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GEORGIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH ON REMOVAL OF MINARET
http://armenpress.am/eng/news/730854/georgian-orthodox-church-on-removal-of-minaret.html
19:31, 28 August, 2013
YEREVAN, AUGUST 28, ARMENPRESS: The Georgian Orthodox Church said in
a statement that developments in aftermath of removal of minaret from
a mosque in the village of Chela in Adigeni municipality were incited
by "certain forces", which it does not specify, for the purpose of
provoking confrontation between Muslim and Christian population of
the country, reports Armenpress referring to Civil.ge.
"Some statements made in connection to developments in the village of
Chela in Adigeni municipality make us think that certain forces want to
portray these events as an insult to religious feelings, infringement
of Muslims rights and to incite such stance among ordinary followers
of Islam," the Georgian Patriarchate's statement reads.
"We appeal to our flesh and blood, Muslim Georgians from the village of
Chela and to Georgian and non-Georgian Muslims from other villages and
towns: We are all children of Georgia, where even during those times
when many centuries ago our nation had to tackle invasions of various
Muslim countries, Muslims living in Georgia were not oppressed."
"What is now happening is an attempt to incite religious strife -
somewhat similar to those processes that was tried to be developed in
[the villages of] Nigvziani, Tsintskaro and Samtatskaro," it says.
Since November, 2012 there have been several cases in three villages
with mixed Muslim and Christian population when local Christian
community confronted Muslims and barred them to perform prayer in
houses converted into mosques. Such incidents occurred in Nigvziani in
western Georgian region of Guria, Tsintskaro in Kvemo Kartli region
and Samtatskaro in Kakheti region. Unlike those cases, no conflict
between local Muslim and Christian residents of Chela was reported.
Formally the reason for removal of the minaret was a decision by the
Revenue Service at the Finance Ministry, which said that the minaret
was removed for the purpose of its inspection to verify if the metal
construction materials, used for building of the minaret, were properly
declared when cargo was imported into Georgia from Turkey on July 14.
The Georgian Patriarchate said in the statement that the goal of "this
force is to confront Christian and Muslim population and by doing
so to discredit [the Georgian Orthodox] Church and the State and to
carry out its own goals against the background of this situation."
"It is impossible not to see it for those who follow these
developments," the statement reads.
"We request the Muslim leaders in Georgia to oppose provocative actions
both in Adigeni and in other parts of Georgia and not to contribute
to it," the Patriarchate said.
Protesters in Akhaltsikhe, who were rallying outside the local police
headquarters after the minaret was forcibly removed on August 26,
agreed to disperse on August 27 after a Muslim cleric from Khulo in
Adjara arrived and called on them to stop street protest and after all
those villagers who were arrested during the removal of the minaret
were released.
Addressing to Muslim clerics in Georgia, the statement by the
Patriarchate also reads: "Today it depends on you what will be the
position of your perish towards protecting the law, the state interests
and of course religious feelings."
"On our part, we have always been trying and will continue to spare no
effort to strengthen those good attitudes that we have towards Muslim
religious leaders and population in Georgia, as well as towards our
neighboring Muslim countries and their spiritual leaders."
"We think that one of the prerequisites for that is to promptly
establish real reasons behind these events and to identify those who
have committed illegal acts and those who are interested in fueling
tensions. At the same time a relevant legislative base should be
created in order for everyone to know limit to their actions to
prevent escalation on religious grounds," reads the statement of
the Patriarchate.
http://armenpress.am/eng/news/730854/georgian-orthodox-church-on-removal-of-minaret.html
19:31, 28 August, 2013
YEREVAN, AUGUST 28, ARMENPRESS: The Georgian Orthodox Church said in
a statement that developments in aftermath of removal of minaret from
a mosque in the village of Chela in Adigeni municipality were incited
by "certain forces", which it does not specify, for the purpose of
provoking confrontation between Muslim and Christian population of
the country, reports Armenpress referring to Civil.ge.
"Some statements made in connection to developments in the village of
Chela in Adigeni municipality make us think that certain forces want to
portray these events as an insult to religious feelings, infringement
of Muslims rights and to incite such stance among ordinary followers
of Islam," the Georgian Patriarchate's statement reads.
"We appeal to our flesh and blood, Muslim Georgians from the village of
Chela and to Georgian and non-Georgian Muslims from other villages and
towns: We are all children of Georgia, where even during those times
when many centuries ago our nation had to tackle invasions of various
Muslim countries, Muslims living in Georgia were not oppressed."
"What is now happening is an attempt to incite religious strife -
somewhat similar to those processes that was tried to be developed in
[the villages of] Nigvziani, Tsintskaro and Samtatskaro," it says.
Since November, 2012 there have been several cases in three villages
with mixed Muslim and Christian population when local Christian
community confronted Muslims and barred them to perform prayer in
houses converted into mosques. Such incidents occurred in Nigvziani in
western Georgian region of Guria, Tsintskaro in Kvemo Kartli region
and Samtatskaro in Kakheti region. Unlike those cases, no conflict
between local Muslim and Christian residents of Chela was reported.
Formally the reason for removal of the minaret was a decision by the
Revenue Service at the Finance Ministry, which said that the minaret
was removed for the purpose of its inspection to verify if the metal
construction materials, used for building of the minaret, were properly
declared when cargo was imported into Georgia from Turkey on July 14.
The Georgian Patriarchate said in the statement that the goal of "this
force is to confront Christian and Muslim population and by doing
so to discredit [the Georgian Orthodox] Church and the State and to
carry out its own goals against the background of this situation."
"It is impossible not to see it for those who follow these
developments," the statement reads.
"We request the Muslim leaders in Georgia to oppose provocative actions
both in Adigeni and in other parts of Georgia and not to contribute
to it," the Patriarchate said.
Protesters in Akhaltsikhe, who were rallying outside the local police
headquarters after the minaret was forcibly removed on August 26,
agreed to disperse on August 27 after a Muslim cleric from Khulo in
Adjara arrived and called on them to stop street protest and after all
those villagers who were arrested during the removal of the minaret
were released.
Addressing to Muslim clerics in Georgia, the statement by the
Patriarchate also reads: "Today it depends on you what will be the
position of your perish towards protecting the law, the state interests
and of course religious feelings."
"On our part, we have always been trying and will continue to spare no
effort to strengthen those good attitudes that we have towards Muslim
religious leaders and population in Georgia, as well as towards our
neighboring Muslim countries and their spiritual leaders."
"We think that one of the prerequisites for that is to promptly
establish real reasons behind these events and to identify those who
have committed illegal acts and those who are interested in fueling
tensions. At the same time a relevant legislative base should be
created in order for everyone to know limit to their actions to
prevent escalation on religious grounds," reads the statement of
the Patriarchate.