Christians Under Attack

Protests looking forward to oust the governor of Qena province are experimenting the skills of Egypt’s transitional military leaders and the temporary government to hold an Islamic movement competent of assembling huge figures behind its hard-line plan devoid of risking the future of a democratic Egypt.

As President Hosni Mubarak’s expelled out in February after an 18-day famous revolt, ultraconservative Islamist crowds have been pledging to take a livelier political role as Egypt charts its conversion to democracy.

Friday’s protests were the biggest so far in the movement in opposition to the newly hired Qena governor, Emad Mikhail, and overlapped with Good Friday services for the majority of Egypt’s expected 10 million Christians.

Protesters moved out after Friday weekly Muslim prayer services and assembled in front of the governor’s office and at additional public squares, asking for Mikhail to be substituted by a Muslim governor.

Protesters obstructed main train lines, blocked major roads and took over government constructions.

The mass of the activists were driven by a sectarian reason, saying it is not appropriate for a Christian to govern Muslims, who make up the greater part of the population.

Egypt’s provisional prime minister sent a key government minister in charge of security to convene with the protesters but they sent him unsuccessful in convincing them to unblock the roads and train lines.