Violence against Christians in the Middle East
Reply to Recommendation
| Doc. 12724
| 28 September 2011
- Author(s):
- Committee of Ministers
- Origin
- adopted
at the 1121st meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies (21 September 2011) 2011 - Fourth part-session
- Reply to Recommendation
- : Recommendation 1957
(2011)
- Thesaurus
1. The Committee of Ministers has considered
Parliamentary Assembly
Recommendation
1957 (2011) on “Violence against Christians in the Middle East”.
2. With regard to the tragic events and issues which the Assembly
refers to, the Committee of Ministers points out that it strongly
condemned these acts in the Declaration on religious freedom which
it adopted in January 2011. At that time, it also reiterated that
freedom of thought, conscience and religion is an inalienable fundamental
right and stressed that “there can be no democratic society based
on mutual understanding and tolerance without respect for freedom
of thought, conscience and religion. Its enjoyment is an essential precondition
for living together”.
3. With more specific regard to the situation in the countries
of the Middle East, the Committee of Ministers is working on a coherent
policy towards neighbouring regions with a view to fostering dialogue
and co‑operation with the countries and regions close to Europe
that seek the assistance of the Council of Europe on the basis of
the shared values of human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
Given the resources at the Organisation’s disposal, such a strategy
will have to be properly targeted and conducted in co-operation
with Europe’s neighbours and relevant international partners. The
Council of Europe can offer its expertise in the field of the protection
of the freedom of thought, conscience and religion and share its
experience in fostering standards of protection of rights of persons
belonging to religious minorities. The Committee of Ministers will
bear the Assembly’s recommendations on the matter in mind.
4. The Committee of Ministers agrees with the Assembly about
the need to combat all forms of religious fundamentalism and the
manipulation of religious beliefs for political reasons. It believes
that education, interreligious youth work and dialogue are important
tools for helping to prevent and combat such developments. It also
agrees about the need to address anti-Christian stereotypes and
bias – an approach which should be extended to the treatment of
all religions and beliefs. That is a precondition for application
of the principle set out in paragraph 9 of the recommendation whereby
the coexistence of religious groups is a sign of pluralism and of
an environment favourable to the development of democracy and human
rights.
5. The Committee of Ministers has issued a number of recommendations
to member states in this connection, including Recommendation CM/Rec(2008)12
on the dimension of religions and non-religious convictions within
intercultural education and, more generally, Recommendations CM/Rec(2010)7
on the Council of Europe Charter on Education for Democratic Citizenship
and Human Rights Education, CM/Rec(2011)4 on education for global
interdependence and solidarity and CM/Rec(2011)6 on intercultural dialogue
and the image of the other in history teaching. In its Resolution
CM/Res(2008)23 on the youth policy of the Council of Europe, the
Committee of Ministers committed itself to supporting initiatives
of young people and their organisations with regard to conflict
prevention and management, as well as post-conflict reconciliation
by means of intercultural dialogue, including its religious dimension.
It urges member states to follow the principles set out in these
instruments which will help to foster dialogue, mutual knowledge
and understanding between the various cultures and religions and
to support the efforts of religious institutions in the Middle East
to promote dialogue.
6. The Committee of Ministers would also highlight the relevance
of the annual Council of Europe Exchanges on the religious dimension
of intercultural dialogue, the aim of which is to promote and strengthen the
fundamental Council of Europe values in order to foster mutual respect
and awareness and tolerance within society, and to associate − in
the framework of an open, transparent dialogue − representatives
of religions traditionally present in Europe and other players in
civil society in the pursuit of this goal.
7. It also wishes to draw the Assembly’s attention to the work
done by the Steering Committee on Higher Education and Research
(CDESR) under a project targeted towards promoting intercultural
dialogue in higher education, recognising the primary role of universities
as platforms for mobility of students, on the one hand, and underlining
their responsibility for developing intercultural competences, including
tolerance and respect for different cultures and religious beliefs,
on the other.
8. In terms of the need to analyse the evolution of cultural
and religious developments mentioned in paragraph 11 of the recommendation,
the attention of the Assembly is also drawn to the report by the
Group of Eminent Persons, “Living together – Combining diversity
and freedom in 21st century Europe”, which was presented at the
121st Session of the Committee of Ministers in Istanbul. The report
suggests a number of areas of activity for the Council of Europe,
the feasibility of which is being studied by the Committee of Ministers.
9. Nevertheless, with regard to the recommendation made by the
Assembly in paragraph 11.1 that a “permanent capacity” be developed,
the Committee of Ministers believes that the Council of Europe has
the necessary bodies and legal framework for monitoring the issues
raised by the Assembly in member states. It therefore does not
intend setting up a specific new body. In particular, it would underline
the work of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance
(ECRI), which has responded systematically in its country reports
to discrimination and intolerance suffered by religious communities
of all kinds and issued detailed recommendations to the governments
concerned.
10. The Committee of Ministers assures the Assembly that promoting
the right to freedom of thought, conviction and religion will remain
high on its agenda, as a founding principle of the Council of Europe
on which lasting peace and stability in Europe and beyond depend.
It therefore welcomes the Assembly’s support in this connection.