ICC Note: A small village in Beni Suef welcomes back the dozens of Coptic families after they were forced to leave because of sectarian violence. A purported anti-Islam post from 2013 by Mansour Shendy on his facebook page sparked violent protests and tension in his home village of Beni Suef. Shendy’s extended family was forced to leave the village for security concerns. After the families returned Tuesday, authorities oversaw reconciliation sessions between the Coptic families and their Muslim neighbors.
06/04/2015 Egypt (The Cairo Post) Dozens of Coptic families have returned to their hometown in Beni Suef governorate Tuesday after being forced to leave due to a sectarian violence, Youm7 reported.
In May 2013, Mansour Shendy, a Coptic resident at Kafr Darwish village, 100 kilometers south of Cairo, has allegedly posted a “derogatory” picture of Prophet Mohamed on his Facebook account. Although Shendy lived in Jordan at the time, the pictures sparked sectarian tension in his village.
Shendy’s family members were forced to flee their homes in the village and not come back again following a police-led “reconciliation session” with angry Muslims at the village.
Such customary sessions are held among the conflicting parties in the presence of local officials and Muslim and Christian clerics to conclude “reconciliation.” The sessions are held between families as well because they, rather than individuals, bear responsibility of any action of a family member.
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