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.
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.
The incidents raised fears of widespread sectarian unrest, with Egypt’s Coptic minority long complaining of discrimination, particularly in Qena where Muslim-Christian ties are fragile. Egypt’s Christians, who make up 10 percent of the 80-million population, have been the target of several attacks and repeatedly accused the authorities of systematic discrimination.