Dominica - Kerk In Nood

BELGIUM
Resolution on the situation of Christian and other religious minorities
On June 21, 2011 the Foreign Policy Committee of the Flemish Parliament gave
its unanimous support to a draft resolution on the situation of Christian and other
religious and ideological minorities in the Middle East, North Africa and Asia.
Flemish Member of Parliament Ward Kennes, who put forward the resolution, is
satisfied with this cross-chamber support: “Like the European Parliament and the
European Council, the Flemish Parliament is also adopting a clear position on
a number of recent infringements of the right to freedom to practise, change or
abandon one’s religion or ideology”.
In the resolution, the Flemish Parliament asked the Flemish Government, in its
cooperation with third countries, to take into account their respect for the freedom
of religion, to pay attention to the situation of religious and ideological minorities
and to take the utmost care when granting licenses for arms exports to countries
in which the rights of religious minorities are being infringed. In its resolution,
the Flemish Parliament also stressed its commitment to the freedom of religion,
conscience and thought, and called upon all religious authorities to promote
tolerance and make efforts to combat hatred and violent extremism.
Multiculturalism
According to a research paper entitled L’Iris et le Croissant, by Professor Felice
Dassetto of the Catholic University in Louvain, coexistence problems may arise as
a result of the increasingly multicultural social fabric in a number of Belgian cities.
The study reports that 25% of those resident in Brussels, or between 250,000
and 300,000 people, are of Muslim origin, and that between 10 and 15% of them
practise their religion within religious and cultural associations and in the Belgian
capital’s 77 mosques 2 .
Episodes of intolerance
After attacks on leaders of the Catholic Church, against whom there are still unproven
allegations of negligence in dealing with child abuse by priests and failing to provide
aid to persons in danger, there is an ongoing investigation, but no charges have
been brought.
Violent events have taken place, such as the fire at the parish Church of Saint
Lucie in Begijnendijk 3 , while in Couvin, in the diocese of Namur, seven Churches
were damaged 4 . However, there is no proof whatsoever that this has any link with
religious intolerance.
2 De Morgen, November 18 th 2011
3 www.7sur7.be, August 13 th 2011
4 www.christianophobie.fr, March 26 th 2012