December 2, 2009
The Swiss Minaret ban has drawn many critical voices from around the world.
The majority of Muslims in Switzerland are from Turkey and some from the Balkans. Turkey feels the minaret decision pain as number of Christian churches (namely Armenian and Greek) in Turkey are either closed or turned to museums.
Nearly 57 percent of the voters in Switzerland voted to ban the building of Minarets in this picturesque country opening a door for a Europe-wide debate on the issue of religious dialogue throughout the old continent and the Middle East.
This was a nationwide referendum, which was supported by Switzerland’s right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP). The Swiss People’s Party is widely associated with anti-immigration campaigns.
Observers report that the Swiss Minaret vote indicates the rise and strength of far-right groups in Switzerland. However, others observe that this vote may the first indication of how the Europeans may feel about the limits that the Christians and Christian churches have to face in number of Muslim Countries.The development is indeed very worrying and calls for removing all the barriers around the world for the freedom of religious worship.
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