Church fights for life in its 16th court battle
Pastor Dale Morgan
Church fights for life in its 16th court battle*
Pastor calls legal troubles 'premeditated, continuous, orchestrated attack'
Posted: June 11, 2008
One of the very few legally operated Protestant churches in Turkey is
fighting for its life – again. The church has battled through 15 court
cases in the predominantly Muslim nation over the last 6 years, and it's
about to become 16.
Last week 2 police officers approached the pastor of Batikent Protestant
Church in the capital city of Ankara and served him with a notice that
church had 3 days to close its doors.
Pastor Daniel Wickwire and his family
The problem – this time – is that the church is supposedly violating
zoning codes by operating in a building not approved as a place of worship.
Last year, the church faced the same charge and won their case in court
against the Yenimahalle Municipal Government. The current police notice
is forcing the church to battle again over a case it has already won.
The founding pastor of the church, Daniel Wickwire, told International
Christian Concern, "It is very obvious that what is happening to our
church is a pre-meditated, continuous and jointly orchestrated direct
attack against the church as a whole in Turkey by the right-wing Islamic
government (AK Party) that is currently in control."
Christians, who make up less than 1 percent of the population in Turkey,
have been subjected to numerous attacks in recent years, many violent.
In 2006, a Turkish teen shot to death a Roman Catholic priest as he
prayed in his church. Two other priests were attacked the same year.
Last year, three Christians were martyred when a group of Muslim men who
feigned meeting them for a Bible study instead bound, tortured and
brutally killed them.
Wickwire's battles haven't been nearly so bloody, but the fight to keep
his ministry alive remains constant. Though he has lived in Turkey for
20 years, the government refuses to give him a work or residence permit,
which means he must leave the country and return again as a "tourist"
every 90 days.
His church, a 4-story building that has 190 square meters on each floor,
operates a free give-away library of Christian books in Turkish and
neighbors a mosque, remains a target for legal, social and political
persecution.
Just last year, the church fought in court to continue receiving free
water, a privilege the government extends to all mosques, mescits and
Koran courses in the municipality. The church originally lost that case,
but the Council of State overturned the decision, calling the original
ruling "anathema to equality."
In another instance, a Turkish TV personality attempted to interview
Wickwire with the purpose of raising public opposition to the church's
presence. The TV newsperson was later convicted of attempting to incite
riots against the churches of Ankara but avoided serving any jail time.
After the police issued the Batikent Protestant Church with notice to
close, Wickwire prepared for battle again. His lawyers opened yet
another court case challenging this latest attempt to force the church
out of business.
"It is high time," said Wickwire, "for the international community to
speak out against such overt, blatant, and continual harassment and
persecution of the church."