VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHEG #1111 1540959
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 020959Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9409

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