No safe haven in Catholic EU for Muslim asylum-seekers

Its interior ministry told EUobserver on Thursday (20 August) that it’s “not a discriminatory country” and that “if some Muslim people come to Slovakia and decide to stay in our country and ask for asylum, they will be [put] in [a] normal asylum process”.

But it added that, in practice, Muslims don’t want to live there and end up moving on to EU states with larger Muslim communities.

“In Slovakia, we have a really tiny community of Muslim people. We even don’t have mosques. That’s the reason we want to choose people who really want to start a new life in Slovakia. And Slovakia, as a Christian country, can really help Christians from Syria to find a new home in Slovakia”.

Its comment comes as EU institutions prepare to start relocating the first asylum seekers from Greece and Italy, as well as UN-registered refugees from camps in the Middle East, around Europe in September.

Slovakia has volunteered to take in 100 asylum seekers and 100 refugees, out of the total 60,000 which the EU aims to redistribute.

But it’s concerned that this is just the beginning.

Frontex, the EU border control agency, says 107,500 irregular migrants arrived in the EU last month, while Germany expects 800,000 asylum applications this year.

The European Commission also plans to propose a “permanent mechanism” for relocations in emergency situations by the end of the year, on top of its ad-hoc 60,000 scheme.

“If we don´t stop the migrant wave, how many people will European countries have to relocate when we have 200,000 migrants, or maybe 1 million or 2 million?”, the Slovak ministry said.

Political correctness

Cherry-picking migrants is against EU law.

Its Charter of Fundamental Rights contains explicit clauses on non-discrimination.

Its two asylum directives, from 2004 and 2013, which can trigger infringement proceedings for non-compliance, also say individuals who qualify for international protection on individual merit cannot be denied it.

But the EU relocation mechanism, the final details of which are to be decided by EU officials and member states’ experts in a “forum for resettlement and relocation” next month, leaves wiggle room for national preference.

In the draft format, Frontex officials will go to Greece and Italy to identify the people most in need of being moved. But, the commission says, “it is the independent justice tribunals of the host member state who take the decision (in accordance with UN, international, and EU law)” whether to accept them.

EUobserver also contacted ministries in the Czech Republic, Ireland, Poland, and the Baltic States, all of which have a strong Catholic or Protestant heritage.

None of them is willing to say quite what Slovakia is saying.

The Czech Republic (to take in 1,500 asylum seekers and refugees) said it “is strictly neutral, religion-wise”.

Poland (2,000 asylum seekers and refugees) said it “does not apply any preference in terms of the religion or race of asylum seekers”.

Political reality

But Ireland (120 refugees) did echo Slovakia.

A justice ministry spokesman noted that “language skills, family links, or cultural ties relate to the capacity of the people relocated to integrate into their new host country, which is something to be taken into account in the relocation process”.

A contact from one of the three Baltic States (725 asylum seekers and refugees in total) also noted the region is becoming increasingly anti-Muslim.

“In Latvia and Lithuania, there is a nascent debate about [banning] the wearing of the burka”, the government source said.

The Hungarian government could not be contacted for a comment on Thursday, a national holiday.

But it’s one of the few states which has so far not volunteered to take in any asylum seekers or refugees under the EU programme.

Its right-wing PM, Viktor Orban, said, in July, that “We would like for Europe to keep belonging to the Europeans … to preserve the Hungarian Hungary”.

The Czech president, Milos Zeman, has also attacked EU “political correctness”.

He recently said “refugees from a completely different cultural background would not be in a good position in the Czech Republic” and said Muslim migrants are potential terrorists.

Poland, in July, already took in some 60 Christian-only families from Syria.

It did so under a non-EU initiative, organised by a British aid agency, Operation Safe Havens, which brought them over on privately-chartered flights.

The Polish PM, Ewa Kopacz, in the run-up to the project, said Poland, “as a Christian country”, has a special responsibility to help Christians. The Polish opposition party, PiS, which is neck-and-neck in polls ahead of October elections, has said multiculturalism is a “failure” in Europe.

Belgium, which also has a Catholic heritage, has volunteered to take 2,464 asylum seekers and refugees under the EU scheme.

In July, it already took in some 200 Christians from Syria, in a separate NGO initiative.

Discrimination?

For its part, Operation Safe Havens denies that it’s discriminatory.

It is sponsored by Lord Weidenfeld, a wealthy British publisher of Jewish origin, who was rescued by Christian groups from Nazi-occupied Austria and who says he wants to repay his dues.

Its spokesman, Andrew Carey, said on Thursday: “Our strong argument is that there are Christian minority communities in Syria and Iraq, which are particularly vulnerable and at risk, and we’d argue priority should be given to those. If that’s regarded as discriminatory, we think that’s wrong”.

He added that Operation Safe Havens is in “advanced negotiations” to resettle a second group of Christian-only families in the EU next month.

He asked EUobserver not to name the host state due to the sensitive timing of the talks, but it is also a Catholic country in eastern Europe.

“The more secular countries quite often have the reaction that it [a Christian-only rescue mission] is discriminatory”, he said.

A contact from another agency which works to highlight the persecution of Christians in the Middle East, who asked not to be named, told this website: “There are quite a few EU countries which have, for years, unofficially given preference to asylum applicants of Christian origin”.

She named Belgium, Ireland, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and Sweden, which has a strong Christian-democrat element in its establishment, as well as an increasingly popular anti-Muslim party, the Sweden Democrats.

Sweden has volunteered to take 1,860 asylum seekers and refugees in the EU programme.

It also hosts the highest number of protected migrants per capita in the EU.

“No. That’s not true [that Sweden favours Christian applicants]. I can deny it. In Sweden, we don’t favour any religion. We treat applicants on individual merit”, Erik Boman, a spokesman for the ministry of justice, which handles asylum claims, said.

Operation Safe Havens

from the Barnabas Fund website, see below.

Dear Friend,

“Be a safe place for those on the run from the killing fields.” (Isaiah 16:4)*

I recently returned from a trip to five countries of the Middle East. I have visited the region countless times over the last two decades and have seen first-hand the tragic deterioration of the situation for Christians, especially in countries like Syria and Iraq where they used to be treated with respect as equal citizens.

The Christians are now in deadly danger. They compare the rise of the Islamic State group (IS) with the invasion of the Mongol hordes many centuries ago. The Mongols completely destroyed the Church in much of their territory, and IS seems intent on doing the same. A Christian presence and witness 2,000 years old is disappearing before our eyes.

We cannot do much to change the course of political/military events (except to pray), but we can rescue our brothers and sisters from the acute threat they face in the “killing fields” of IS.

Many Christians, who had clung on in their beloved homelands until now, have finally decided they must leave. But how? They are desperately vulnerable to abuse from people-traffickers who take all their money and abandon them. Some have drowned trying to cross the Mediterranean. Even getting a passport can be unaffordable. What they need is a safe route to a safe haven where they can settle and live in peace, freedom and security.

Barnabas Fund has launched Operation Safe Havens to rescue Christians in danger and to resettle them with dignity.

Last month, as I travelled with my wife Rosemary and Caroline Kerslake, Barnabas Fund’s International Director of Projects, we heard many Middle Eastern Christian leaders say, “If we have reached the stage where Christians feel they have no option but to leave, there should be proper orderly arrangements made.”

This is what Operation Safe Havens will provide.

Barnabas Fund will work with governments around the world to arrange visas, and with local churches in receiving countries to ensure that the families are helped to settle in, learn the language, and find work to support themselves.

Over recent months the Marquess of Reading (Patron of Barnabas Fund) and Sir Charles Hoare Bt. have been diligently visiting likely receiving countries to discuss with their governments on behalf of Barnabas Fund the provision of visas for persecuted Middle Eastern Christians. As a result, the Polish Prime Minster announced in Parliament on 26 May that Poland is willing to take 60 Christian families from Syria. Polish churches are standing by to assist the new arrivals. Following this initial group a total of 300 families will go to Poland, and other countries will soon be involved too.

Are there any other options for persecuted Christians?

Helping Christians to escape to another country is a last resort, reflecting the most desperate circumstances. Another option for Middle Eastern Christians at this time is to remain in place. Some of the elderly and sick cannot travel, and some cannot bear to leave the land they love. Others who fled – temporarily as they thought – to safer parts of the Middle East may even choose to return home; as the months and years pass, their places of refuge become less safe, and the pressures of living in unsuitable accommodation and being unable to get work build up. Alternatively they may decide that they will never be able to go home and will try to integrate into the places they have fled to, such as Iraqi Kurdistan, Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey or government-controlled Syria. Barnabas Fund is helping support Middle Eastern Christians who have made all these choices, providing food, medical aid and emergency accommodation, including Sawra Tented Village in Iraqi Kurdistan.

But now the time has come to help those who urgently need to emigrate from the region altogether and resettle in another culture. Hence the launch of Operation Safe Havens. It builds on Barnabas Fund’s previous rescue projects such as getting 8,000 South Sudanese Christians safely out of Sudan and back to South Sudan, as well as helping Pakistani Christians, Hmong Vietnamese and others.

What can you do today to help?

The first group of 60 Syrian Christian families are to be received in Poland as soon as travel arrangements have been made. Working with Esther Foundation, Barnabas Fund will pay their airfares, other travel costs, and basic living expenses for one year. Polish churches, coordinated by the Esther Foundation, will welcome and care for the new arrivals.

The estimated cost of supporting the Syrian Christians in Poland is £26 per person per week. That means about £1,352 per person for the year. (Travel costs to Poland are also needed, but will vary according to several factors.)

Help us rescue Christians from the killing fields. What can you give?

What else can you do?

We are looking for churches in other countries to receive, welcome and settle other Christians escaping from Syria and Iraq. Can your and your church help with this? Thousands of Christian families need to leave. Christians from a Muslim background are at special risk, as they will be wiped out by IS because of their choice to leave Islam and follow Christ. Please be in touch if your church can become involved.

Many churches will be marking World Refugee Sunday on 14 or 21 June. Can your church pray for Operation Safe Havens and take up an offering to help rescue Syrian Christians?

Above all please pray, every day, for the Lord in His mercy to protect His people and restore peace and stability for all.

With our Lord’s blessings,

Dr Patrick Sookhdeo

*The Message

 Barnabas Fund

Who we are

• Directing our aid only to Christians, although its benefits may not be exclusive to them (“As we have opportunity, let us do good to all people,especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” Galatians 6:10, emphasis added)
• Aiming the majority of our aid at Christians living in Muslim environments
• Channelling money from Christians through Christians to Christians
• Channelling money through existing structures in the countries where funds are sent (e.g. local churches or Christian organisations)
• Using the money to fund projects which have been developed by local Christians in their own communities, countries or regions
• Considering any request, however small
• Acting as equal partners with the persecuted Church, whose leaders often help shape our overall direction
• Acting on behalf of the persecuted Church, to be their voice – making their needs known to Christians around the world and the injustice of their persecution known to governments and international bodies.