Refugee camps: “Religious discrimination is intolerable”

On Easter Sunday, CDU/CSU parliamentary leader Volker Kauder published a guest article in the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag talking about the situation of Christian refugees in Germany. The article was entitled “We need to protect Christians better.”

Kauder said “religion discrimination has become an issue in Germany in recent months”, and explained he has received “allegations that range from verbal intimidation to physical violence.” This would also include “tattered Bibles and broken crosses.”

“I am very thankful to Open Doors, they have started to research all the cases happening in refugee camps”, Kauder wrote. 

“RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION IS INTOLERABLE”

“People who have converted from Islam to Christianity and members of other religions such as the Yazidis are a minority in refugee camps. They are threatened by the Muslims, and it is naturally difficult to make themselves be heard”, according to Kauder.

He reminded the readers that refugees “have come with the legitimate hope of safety and security to Germany. Many are looking at us for protection, because they were persecuted in their home countries because of their faith.”

“It must feel like a twist of fate when they are exposed in a refugee camp to the same hostility they felt in their home”, Kauder added.
“Such operations are intolerable, the Constitution guarantees and protects the freedom of faith and religious practice of the faithful - whether Christians, Jews, Muslims or members of other religious communities.”

TACKLING THE REFUGEES´SITUATION

“The state must assume its responsibility. Germany is a constitutional state. The authorities need to investigate reports of abuse and intervene where necessary”, the parliamentary leader said. The CDU parliamentary group will dedicate April “to get an objective picture of the situation.”

Volker encourages local churches to continue to get involved giving support to Christian refugees. 

“But that cannot be merely a matter of charity. The police is asked. The Interior Ministry and the country authorities should register any incidents. But it will take a while before we know which order the problem actually has.”

Kauder argued that “in Germany, there must be no places of religious hatred. Everyone has the right to freely exercise his religion. Anyone who does that has a right to be protected accordingly.”

FIGTHS INSIDE THE CAMPS

Germany received 1,1 milion asylum applications in 2015, a record in the country´s history.

The refugee crisis has increased the xenophobic attacks in Germany, and the saturation of the refugee camps leads to frequent fights between the refugees.

Inside of some camps (Calais, in France, for instance) there is no security among the refugees, except what they can provide for themselves, expert Paul Sydnor (IAFR) recently explained in an interview. “Groups of refugees are controlling one or more than one area, stealing things from other groups.”