German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle issued a statement describing himself “gravely concerned by recent reports about the plight of Christians” in some parts of the world, as he told a meeting of the Germany’s Federal Cabinet on Wednesday that “Christians also have a right to protection (from religious intolerance and persecution)”.
“Protecting Christians is one of Germany’s foreign policy priorities,” he added in comments that apparently came in direct response to the publication of the latest World Watch List by Christian charity Open Doors on the situation of Christians around the world.
The charity’s 2012 list was headed by North Korea who have been awarded the dubious honour for ten successive years, as Iran occupies the fifth position and emerging Arab Spring democracies Yemen and Egypt round out the top ten. According to the charity, the list is compiled according to discrimination experienced by practising native Christians ranging from physical violence and death, to unjest imprisonment, denial of religious liberties, such as the right to worship and share their faith and discrimination in employment and education.
Last November, German Chancellor Angela Merkel provoked criticism from political opponents and human rights groups following her claims that Christianity is “the most persecuted religion worldwide”. Merkel’s comments were made at a meeting of the German Protestant Church as she sought to highlight Germany’s commitment to protect Christian minorities as part of its foreign policy.
Lawmaker Jerzy Montag of the opposition Greens party on Tuesday described Merkel’s comments as “mistaken” and “not very helpful.”
Rights campaigners said ranking faiths according to how persecuted they are is pointless.
Human Rights Watch noted that Muslims in Myanmar, members of Falun Gong in China and Jews in many countries worldwide also face persecution.
The daughter of a Christian pastor, Merkel has also been a fierce critic of the separation of church and state, advocated by fellow European countries such as France, as well as claiming that Europe was built on Christian foundations.