ECLJ welcomes the European Parliament resolution in defense of religious freedom of the Christian communities

STRASBOURG – November 20, 2007

On Thursday, 15 November 2007, the European Parliament has adopted a resolution “on serious events which compromise Christian communities' existence and those of other religious communities”.

The European Parliament expresses to be extremely concerned about the proliferation of episodes of intolerance and repression directed against Christian communities, particularly in the countries of Africa, Asia and the Middle East. It “strongly condemns all acts of violence, discrimination and intolerance against Christian communities, wherever they happen, and urges the governments concerned to bring to justice the perpetrators of these crimes”.

The Resolution adopted with a large majority gives an impressive list of recent assassinations, kidnappings and destructions of Christian Churches, and urges the Europeans Governments and the EU to take action.

The EP points out the assassinations of Rami Khader Ayyad in Gaza, on 7 October 2007; of two Assyrian Christian and a Chaldean priest in Mosul in June 2007; of the Protestant Bishop Arif Khan and his wife on 29 August 2007 in Islamabad; of two young Copts, Wasfi Sadek Ishaq and Karam Klieb Endarawis on 3 October 2007 in Egypt; of three Christians, Tilmann Geske, Necati Aydin and Ugur Yuksel in the Christian publishing house on 18 April 2007 in Malatya; of the Catholic priest Andrea Santoro also in Turkey; but also the kidnapping of the Catholic priests Giancarlo Bossi in the Philippines and Fathers Pius Afas and Mazen Ishoa, on 14 October 2007 in Mosul.

After reaffirming the “right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion is a fundamental human right” the European Parliament not only urges the governments of the countries concerned to improve the security situation of the Christian communities, but also calls the Commission and the Council “to raise the subject in the framework of the political dialogue” with the countries concerned, for example when “drafting and implementing development cooperation and aid programs”.

According to Grégor Puppinck, counsel for the ECLJ, “This demand is very important, because it means that the European Union will include the protection of the Christian minorities in its foreign and economic policy. For example, When you look at the amount of subsidies given by the EU to the Palestinian Authority, it means that the Palestinians will have to respect first the Christian rights if they want EU money; the same applies for Turkey”.

Puppinck considers this resolution to be a very good first step by the EU in promoting religious freedom internationally. For months, the ECLJ has been asking the international institutions, especially the European Parliament and the United Nations, to take a strong stand in favor of the religious freedom of Christian persecuted communities.

The ECLJ will promote and monitor the implementation of this resolution.

The European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ), an NGO  in Special Consultative Status with Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations, is  based in Strasbourg, France, and promotes the defense of religious liberty, human dignity, and the family in Europe and internationally.  www.eclj.org

The European Parliament resolution can be viewed here.