The personal stories of Egyptian refugees – Series No.7of 22
The following narratives introduce individuals who are detained in refugee camps. They are in desperate need of the La Casa Futura project currently underway by Voice of the Copts. Egyptian youths have been uprooted and displaced for various reasons all related to religious persecution. Names have been changed to protect identities. Narratives are based on true accounts of actual events.
George has an acute sense of injustice. It was honed by his childhood experiences living in a double-standard culture. The Egyptian state gives license to thugs and police forces that back them up, and their targets are the peaceful Christian neighborhoods – businesses, families and churches. They harass, violate and murder ordinary citizens in the minority religious groups.
George witnessed horrible crimes against his village, neighbors and the clergy of his diocese. In the aftermath, as police place restrictions on the innocent, George’s parents signed a petition written to Egypt’s president which politely expressed surprise for normal and routine offenses,
“We were surprised by the presence of police forces in the village to prevent us from reaching our church. Furthermore, they later prevented us from leaving our homes. After our meeting, we found that we were incriminated as criminals or outlaws.”
Police lawlessness came as no real surprise to George. As long as he could remember, crimes abetted by police and based on religious prejudice were normal. He was only 18 and already tired of living in fear.
This was the last straw for George who finally gave up hope in his future. After the Arab Spring uprising was fought to bring about justice and equality something went terribly wrong. The outcome was not at all what was intended. George began to plan his exit from Egypt.
George deserves a chance to begin elsewhere. He is willing to learn a new culture, a new language and train for a job – assimilate and earn his citizenship. George managed to escape a supremacy system where he was expected to remain subservient to the majority just because of the minority he belongs to. He is glad to be gone.
Now in a refugee camp outside the country, George needs our help to survive so he can someday succeed. La Casa Futura will aid him and others like him in their transition to find a new and better life.
You can help us help George.
La Casa Futura project currently consists of one dormitory building providing help for up to 100 youths per session. Each session provides language learning, job direction, and cultural understanding. LCF is in its initial stage of development as we seek financial backers and matching funds for individual donations.
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