Human Rights in Egypt: New Egypt Cannot Thrive on Old Ways

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The best reporting guidelines apply: report, verify; do not assume or editorialize.    
     Recent newsworthy events from Egypt require reporting that informs as accurately and dispassionately as possible, with historical or background information that connects with new events. 
     This is the case with Coptic Christian history, which goes back to followers of Christ in ancient Egypt. That was the time of St. Mark's teaching and witness there.   
   Attacks against Copts occurred recently after their peaceful protests* to express concerns over a church burning. Terror and massacre followed. The violence carried out by the new military system reflects religious and sectarian persecution of Coptic believers in Christ, one group within the Christian religious minority in Egypt.
    Boutros Boutros-Ghali, a former Secretary General of the United Nations, was known to be a Coptic Christian. then as now. The term Coptic refers to cultural as well as religious influences, including definitive art. Before this year's Arab spring protests, Copts lived in relative freedom with protection under former President Mubarak, as did Muslims and Jews. (After the spring protests, attended by some Jews, many Jews left Egypt, fearing the future in Egypt.)        

     As of today, the post-Mubarak leadership in Egypt has extended an olive branch of peace and fairness to the head of the Coptic church. Many are watching to see what happens into the future of a new Egypt trying to rise out of a population still holding on to sectarian favoritism and inability to live peacefully with differences. 

     * It is an outrage what has happened....May the people of Egypt come to see the tragedy the other week not just as a crime against Christians but as a crime against Islam too - no true religion can contemplate this kind of horror." --Australia's Opposition Leader,Tony Abbott (see link "Protest in Sydney..." below, to read full report)

Copyright (c)2011 Opinari Writers

Related articles

• Protest in Sydney over Egypt violence (news.theage.com.au)
• "Egypt moves to pacify Christians after deadly riots" (egyptinrevolt.wordpress.com)
• Democracy Now: Egypt and Coptic Christians (euzicasa.wordpress.com)
• Viewpoint: Egypt's Copts must not submit to grief (bbc.co.uk)
• Coptic Protest and Massacre in Cairo (frstephensmuts.wordpress.com)
• Attacks on Egypt Christians shock U.S. Coptics (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Coptic Christians & Persecution (communicatingacrossboundariesblog.com)
• Covering the massacres of Coptic Christians (geneveith.com)
• Religious Violence, Uncertainty in Post-Mubarak Egypt Threatens Ties to Israel, U.S. (foxnews.com)

Journalistic Bias Remarkably Absent on Egypt: Dangers Avoided for Now

 

The coverage of the war of wills between Egypt's president and protesters in Egypt is a case of the best of journalism. Journalistic bias could have raised the levels of fear and weakened efforts toward peaceful change. The best of journalism might have prevented grave harm among dictatorship, military, and civilian elements. The best of commentary on the military's restraint, for example, gave hope for continued calm. On TV, CNN, BBC World News (particularly notable was Lyse Ducet in Cairo, among others), Fox News, and FBN, broadcasts this writer followed, journalists took great care, professionally. They did little to analyze, but focused on history, context, questions, and interviews with protesters, with remarkable emotional restraint shown by those reporting on camera.  

Less than two hours ago, Egypt's vice-president announced that president of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, has resigned, change within a day of his announcement indicating he would never do such a thing. Peaceful protests won change, and the war of wills is over, at least at the top stage.

The praise-worthy journalistic behaviors up to that time and ongoing remind the watching, reading, and listening world that  responsible reporting brings enormous value. During the protests and events in Egypt recently, the world has relied on the words of journalists. We have hung on their words for over two weeks. They have, for the most part, avoided the journalistic trap that could have led to dangers on the ground. They have helped by staying calm and by being courageous, staying and, for some, enduring violence.


Bias did creep in, at times, among analysts and panelists whose political and philosophical views did emerge, taking sides and predicting outcomes that were no more than guesses.


Most journalists have restrained themselves about the possible or probable influences upon various groups among the protesters, whether Muslim, other Arab secular nations, or other influences. This part of the story contains unanswered questions, as does the present situation.

The fact is that President Mubarak resigned today. That we also are hearing, seeing, and will read about for a while. The happiness now is a relief, the future yet to be lived, the outcomes yet to be seen.

The bias for freedom is strong, and who can say it is bad? Today's celebration in Tahrir and elsewhere is real, and appears to be aware, There are days and months ahead, toward another election, and without Mubarak, it appears. As with every big change in nations, peaceful means under pressure have proven the best microphone for freedom's cries. 

(c) 2011 Jean Purcell

Related articles to read and assess:

• 'Farewell Friday' Observed by Protesters after Mubarak's Defiant Speech (firedoglake.com)
• Robert Naiman: Egypt Protesters on Verge of Victory? Watch for the Demands (huffingtonpost.com)
• Crowd in Cairo's Tahrir Square outraged after Mubarak doesn't resign (cnn.com)
• Egypt protests spread (independent.co.uk)
• Egypt 'must protect protest rights' (mirror.co.uk)
• Mubarak Reportedly Flees For Red Sea Resort As Egypt Protesters Rage (huffingtonpost.com)
• Tahrir Square is not Egypt (thehill.com)
• Egypt: What Happens Next? (cbsnews.com)
• Briton missing for 10 days in Egypt protests (mirror.co.uk)
• For Egypt, this is the miracle of Tahrir Square | Slavoj Žižek (guardian.co.uk)
• Courageous Journalism Allows Us to Get the Real News from Egypt (blogher.com)
• TV Journalists Increasingly Targeted in Egypt (seattlepi.com)
• Rudd concerned for journalists in Egypt (news.theage.com.au)
• CPJ: 141 attacks on journalists and news facilities in Egypt since 30 Jan (blogs.journalism.co.uk)
• Fox News' Greg Palkot Hospitalized In Egypt (huffingtonpost.com)

A Christian's thoughts about Cairo, Horsemen, and Other News from Egypt

View from Cairo Tower CC use Image via Wikipedia

By Jean Purcell 2/2/11

In recent hours in modern Cairo city, riders on horseback (and camels) cut through crowds of anger, fear, and violence among people walking and sitting along streets near Tahrir Square. The Bible speaks of power on horseback in ways that speak of past and future events, and now....today horsemen are news from a city of fomenting frustration and dangers. This speaks to the skeptics' questions, "How could such things be (biblical prophecies about fast riders on horseback) in this automated, post-modern 21st century?" Others may wonder, seeing modern Cairo recently,
"Is the Bible more than imagery and symbol as I have thought?" 

This week, most protesters have continued to call for an end to the President Mubarak's rule. Others have called for his continuance; others, for all enmity to end. As fevers continue to rise, surely there is much fear, anger and likely terror among those in the streets, men and women fighting against or resisting each other, people of the same country and in some cases same religion, now in conflict, entrenched in their desires about how things should play out, and when.

Horsemen from pyramid areas came into Cairo, to enter the fray. Biblical references to such riders came to my mind early this morning, seeing the news from Cairo and reports of the night before. Considering today's world of automated transportation and war, we are reminded today, as in recent years, of a post-modern time when horses, camels, and donkeys are used as a matter of course in large parts of the world. In recent years, Iraq and Afghanistan have opened our physical eyes to this.

These horsemen prompted other thoughts and led to prayer and then to the keyboard, to try to write my thoughts as a Christian, sharing with you, also likely thinking of these things. 


The news of the day always gives the Christian writer much to think about. We can try to ignore the news of the day. However, those who do not yet know God, who waver in their thoughts of seeking God, are paying attention to the news. Therefore, at least some of us must pay attention, too. This is consistent with God's record of dealing with human beings. The spiritual mind must remain engaged, too. The spiritual mind submits to the wisdom of God. The spiritual mind receives strength from God to seek and to find what others cannot see, to discern, as it were, and to hear with ears truly open to more than words, but to God's sovereignty over the world.

If we are not moved to write, let us remain silent. If we are, may we do it responsibly, honestly/factually, and with an aim not to do harm, but to bring even the peace of Christ, the living Word, into the view of readers and listeners.The power of God is made perfect in our weakness to do more, in obedience to what He has said, and to remember His plans for those who will trust in Him: .

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11-NIV).

For Reflection: 

It is not a political comment to quote from Dr. Henry H. Halley of the middle of the previous century: "In a world where empires rise and fall, where all things die and pass away, we are reminded that God is Changeless, Timeless and Eternal, and (we are) promised by Him that His Nature may be imparted to us, and that we, like Him, and by His Grace, unhurt by Death, may Live On and On. Alive Forevermore! ...What a meaning it gives to Life! And what a comfort to saints then facing Martyrdom!"* 

We pray for all people in Cairo and all of Egypt, of whatever religion. We pray for Christian brothers and sisters - including of Coptic, Alexandrian, and Orthodox churches..

-30-

Notes
* Halley's Bible Handbook, commenting on Revelation 1:4. Revised edition, 1927 (1st edition)....1965 (24th edition). Regency/Zondervan, page 689.

Related articles to read and assess on our own and with others:

• 1 Timothy 1 (asorensen.wordpress.com)
• Incredible Pictures Of The Violent Riots That Are Breaking Out In Cairo (businessinsider.com)
• A scene of violent chaos in Cairo (cnn.com)
• Battleground: Hundreds Injured in Cairo Clashes (abcnews.go.com)
• John Simpson in Cairo's Tahrir Square (bbc.co.uk)
• Video: Protests Extend Beyond Cairo (cbsnews.com)
• Rock-throwing demonstrators clash in central Cairo - USA Today (news.google.com)
• U.S. Government Staff Begin To Leave Egypt (huffingtonpost.com)