UPPER EGYPT SECTARIAN STRIFE APPEARS UNRELATED TO CAIRO

UNCLAS CAIRO 001111 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ELA AND DRL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SOCI PHUM KIRF EG SUBJECT: UPPER EGYPT SECTARIAN STRIFE APPEARS UNRELATED TO CAIRO MURDERS Sensitive but unclassified, not for Internet distribution. ¶1. (U) Summary: Tensions between Coptic and Muslim residents of the Upper Egyptian village of Malawi continue to simmer after a land dispute between a monastery and its neighbors turned violent on May 31, leading to fears of sectarian strife during the June 4 celebrations of the Virgin Mary Moulid. The monastery clash appears unrelated to another recent crime involving Copts, the murder of four jewelry store employees in Cairo. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) About 40 Muslim residents of Malawi in Minia governorate, attacked the Abu Fana Monastery on May 31. The residents hoped to stop the monastery's construction of a wall blocking access to agricultural land claimed by the villagers. According to our contacts, a Muslim villager was killed and four Coptic Christians, including two monks, were shot and wounded. Embassy contacts report that three other monks were kidnapped, mistreated, released, and hospitalized for treatment. An angry group of Copts later gathered outside the hospital to protest alleged inaction by security services, throwing rocks at hospital windows and damaging surrounding property. ¶3. (SBU) Minia Governor Ahmed Dia Eddin sought to play down the incident in an interview on Egyptian TV June 1, saying the violence was simply a dispute between neighbors. Church contacts told us that security officials did not intervene to stop the violence, and 200 Copts gathered outside the Bishop of Malawi's office on June 1 to protest government inaction. Security forces surrounded the protest but did not interfere. Contacts reported fears that the violence could lead to more sectarian strife during June 4 celebrations of the Virgin Mary Moulid, which will attract huge numbers of Copts and Muslims from throughout Egypt to the village of Gabal el-Tier 50 miles from Malawi. ¶4. (U) The monastery, one of the oldest in the world, has been a target of angry neighbors in the past who are embroiled in a long-standing land dispute with the monks. Most recently, on Jan. 10, monks reported that an armed Muslim group fired at the monastery and police failed to intervene. -------------- Jewelry Murders -------------- ¶5. (U) The Minia violence has not been linked to a shooting May 28 at a jewelry shop in the Cairo suburb of Zeitoun. According to press reports, two hooded men with sunglasses and wigs entered the shop at noon, opened fire with automatic weapons and killed the Coptic store owner and three employees. Police reported that no jewelry was taken from the shop. According to a Ministry of Interior statement, the shooting was unrelated to sectarian strife or terrorism. Prosecutors are reportedly investigating a former worker who had been fired by the shop's owner for theft. ¶6. (SBU) Comment: We have no indication that the jewelry store shooting is related to the monastery attack. The press has reported on an average of five violent robberies of jewelry stores each month this year. Local officials point to the land dispute as the cause of the monastery violence. Nonetheless, the sectarian overtones of the monastery incident could lead to increased strife between Muslims and Copts during the June 4 Moulid celebrations. SCOBEY