A firm condemnation

A “firm condemnation” of “all the acts of violence against Christian Communities, wherever they take place” and the request to governments to bring to justice the culprits”. The statement equally condemns the countless “forms of discrimination and intolerance based on religion or belief, as also acts of violence against all religious communities” in the world. A resolute support is given to “initiatives aimed at encouraging mutual dialogue and respect between religions”. This is the significance of the resolution approved by the Euro-parliament during the meeting held last week in Salzburg for its plenary session. RECOGNIZING RIGHTS, PROTECTING THE COMMUNITIES. After long negotiations between the MEPs and the parties present, the Popular Party, the Socialists, the Liberal-Democrats , the EUN along with the Independence and democracy groups reached an agreement to which also single MEPs of various political groups gave their support. The text refers to a long series of episodes occurred especially in Asia and Africa of which single individuals or communities of believers were the victims. The document points our that the EU “expressed on various occasion its stand in favour of the rights of religious communities and for the protection of their identity throughout the world and in favour of the recognition and the protection of religious minorities, with no distinction”. “Deeply concerned for the surge in episodes of intolerance and repression against Christian communities”, the EU reiterated with this formal act (approved with only two contrary votes and two abstentions) the defense of the principle of the freedom of thought, conscience, religion and cult. “The laity of the State and of its public institutions is therefore crucial”. These have the duty of guaranteeing fundamental freedoms, including the freedom to change religion.NUMEROUS CASES IN IRAQ AND IN PAKISTAN. Among the various national cases mentioned figures Iraq “for the recent episodes of violence”, one of which is “the kidnapping of two Catholic priests, Father Pius Afas and Father Mazen Ishoa, on October 14 2007 in Mosul; the murder of two Assyrian Christians, Zuhar Youssef Astavo Kermles and Luay Solomon Numan, both members of the organization National Union of Bet-Nahrin”, occurred in Mosul on June 28; the murder of a Caldean priest, Father Ragheed Ganni and the three deacons who assisted him, also in Mosul on June 3. A special note refers to the violence under way in Pakistan “of which an assault against a Christian Church on October 10 in Godwinh, at the periphery of Lahore; the bomb which on September 15 2005 seriously damaged a school, the Saint John Bosco Model School”, run by Missionary priests from the district of Bannu; the murder of the Protestant bishop Arif Khan and of his wife on August 29 this year in Islamabad. THE SITUATION OF REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS. Among the relevant world episode, the resolution referred to a series in Turkey, Gaza, (Palestinian territories), Egypt, Vietnam and the Philippines. A paragraph dwells into “the seriousness of the situation of religious freedom in the Popular Republic of China, where authorities continue repressing all religious expression”, in particular those of the Catholic Community “of which many faithful and bishops have been imprisoned for many years, some even died”. The resolution also refers to the refugees, those requesting asylum, the migrants, people without liberties, as well as ethnic, religious and language minorities which “undergo ever-more frequent violations of their right to the freedom of religion or worship”. AN APPEAL TO RELIGIOUS LEADERS. At this point the text undergoing parliamentary debate (the first which directly addresses growing violence against Christians in the different continents and which substantially obtained the unanimous consent of the EU Parliament) reaffirms “the importance of dialogue between religions to promote peace and understanding between peoples”, it appeals to religious leaders to commit themselves against extremisms and promote mutual respect. The European Parliament thus invites all spiritual authorities to promote tolerance and take initiatives against hatred, radical violence and extremism. A concrete aspect of the resolution emerges when the document invites EU institutions to devote attention to the situation of religious communities “In those countries where they are persecuted, when planning cooperation programs and development aid”. This applies to the allocation of funds and cooperation with those States which respect basic freedoms, and freedom of worship is one of these. Lastly, the EU is asked to devote greater funding to the UNHCR.