Bill Text: NJ AR201 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Condemns attacks on Coptic Christians in Egypt and urges United States to call on Egypt to take appropriate measures to safeguard their rights and safety.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-11-18 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly State Government Committee [AR201 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-AR201-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman ALISON LITTELL MCHOSE
District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)
Assemblyman PARKER SPACE
District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)
SYNOPSIS
Condemns attacks on Coptic Christians in Egypt and urges United States to call on Egypt to take appropriate measures to safeguard their rights and safety.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution condemning the recent sectarian violence in Egypt against Coptic Christians and urging the President, Secretary of State, and Congress to call upon Egypt to ensure the safety and religious freedom of Coptic Christians.
Whereas, Coptic Christians have been part of the religious fabric of Egypt since the first century, currently make up about 10 percent of Egypt's population of 84 million, and are the largest Christian community in the Middle East; and
Whereas, The Christian minority in Egypt has been the target of violence in the past and, at times, authorities appear unable or unwilling to effectively prevent, contain, or prosecute violence against Coptic Christians; and
Whereas, The Constitution of Egypt, which took effect in December 2012, recognizes the right of Christians to their own places of worship, yet, by law, Christians are prohibited from constructing churches without a presidential decree; and
Whereas, Following the ouster of President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013, four Christians were beaten to death in their homes, three others were wounded, and over 24 Christian owned properties were destroyed by mobs in a 17 hour rampage near the city of Luxor, and, at the same time in North Sinai, three Coptic Christians, including a priest, were killed, two churches were looted and burned in Minya, and churches in several other cities were attacked or set on fire; and
Whereas, A particularly intense and brutal 24 hours of violence against Christians across Egypt from August 14 to 15, 2013 ended with nearly 40 churches looted and set on fire, 23 other churches severely damaged, a Christian school set on fire, three nuns paraded through the streets by an angry mob, and a teenage girl leaving Bible class shot dead in Cairo; and
Whereas, The systematic nature of this violence against Coptic Christians has not been seen in Egypt in over 300 years, and prompted the leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt, Pope Tawadros II, to suspend weekly public events for fear of attacks on congregations; and
Whereas, The United Nations Special Advisor for the Prevention of Genocide is concerned about the reported targeting of certain Coptic Christian institutions in retaliation for incidents that occurred in Cairo in the summer of 2013; and
Whereas, These heinous acts against Coptic Christians offend all who believe in religious freedom and pluralism, and undermine the safety, civil, and human rights of all people; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House strongly condemns the recent sectarian violence against Coptic Christians in Egypt.
2. This House respectfully urges the President, the Secretary of State, and the United States Congress to call upon Egypt to take all appropriate measures to prevent and contain these violent attacks, punish those responsible, and ensure the safety and religious freedom of Coptic Christians.
3. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and attested by the Clerk thereof, shall be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Secretary of State, every member of the New Jersey Congressional delegation, and Egypt's Ambassador to the United States.
STATEMENT
This resolution condemns the violent sectarian attacks on Coptic Christians and urges the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress to call on Egypt to take all appropriate measures to prevent and contain such attacks in the future, punish those responsible, and ensure the safety and religious freedom of Coptic Christians in Egypt.
Coptic Christians have a long history in Egypt and comprise about 10 percent of the population. Although the new Egyptian Constitution recognizes the right of Christians to their own places of worship, a pre-existing law appears to limit that right by prohibiting the construction of Christian churches without a presidential decree.
After the ouster of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013, severe mob violence against Coptic Christians followed at various places in Egypt, resulting in deaths, injury, looting, and destruction of property, including the burning of numerous churches. A particularly heinous single day of violence in August 2013 included the shooting death of a teenage girl, the parading of nuns through the streets by an angry mob, and the total destruction or damage of nearly 63 churches and a Christian school. This violence has resulted in the suspension of weekly public events by the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt out of fear for the safety of church members.
In light of their minority status, and current political, legal and security conditions in Egypt, this systematic violence against Coptic Christians is extremely troubling.
