The Rise of Racism and Intolerance
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly condemned the recent attack on the Albanian Mosque in Limassol, labeling it as a manifestation of the racist mentality and intolerance towards Turkish and Islamic communities in the South. The statement issued by the ministry criticized the Greek Administration for failing to address previous attacks on mosques in the region, attributing the repetition of such crimes to this lack of accountability.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanded that the perpetrators of the attack on the cultural and religious heritage of the Turkish Cypriot people be swiftly identified and punished. It emphasized that the vandalism inflicted on the Albanian Mosque cannot be viewed in isolation, considering the history of attacks on other historical mosques in Southern Cyprus such as the İbrahimağa Köprülü Mosque, Larnaca Grand Mosque, and Denya Mosque.
The statement highlighted the disparity in religious freedoms between the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots in the region, pointing out that while the former are allowed regular worship in churches, the latter face restrictions and attacks on their mosques. The Ministry underscored the importance of upholding religious freedoms and called for measures to prevent further attacks on mosques.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the Greek Cypriot administration to take immediate action to address the attack on the Albanian Mosque and to ensure that such incidents are not repeated. It called for a reevaluation of the approach to religious freedoms in the region and stressed the need for accountability and justice in dealing with attacks on cultural and religious sites.
