WCC Head Expresses 'Concern' for Religious Minorities in Turkey

The World Council of Churches General Secretary, the Rev Dr Samuel Kobia, has said that the murders of three Christians on 18 April in Turkey were a "tragedy", and that he had "serious concerns" over the threat towards religious minorities posed by extremists in the country.

|PIC1|Kobia told Turkish authorities the "savage murders" in Malatya were the latest tragedy in a series of killings and other threats directed at members and leaders of religious minorities in the country that are of "serious concern" and cause "deep revulsion" and "dismay".

In a letter dated 1 May 2007 addressed to the Permanent Mission of Turkey to the United Nations Office at Geneva, Switzerland, Kobia affirms that "churches and citizens are watching the authorities in the case [of the three murdered Christians] to see that justice is done and that further crimes are prevented".

The letter contains a "regrettable list" of crimes that "appear to be motivated by hatred for whole groups of people", including the killings of the Armenian writer Hrant Dink and of the Catholic priest Fr Andrea Santano.

A series of incidents entailing threats and violence against members of religious minorities was also mentioned, including news reports of plots against the lives of the heads of two WCC member churches in Turkey, namely Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I and Armenian Patriarch Mesrob II.

Kobia said there was a sense of alarm in churches and among people of goodwill around the world, as he called on the Turkish governmental authorities to "ensure the respect for human rights and for the rule of law which safeguards all citizens, including these whose cases we raise here".

In particular, wrote Kobia, "We look to see respect for human dignity - socially, politically and religiously - reflected in the treatment of churches and other religious minorities."

He welcomed the "explicit condemnation" of such killings by government officials in Turkey as an "important positive factor" as well as the Turkish government's continued support of the freedom of religion stipulated Turkish constitution.

He concluded with a call to Turkey to address the WCC's concerns as its contribution "toward peace in a pluralistic world".