“building churches law” amendments crisis escalates.. Ihab Ramzy warns: amendments raise problems and we want a unified cult law .. and deputies: We went back to point zero

“Building churches law” amendments crisis escalated after the church released a statement refusing the amendments of tthe long-awaited church building in Egypt law.

“The church was surprised with unacceptable amendments and impractical additions; and it declared that these amendments will impose a danger on Egyptian national unity,” in the statement, released on Thursday, following a meeting between representatives of the Egyptian churches and state officials to discuss the church building legislation.

The statement also slams the amendments’ “failed to observe the citizenship rights or patriotism of Egyptian Copts.”

In a phone-in with privately-owned television channel Al-Nahar, Ihab Ramzy, former MP and lawyer of the Orthodox Church, said that one of the main concerns  in regards to the first article of the bill, is that it identifies a church as a “building surrounded with walls.” According to Ramzy, which is very difficult to apply in reality,” particularly in small villages.

Ramzy points out that the definition of a church also does not include the existence of a cross or a bell, which he says raises fears of future complications.

Another primary concern raised by the church is that the bill gives the right to approve or deny the construction of a church to the governor, without specifying any criteria to rely on.

In case the governor denies permission, the case goes to the administrative judiciary, which usually takes between seven to 10 years for judgment, Ramzy explains, stating that the bill must instead refer the church case to the urgent judiciary courts.

“The mere fact that having a law for church building is a discrimination,” Ramzy concludes, calling for one unified law for worship houses.

Parliamentarians and Egyptian activists further criticized the governmental amendments, denouncing the government’s attitude and questioning its policies.

In a statement to Al-Shorouk, Member of Parliament Margret Azer said, “I do not find an excuse for the government to disrupt the building of churches. Neither the constitution nor Islam itself oppose it.

“The government should realize the implications of rejecting the law,” said Azer, a leading member of the “Support Egypt” coalition, explaining that one primary cause of sectarian incidents falls back on “allegations regarding building indoors churches.”

MP Emad Gad also criticized the government’s stance towards the issue.

“The government policy has not changed toward the Copts,” Gad said to Al-Shorouk, adding that the government has not proved any will to eradicate the sectarian tensions in the country.

Gad further stated that there was no desire to discuss the law in the parliament in the current period, “despite the fact that Article 235 states the bill must be discussed in the first parliamentary session.”

“The House of Representatives must issue, in its first session following the present constitution output, a law to regulate the construction and renovation of churches, in order to ensure that Christian freely exercise their religious rites,” states Article 235 of Egypt’s constitution.

On his part, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Magdi Agati announced in a press statement on Thursday that the government has yet to finalize the wording of the bill.

“The government is striving to produce the law in a balanced way that satisfies all parties,” Agati said, adding, “Everyone, including the government, is keen on the unity between the poles of the nation.”