BERLIN
Fifty prominent German politicians, artists and intellectuals have called publicly for a strong stand against the country’s populist anti-Islam movement, PEGIDA.
In a special coverage in Germany’s largest mass-circulation daily Bild, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said: “PEGIDA damages not only our country but also casts a negative light on Germany.”
“We should make it very clear that those who are shouting slogans on the streets are a small minority with a loud voice," he added.
The rise of the high-profile right-wing group, Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West, or PEGIDA, has recently made headlines in Germany and abroad.
Weekly protests in Dresden in October drew around 500 demonstrators but significantly increased within three months, raising concerns among politicians and intellectuals.
On Monday, more than 18,000 protestors rallied in Dresden, shouting anti-immigrant, anti-refugee slogans.
Defense minister Ursula von der Leyen today criticized PEGIDA protestors’ stance against asylum seekers and immigrants.
“Germany benefits enormously from cosmopolitanism,” Leyen said. “Those who want to exclude people who are, in fact, in need of our help has not understood anything about Christianity or the cultural roots of diversity,” she added.
Prominent comedian Dieter Hallervorden challenged PEGIDA’s anti-Islam rhetoric by underlining the importance of interaction between Christian and Muslim societies.
“Without centuries-long cultural exchanges between Islam and Christianity, today Europe would have not existed,” Hallervorden said.
Finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble denounced PEGIDA’s anti-immigration rhetoric, saying: “One cannot substitute facts with slogans. Germany needs immigrants.” His statement was backed by Ulrich Grillo, president of the Federation of German Industries who said: “Qualified immigrants are really good for Germany.”
Rainer Maria, a German cardinal of the Catholic Church, harshly criticized the PEGIDA movement, saying: “We do not need these kind of so-called rescuers of Europe.”
Josef Schuster, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, underlined the importance of cultural plurality for the country.
“People from different countries, cultures, skin colors and religions together live in Germany. That moves us forward. The followers of the PEGIDA movement cannot understand how they damage their own country,” Schuster said.
Germany witnessed an increase in suspicion and negative feelings towards Muslims in recent months as far-right and right-wing populist parties seek to benefit from a growing fear of Islam.
Many have been influenced by reports of atrocities committed by the militant Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group in the Middle East.
Critics argue that German government and media have blown the threat of terrorism out of proportion, creating a false and negative image of Muslims and immigrants in Germany.
Around 20 percent of Germany’s 80.5 million residents have a migrant background, according to latest figures from the Federal Statistics Office.
Germany has approximately four million Muslims; around three million of them of Turkish origin.
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