Resolution unanimously adopted by the EPP Political Assembly
on Religious Intolerance
http://images.europaemail.net/client_id_5328/Resolution_Religious_Intolerance.pdf
The European People’s Party,
Whereas it is our moral obligation and co-responsibility to stand up for Christians around the
world, considering our cultural heritage rooted in Judeo-Christian traditions;
Whereas the freedom of thought, conscience and religion is enshrined in the 1948 UniversalDeclaration of Human Rights, whereas this freedom includes right to adopt, freely exerciseor change one
, whereas this freedom includes right to adopt, freely exerciseor change one's belief, and whereas this freedom is subject only to the conscience and isindependent from all outside control, be it governmental or any other natural authority;
Whereas it is estimated that roughly 70 % of the world's population belongs to one of four
world religions;
Whereas religious belief is increasing both in Europe and elsewhere, and whereas religion
has a strong impact on world affairs and public life;
Whereas conflict between Shia and Sunni sects rages on;
Whereas minority beliefs in many of the countries from Pakistan in the east to Egypt in the
west are being persecuted, and the main minority religion in many of these countries being
Christianity;
Whereas a century ago 20% of the total population in the Middle East were Christians, today
Christians make up for about 5%, only during 2011 93 000 Copts left Egypt, since 2003 more
than half of the Christian population in Iraq have fled the country and now that also
Christians in Syria are being persecuted;
Whereas Christianity cannot be seen as an anomaly in the Middle East when it is in fact its
cradle and has a 2000 year old history in the region and can therefore not be seen as a
"western religion";
Taking the above into consideration, the European People’s Party:
1. Emphasizes that claims to rights based on faith, whether it be the right to worship, build a
place of worship, missionary work or the act of not to worship, has a reciprocal relation in
that others have the same rights;
2. Condemns all acts of religious violence, regardless of what beliefs they are based on;
3. Strongly condemns the suicide bombings in Pakistan, claimed by the extremist group
Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, where over 80 people were killed, the situation in Algeria where militant
islamists have taken hostages and the continuous threat of death and violence towards
many people not adhering to Islam both in northern Nigeria and many countries in northern
Africa;
4. Condemns the persecution of Christians, which is most accentuated in the Middle East
and countries where radicalized and political Islam is strong;