Belgian ecumenical and journalist groups condemn Paris attacks

A Belgian ecumenical group representing all of the major religions has issued a joint statement unreservedly condemning “every form or terrorist activity, which only serves to polarise society” The statement is in response to the shooting at the office of Paris newspaper Charlie Hebdo on Wednesday afternoon by Islamic fundamentalists, which left 12 dead.

The group, Ecumenical Dialogue, is composed of representatives of the Protestant and Evangelical, United Protestant, Roman Catholic, Anglican and Orthodox churches, as well as Judaism, Islam and the Humanist movement. The statement is signed on behalf of the Flemish centre for Islamic education by Mehmet Ustün and for the Muslim Executive by deputy chair Mohamed Achaibi and reads:

“There are not enough words with which to condemn the brutality of the murderous attack on the editorial office of Charlie Hebdo. These horrific actions are a direct attack on our universal human rights. We are deeply shocked and troubled. The rights of freedom of expression and freedom of the press are universal. They form the basis of all of our liberties, as laid out in the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Man. People are free to think and to act according to their own conviction, with respect for other views and respect for the value of their fellow humans. We are faced with the moral duty to battle extremism and forced conversion within our own ranks. Extremism can never be justified.”

Several hundred people in Antwerp held a silent vigil yesterday evening in memory of the 12 victims of the attack, as well as the injured, while MEPs attended a minute of silence at European Parliament headquarters in Brussels. Many carried posters bearing the now-famous slogan “Je suis Charlie”.

In the federal parliament, a full chamber held a minute’s silence. Prime minister Charles Michel called for no concessions to be given to “preachers of hate and spreaders of terror”.

Belgian media cartoonists, meanwhile, gathered in homage at The Cartoonist gallery in Brussels, also armed with slogans and also observing a minute’s silence. “Yesterday was a tragic day for us,” commented Marc De Cloedt (Marec in Het Nieuwsblad). “They have tried since 2006 to forbid us from making cartoons about the God of the Muslims with pencil and paper. Now our gods have been murdered with bullets. This has hit us hard.”