Greek Defence Minister Venizelos to the Muslim community: behold the mosque and cemetery

Source:  inews.gr

© Translation Muslim Association of Greece

Διαβάστε στα Eλληνικά

 

The way has opened for the construction of the mosque in Votanikos and the creation of a Muslim cemetery in Shisto, after a meeting held between the Mayor of Athens Nikitas Kaklamanis and the Minister of National Defense Evangelos Venizelos. The problem is that the “path” will pass – if it does – through the middle of the Naval Base, cutting it essentially in two and having already caused “frustration” in the Navy, as beyond the procedural issues, the cost is also high. The Navy, of course, cannot do anything enough though they are annoyed, as it has already been agreed by Mr. Venizelos and Mr. Kaklamanis.

The two sides have also come to an agreement regarding the creation of a green park, area of 500acres, in Goudi. The Minister of National Defence has given instructions for the actions needed, as we mentioned above, the land for the construction of the mosque belongs to the Navy and the launch of solutions for both issues. If this happens then a major problem concerning the Muslim community in Athens will be solved.

We remind that discussions had taken place in 2006 as well as a year ago. Then the matter of direct implementation of governmental commitments to build mosque in Athens and a Muslim cemetery in Shisto was brought back by the Muslim Association of Greece.

The President of the Association, Naim Elghandour, had sent letters to the relevant Ministers of Interior and Education Prokopis Pavlopoulos and Aris Spiliotopoulos, requesting the immediate breakout of procedures required.

According to the information then, the president of the Association had stated that due to the obstruction of the Greek state, Muslims find the opportunity to create informal places of worship “with the difference that they do not have as central reference the harmonious coexistence of people and the good of Greece, but promote their own aspirations for their own benefit.”

For the records Mr. Naim Elghandour, the man who played a major role in the Quran story is Egyptian in origin. He lives in Greece for the past 35 years and is naturalized as Greek citizen. As he stated in an interview, “The Muslim Association of Greece is the largest Muslim union in Greece. Our members are Greek nationals, immigrants and refugees coming mainly from Arab countries. We also represent the majority of informal places of worship in Athens. In Athens today live hundreds of thousands of Muslims, from various professions and social statuses, while thousands of children study in Greek schools and universities.”

The Muslim Association states that today in Greece live roughly 1.000.000 Muslims – that is to say, 10% of the Greek population.  It is therefore understandable how important it is to resolve these issues. Particularly, regarding the creation of the first Muslim cemetery, according to information available, that particular land belongs to the Navy but is used by the Army. The municipality requested, the land to be transferred so that the first Muslim cemetery can be created as well as the installations for the combustion of dead; however they examine as an alternative the third cemetery.

Regarding the botanical area, today there operates the Central Marine Car Station, a 20 year old building. If, therefore, the area was freed, the Navy and the Ministry of National Defence have requested the payment of the relocation costs, which makes it almost unaffordable. Regarding Goudi Park, the municipality has asked the Ministry to grant them 500 acres – from the 4500 total in this particular area – so, in cooperation with the Municipality of Zografou, the creation of a single green space. According to the municipality of Athens, that will create a green belt with bicycle paths, and the execution place of Nikos Belogiannis will be designated.

 

Translated by: Elena Nikolova-Pouliasi

The Attica Islamic temenos: Speech of Minister Mr Sgouridis

In Greek/ Στα Ελληνικα

The following video is the speech of the minister  of Xanthi, Mr Sgouridis in The Greek Commons in 2007.

The speech is with reference to the Islamic mosque and cemetery in Attica or rather the absence of them.

Mr Sgouridis is  resident of Xanthi and as such makes an  attempt of trying to understand issues of the Muslim communities and especially the worship and burial problems that the Muslims of Attica encounter due to the absence of the Islamic Mosque and islamic Cemetery.

Mr Sgouridis outlines his own  objections towards the current legislation concerning the Muslim temenos in Attica and he forwards his own opinions and the reasons why this current legislation should be withdrawn and replaced.

Hellenic Church makes the next step for Muslim cemetery

In Greek/Στα Ελληνικα

Honorable Minister,

It is well known that the Church of Greece helps the state by solving a social problem proceeded in bestowing the ecclesiastic land for use of a field of 30,000m2 to be constructed a Muslim cemetery at Scaramangas- Shisto area.

Although five years have passed since this bestowment, there has not been any development to the procedures to construct this, probably due to the problems that are referring to the letters 2225/12-07-2007 & 1283/1-4-2009 of Athens Organization and also at letters 31229/27-7-2007 & 38133/1-11-2007 of the administration of OKK.

For that reason, the Church of Greece decided to bestow another field of 30,000m2 in another location in the same ecclesiastic property in order to make easier the tasks of the related authorities. This field is described to the attached blueprint no AS550B, that has already been given to the Honorable Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Kassimis.

Of course, if the bestowed land for usage is finally accepted and receives all necessary licenses after the necessary declassification, and because it is located inside of a wider church property, all necessary formation and works will be executed under the surveillance and approval of our department.

We anticipate the authorities indicating to us with whom we will sign the relative contract, and we are kindly asking for your concern.

The General Director

Antonis Zambelis

Notifications

Honorable Mr. Prokopis Pavlopoulos, M inister of Internal Affairs

Honorable Mrs. Theodora Bakoyiannis, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Honorable Mr. Aris Spiliotopoulos, Minister of Education and Religions

Muslim Association of Greece

Dept. of Property (Internal section)

Dept. of Technical Services (Internal section)

Dept. of Legal Services (Internal section)

Radio Muezzin: a unique theatrical play

The Greek Festival

In Greek: Στα Ελληνικα

The Greek society had a great chance to attend the theatrical play “Radio Muezzin“, sponsored by “Greek Festival”. It was a play balancing between theater and a documentary, where five muezzins from Egypt unfolded their personal life stories in a simple narrative way.

Through the use of the images, they showed the viewers their mosque, their neighborhood, their house, their family and significant moments in their lives. With their melodic voices, they took the crowd to a journey through the sound of Islam, of the prayer and Qur’an plainly with no excess. They explained this nature of their task humbly and directly.

They made important comments that in a country like Greece the call for prayer is not allowed, but also that Athens is a city without a mosque and a cemetery for the Muslims.

They spoke about the recent decision of the Egyptian State, where the athan, the call for prayer, will be broadcasted live through a radio frequency at the thousands mosques of Cairo, from only one voice per day. In fact they have already chosen the 30 best muezzins (moadhinin), one of those was Mohammed Ali who presented his story at “Radio Muezzin”.

The public filled the theatre of Pireos 260 on both days of the play and applauded with warmth respectfully to the “protagonists”. Many famous people of art and culture watched the play as I saw.

Personally, I was impressed by the advanced artistic aestheticism and at the same time the warm and direct presence of the muezzins who did not pretend.  On the contrary, they showed every spectator the images of their lives, that they are people with deep religious feeling that gave the simple view of Islam, Quran and prayer.

I was also impressed by the warm reaction of the public that enjoyed the play.

Congratulations to the director Stefan Kaegi – Rimini Protocoll and all contributors.

The play has already travelled through Europe and will continue to the famous festival d’ Avignon.

Photo gallery:

The gardens of peace

© Greeks Rethink

Today is Friday the 12^th June 2009.

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

“Truly! To Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return” (Sura 2: 156)

As I opened my eyes to the new day and started planning my busy day ahead, thoughts of death, dying and burial started coming in to my mind. “ Life is short” is a common saying. Everybody seems to be using this expression at the slip of the tongue. How many times one stops and thinks what it means is another matter.

“Every soul shall taste death” says an ayaah in the Holy Qur’an. “If you reach the evening do not expect to live by the morning, and if you reach morning do not expect to live by evening” is a hadith of our holy prophet (peace be upon him). So on my way to work I stopped at our local Muslim cemetery. I do not do so often but today the need to visit and reflect was overpowering. As I was driving along the little country road speed limit 40 miles per hour and keeping to it,  I was thinking that the chances are that this is the route that my own funeral procession will take and I better pray a few words of forgiveness and my declaration of faith to my Creator while I still can. Also words of thanks for having another day to be with my family came to my mind and lips. And as I renewed my declaration of faith and blessings on our Holy Prophet  (peace be upon him), I had reached the gates of our local Muslim cemetery the Gardens of peace. Gardens of peace is a registered charitable trust. At 21.5 acres it is the largest Muslim Cemetery in the UK, with enough space for over 10,000 graves. Facilities include parking for 76 cars and provision for making wudhu and salaah.

The landscape architects used to design the Cemetery won the top Award in the internationally recognised Stonegard Phoenix Competition for their work. The Cemetery has also won a Special Award from the British Association of Landscape Industries for groundbreaking work in urban renewal.

Additionally in 2006 the Cemetery was recognised by London in Bloom for the quality of its landscaping.

“This is such a short trip” I thought. “It does not take long at all,” to get to destination.”  It does not take long at all to leave everything behind and finally be in the box (grave) where no possessions or relatives can help me and the only thing I can take with me is my own deeds.

As I parked the car I looked at the Gardens of peace and I marvelled at how much thought and consideration had gone in this tranquill final place of rest. I never stop to marvel every time I come here, as I remember times gone by when I had attended funerals when the Gardens of Peace was not here. For them there were graves in a sectioned off place of the Christian cemeteries. Still thankful though as they were also burials of dignity. As the Muslim population in the local area was growing and the older generation was passing away, their children wanted the best for them in death as well as in life. Thus the dream was born which with the effort of dedicated brothers and sisters became reality. Everything was thought of. As I am now speaking to the brother in charge of the cemetery I discussed the following issues with him. He was more than willing to answer my questions. We spoke about:

Islamic Death rites

§ When a Muslim person dies, it is important that he or she is buried as soon as possible after death and on the same day.

This practice can only be delayed if the death Is reported to the coroner and post-mortem examination is necessary. Burial is that one person is buried per grave with the face of the deceased when buried, facing Makkah. The grave itself should be raised by a minimum of six inches.

Dignity in death

The Human Rights Act 1988 (HRA) came into force on 2nd October 2000 and incorporates into UK legislation many of the provisions of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR). The ECHR is a binding international agreement that the UK was involved in drafting and has sought to comply with since 1951. The Convention enshrines fundamental civil and political rights that, for many years, were not part of our own legal system. Using the Convention usually meant exhausting the domestic appeal system before taking a case to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. This was often time-consuming and costly. Since coming into force, the HRA has made the Convention rights enforceable in our domestic courts.

The Act makes it unlawful for a ‘public authority’, such as a government department or local authority (including a parish or community council) to act in a way that is incompatible with Convention rights, unless it is bound to do so in order to ‘give effect to legislation.’

Human Rights and the Disposal of the Dead

Article 8: Right to privacy

(1) Everyone has the right for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence.

(2) There shall be no interference by a public authority with the exercise of this right except such as is in accordance with the law and is necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, public safety or the economic well-being of the country, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.

Article 9: Freedom of conscience

(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance.

(2) Freedom to manifest one’s religion or beliefs shall be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of public safety, for the protection of public order, health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedom of others.

He was telling me the procedures they had to go through to aquire the land depending totally on Sadaqah  and loans from Muslims which still pay back and of course all the stringent procedures with the Planning Permissions Department of the local authority. In the end the result is here for all of us to see.  I was told that the cemetery has an average of 2-3 burials per week and that the land they have aquired is sufficient for single graves for the next 200 years. We also discussed the recycling of the graves, and I was told that in app 200 years they would possibly have to start reusing the same graves by buring on top of the existing.

What moves me the most here is that all the graves are the same, no rich and no poor distinctions, we are all the same in death. I love the canal that runs along the cemetery as a symbolic separation of the land of the dead and the living, with the dua of greeting the dead on the bridge. We recite the dua just as we enter the area of the graves.

As I  am contemplating and feeling  grateful my thoughts turn to Greece. I am thinking of the urgent need of our brothers and sisters for a place to worship and a cemetery. “  In a hadith narrated by Anas the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “None of you will have faith, unless he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.” They have been waiting too long.” I say. “Please see that nothing is impossible.” Just look at  the ” Gardens of Peace.”

Photo gallery 1 : http://www.gardens-of-peace.org.uk/album2/index.html

Photo galelry 2: http://www.gardens-of-peace.org.uk/album1/index.html

Xenia UK

To the President and then to Euro Court

Source: Kathimerini

http://news.kathimerini.gr

The Chairman of the Muslim Association of Greece Mr Naim Elghandour reveals through “K” the intention to appeal to the European Court if their demand for an Islamic Mosque in Athens is not met. “The time is running out ,putting as deadline  the answer of The President of The Democracy in a related letter of the Union.
“The President of The Democracy is our last hope,” stresses Mr Elghadour “If there is no answer ,or if we see that despite his positive attitude ,still nothing is being done, the only way is The European Institution.

However already via specific websites (such as the popular greeksrethink.com) Muslims who live in our country are in a race to mobilise their  “brothers” abroad.
The Global Greek community is large and scattered in every corner of the globe(Canada, USA, UK, Australia and elsewhere.) “ We are asking for their support  in our cause ” says the Chairman of MAG . “Initially just to ask  the priest in their local parish if they would accept the creation of an Islamic Mosque in Athens.” Given recent statements by Archbishop Ieronymos who spoke about the obvious and inalienable right of every human being to freely worship his Lord. The Greek Muslims have secured a positive response from their priests.

“Listen! Things are simple” says Mr Elghandour. “ Thirty years have passed since allegedly started the construction of the Islamic Mosque but we are still at talks. I consider that the demand is not only ours but of every freedom loving person on the planet”.

Athens , a city in which live more than 700,00 Muslims , is the only European country without a Mosque and a Muslim Cemetery. For their worship needs the Muslims are served by app 100 informal mosques operating in various parts of the Capital , in apartments, garages, warehouses and basements. Even this way of exercising their religious duties is not without a hindrance. A few months ago the Prefecture in Athens fined the owner of  a basement in Nea Ionia ,which was being used as an informal mosque 60,000 and 30,000 Euros as there was no special licence for the premises.
The decision sparked off one of the largest (up to then) mobilisation of Muslims in Athens involving more than 1000 believers demanding an official place of worship.

We all remember the strong opposition of the Municipality and  of the residents of Paeania, when in 2000, by law 2833 it had been decided the construction of the Islamic Centre with the expenses to be borne by Saudi Arabia.
This project never materialised and the only reminder of the story is the cross on the slope of the mountain which continues to welcome those who leave the airport with Athens as their destination.

However neither the last chapter seems to have a happy ending for the Muslim community. This project which in 2006 passed in the Parliament according to which the Islami Mosque would be constructed at a naval base in  Botanicals ( where at the moment there is a supermarket and offices of the Greek Navy) and gave provision to a series of safeguards to prevent such as  the Imam being a civil servant.
In the beginning we were told that there were 57 acres.
From discussion to discussion  and while ministers were changing the area kept on  being reduced  and finally it was down to  16 acres.
“Even if it is 16 acres or 16 yards , please let us built at last” pleads Mr Elghandour.

Difficult…….. The navy claims that it needs 5 million Euros to relocate , money that nobody is willing to spend. “ We told them that we can mobilise our people to find the money and give it to them but they replied that it ….sin. At the same time they can not find the money. In response to a recent question by a member of parliament, Mr Perikles Korovesi , the Defence Ministry said that they would investigate if the construction of the Islamic Mosque  raises an issue of safety  to the base.
“ Now all of a sudden they  are afraid that the Muslims might go  to the supermarket  and steal macaroni and rice” says frowning  The Chairman of MGA , Mr Elghandour. And the letter we have sent to the Minister of Education remains unanswered.

“The truth is that we have not fallen to zero. We have fallen below zero. And for you to know, the  American Embassy and other International Human  Rights Organisations have approached us asking about these problems and I have answered “ No thanks, there is the possibility that  there is a mistake.” Because we are Greeks  and we have no intention to expose our country or be reported in the state department.
“We love Greece. The problems are ours and we do not need “the neighbourhood” to know.
But this is not appreciated by the Government” concludes Mr Elghandour.

Fury of Muslims in Greece, Leading Where?

Translated By  Ms. Anna Stamou >

The torn copy of the Holy Qur’ http://www.islamonline.net For two subsequent days hundreds of Muslim immigrant demonstrators filled the streets in Athens protesting against an incident that a police officer had torn up a copy of the Holy Qur’an. The incidents caused different kinds of reactions and resurfaced the problematic status of the marginalized Greek Muslims.According to Mr. Naim El-Ghandour, President of the Muslims Association in Greece (MAG), there was an abrupt police raid on a Syrian café in Athens, across Nicolas Church Street. The clients were checked by Greek policemen who asked the immigrants to show their ID credentials. They also ordered the immigrants to take off their shoes, socks. They were thoroughly searched. However, nothing illegal was found and the immigrants proved to be legally residents of the country. Up to that point, nobody was to blame… During the raid, one of the Greek officers, whose identity is still anonymous, approached Mohammad, 24 years, speaks poor Greek, and asked him to empty his pockets. Worth mentioning that the Syrian café is a meeting and a recreational place for many Muslims in Athens. Among the belongings of the young man, the officer found a booklet with Arabic characters and asked what it was. “It is the Holy Qur’an, which I recite every morning and evening” Mohammad replied. “As you recite the Gospel, we have the Qur’an” he tried to explain. The police officer’s reaction to those words was that he tore the Holy Qur’an up, threw it on the floor, and stepped on it. One of his fellow officers asked him to stop because this was the Holy book of the Muslims, but in vain… Immediate Reactions With a torn up version of the Holy Qur’an, the President of the Muslim Association of Greece headed for the closest police station and the Public Order and Safety (Ministry of Internal Affairs in Greece) and reported the sacrilege. Statements of the Greek Authorities As a rejection to any kind of anti-religious freedom action, Mr. Evangelos Antonaros, the Deputy Government Spokesman, issued the following statement on May 22, 2009 (full statement is on the official website of the Ministry of Interior, Hellenic Government, click here): “The Greek State totally respects the religious freedom of everyone and distinctly convicts any kind of insult for such freedom, especially insulting sacred texts and symbols that are inextricable parts of any faith. Every action that is turned against the religious freedom of the others warrants total disapproval of the Greek society that traditionally accepts with hospitality people belonging to any race or religion, since they respect the laws of our country.” Muslims’ Feelings after the Insult Mr. Naim El-Ghandour with the torn copy of the Holy Qur’an. “The fact that the police officer tore up the Qur’an and stepped on it is a major crime as far as Muslims are concerned,” Mr. Naim El-Ghandour explained.“The Qur’an is our sacred symbol and represents our Faith,” “It is a tremendous insult of the religious beliefs of people who have found themselves targeted by wars and islamophobia evoked against them even in Greece,” El-Ghandour highlighted with sorrow. On the governmental level, Mr. Christos Markogiannakis, the Deputy Minister of Inner Affairs stated that: “The General Police Administration of Athens is investigating this case in which a policeman is accused of insulting a religious symbol. The inquiry goes into depth and whoever is proven responsible for such act will be brought to justice. Escalating the Situation Moreover, Mr. Naim added that some of the small Left parties misused the situation by provoking the immigrants to demonstrate against the racist and oppressive acts of the police in St. Panteleimonas area. Demonstrations centred in the heart of Athens where those parties distributed posters with their claims, using the ripped part of the Qur’an as a trigger for violent reactions. Consequently, the Hellenic Government replied to those actions saying: “The incident is still under investigation. Yet, it does not justify the actions by some people who are determined to commit damages to civilians’ properties nor to engage in civil clashes causing injuries and disturbing severely the social and economical life of the city,” added Mr. Markogiannakis. MAG Attitude On the other hand, Mr. Naim El-Ghandour stressed “the Muslim Association of Greece as well as the habitués of all mosques in Athens has refused to participate in any demonstration.” “We resort to the legal channels. We are waiting to recognize the name of the involved police officer in order to sue him. Of course we have every confidence in the Greek Judicial System. As the whole country faces depression and crisis, a reckless man commits an irresponsible action and creates a problem. To All Immigrants During his statement, Mr. Markogiannakis addressed the whole immigrant community saying: “We ask the legitimate immigrants who live in Greece to respect peace and order assuring that the State will not allow such extremist behaviors. We expect from all political forces to show responsibility, to satisfy the demands of the civilians within law and order. The problem of illegal immigration is a sensitive national issue.” (Full Statement by the Greek Deputy Minister of Interior for the current events in the center of Athens in Greek, Please click here to view) Causes for the outrageous reaction “Many of the new immigrants are young, kids of 19, 20  years old, who have no jobs, face every day hunger, and have lots of problems..” Mr. El-Ghandour explained. Under such circumstances, the slightest provocation can cause an explosion and especially for a religious symbol. We should have mutual respect for each other’s religions. Everyone should treat the other’s sanctuaries with respect. The politicians need to speed up action and find a solution for the immigrants’ problems and we must learn to live together respecting each other,” he added. Political Declarations On a broader level, all the political parties in Greece have condemned this incident. Characteristically, the PASOK Spokesman Giorgos Papakonstantinou pointed out that the “phenomena of humiliation and disrespect of the religious rights and the insult of symbols of any religion cannot be tolerated for any citizen;  Greek or immigrant.” (For more information, please click here). Causalities on all levels The Pakistanis, Afghanis, and Bangladeshis participated in those demonstrations that lasted for two days and serious damages occurred: many stores, cars, bus stops were smashed. Many thieveries occurred; there were also injured policemen and immigrants. Again, the smell of tear gas and of the cocktail Molotov canisters was spread everywhere in Athens. Late at night, a small group of people set fire to a basement of a residential building where there was a prayer place, an unofficial mosque for the Bangladesh community. Four people were inside the prayer place at that hour and luckily they were not hurt. However, none was blamed for this terrorist act which was regarded as an act of revenge. Mohammed, the immigrant involved with the officer, having the torn version of the Holy Quran accompanied by Mr. Naim El-Ghandour, the president of Muslim Association of Greece, and represented by the distinguished attorney Frangiskos Ragousis filed a lawsuit at the Hellenic Courts on Monday May the 24th. All parties are waiting for the Court’s ruling…

One blames the other on cemetery/mosque

Source:  Enet.gr

(Διαβάστε παρακάτω, στα ελληνικά. )

Οταν το 2005 η Εκκλησία της Ελλάδος παραχώρησε 30 στρέμματα στην περιοχή του Σχιστού για τη δημιουργία μουσουλμανικού νεκροταφείου, κανείς δεν θα μπορούσε να φανταστεί ότι τρία χρόνια μετά δεν θα είχε γίνει απολύτως τίποτα. Το ίδιο ισχύει και για το άλλο θέμα, αυτό της ανέγερσης τζαμιού στην περιοχή του Ελαιώνα.

Ενα νομοσχέδιο που έχει ψηφιστεί από το 2006 και προβλέπει όλες τις λεπτομέρειες, παραμένει στα συρτάρια του υπουργείου Παιδείας, καθώς το υπουργείο Αμυνας ζητάει χρήματα για τη μετεγκατάσταση των αποθηκών του Πολεμικού Ναυτικού. Αυτή τη φορά η Εκκλησία δεν φέρει καμία ευθύνη.

Το «πάγωμα» τόσο της δημιουργίας μουσουλμανικού νεκροταφείου όσο και της ανέγερσης τζαμιού περιγράφονται μέσω των απαντήσεων της Εκκλησίας της Ελλάδος και των αρμόδιων υπουργείων, έπειτα από αίτημα της Μουσουλμανικής Ενωσης Ελλάδας και ερώτησης του βουλευτή του ΣΥΡΙΖΑ, Περικλή Κοροβέση, προς τα αρμόδια υπουργεία. Η Εκκλησία, απαντώντας στη Μουσουλμανική Ενωση, στις 6 Απριλίου «καρφώνει» τέσσερα υπουργεία. Μετά την απόφαση της Διαρκούς Ιεράς Συνόδου τον Δεκέμβριο του 2005, γράφει ο γενικός διευθυντής των Οικονομικών Υπηρεσιών της Εκκλησίας, Αντώνης Ζαμπέλης, «προέβημεν εις εγγράφους και προφορικάς υπενθυμίσεις, προς τους αρμοδίους Κρατικούς φορείς (υπουργεία Εσωτερικών, Εξωτερικών, Εθνικής Παιδείας και Θρησκευμάτων και ΠΕΧΩΔΕ) προκειμένου να υλοποιηθή η δημιουργία του Κοιμητηρίου με την λήψιν αποφάσεων και την προς τούτο έκδοσιν των απαιτούμενων διοικητικών Πράξεων (λ.χ. Προεδρικό Διάταγμα καθορισμού όρων χρήσεως κ.λπ.). Ανευ των Πράξεων τούτων δεν δυνάμεθα να προχωρήσωμεν εις την διά συμβολαιογραφικού εγγράφου παραχώρησιν χρήσεως της εκτάσεώς μας προς τον φορέα που θα αναλάβη την διαχείρισιν του Κοιμητηρίου». Ο κ. Ζαμπέλης καταλήγει: «Εκ των ανωτέρω προκύπτει ότι την ευθύνην διά την καθυστέρησιν της υλοποιήσεως της Αποφάσεως της ΔΙΣ φέρουν αποκλειστικώς και μόνον οι αρμόδιοι Κρατικοί φορείς, οι οποίοι μέχρι σήμερον δεν έχουν προβή εις τας απαιτουμένας ενεργείας».

Οι «αρμόδιοι κρατικοί φορείς», απαντώντας σε ερώτηση του βουλευτή του ΣΥΡΙΖΑ Περικλή Κοροβέση για το θέμα του μουσουλμανικού νεκροταφείου, είναι αποκαλυπτικοί:

- Ο υφυπουργός Εξωτερικών Θόδωρος Κασσίμης γράφει στην απάντησή του μεταξύ άλλων: «Πληροφορούμεθα ότι η περιοχή που προσφέρθηκε από την Εκκλησία της Ελλάδος για τη δημιουργία του μουσουλμανικού νεκροταφείου, κρίθηκε από τις αρμόδιες υπηρεσίες ως ακατάλληλη για χωροθέτηση νεκροταφείου. Κατόπιν αυτού, μελετώνται ως εναλλακτικές λύσεις άλλοι χώροι που θα μπορούσαν να διατεθούν είτε από την Εκκλησία της Ελλάδος είτε από την ΚΕΔ».

- Ο υφυπουργός Εσωτερικών Θανάσης Νάκος, στην ίδια γραμμή, υποστηρίζει ότι «το ζήτημα επανεξετάζεται, προκειμένου να ληφθούν τα αναγκαία μέτρα, ούτως ώστε να υλοποιηθεί η απόφαση για τη δημιουργία του μουσουλμανικού νεκροταφείου στην Αττική». Και παραπέμπει στο ΠΕΧΩΔΕ, που με τη σειρά του (υφυπουργός ΠΕΔΩΧΕ Σταύρος Καλογιάννης) αποφεύγει να απαντήσει, λέγοντας γενικά και αόριστα ότι έχει ενημερώσει την Ιερά Σύνοδο.

Ιδιαίτερο ενδιαφέρον όμως είχε η απάντηση που έδωσε το υπουργείο Αμυνας, μέσω του υπουργού Ευάγγελου Μεϊμαράκη, που εξηγεί γιατί δεν μπορεί να παραχωρήσει 36 στρέμματα στην περιοχή του Ελαιώνα για την ανέγερση τζαμιού. «Δεν υπάρχει δυνατότητα χρηματοδότησης από τον προϋπολογισμό του έργου της μετεγκατάστασης των υπηρεσιών του Πολεμικού Ναυτικού σε άλλη περιοχή». Ο υπουργός Αμυνας συνεχίζει: «Οι πιθανές θέσεις για την ανέγερση του τεμένους και οι οικονομικές απαιτήσεις για τη μετεγκατάσταση των υφιστάμενων χρήσεων του Πολεμικού Ναυτικού είναι οι παρακάτω:

* Η θέση του Κεντρικού Σταθμού Αυτοκινήτων του Πολεμικού Ναυτικού, στο μεσαίο τμήμα του Ν.Ο. Βοτανικού, η επιλογή της οποίας θα είχε ως συνέπεια τη μετεγκατάσταση της χρήσης σε έκταση 30.000 τ.μ. και την εκταμίευση ποσού 62.600.000 ευρώ .

* Η θέση του ΠΟΝ, στο νοτιοανατολικό του Ν.Ο. Βοτανικού, η επιλογή της οποίας θα είχε ως συνέπεια τη μεταγκατάσταση της χρήσης σε έκταση 30.000 τ.μ. και την εκταμίευση ποσού 28.650.000 ευρώ ».

 

No Authorized Imam in Greece?!!

Source:  IslamOnline.net

After several attempts to uncover the Muslims’ status in Greece, IslamOnline.net (IOL)’s Euro-Muslims Page is shedding the light on the role of Greek imams as an alternate solution to many challenges they face in their way to integration into their European society while maintaining their religious Islamic identity.

For that purpose, IslamOnline.net (IOL)’s Euro-Muslims Page hosted Mr. Naim EL-Ghandour, President and Co-founder of the Association of Muslims in Greece, in a Live Dialogue session on April 6, 2009, to talk to IOL’s audience on the status of imams in Greece. 

Naim El-Ghandour was born in Egypt in 1955 and has been living in Greece since 1974. He has the Hellenic citizenship and is a successful businessman. El-Ghandour dreams of seeing the Athens Mosque and the Muslim Cemetery in Athens and he exerted all his efforts for these two main projects.

Accordingly, he has proposed many requests to the Greek Government asking for the Muslims’ rights to have their own official Mosque and cemetery in Greece. His attempts are still going on.

In a response to a question from IOL’s audience during his Live Session about the mosques and its role in Greece, Mr. Naim said, “We, the larger Muslim community, are exceeding 700,000 only at the capital Athens, but we have no official mosque, just unofficial places to pray. We are fighting hard to have our own official Athens mosque and cemetery and en shaa Allah we will succeed. It is essential for us to have a mosque.”

IOL’s audience also raised an important question on what can be done to make it easier for immigrants to feel accepted in the Greek community. Our guest replied, “Greece is the number one destination for the illegal immigrants of Europe, and this is very difficult for all. But education is above our strength as the Muslim countries are not contributing, they may have not realized the current situation in Greece. At a governmental level, we are trying to start contact between the Greek state and the Muslim states to allow Islamic education to be a subject taught at schools.”

What does the Greek Muslim community lack in your opinion? Do you agree with El-Ghandour on his views on Greek Muslims’ challenges?

Read the full Live Dialogue, if you have any comment or suggestion for the coming Live Dialogues’ guests and topics, please write them below or email them to Euro_Muslims@iolteam.com

 

Greeks Rethink note:  click through to the article to find some juicy comments by the visitors!

Special report: Greek Parliament member pushes religious freedom for Muslims

Parliament member Mr. Periklis Korovesis from the Syriza party lodged a formal question [about religious freedom] to the Greek Parliament, in particular the Ministers of Internal Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Education and Religions, National Defence. (Please view the seven questions at the end of this report.)

 

 

 

 

Subject: Muslim Cemetery and Mosque in Attica

In Athens, where 700 000 Muslims of all nationalities live, there is neither a mosque nor a Muslim cemetery, making Greece the only country in Europe that has not taken care of this.  This practice opposes Article 13 of the Constitution and Article 9 of the European Convention for the Human Rights that clearly state “the freedom of religious conscience is unhindered”.

Understandably, the Muslims in Athens feel the sense of rejection as they have no ability to pray, get married, and have a funeral service with dignity.  As a result, this brought the existence of over 50 unofficial praying places in the region, often located in undergrounds and garages.

Just recently, the Prefecture of Athens fined the owner of an underground building at Nea Ionia 60 000 euro and 30 000 euro because he used it as an unofficial mosque without special permission of a “bethel”, allowing Muslims of the area to pray there.

There were significant local protests from the immigrants who opposed the prefecture as well as Greek inhabitants and authorities, demonstrating on Saturday February 7^th at a massive movement in this small area (more than 1000 people) asking for a proper place to conduct religious tasks, which is a right registered by the constitution. 

However, the decision of the prefecture and the reactions on behalf of the immigrants is not new.  Thirty years have passed since the first claim in 1976 was lodged for building a mosque in Athens from the Arabic embassies, when all Greek governments projected several barriers in order not to proceed to its fulfillment.

Meanwhile, in other countries like Sweden, there are five mosques, 150 praying places and 10 Muslim cemeteries; in France there are 2000 praying places and 12 mosques when the cemeteries (except for one Muslim cemetery established in 1930) where it is obliged to have place of burying Muslims; in Norway (Oslo) the mosque was established in 1980, in Poland (Gtansk) in 1989, in Russia (Moscow) in 1912, in Scotland (Glascow) in 1983, in Portugal (Lisbon) in 1988, in Malta in 1978, in Ireland (Dublin) in 1978, in the UK there is the biggest Muslim cemetery in Europe and many mosques.

In 1983 the Greek state was committed to construct a mosque in Marousi, but this did not work due to the reactions of the local authorities. In 2000 the law 2833 was including the establishment if an Islamic Cultural Centre and Mosque in Peania with expenses that the Saudi Arabian Government would cover. This project was cancelled and in the very same place they realized that was already been built an orthodox church!

In October 2006 the Ministry of Education presented a draft law for building a mosque at Eleonas, a feasible project in harmony with the protected green of the area. The decision remained inapplicable because at the area that was given for the mosque is located navy base and the transfer of that means that 5 000 000 euro should be found. Although the Muslim Community was willing to offer that amount, this offer was not accepted, for it is the obligation of the Ministry of Defense to provide the funds to the Navy.

The Muslim Association of Greece sent a recent letter (27.01.09) to the Minister of Education and Religions asking to fulfil the governmental commitments and accusing the ministry’s palinodes twice for losing the necessary documents for the realization of this project.

Similar luck seems to have the permanent claim of the Muslims for the establishment of the Muslim cemetery in Athens, for which we have lodged a question (number of lodgment 1334/15.7.2009).

Despite of the bestowal of the field at the area of Schisto for the establishment, and the commitments of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that was authorized as a coordinator of the engaged authorities, no procedure has proceeded. Hence, since the Muslims of Attica have no official mosque, nor  a cemetery, nor a religious scholar who will be under a law to practice their religious rituals, they are forced to move their dead to Thrace or abroad with a huge economic cost for the family, that rates even 5000 euro (for Pakistan).

For the construction of the Muslim cemetery in Schisto, the Muslim Association of Greece has sent a letter again to the Minister of Internal Affairs on 27.01.2009, asking for intervention, as far as the bureaucratic procedures of the local authorities are concerned for the following reasons:

•  All these are unprecedented for an elemental democratic country and equals to “Islamophobia” and discrimination if the Islamic civilization;
• The pertinacious non-immigration policy of the governments has created a suffocating place of living for Muslim immigrants and refuges that are in Greece, insulting fundamental and obvious human rights of every civilised country;
• The immigration stream of the last decade has definitively changed the face and composition of the Greek society affecting even its deeper structures, transforming it to multicultural and religious differentiation, which in fact compels changes in point of vision, criteria and methods.

 The ministers are asked:

1. What is the status of the procedures for the construction of the Eleonas mosque and what are the obstacles of moving the navy base, the cost of the moving etc.
2. Have the funds been found by the Ministry of National Defense for the move of the navy base from the area of Eleonas?
3. In which point are the procedures for the establishment of the Muslim cemetery in Shisto? Is the topographic survey of the area that was expected to be completed within a two months period starting from July 2008, according to the response that was given to us by the Deputy Minister of foreign affairs Theodoros Kassimis?
4. Has the transfer of the proprietary title of the area been made by the Church of Greece to the local authority in charge of the Muslim cemetery?
5. Are the procedures of the Ministry of Zoning and Public Works finished as concerning the zoning of the cemetery area?
6. How do they think to improve the conditions of religious freedom and equity, having in mind the condition that has prevailed in Greece and in Europe, in order to reduce the distance that separates our country from the rest of Europe?
7. Which constitutional preconditions they think to create will allow all religious communities to enjoy the internationally acknowledged equity of rights and parity for the religious rights?

 

Athens, March 26, 2009

Member of Parliament

Periklis Korovesis

 

 

 

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