Earlier this week, the U.S. Helsinki Commission met to discuss "sectarian violence and the struggle for democratic transition in Egypt." The Helsinki Commission is an independent government agency consisting of 9 members of the U.S. House and 9 members of the U.S. Senate, as well as a representative from the departments of State, Defense and Commerce, tasked with contributing to U.S. policy with regard to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), a coalition of 56 nations emerging from the 1975 Helsinki accords. OSCE is concerned with issues of peace, security and human rights in Europe and Central Asia.(If it sounds like I looked up lots of that stuff just now, it's because I did! God bless the Internet.)
In his remarks at the hearing, Assistant Secretary of State Michael Posner stressed the need for a new Egypt to have a place for all citizens, including Coptic Christians and other minorities that currently suffer significant discrimination and even persecution.
He quoted Secretary Clinton to emphasize what advocates of church-state separation have long known: true religious freedom isn't just a recipe for fairness and equality; it's a prerequisite for peace.
"Hatred and intolerance are destabilizing. When governments crack down on religious expression, when politicians or public figures try to use religion as a wedge issue, or when societies fail to take steps to denounce religious bigotry and curb discrimination based on religious identity, they embolden extremists and fuel sectarian strife. And the reverse is also true: When governments respect religious freedom, when they work with civil society to promote mutual respect, or when they prosecute acts of violence against members of religious minorities, they can help turn down the temperature. They can foster a public aversion to hateful speech without compromising the right to free expression. And in doing so, they create a climate of tolerance that helps make a country more stable, more secure, and more prosperous.”
This is the basis for our belief that in order to succeed and prosper, Egypt, and its neighbors, must protect the rights of all citizens and all minorities, including its Coptic population. The corollary is also true: successful democratic transitions are the best way to safeguard those rights.
