The Monastery Complex of Abu Fana Most of these Buildings are Less than Ten Years Old

In May 2008, following a conflict over land which spanned almost ten years, Bedouins attacked the monastery of Abu Fana, 300 km south of Cairo in the governorate of Minia. Monks had been reestablishing monastic life near the ruins of an ancient monastery, seeking to obtain as much of the surrounding desert land as possible for agriculture and building construction. During the same period the settled Bedouin community was expanding their village into the desert; the clashes occurred on disputed lands not properly registered by either side with the Egyptian authorities. In the altercations three monks were briefly kidnapped and tortured. One young Muslim who was apparently watching the assault was killed. This case received extensive national and international press; in Coptic and Western media it was mostly described as a sectarian conflict, while most Egyptian media described it as a dispute over land which had turned violent. The mostly partisan reporting along religious lines deepened the tensions. Only few reported that both aspects appear to be true.

Constructing the New Wall to Guard against Future Attacks

Arab-West Report editor-in-chief Cornelis Hulsman extensively investigated this incident for Arab West Report with the help of staff and interns. The chair of the Center for Arab-West Understanding, Sawsan Gabra, was closely involved in analyzing the obtained data. This resulted in the texts which are listed below. During their arduous efforts Cornelis and Sawsan realized the need for the contextual studies they were crafting to be used for the cause of reconciliation following such conflicts. These experiences shaped the design of this peacemaking project, which was submitted to the German IFA for funding under the ZIVIK program. As such, it has informed our subsequent research, site visits, and overall efforts to encourage social reconciliation.

Press Reviews:

Attacks against the Coptic Orthodox Monastery of Abu Fana [1]

Attacks against the Coptic Orthodox Monastery of Abu Fana [2]

Attacks against the Coptic Orthodox Monastery of Abu Fana [3]

Attacks against the Coptic Orthodox Monastery of Abu Fana [4]

Attacks against the Coptic Orthodox Monastery of Abu Fana [5]

Attempts to Resolve the Problem of Abu Fana [1]

Attempts to Resolve the Problem of Abu Fana [2]

Abu Fana, an Open End [1]

Abu Fana, an Open End [2]

The Crisis of Abu Fana, the Last Edition