Clashes between thousands of Copts and security officials over the building of a church in el-Omraniya, a suburb of Giza, last week needs more than the hugs and kisses shared by the Archbishop of Giza and officials in Giza Governorate and the Security Directorate to settle. As stones and Molotov cocktails flew, two Copts were killed and about 60 rioters were injured, as well as 48 police officers and conscripts, including the deputy head of Giza Security Directorate. A delegation from the Coptic Orthodox Church says that the riots were provoked by troublemakers who angered the Coptic community by claiming that the Governorate was going to demolish a church that is under construction. The delegation has also called upon security officials to release the arrested rioters. Meanwhile, the Giza Governor has promised to resolve the problem of this unlicensed church by asking clergymen to do the necessary paperwork to get a licence for the church, being built where they originally intended to build a service centre. Perhaps this is not a good way to settle the crisis, because the rioters caused chaos over a large area, which even led to huge traffic jams on the Ring Road. They also damaged a governmental building. No-one can deny that Egyptian Christians have the right to construct churches in different suburbs. However, they should follow the necessary administrative procedures for getting licences. If they caught in red tape, they should, like any other citizen, resort to the courts to get their rights. Taking to the streets and threatening the State security is not the right thing to do. In the meantime, the State should expedite the endorsement of the draft Unified Law for Building Places of Worship in Egypt, with regulations that clearly allow Muslims and Christians to worship equally without discrimination.
