Several Articles of Interest

Egyptian Christians: Islamists Threatening "Slaughter"
Sixteen human rights groups are warning that more violence is about to erupt against Egypt's Christians, CBN News reports.  Islamists in the southern part of the country are stirring up anger against the Christian community with charges that its leaders helped engineer President Mohammed Morsi's downfall.  On Tuesday (Aug 13), 10,000 Muslims in the city of Assiut marched through a Christian neighborhood chanting pro-Islamist slogans.  They also defaced churches with spray-painted messages, including one calling Coptic Pope Tawadros "a dog."  Hossam Nabil, who owns a jewelry store on the street where the demonstration took place, said: "The Islamists will not stop as long as they are left to do as they please without fear of accountability.  They are many and one day they will trash our stores.....The marchers run their index finger across their throats to suggest they will slaughter us, or  scream Morsi's name in our faces."  The human rights groups are calling on Egyptian authorities to protect the country's Christian minority.

Top Pastor's Arrest Adds to Christians' Concern in Central African Republic
The already fragile situation for Christians in the Central African Republic (CAR) may be worsening.  On August 6, the leader of the country's evangelical churches, Rev. Nicolas Guerekoyame, was arrested for comments about the government.  He ws released a few hours later.

Local media reported that Guerekoyame, who is president of the CAR's Evangelical Alliance, was questioned about remarks during a sermon in Bangui, the capital, on August 4.  His comments were reportedly considered "excessive and extremist... striking a blow at the dignity of the Head of State and at the Institutions of the Transition."

However local sources, which remain anonymous for security reasons, said his arrest was linked to the pubication of an article in which he inferred that the citizens of the CAR are being treated like slaves.  In the July edition of Le Democrate, the pastor called the CAR "another island of Goree," an island off the coast of Senegal which was a hub during the slave trade of the 19th century.  The pastor added that he blamed the present government for the continued prevalence of theft, rape and murder, despite a recent plea by religious leaders and assurances by the president that security and stability was improving.

Guerekoyame is a member of the National Transitional Council (NTC), an acting parliament set up following the March military coup in which the Seleka group overthrew the regime of Francois Bozize.  Local media said Guerekoyame's immunity as a member of the NTC had not been respected.

"Egypt is Bleeding": Christian Leader Pleads for Prayers

The following analysis about the horrific violence across Egypt was written by a Christian leader in Egypt.  He is unnamed due to security concerns.
The words are heavy to put together this morning. The sad day of yesterday (Aug. 14) resulted in a sleepless night not only for me, but also for millions of Christian and Musim Egyptians who love this country and genuinely seek its good and welfare.  It was a day of many tears, pain and agony for what Egypt witnessed for the violence that resulted. According to the officail report of the Egyptian Ministry of Health, there were 235 deaths and 2001 injuries.  The number of casualties and injuries reported by the Muslim  Brotherhood and promoted by Al-Jazeera and other Muslim Brotherhood-supporting media channels are of course much higher.