Malaysia: WCC expresses solidarity after attacks on churches

Geneva: January 13, 2010, (PCTV Newsdesk)

In a 13 January solidarity letter to the churches in Malaysia, the World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit expressed deep concern and profound sorrow about recent attacks against church buildings in the country following a controversy over the right of Christians to use the term "Allah" to refer to God.

The controversy "generated by a small sector of Muslims" in the country is "very disturbing", Tveit said, especially as "Christians in majority Muslim countries all over the world, including [Malaysia's] neighbouring country Indonesia, have used the word 'Allah' for God for centuries".

Tveit expressed hope that "immediate action" is taken "by both the government and civil society to resolve the conflict, in order to avoid renewed hostilities and escalation of violence". He also found it heartening that "numerous Islamic organizations and leaders have publicly condemned these wanton acts of a small group of people".

Several church buildings have recently been attacked in Malaysia following a High Court ruling last month allowing non-Muslims to use the word "Allah" to refer to God. Muslim radical groups see this as a Christian subterfuge to win converts from Islam. The government has appealed the High Court decision.

About 9 percent of the Malaysian population are Christians, while Muslims amount to 48 percent. Most non-Muslims are ethnically Indian or Chinese.

Full text of the letter:
http://www.oikoumene.org/?id=7503

WCC member churches in Malaysia:
http://www.oikoumene.org/en/member-churches/regions/asia/malaysia.html