An unsurprising update on this story. One prior report did offer the interesting detail that some protests "also included Christians who object to the governor on the basis that Christian leaders often fail to adequately defend their cause because they feel compelled to side with Muslims in sectarian disputes to demonstrate good intentions. They cited the previous Christian governor, who they say was a 'complete failure,' according to one priest who joined the protests and asked not to be identified for security reasons."
Nonetheless, it is clear which group's demands the government is moving to satisfy. "Christian governor with Mubarak ties suspended," from Middle East Online, April 25 (thanks to Twostellas):
CAIRO - Egypt's premier suspended a Christian governor linked to the ousted Mubarak regime after his appointment sparked protests in restive Qena province, state news agency MENA reported on Monday.
Prime Minister Essam Sharaf ordered Emad Mikhail suspended for three months in a bid to contain anger in Qena, a region of central Egypt with a history of sectarian clashes, MENA said.
Note the false sense of reciprocity and equal "sectarian" participation throughout this story. We see a lot of that.
Mikhail is to replaced temporarily by his deputy, Magued Abdel Karim, the agency said, adding that the premier called for calm in Qena and a return to business as usual.
Thousands of angry protesters, both Muslims and Christian Copts, have rallied in Qena over the past 12 days against the appointment of Mikhail -- a senior police officer under the regime of ousted president Hosni Mubarak.
It was Muslims who blocked highways and threatened to kill Mikhail, all the while demanding an Islamic state. Note also the detail above about why the Christians came out to protest.
The incidents raised fears of widespread sectarian unrest in Qena where Muslim-Christian ties are fragile.
Egypt's Christians, who make up around 10 percent of the 80-million population, have been the target of several attacks and repeatedly accused the authorities of systematic discrimination.
Egypt Coptic Christians should stop colluding with Muslim fanatic rebels - these rebels are not just revolutionaries but Arab-led Muslim terrorists! The Copts should stop supporting such misguided Arabic-Islamic fascist patriotism - the Copts will always be infidels to the Arab-Muslims despite of many Copts being Arabs, thus the Copts must start to think of themselves as Christians rather than Arabs (they were colonized by the Arabs since Mohammed created Islam)! Also, when one is a true Christian, one would have love for persecuted Jews. Mubarak was evil but the Muslim fanatics are thousand times more evil - and that's what the Muslim Brotherhood is about! For, Islam, is evil from the root foundation of it, as created by the Arabic Pedophile rapist, robber, slave-owner (including sexual slaves such as young Jewish captive girls), and mass murderer of the Jews, Mohammed, in order to construct pure Arabian kingdom and legitimize his and his tribe’s evil Arabic socio-cultural practices!
Egypt responds to Muslim protests and riots over Christian governor by suspending him for 3 months
An unsurprising update on this story.
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The only thing that surprises me here is that his "suspension" is only for three months. This is likely just putting a bureaucratic gloss on the situation. What do you want to bet that "suspension" gets extended after three months unless the protests dry up, and then interim Deputy Governor Karim just quietly takes over?
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One prior report did offer the interesting detail that some protests "also included Christians who object to the governor on the basis that Christian leaders often fail to adequately defend their cause because they feel compelled to side with Muslims in sectarian disputes to demonstrate good intentions.
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"Good intentions"—i.e. not being too uppity. I'm sure these Christians are correct. I would doubt, however, that the average Muslim governor is likely to take the side of Christians very frequently, either—no matter what the merits of their claims—either out of standard-issue Muslim supremacy, or because they cannot afford to look 'soft on Christians'.
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Nonetheless, it is clear which group's demands the government is moving to satisfy.
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Yes.
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Prime Minister Essam Sharaf ordered Emad Mikhail suspended for three months in a bid to contain anger in Qena...
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Rewarding the angry thugs, while punishing the victims of that "anger". This is something we are starting to see more of, even in the West.
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Note the false sense of reciprocity and equal "sectarian" participation throughout this story. We see a lot of that.
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Very common. No mention that Muslim "protesters" have been screaming for Mikhail's death, and shouting that no Christian should be allowed to 'have authority over Muslims'.