By European Parliament
On Wednesday evening (19 January) President Jerzy Buzek and many MEPs from across the European Parliament held a candle lit vigil and a moments silence for the victims of recent terrorist attacks against Christians.
The recent attacks on Christians in the Middle East and in particular in Iraq and Egypt have highlighted the dangers that these ancient and dwindling communities face. Members of the European Parliament from across the political divide joined together to condemn violence against Christians and any violence based on religion when they debated the situation of Christians on Wednesday (19 January). The following day they adopted a resolution on the debate.
Resolution adopted
On Wednesday evening (19 January) President Jerzy Buzek and many MEPs from across the European Parliament held a candle lit vigil and a moments silence for the victims of recent terrorist attacks against Christians.
The recent attacks on Christians in the Middle East and in particular in Iraq and Egypt have highlighted the dangers that these ancient and dwindling communities face. Members of the European Parliament from across the political divide joined together to condemn violence against Christians and any violence based on religion when they debated the situation of Christians on Wednesday (19 January). The following day they adopted a resolution on the debate.
Resolution adopted
In the resolution adopted on 20 January MEPs condemned attacks in as Egypt, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Cyprus, Iran and Iraq, They also want the forthcoming External Affairs Council of 31 January 2011 to discuss the persecution of Christians and respect for religious freedom.
The forcible interruption by the Turkish authorities of the Christmas Mass celebrated on Christmas Day by the remaining 300 Christians in the northern part of Cyprus is also condemned in the resolution.
MEPs also denounce "the instrumentalisation of religion in various political conflicts". The resolution also calls for a strategy to enforce the human right to freedom of religion, including a list of measures against states who knowingly fail to protect religious denominations.
Wednesday's debate
The European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton opened the debate saying that "the EU will not turn a blind eye" to the persecutions of Christians around the world. She condemned the recent terrorist attacks in Iraq and Egypt and the assassination of Mr Taseer, Governor of Punjab in Pakistan. On dealing with the threat, she said, "we must not fall into the trap that extremists and terrorists are laying before us. We must resist the manipulation of religion into a source of division. The best response to extremism is a united international front based on the universal standards of freedom of religion and belief".
Veteran German Christian Democrat Elmar Brok said that the EU must speak out firmly in condemning the attacks on Christians. Referring to the birthplace of Christianity, he said the world ran the risk that "2000 years of tradition could end". He also warned that Bethlehem, the birth place of Jesus could "be devoid of Christians" if current trends continue. He widened the debate to speak of the persecution that Christians in China also face.
Speaking for the Socialist Group, Johannes Swoboda strongly condemned recent attacks against Christians in the Middle East. He said the persecution in Iraq was hardly the intention of the international community when Saddam Hussein was removed. He also warned against what he termed "Islamophobia" from certain people in Europe.
Dutch Liberal Marietje Schaake painted "a very bleak picture" of the plight of Christians in the Middle East. She said that extremists were using violence in the name of others and some were trying to be above there law. She condemned violence as "terrorism" saying it was a "crime".
The fundamental right to have any religion or none was the point made by French MEP Nicole Kiil-Nielsen for the Green Group. She said that Europe must not allow extremists to dominate the agenda and give a false impression of Muslims. She said that Christians in the Middle East no more represent the policies of the Europe than Muslims in Europe represent the Middle East.
Polish MEP Konrad Szymański (European Conservatives and Reformists) thanked Catherine Ashton for her reaction to the attacks on Coptic Christian in Egypt and stressed the importance of Europe giving a strong voice to the world in stating the welfare of Christians is important and will play a role in how the EU conducts international agreements.
Kyriacos Triantaphyllides (GUE/NGL) drew Parliament's attention to the UN Charter of Fundamental Rights which explicitly states the right to freedom of religious worship.
Fiorello Provera for the Europe of freedom and democracy Group noted the "systematic discrimination of Christians across the Middle East. He specifically referred to the fact that in Egypt and Iraq they are not allowed to build Churches or hold positions of authority. He said that in Iraq such policies and associated violence had led top 600,000 Christian leaving the country.
Read the adpted resolution by clicking here
Read the adpted resolution by clicking here
