Attacking Abo Fana Monastery

Investigations launched into monastery attacks in Abo Fana


By Magdy Samaan
First Published: January 13, 2008


CAIRO: The general prosecutor is investigating an attack on Abo Fana Monastery in Malawi city, allegedly committed by a group of more than 20 armed Muslims who destroyed eight hermitages and injured a monk, Father Mina told Daily News Egypt. Malawi city is in El Minya, 300 km south of Cairo.
“They attacked us with machine guns, tractors and cars. Eight hermitages were destroyed, bibles and crosses were burnt,” he added.
The monks have not filed a complaint.
“It is not the first time we are attacked,” Father Mina said, adding that on Jan. 1, a man had opened fire on them. “We filed a complaint at the police station but they didn’t start an investigation.”
He pointed out that the man who led the attack used to violate and humiliate them, and the monastery used to complain but the police allegedly ignored their complaints.
Father Mina added that the same man forced the monastery to pay LE 10,000 two years ago.
“They claim they own the land and want us out of here. But we have been living here for a long time,” Bishop Demetrious of Malawi and Ansina told Daily News Egypt.
He explained that 12 of Abo Fana’s monks chose to be hermits – they live in separate hermitages as far as one kilometer from the monastery, which was founded in the fourth century. Bishop Demetrious said that the church pleaded with the government to build a fence around those hermitages.
“The Monks who were attacked not only isolated themselves from the outside world and [dedicated themselves] to the monastery in the desert but also left the monastery and went to live alone,” Father Mina said.
Former MP Gamil Sevene, head of the Association of Coptic Youth Cooperatives, was quoted in the local press as saying that this was not a sectarian incident but a land dispute.



Published in Daily News Egypt