bombing the building of St. John Catholic Chaldean Church, which more than 45 people were killed and wounded 60.

Egypt has also seen a number of killings targeting Christians randomly and individually, such as the attack occurred on a number of Christians when they came out of the church area "Warraq" in mid-October 2013, where 5 people were killed. What is striking in this context, is the emergence of "targeting Christian citizens" abroad, which was uncovered by the killing of 7 Christians Egyptians workers in Libya in February 23rd 2014 2- Arrests and prosecutions policies; In some cases priests and Christian clergy are exposed to arrests and detentions and it is the dominant form of discrimination in both of Iran and North Sudan, like what happened when Sudanese security services arrested five priests belong to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church , in July 17th 2013 in the capital Khartoum, and led them to a police station North of Khartoum and released them within hours , in spite of the quick release, this policy comes in the framework of a campaign to nuisance Christians in Sudan, especially that it is not the first accident of its kind, as in early 2013, two priests of the Coptic Church in Khartoum had been arrested.

In the same context, a report issued by the "global Christian Solidarity" organization stated that 55 Christians belonging to the Evangelical Church were arrested in February 2013, the report also uncovered that the security services raided the cultural center of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Khartoum. Also in Iran, the "Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance" revealed Several priests trials most notably is accusing the Rev. Robert Aoncian who belongs to the divine church and imprisoning him for three

and half years on charges of acting against national security, "Christianization" and promoting Christianity among Muslims, added to the arrest of the Rev. Farhad Sabak with a number of divine church's custodians in the 4th of may 2013.

3- Frequent kidnapping accidents which are evident with the monks and priests of Syria, where kidnapping cases were repeated, In April 2013 Paul Yazigi Bishop of Aleppo Orthodox and John Abraham Bishop of Syrian Aleppo Orthodox. As well as the well known "Maloula" accident in which an affiliate of " Al- Nusra front" group calling itself the brigades of "free Kalamoon" kidnapped 12 nun from the Orthodox monastery "Mar Takla" in December 2013, before they were released under a deal involving several regional parties.

4-Attacking worship houses and private properties of Christians, which is the recurrent form of discrimination in the case of Egypt, especially after the 30 of June revolution and toppling Muslim brotherhood, as many churches and monasteries in Egypt faced numerous attacks. According to a report issued in the 4th of March 2014 by "Maspero Youth Foundation”, there are 146 case of attack upon churches, monasteries, and buildings belonging to it during 2013. Probably this scene is familiar in the Syrian case too, particularly in "Al-Riqqa" city; where "Daash" stormed, sabotaged, and brought down the Cross and the dome, and they burnt religious books and symbols in two churches in the north-east of the city in late September 2013. The attacks also affected the shops and private properties.

5- Restrictions and imposing tribute, within the expansion of areas controlled by "AlQaeda" affiliate organizations , especially "Daash" organization, a new form of discrimination and targeting appeared, as the organization in the 27th of February 2014 forced Christians in "Al-Riqqa" city to choose between converting to Islam or paying a tribute in the form of 17 grams of gold to rich people, and half of it to the poor, in addition to banning them of possessing weapons, drinking alcohol in public or selling it to Muslims, or to sell pork, in exchange of giving them safety with their commitment to the provisions of "Al- Dhimmah".

This has pushed up many Christian religious leaders, especially the Pope Twadharos II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of Saint Mark Episcopate, to describe those practices as a process of Christian displacement in Syria, which acts as the worst model in Christian citizens displacement, especially in three main areas, namely the city of Aleppo, which was inhabited by approximately 150 thousands Christians - and according to many estimates - only between 70 and 80 thousands were left of them, and the border area stretching from the town of Ras al-Ain near the Turkish border, as well as for “Homs” city..

6- Executive decisions and restrictive legislation, in the process of "soft" targeting for Copts, the executive decisions and restrictive legislation of religious freedom play a crucial role, where political regimes adopt some legislative systems to prevent the spread of worship houses. In northern Sudan, for example, Al Fateh Taj El Din, Minister of Guidance and Endowments, announced on March 27, 2013, that the government will not issue any licenses for constructing new churches.

The bottom line, It seems that the future of the phenomenon of targeting the Christian minorities in some countries in the region by far is dark, and moving in an upward direction especially with the failure of the political and security services at those countries to provide effective solutions, Whether through the provision of security procedures to protect houses of worship and private properties, or through clear political frameworks to settle the political crisis that nourish the structural nature of these fanaticism tendencies. But still the decisive factor which would reduce this trend is linked to two things; Firstly, activating the official religious institutions centrist moderate speech to explain what is the aspects of the relationship between the followers of different religions by adopting a moderate religious approach, And secondly, to reconsider the educational curriculum in various countries in the region, because it serves as the cornerstone of sound societal upbringing through the dissemination tolerance and peaceful coexistence values.