A major national publication has revealed the inner-workings of how allies of Ankara in Washington twist arms to mute legitimate criticism of Turkey’s anti-Christian abuses.
Nina Shea, a member of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, which recently placed Ankara on its “black list,” has publicly shared a troubling revelation about the Obama Administration pressuring commissioners to sweep criticism of Turkey’s anti-Christian policies and practices under the rug.
“Turkey’s Ambassador Tan predictably protested the listing as ‘unfair.’ More surprisingly, after the State Department was tipped off by a USCIRF commissioner who was appointed by Pres. Obama, assistant secretary for human rights Michael Posner ‘reached out’ on Turkey to another commissioner, resulting in his changing his mind after the report was put to bed. The Turkey decision resulted from a new analysis that will stir controversy,” said Shea in a revealing new piece in the National Review Online.
“These days, Turkey uses more sophisticated, subtler measures that are resulting in the elimination of its Christian and non-Muslim minorities. The cudgel is a dense tangle of bureaucratic restrictions that thwart the ability of churches to perpetuate themselves and, in some cases, even to meet together for worship,” added Shea.
“As Uscirf chair Leonard Leo explained, ‘some of the countries we recommend for CPC designation maintain intricate webs of discriminatory rules, requirements and edicts that can impose tremendous burdens for members of religious minority communities, making it difficult for them to function and grow from one generation to the next, potentially threatening their existence,’” explained Shea.
Read the entire National Review Online piece, “The World’s Worst Religious Persecutors” by Nina Shea.
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/293960/world-s-worst-religious-persecutors-nina-shea
I’m sure Saudi Arabia would be up there too. It doesn’t allow Christians to be buried there!
US would never let any negative press about it since it has OIL!
It’s a high time for the US congress to put sanctions against Turkey for Religious descrimination against Christian and other minorities.
There were times in the 80’s, I remember distinctly, when Turkey’s multicultural and welcoming nature for different religions were applauded and shown as an example to the rest of the world…In those years and now reactionary groups or individuals still existed and are in existence as in everywhere else where the religion is still a public concern, unfortunately. What makes these times different is that because of religiously oriented government’s influence and tacit approval of sort of fighting against others to protect and enhance their own beliefs…I have no doubt that the government/AKP Party are against such religious militancy but it is not difficult for some extremist to get encouragement from the religious nature of AKP, regardless, and act accordingly…This is the sad truth. If and when Turkish people wakes up and elects liberal and truly secular government things will change immediately. Furthermore even now, AKP government is aware of the problem and the perception it has created and working diligently to get on top of it…Obama Adm. knows that and they don’t want Turkey to be criticized while they are trying to fix the problem, in my view…
Hark! We have found one person in Washington,who is not on the turks payroll.Gooble,Gooble.
Don’t worry Türk Amerikan Dernekleri Federasyonu Board Of Directors looking into this case!! There will be enough halal delights to be shipped via Midnight Express Freighter, in order to shut those “unholy sinners” mouth!!
parev as a turkish armenian .in Turkey nationalist and conservative votes 75%00 how an ethnic community can live in a peace and freedom not in anatolia in istanbul that impossible I dont understant why western tourists visits istanbul their moneys goes to radical groups bank accaunts…
this proves one more time that Obama is a muslim:-) This piece needs to be fed to the FOX News, let them have fun. Go ahead Asbaez