CAIRO: Basma Moussa, a Baha'i activist and professor at Cairo University, said in press statements that a large number of Baha'i families plan to file an appeal against the Minister of Interior Habib El Adly and Minister of Justice Mamdouh Marei to accelerate the adoption of a procedure that allows them to issue their identity cards, which has been disrupted by what Moussa said was the “instability of the official authorities on the formula written in the social status item and in the absence of state recognition of Baha'is marriage contracts.” In Egypt, religious affiliation is required in order to obtain state identification cards and other documents. Although the Baha'is won a court ruling that allows them to obtain ID's without their religion printed, many within the faith argue that they are still being discriminated against based on their religion. By denying the small community of being allowed to identify themselves as Baha’is, the government is ostensibly stripping them of full citizenship rights in the country. “We are not asking the government to recognize the Baha'i marriage contract, but what we want is the proof of the validity of the marriage, especially since both conditions of declaration and announcement of marriage to others are available in Baha'i marriages signed by eight witnesses,” Moussa argued. She noted that Baha'is had responded optimistically when the Civil Status Department started to issue their ID cards last month, but they were surprised that these actions are limited to non-married couples only and that employees in the civil status department gives married Bahai's “the choice between writing the words ‘single' in their ID cards, or not issuing their cards.” She said that her daughter received an identity card, while her son will get the card soon, but Moussa herself has been unable thus far to obtain one, “because of the social status item.” Moussa continued to say that in spite of the promises of the interior and justice ministry officials of finding an urgent solution that “the suffering of scores of Baha'i families, divorcees and widows of the lack of access to identity cards is still ongoing for nearly three months.” The Baha’i Faith, of which there are approximately 2000 adherents in Egypt, is the most recent, established in 1863, monotheistic religion. It originates from Iran and believes in the progressive revelations of God. Baha’is believe that all religions are true and from God, but that at different times throughout human history, a new manifestation (prophet) is needed in order to adapt to the changing times and cultural traditions. The main conflict between Muslims and Baha’is is in the idea that Mohamed is not the final prophet of God, which has led to Muslims distrusting Baha’is. Moussa ruled out that the Baha'is would resort to justice and courts once more, pointing out that the Baha'i community hopes the proceedings would be conducted smoothly and without the complexities of a new bureaucracy. **reporting by Mohamed Abdel Salam BM
