Bill Text: NJ AJR69 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Condemns the New Year's Eve attack and other violence against the Coptic Orthodox Christians in Egypt.
Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Republican 11-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-01-24 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly State Government Committee [AJR69 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2010-AJR69-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman SAMUEL D. THOMPSON
District 13 (Middlesex and Monmouth)
Assemblywoman AMY H. HANDLIN
District 13 (Middlesex and Monmouth)
SYNOPSIS
Condemns the New Year's Eve attack and other violence against the Coptic Orthodox Christians in Egypt.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Joint Resolution condemning the New Year's Eve attack and other violence against the Coptic Orthodox Christians in Egypt.
Whereas, On New Year's Eve, 2010, Coptic Orthodox Christians peacefully gathered in Alexandria, Egypt to celebrate a special Mass to honor the New Year, when a car bomb exploded in front of the Saints' Church, killing 21 people and wounding 79 others; and
Whereas, The New Year's Eve attack is part of a systematic pattern of violence and discrimination against the Coptic Christians in Egypt, which included the murder of six Coptic Christians leaving Christmas Mass last year in Naga Hamady, Egypt; and
Whereas, On November 24, 2010, Egyptian state security forces opened fire on a peaceful protest by Coptic Christians in Giza, Egypt that resulted in the deaths and injuries of many Coptic Christians; and
Whereas, On March 12, 2010, approximately 250 people attacked a Coptic Church in Marsa Matrouh, Egypt by throwing stones and Molotov cocktails, injuring approximately two dozen Coptic Christians; and
Whereas, Coptic Christians make up about 10 percent of Egypt's population of 80 million, and are a vital religious organization, with roots reaching back to the very foundations of Christianity; and
Whereas, The Coptic Christians have been targets for violence solely on the basis of their religion, despite the provision for freedom of belief and the practice of religious rights in Article 46 of the Egyptian Constitution; and
Whereas, The U.S. Department of State's International Religious Freedom Report, issued in November of 2010, cited the Egyptian government because it denied the occurrence of violent incidents and failed to prosecute perpetrators of violence against Coptic Christians, and prevented Coptic Christians from seeking judicial recourse for these crimes; and
Whereas, The United States Congress previously expressed their grave concern over the violence waged against the Coptic Christians and urged Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to take swift action to prosecute any such incidents; and
Whereas, Violence against the Coptic Christians continues to occur with alarming frequency, despite the assurances the Egyptian government makes to the United States Congress; and
Whereas, While economic aid from the United States must be transformative and not palliative, economic assistance to Egypt continues to increase, with Egypt receiving $1.5 billion in economic assistance in 2010 alone, making it the second largest recipient of U.S. economic aid; and
Whereas, The heinous act carried out on New Year's Eve against the Coptic Christians offends human life and dignity and stains our collective conscience; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Governor and the Legislature of the State of New Jersey condemn the perpetrators of violence against the Coptic Christians in Egypt, especially those responsible for the vile and barbaric attack on New Year's Eve in Alexandria, Egypt.
2. This joint resolution calls on the Arab Republic of Egypt to deliver justice to the victims of the New Year's Eve attack and other attacks by investigating and prosecuting the perpetrators responsible for these senseless killings of Coptic Christians.
3. The Governor shall issue a proclamation calling upon the President of the United States and the United States Congress to demand that the Egyptian government end discriminatory practices and take steps to protect the rights of the Coptic Christian community to practice their religion in peace.
4. This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This Joint Resolution directs the Governor to condemn the New Year's Eve attack and other violence against the Coptic Orthodox Christians in Egypt, and to urge the President and Congress to demand that the Egyptian government end discriminatory practices and take steps to protect the rights of the Coptic Christian community to practice their religion in peace.
