Attacks on Christians Intensify in Turkey

Christian Post, CA
July 20 2005

Francis Helguero

In what could be growing into a trend, over the past six months,
vigilante groups have threatened Protestant church worshippers and
have attacked their places of worship.

Wednesday, Jul. 20, 2005 Posted: 5:02:13PM EST

In what could be growing into a trend in Turkey, individuals
belonging to vigilante groups in the last six months have threatened
Protestants and have attacked their places of worship.

The media has also been increasingly critical of missionary activity,
according to a recent report by Compass News. Also, some government
ministers have accused missionaries of being politically motivated to
“damaging the social peace and unity” of the nation.

In a government-approved sermon at Friday prayers in Islamic mosques
in March, the government warned that Christian missionaries were
“pursuing political agendas” to “deceive and convert” people.

The report cited several other attacks, including “sound bombs”
equivalent to 150 firecrackers placed in front of doors of a
Gaziantep church in April, and acts of vandalism at a protestant
congregation in the Black Sea city of Samsun where numberous eggs
were thrown at the building.

In April a firebomb caused $10,000 in damage to the International
Protestant Church in the capital of Ankara.

After the attack, the U.S. Embassy in Ankara issued a warning noting
an “up tick in threats and vandalism … occurring during a period of
increased focus by the Turkish media and government on “missionary
activity in Turkey.”

None of the cases ended with death, but a near miss was cited when
three young men bound an American named Wilbur Miller and his family,
threatening to kill them, before the family was spared and told to
leave the country immediately. It was not clear if investigations by
local police and the U.S. Embassy resulted charges or conctions, the
report states.

Christians are in a position where they fear to report the attacks,
according to Compass.

Pastor Ihsan Ozbek, chair of the Alliance of Protestant Churches in
Turkey told Compass that it was necessary to bring those issues to
the attention of officials, so that those who threaten could be
caught.

In Turkey, the Protestant community is tiny, estimated to be about
3,500 Christians, in 55 locations of worship and 40 known house
fellowships, according to Compass. Non Muslims in Turkey represent
just 0.2 percent of a total population of about 70 million. Other
Christian groups include members of the Greek and Armenian churches.