Europe, must “stand up” to a China that abducts bishops
by Bernardo Cervellera
Italian Member of Parliament Alfredo Mantovano asks the EU to speak out on religious freedom in China. Without respect for human rights, market rules cannot be enforced. Being overly tolerant of China and its violations is of no benefit whatsoever to the economy, free market or respect for patents.
Rome (AsiaNews) – Faced with the abduction of four bishops of Guangdong, seized to force them to participate in an illegitimate ordination (without papal mandate), Europe must make "a leap of dignity" and “stand up” to defend religious rights.
The Italian Parliamentarian Alfredo Mantovano, explains the EU and media silence regarding the news of the seizure of the bishops of Guangdong to AsiaNews: Europe is a monetary union, but it lacks a political vision and "forward-looking perspective." The flaw of the EU - and the media - not only regards religious freedom, but everything that affects the people of Europe: "we talk about the economic crisis, but not about what this crisis "causes in the life of Europeans: the rejection of life, the refusal to form a family. " Europe emphasizes human rights as "formalization and consecration of desires", but forgets to respect authentic rights.
If the rules of respect for rights are not affirmed then it becomes increasingly difficult to ask China to respect the rules governing the economy and market place. Here is the full text of the AsiaNews interview with MP Mantovano:
Mr Mantovano, what is your view of the abduction of the bishops and Europe’s silence regarding the issue?
Europe must justify its existence in political life regarding the abduction of the bishops. It is certainly a monetary union, it is trying to be an economic union - albeit with some flaws - but it is totally lacking when faced with emergencies that require a far-sighted vision. I say this in reference to the question of European families, where discussions deal with everything except their demographic development; the protection of rights is discussed – more in terms of a formalization and consecration of desires, than something that has a natural foundation. Among them first and foremost is the right to religious freedom, inside and outside the Union.
What is happening right now in China, is particularly serious: because of the position held by those who were seized; because of the coercion implicit in the kidnapping, and the symbolic act of intimidation against all Christians and non-Christians in the Chinese nation. It is basically stating: the State is in control here and anybody who steps out of line will suffer severe consequences. European institutions need to dig deep for dignity, have the courage of to intervene and make their voices heard.
European media also need to become more sensitive to the issue. Today, looking through the Italian papers I was amazed that the news of the bishops’ kidnapping - beyond a few notable exceptions [Avvenire and Il Messegero - ed] - was not even reported.
What do we owe this to?
The fact that the media - institutional matrix moves on an exclusively horizontal line. What matters is the spread, the bond yield and not the effects that the economic crisis is having on the lives of Europeans: the refusal of life, the refusal to form a family. What counts is a nebulous respect for alleged rights that means invoking laws against homophobia, which in reality are rather libertarian, but real rights, which help humanity grow, among them religious freedom, do not count at all.
Recent studies show that a one-dimensionality characterizes a significant part of the European institutions and the media. This makes Europe even more indifferent to the individual national parliaments. Europe is born with structures that are more bureaucratic than political, and this reduces the political attention to the real questions and life issues of the Europeans, focusing instead on more formalistic themes.
We often think that because of the crisis, we must look to China as the panacea for our economies and treat it with kid gloves ...
This kind of attitude would be short-sighted. China is not a charitable institution with which we need to have the best possible relationship, in the hope that it will give us a hand-out.
China is an economic giant, before being an institutional and political giant; a giant that has no qualms in expanding itself economically; it products are the result of slave like working conditions and often of child labour. This style is also spreading among Chinese communities in the West.
This acquiescence to it, actually will backfire against those who put in place.
I do not encourage wars or conflicts, but having the courage of our convictions even if it means having a smaller share of the market. I do not think that the benefits, even at the level of opening up the market, have been extraordinary: with every product we sell, another patent is taken away from us.
As was the case with Da Vinci, a Chinese company that sold Italian furniture, but actually produced it in China, with chipboard and toxic paint, but charged as if the furniture were imported ...
If we do not make clear that there are rules and respect for rights, then it also becomes difficult to implement rules to keep discipline in the market place.
The Italian Parliamentarian Alfredo Mantovano, explains the EU and media silence regarding the news of the seizure of the bishops of Guangdong to AsiaNews: Europe is a monetary union, but it lacks a political vision and "forward-looking perspective." The flaw of the EU - and the media - not only regards religious freedom, but everything that affects the people of Europe: "we talk about the economic crisis, but not about what this crisis "causes in the life of Europeans: the rejection of life, the refusal to form a family. " Europe emphasizes human rights as "formalization and consecration of desires", but forgets to respect authentic rights.
If the rules of respect for rights are not affirmed then it becomes increasingly difficult to ask China to respect the rules governing the economy and market place. Here is the full text of the AsiaNews interview with MP Mantovano:
Mr Mantovano, what is your view of the abduction of the bishops and Europe’s silence regarding the issue?
Europe must justify its existence in political life regarding the abduction of the bishops. It is certainly a monetary union, it is trying to be an economic union - albeit with some flaws - but it is totally lacking when faced with emergencies that require a far-sighted vision. I say this in reference to the question of European families, where discussions deal with everything except their demographic development; the protection of rights is discussed – more in terms of a formalization and consecration of desires, than something that has a natural foundation. Among them first and foremost is the right to religious freedom, inside and outside the Union.
What is happening right now in China, is particularly serious: because of the position held by those who were seized; because of the coercion implicit in the kidnapping, and the symbolic act of intimidation against all Christians and non-Christians in the Chinese nation. It is basically stating: the State is in control here and anybody who steps out of line will suffer severe consequences. European institutions need to dig deep for dignity, have the courage of to intervene and make their voices heard.
European media also need to become more sensitive to the issue. Today, looking through the Italian papers I was amazed that the news of the bishops’ kidnapping - beyond a few notable exceptions [Avvenire and Il Messegero - ed] - was not even reported.
What do we owe this to?
The fact that the media - institutional matrix moves on an exclusively horizontal line. What matters is the spread, the bond yield and not the effects that the economic crisis is having on the lives of Europeans: the refusal of life, the refusal to form a family. What counts is a nebulous respect for alleged rights that means invoking laws against homophobia, which in reality are rather libertarian, but real rights, which help humanity grow, among them religious freedom, do not count at all.
Recent studies show that a one-dimensionality characterizes a significant part of the European institutions and the media. This makes Europe even more indifferent to the individual national parliaments. Europe is born with structures that are more bureaucratic than political, and this reduces the political attention to the real questions and life issues of the Europeans, focusing instead on more formalistic themes.
We often think that because of the crisis, we must look to China as the panacea for our economies and treat it with kid gloves ...
This kind of attitude would be short-sighted. China is not a charitable institution with which we need to have the best possible relationship, in the hope that it will give us a hand-out.
China is an economic giant, before being an institutional and political giant; a giant that has no qualms in expanding itself economically; it products are the result of slave like working conditions and often of child labour. This style is also spreading among Chinese communities in the West.
This acquiescence to it, actually will backfire against those who put in place.
I do not encourage wars or conflicts, but having the courage of our convictions even if it means having a smaller share of the market. I do not think that the benefits, even at the level of opening up the market, have been extraordinary: with every product we sell, another patent is taken away from us.
As was the case with Da Vinci, a Chinese company that sold Italian furniture, but actually produced it in China, with chipboard and toxic paint, but charged as if the furniture were imported ...
If we do not make clear that there are rules and respect for rights, then it also becomes difficult to implement rules to keep discipline in the market place.
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