Egypt's diversity test
Egypt's ruling military regime is promoting an exclusive Egyptian identity that refuses to acknowledge any differences in society.
CAIRO — They can do it in the bathroom.
This is how former presidential hopeful Mortada Mansour believes Baha'is and atheists should “practice.” He said he doesn’t accept either group in Egypt, and they should keep their beliefs behind closed doors.
His words should not be dismissed as the ramblings of a notoriously foulmouthed celebrity. He spoke the mind of many Egyptians when it comes to freedom of faith, freedom of expression and accepting differences. Egypt’s constitution and laws cement these ideas into implementable state policy.
Only the Abrahamic faiths are acceptable as openly practiced religions. Believers of other faiths can practice their religions, but only in private, and have to keep their beliefs a secret. Years in courts have only won Egypt’s Baha'is a meager compromise: the right to ID cards with a blank space in the mandatory religion field, instead of being forced to falsely identify themselves as Muslim, Christian or Jewish. Even this victory still faces obstacles on the bureaucratic level. Marriages are not recognized by the state since it only accepts religious, not civil, unions. Paternity, inheritance and other issues stemming from this lack of recognition is a constant legal nightmare that disrupts their daily lives.
