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Australian Coptic Movement (ACM)Australia’s peak Coptic Community advocacy group. Promoting Justice, Culture and Unity. |
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In Australia, we woke up in the morning with the sad news everyone is talking about; radio broadcasts, television news, colleagues at work, commuters in transport, shoppers at the bakery shop; FB and Twitter turned into a wall of tribute to the Queen, a wall stretching from Great Britain to far away lands in every […]
“Shenouda was seized from his adoptive parents by the police and sent to an orphanage where he was given a Muslim Arabic name, Yousif, and is being taught the Islamic religion after a new birth certificate was issued, stating that Shenouda, now Yousif, is a Muslim.”
Sadly, we have witnessed a surge in attacks on Coptic Christians over the past month of Ramadan in Egypt including several killings, kidnapping, and assaults on women in public.
We know most of our followers in Australia and New Zealand here are currently living under hardships due to the Covid related lockdowns. On the eve of our Coptic New Year, we ask that you remember Ramy and in his family in your prayers. The Coptic New Year is a continuation of the Ancient Egyptian Calendar […]
In Australia, we woke up in the morning with the sad news everyone is talking about; radio broadcasts, television news, colleagues at work, commuters in transport, shoppers at the bakery shop; FB and Twitter turned into a wall of tribute to the Queen, a wall stretching from Great Britain to far away lands in every corner of the world.
“Shenouda was seized from his adoptive parents by the police and sent to an orphanage where he was given a Muslim Arabic name, Yousif, and is being taught the Islamic religion after a new birth certificate was issued, stating that Shenouda, now Yousif, is a Muslim.”
Sadly, we have witnessed a surge in attacks on Coptic Christians over the past month of Ramadan in Egypt including several killings, kidnapping, and assaults on women in public.
We know most of our followers in Australia and New Zealand here are currently living under hardships due to the Covid related lockdowns. On the eve of our Coptic New Year, we ask that you remember Ramy and in his family in your prayers. The Coptic New Year is a continuation of the Ancient Egyptian Calendar and is celebrated on the first day of the Egyptian month of Tout, and depending on the year, it falls on 11 September 2021. The Calendars origin dates back over 6000 years.
Wishing you all a Happy New Year !
“Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also.”
Hebrews 13:3.
Sally Zachary’s cry for help from Florida demonstrates that conservative and insular communities like the Coptic Orthodox communities are not immune to the horrors of sexual abuse. We welcome the response thus far from many priests and various Bishops in the USA and Europe who have come out and spoken out on the issue. We hope the church implements strict measures to ensures that these cases do not occur again and simultaneously encourage other victims to seek justice. Below is a summary of recent changes in New South Wales following the Royal Commission into institutional child sexual abuse.
His Eminence, Bishop Tadros is the Metropolitan Bishop for the City of Port Said in Egypt. Bishop Tadros is one of the most senior Bishops in the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church and very much well respected throughout the Coptic diaspora.
Bishop Tadros was appointed as a ‘Papal delegate’ to oversee all the affairs of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Sydney and affiliated regions
(which includes NSW, QLD and NT) following years of tensions and complaints. Bishop Tadros was appointed in January of this year following an investigation by a Papal delegation that included three other Bishops of the Holy Synod late last year. The delegation reportedly recieved a massive amount of complaints from the congregation concerning various matters.
Earlier today, Bishop Tadros distributed the following message to the Coptic Community in New South Wales. We fully support the wise decisions made by Bishop Tadros which are clearly in the best interest of the Coptic Community throughout New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory.
The Australian Coptic Movement Association (ACM) expresses deep concern over the ongoing detention of Ramy Kamel, a Coptic human rights activist in Egypt being falsely accused of trumped up charges including:
1- Joining a terrorist organization
2- Funding a terrorist organization
3- Harming public peace and stirring public opinion against the state
4- Negatively using social media outlets
5- Inciting and discrimination between Muslims and Christians.
Several officers arrested Kamel at his Cairo home in the early hours of November 23, 2019. State security personnel have reportedly interrogated him for many hours.
Ramy has been accused of being a member of a “terrorist” group, receiving foreign funding, and spreading false misinformation.
These absurd charges appear to be designed to silence Kamel and all Coptic rights activists.
Ramy Kamel is a simple middle aged Egyptian who is not affiliated with any political parties or opposition groups. Ramy would report on the persecution of Copts in Egypt.
We are deeply alarmed by the arrest of Coptic activist Ramy Kamel. It is in Egypt’s (Government) best interest to respect freedom of speech by immediately releasing Ramy Kamel.
Enquiries: aucopticmovement@gmail.com
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The Australian Coptic Movement Association Ltd (ACM) was founded in 2010.
The ACM is a community advocacy group that fights for human rights in Egypt by exposing the persecution suffered by Copts and other minorities. We also stand for greater political and civil liberties, and call for the justice and security of Coptic Christians.
ACM activities have included organizing rallies, cultural events, lobbying the Australian government to pass motions in the Federal and NSW Houses of Parliament, conducting letter-writing campaigns, releasing media statements, publishing material (including our own book) providing support to Coptic asylum seekers, and encouraging Copts to assimilate into the wider community.
Enquiries: aucopticmovement@gmail.com
Thank you to those who have contributed to our appeal in response to the devasating Sri Lanka Easter Sunday bombings targeting Christians in Sri Lanka.
We are all shocked by the recent media reports of the terrible murder of an Egyptian-Coptic mother of three in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. Women and vulnerable children should seek assistance if they are in danger. Please call Lifeline on 131114 for immediate assistance.
Our colleagues at the Australian Coptic Heritage and Community Services (ACHCS) are also available to take basic enquiries regarding services available. Please contact 0479-042-733 for more information.
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