A controversial Saudi-financed centre for interfaith dialogue is being threatened with closure because of Saudi Arabia’s dismal human-rights record, writes Christa Pongratz-Lippitt.
The Austrian Government is considering the closure of the King Abdullah International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID) in Vienna, of which the Holy See is a founding observer. Fr Miguel Ayuso Guixot, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, is a member of the board of directors. In its denial of religious freedom and its barbaric system of punishment, the Saudi kingdom is one of the worst offenders in the world.
The Saudi Arabian blogger Raif Badawi, who has been sentenced to 1,000 lashes and 10 years in jail for insulting Islam, was publicly flogged outside a mosque after Friday prayers in Jeddah last week. Mr Badawi will be subjected to 20 sessions of 50 lashes each.
The Austrian Government’s foreign policy council subsequently met to discuss a possible closure of the centre. Several Austrian MPs have said they are increasingly sceptical of its purpose. Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann said on television news on 12 January that he could “certainly imagine” closing KAICIID.
Meanwhile, one of the most prominent figures in Christian-Muslim dialogue, Professor Dr Christian Troll SJ, said that Germany’s financial links with Saudi Arabia were inhibiting inter-religious dialogue. The fact that Germany had “for a long time” courted Saudi Arabia for economic reasons and had not demanded respect for fundamental human rights “energetically enough”, was a political shortcoming holding Christian-Muslim dialogue in check, he said.
“For years, Islam was a non-issue at the theological university faculties. Teachers and priests are just not knowledgeable enough for [in-depth] dialogue with Islam,” Fr Troll told the Catholic KNA news agency.
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