When the Ottomans ruled Egypt, Christians were second-class citizens. They had to walk next to the walls in the street so they didn’t disturb commuters. Now, a documentary analyzes the discrimination that Copts face in the country after the Arab Spring. Making reference to Christians’ past in the country, it’s titled “Walking Next to The Wall.”
FERNANDO DE HARO
Director, “Walking next to the wall”
“Since Mubarak was put out of office, 100,000 Copts left Egypt for other countries. That only means that they can’t, or simply don’t want to live in their country. For a year, they suffered a very harsh under the Muslim Brotherhood. Once the Muslim Brothers left, they kept suffering under military regime.”
The documentary also delves into the history of Christianity in this region of the Middle East.
A history that Christians aren’t willing to give up, even though they are victims of fundamentalism and violence. Among some of the stories, there’s one of a woman who lost her husband while he protected a church.
FERNANDO DE HARO
Director, “Walking next to the wall”
“I asked her how she could keep her faith after having a husband killed and the hard times she was going through. She answered me: Christ died for me and a I can’t let him down.”
The situation is far from improving. In the last four years, 85 churches have been destroyed or sacked. The Christian community is still victim of persecution, murders and discrimination.
“There’s always danger, you know? You cannot fore shake your belief because of the attacks of the fundamentalists. I think that the history of the Church in Egypt always, when there’s persecution, there’s more believe and there’s stronger belief.”
Still, Egypt avoided an Islamist tyranny like the ones that took over Syria and Iraq. All hopes are placed in its new constitution.
The documentary shows that Christians still live in their country, and care for it. Their presence guarantees Muslim pluralism as well as the future of a Christian community that has lived there for almost two thousand years.
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