Here's a reconstruction of what happened by Ahram Weekly:
It seems plausible and contains interesting background explanations, but there remain many open questions: Why would a neighbour of Sameh Sami Nasim's - the makwagi - throw inflammable liquid at Mu'adh - a young man who was trying to negotiate (?) - during an argument that happened a few hours after the burning incident. What was his motive? Did he feel threatened? Other reports say the molotov cocktails (or several of them) were thrown from Nasim's roof. Or were there already threats against the whole Christian community? Some Christian reports claim that there was a Muslim mob.
When you read reports like this: Christian Solidarity Worldwide, 3.8.2012 you get the strong impression that the Christian side, probably even the observers and not the people on the ground themselves invented a story to justify the escalation of the Molotov cocktail. This seems a more likely version:
In the next days, the general atmosphere must have deteriorated to the point that, when the news of Mu'adh's death reached the village MOST Christian families found it safer to leave the village with the help of the security forces. It is unclear whether they left before the violence escalated or while it was already raging. The security forces were entirely aware of the situation and had cordoned off the village by 31 July. Yet, the could not prevent the destruction of Christian property on a large scale.
How could sectarian hate such a high point following an everyday quarrel?
The EIPR investigative report (http://eipr.org/pressrelease/2012/08/07/1461) published on 7 August has some of the following explanations:
1) Sameh Nasim, the Christian makwagi, had a bad relationship with his neighbour. They had been fighting, and he had slighty injured the neighbour by holding his iron to the latter's face. The issue was settled with a conciliation meeting.
2) In the context of this event, some Muslim voices were accusing the Christian side (namely the local priest called Takla) of oppression (tughyan) for having had recourse to state security while it was not necessary, thereby causing problems for some people. The runoff elections between Mursi and Shafiq had also caused bad blood between some Muslims and Christians. Some Muslims reportedly tried to prevent the Christians from voting for Shafiq. [By the way, there are said to have lived 100 Christian families among the 50,000 inhabitants of the village, meaning 1000-2000 people, or between 2 and 4 percent. It is quite revealing that some Muslims feel threatened by this tiny Christian presence amongst them.]
3) On the evening of the initial brawl, Nasim's house was attacked by up to 2000 Muslim villagers. It was burned and destroyed. Some other Muslim villagers tried to prevent excesses: the escorted the womenfolk out of Nasim's house and prevented the mob from attacking the nearby Coptic church until the security forces arrived to contain the situation.
4) Nasim, his father, and his brother were arrested by the police and accused of intentional murder.
5) The following days witnessed a number of small-scale attacks on Christian property in the village. It was said that the father of Mu'adh had vowed to take his revenge on the Christian of the village.
6) On the news of Mu'adh's death on 31 July, a large number of Christians left the village voluntarily before the funeral, following the advice of the police and of their Muslim neighbours. A smaller number decided to stay behind, but they were made to leave by the security forces once the attacks started on the same evening.
7) After the funeral, some Muslims invited the fellow participants to take part in a an attack on the local church, with the aim of destroying it and converting it into a mosque. When the people came down from the cemetery on the desert edge and entered the village, they started destroying the shops and apartments of Christians on the way. There was a police contingent in the most heavily Christian area of the village but they withdrew when they saw the mob arrive.
8) When the mob started attacking the entrance gate to the church compound and threw stones at the church windows, the police stepped in aided by local Muslims and dispersed them with the help of tear gas.
9) A few days later, about 10 Muslims were arrested and accused of vandalism.
Statement of the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchy in English
When you read reports like this: Christian Solidarity Worldwide, 3.8.2012 you get the strong impression that the Christian side, probably even the observers and not the people on the ground themselves invented a story to justify the escalation of the Molotov cocktail. This seems a more likely version:
Prior to the call for sundown prayers on Thursday July 26, Ramadān and about 20 of his supporters went to Nisīm’s house to assault him, whereupon he closed the doors of his house, went up onto the roof, and proceeded to throw Molotov cocktails at those below. (Hani Labib in Arab-West Report)So there was a limited brawl in front of the makwagi's shop, some people were beaten up pretty badly, and someone (Mu'adh) - a passer-by or spectator - was injured by a molotov cocktail.
In the next days, the general atmosphere must have deteriorated to the point that, when the news of Mu'adh's death reached the village MOST Christian families found it safer to leave the village with the help of the security forces. It is unclear whether they left before the violence escalated or while it was already raging. The security forces were entirely aware of the situation and had cordoned off the village by 31 July. Yet, the could not prevent the destruction of Christian property on a large scale.
How could sectarian hate such a high point following an everyday quarrel?
The EIPR investigative report (http://eipr.org/pressrelease/2012/08/07/1461) published on 7 August has some of the following explanations:
1) Sameh Nasim, the Christian makwagi, had a bad relationship with his neighbour. They had been fighting, and he had slighty injured the neighbour by holding his iron to the latter's face. The issue was settled with a conciliation meeting.
2) In the context of this event, some Muslim voices were accusing the Christian side (namely the local priest called Takla) of oppression (tughyan) for having had recourse to state security while it was not necessary, thereby causing problems for some people. The runoff elections between Mursi and Shafiq had also caused bad blood between some Muslims and Christians. Some Muslims reportedly tried to prevent the Christians from voting for Shafiq. [By the way, there are said to have lived 100 Christian families among the 50,000 inhabitants of the village, meaning 1000-2000 people, or between 2 and 4 percent. It is quite revealing that some Muslims feel threatened by this tiny Christian presence amongst them.]
3) On the evening of the initial brawl, Nasim's house was attacked by up to 2000 Muslim villagers. It was burned and destroyed. Some other Muslim villagers tried to prevent excesses: the escorted the womenfolk out of Nasim's house and prevented the mob from attacking the nearby Coptic church until the security forces arrived to contain the situation.
4) Nasim, his father, and his brother were arrested by the police and accused of intentional murder.
5) The following days witnessed a number of small-scale attacks on Christian property in the village. It was said that the father of Mu'adh had vowed to take his revenge on the Christian of the village.
6) On the news of Mu'adh's death on 31 July, a large number of Christians left the village voluntarily before the funeral, following the advice of the police and of their Muslim neighbours. A smaller number decided to stay behind, but they were made to leave by the security forces once the attacks started on the same evening.
7) After the funeral, some Muslims invited the fellow participants to take part in a an attack on the local church, with the aim of destroying it and converting it into a mosque. When the people came down from the cemetery on the desert edge and entered the village, they started destroying the shops and apartments of Christians on the way. There was a police contingent in the most heavily Christian area of the village but they withdrew when they saw the mob arrive.
8) When the mob started attacking the entrance gate to the church compound and threw stones at the church windows, the police stepped in aided by local Muslims and dispersed them with the help of tear gas.
9) A few days later, about 10 Muslims were arrested and accused of vandalism.
Statement of the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchy in English
مؤسس الأخوان المسيحيين لـ"محيط": نفكر في الاستعانة بالخارج للحصول على حقوقنا
http://www.moheet.com/2012/08/03/%D9%85%D8%A4%D8%B3%D8%B3-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%AE%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%AD%D9%8A%D9%8A%D9%86-%D9%84%D9%80%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%8A%D8%B7-%D9%86%D9%81%D9%83%D8%B1-%D9%81/
وفد "المصرى الديمقراطى" ينجح فى التوصل لاتفاق لحل أزمة دهشور
http://www2.youm7.com/News.asp?NewsID=748306
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/49409/Egypt/Politics-/Morsi-wants-culprits-in-sectarian-clashes-punished.aspxMorsi wants culprits in sectarian clashes punished; Church calls for end to violence against Copts
Copts protest Dahshur clashes in front of presidential palace
http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/copts-protest-dahshur-clashes-front-presidential-palace
Following sectarian clashes in Giza, demonstrators protest 'forced migration of Copts'
http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/49252.aspx
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