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| Vatican: Leading bishop condemns silence over anti-christian violence |
| 2006-02-22 |
| Rome, 20 Feb. (AKI) - A leading Italian bishop has slammed as "unacceptable" the silence of states and international organisations over the fate of Christian minorities in Muslim states in an interview published on Monday. Auxiliary bishop Rino Fisichella of Rome told Italy's best-selling daily Corriere della Sera that, "not only is the destiny of Christian minorities living in the Muslim world at stake, but everyone's freedom, the way they can exercise such freedom and the civility of international relations." Fisichella, who is also the dean of the Lateran Pontifical University, added that it was the duty of state governments and international organisation "to implement the principle of reciprocity." Fisichella's interview followed violent anti-Christian protests over the weekend. On Saturday, violence against Christian targets in Nigeria left 16 people dead while on Friday, some 150 people staged a demonstration in front of the Danish embassy in Tehran and set a crucifix on fire. The episodes came after weeks of Muslim protests against cartoons satirising the Prophet Mohammed published in European papers. Commenting the demonstrations, Fisichella said that, "these episodes stress how difficult it is for Muslim socities to accept the principle of religious freedom which is for us a acquired right." "It's hard to understand why these societies fear freedom and are afraid of Christians who preach fraternity and forgiveness," added the bishop. In a reference to the murder on 5 February of an Italian priest, Andrea Santoro, in Turkey, allegedly killed by a Muslim radical, Fisichella also noted that, "it is impossible to put on the same level a cartoon and the murder of a priest." Fisichella called in particular on the Arab League, the European Union and the United Nations to "remind the societies and governments of countries with a Muslim majority of their responsibilities." Sixteen people were killed in northern Nigeria on Saturday during protests by Muslims over the cartoons satirising the Prophet Muhammad. The riots in Nigeria are the first violent protests in the country over the cartoons. Most of the deaths occurred in clashes in Maiduguri, capital of north-eastern Borno state. One person died in similar riots in north-central Katsina state. Witnesses said most of the dead were from Maiduguri's minority Christians. Eleven churches were set on fire during the protests and Christian businesses targeted. The country is nearly equally divided between Muslims in the north and Christians. |
| Posted by:anonymous5089 |