Country: Sudan
Group: Copt
Date Finalized: 10/05/21
Team: Natasha Chandra (lead), Jocelyn Chen, Ash Pessaran
Evidence indicates that the Copt people in Sudan continue to suffer from ethnocide. We rated data quality a 2/3.
The Copt people, or followers of the Coptic Church, live in northern Sudanese towns (Minority Rights Group, 2015). In the early nineteenth century with increasing Islamization, Copts faced increasing discrimination, with strict regulations against building churches, and pressures to relinquish their faith and convert to Islam (Minority Rights Group, 2015). This reached its apex in 1885, when Mahdi seized power and forced the Copt people to convert to Islam without a choice (Africa Watch, 1993). These pressures subsided with the 1898 Anglo-Egyptian invasion. However, In the mid 1960s, the return of militant Islam prompted Copts to join in public opposition to religious rule (Minority Rights Group, 2015). In 1983, General Nimeiry’s introduction of Shari’a law inflicted more oppression upon the Copts to convert to Islam (Minority Rights Group, 2015). In 1991, a Copt was executed for possession of illegal currency after her refused to convert to Islam, which prompted many Copts to flee from Sudan (Africa Watch, 1993). For Copt children, many face harassment at school. Girls are forced to wear Islamic dress and all children are punished for abiding by their faith and refusing to recite from the Koran (Africa Watch, 1993). The Copt people are also subjected to forceful conscription into the army to fight against non-Muslims in the South. Those who refused were told they would lose their jobs and were frequently asked to convert to Islam (Africa Watch, 1993). In 2016, the government told Christian congregations that they were going to demolish their churches (United Nations, 2018). In addition, in 2017, the destruction of two churches directly impacted the Copt people (United Nations, 2018). Currently, the Sudanese government prevents the Copt from building Churches and does not classify them as first-class citizens (Minority Rights Group, 2015).
Sources
- Africa Watch. (1993, Feb. 10). Sudan – The Copts: Passive Survivors Under Threat. Human Rights Watch. https://www.hrw.org/reports/SUDAN932.PDF
- Minority Rights Group. (2015, June 19). Copts. Minority Rights Group. https://minorityrights.org/minorities/copts-2/
- United Nations. (2018, June). Refworld | World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples – Sudan: Copts. Refworld. https://www.refworld.org/docid/49749ca6c.html