Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State and I am particularly pleased it is the Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs as some of what I have to say will look to elicit the support of the European Union. I am looking for a statement on the spate of recent murders, which was particularly intensified over the Christmas period, of Christians in a number of Middle East countries. There is a need to defend Christian minorities within those countries.

There was an alarming case in Nigeria where 32 people were killed, with over 70 seriously injured, over the Christmas period. In a previous incident in Jos, Nigeria, 86 people were killed. In Pakistan suicide bombers killed 47 people and left over 100 people injured. In Iraq a couple of people have been killed and many were injured as well. I know representation has been made by various Christian groups to the Obama Administration in regard to Iraq and the greater protection of Christians there. On New Year's Eve a bomb attack in Egypt killed 21 Christians and injured over 100 people in the Church of the Two Saints in Alexandria. Over 80% of those who have been targeted have been Christians. Aid to the Church in Need, a Catholic-based organisation dealing with religious freedom, estimates that somewhere between 75% and 85% of all acts of religious persecution are directed against Christians, with many, unfortunately, coming from Muslim extremists.

The international community is to a great degree refusing to acknowledge and highlight these atrocities, which in some instances are tantamount to ethnic cleansing. Many international communities are failing to realise these atrocities but the Obama Administration has acknowledged that Christians are primarily targeted in this regard. There is a real need for the international community to take steps to prevent such acts. A lone voice in doing this recently has been Pope Benedict XVI, who has highlighted the persecution of Christians in a wide range of countries. In the past two or three weeks we have seen in Iran a significant number of Christians arrested and incarcerated without trial in some of the most heinous prison regimes to be found anywhere in the world.

This and other countries embracing a human rights ethos must lend voices to defending these people, even leaving aside the fact that we are a Christian country. Italy has proposed that the EU consider withdrawing aid from countries which fail to protect Christian communities, and we should support this policy. The European Union should articulate its strong objection to what is taking place and its support for having such action arrested. I am happy to allow a minute or so to my colleague, Senator Norris, who will support my argument.