ORIENTATION
05/09/2010
"Minarets discussion"
 
00:02
There are around 4900 Catholic churches in Austria, many with steeples and spires - a fact that hardly excites anyone.

00:11

Yet when it comes to mosques with minarets there have been strong feelings. There are only four nationwide in Austria - in Vienna, in Salzburg Pinzgau, in the Tyrolean town Telfs and in the spa town of Bad Vöslau. In Telfs and Bad Vöslau their construction was met with fierce protests.

00:32

Another protest has emerged through the online game "mosque-Baba" on the homepage of the Styrian Austrian Freedom Party, the FPO. With just a click minarets and prayer callers can be eliminated. The fact that there is not a single mosque with a minaret in Styria is seemingly irrelevant.

00:56
OT Carla A. Baghajati (Islamic Religious Community in Austria)
"The Islamic community has already taken steps to sue, because all the red lines are being crossed here. It is not only inflammatory; it's dangerous in the sense of peaceful coexistence. We really hope that the forces of civil society vote for other parties and find a really clear language to show that this kind of propaganda can have no place here. "

01:29
OT Egon Kapellari (Bishop of the Diocese of Graz-Seckau)

"Whoever pours oil on the fire between the indigenous populations, not only before elections but in general, is damaging democracy and must be rejected."
 
 01:40
"A mosque with a minaret in each state capital" - this vision of the President of the Islamic faith community sparked the protest of the FPÖ at the end of August. The construction of mosques was widely discussed in the media. Religious freedom was demanded – not only in Austria, but also in Muslim countries.

02:00
The roughly 500 000 Muslims in Austria still primarily pray in a number of "backyard mosques," - a religious ghetto situation which complicates integration and arouses suspicion.

02:15
Since the 1960's Muslims have come to Austria as immigrants - particularly from the less developed areas of Turkey. They practice their faith mostly in buildings that have been converted into houses of prayer. Religious freedom means that Muslims may build houses of worship. In principle this is supported by the Christian churches.

02:37
OT Egon Kapellari (Bishop of the Diocese of Graz-Seckau)

"Islam has a right to a public presence and need not hide its houses of worship, but we need to ensure that mosques built in public spaces blend with their surroundings, to allow for social peace and to help Islam to integrate. Also to help the traditional Austrian population not to have a fear of Islam, because Islam is seen by many as a newcomer in Europe - in the minds of Europeans - with the many conflicts that exist around the world with Islam. "

03:14
OT Carla A. Baghajati (Islamic Religious Community in Austria)
"Having visible mosques is indeed a way to show we support transparency, we have nothing to hide, we want to openly approach each other."

03:27
OT Michael Bünker
(Bishop of the Evang. Church, A.B.)
"I think Austria has the special situation that Islam has long been a recognized religious society here. That is a particular strength that is the envy of other countries to some extent. A distinct part of the integration and coexistence in the country and, of course, the fundamental right of collective freedom of religion, is the right to build appropriate worship space. And the religious community should decide how that should look, not someone else. "

04:02
 
The presence of Muslims in Austria has inspired insecurity and rejection in many parts of the community. Why has the debate about Islam resulted in such a reaction?

04:14
OT Michael Bünker
(Bishop of the Evang. Church, A.B.)
"It's about the encounter with the stranger, which is always uncertain, which always provokes fear. It is important that we form trust to allow integration. The different parishes - Catholic and Protestant - are trying to do this already. And they do a lot. This is an effective way to find each other and can also reduce the anxiety a bit further. "

04:38
INSERT Report: Klaus There
Camera: Walter Pfeundschich
Editor: Felix Wagner