With the rise of democratic movements in the Middle East there is a worry of increased sectarian violence, especially between religious groups. Will the “Arab Spring” become coupled with a backlash against minority rights?
By focusing on two minority groups in Egypt, Jews and Copts respectively, the report A Spring of Hatred – Minority Intolerance in Egypt After the Arab Spring lists examples suggesting that this is an imminent risk. The author, Katarina Tracz, describes how destructive religious stereotypes are regaining strength in the wake of the Arab Spring.
– We are happy to see that Egypt is now taking steps toward democratization. But how should we tackle the simultaneous development of antidemocratic opinions and increased levels of intolerance against minority groups? The positive effects of the Arab Spring should not be permitted to cloud its many negative by-effects, says Katarina Tracz.