Turkish Council Approves Long-Awaited Church Zoning Status
A committee acting under the Turkish Ministry of Culture has approved legal zoning of the Diyarbakir Evangelical Church, granting formal approval for the first new Protestant church to be built in southeastern Turkey since the founding of the Turkish republic 81 years ago.
In an official document issued Sunday, Oct. 10, by Mehriban Karaaslan, director of the Diyarbakir Committee for the Preservation of Culture and Historical Sites, Pastor Ahmet Guvener was informed that the location of his church building in the city's Lalebey district had been ruled suitable.
"Without question this is a direct answer to the prayers of Christians from all over the world," Guvener told Compass News on Thursday.
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However, one church leader noted, "There's still no legal mechanism in Turkey for establishing a new church. We are thankful to have permission finally, by the good graces of the Turkish government and on the wings of the drive to enter the European Union, but this hasn't really solved the issue."
Under pressure from the European Union and local civil rights advocates, Turkey has been cautiously reassessing the way it has treated religious minorities since the state was founded 81 years ago.
According to sources, Turkey has long viewed its non-Muslim minorities with a certain ambivalence, defending individual freedom of worship while tightly regulating the affairs of religious institutions.
However, public demands for change, a strengthening civil society, and EU candidacy requirements have been working together to force positive change in Turkey, according to New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW), despite continuing determined resistance within the civil service, judiciary, and security forces.
Yet, HRW warns that even though there have undeniably been “constant improvements” the “present situation concerning press freedom, religious freedom and respect of minority rights is far from perfect”. HRW is particularly worried that some people are still in prison for their opinions and that torture is still used in many penitentiaries.
Sources say if the 25 EU leaders approve the European Commission’s recommendation at the upcoming December summit, entry talks for Turkey could begin in early 2005.
