On the agenda of the British Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Religious Freedom, Cyprus British Prime Minister's Special Envoy on Religious Freedom in Cyprus
Her intention to include in her agenda cases of destruction and removal of cultural heritage monuments in occupied Cyprus, the British Prime Minister's Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Fiona Bruce.
The MP was responding to a letter from the British Cypriot Council community organisation referring to the deprivation of fundamental human rights in Cyprus and the stealing of Cypriot cultural and religious heritage, in addition to the tragedy of the missing persons.
"We ask the UK, as a co-founding member of the International Alliance for Freedom of Religion or Belief, to defend the people of Cyprus in their struggle to achieve fundamental human rights and religious freedoms," the letter said.
In her response, Boris Johnson's Special Envoy pointed to the so-called "Truro Report" that had been prepared on behalf of the British government regarding issues of respect for religious freedom.
The report referred, inter alia, to the need to develop and implement responses to violations of freedom of religion or belief. The committee that drafted the report had even received information on the situation in the occupied territories regarding the destruction of cultural heritage monuments.
Bruce noted that as the third anniversary of the report's drafting and the deadline for its full implementation approached, she was lobbying for the implementation of the report's recommendations.
She also highlighted the ministerial conference on freedom of belief to be hosted by the UK government next July, and the International Religious Freedom and Freedom of Belief Alliance (IRFBA), which she chairs. She described both sessions as good opportunities for her to raise issues of respect for cultural heritage.
She said she would try to highlight the situation in Cyprus in the context of the IRFBA Working Group, but also to consider how Cyprus could become involved in the International Alliance.
She also noted the extensive knowledge and interest in the situation in Cyprus of her Deputy David Burrows, former MP for North London and a strong supporter of Cypriot rights.
"My role and David's role is focused on defending the fundamental human right of religious freedom and freedom of belief, which should be respected by every individual and everywhere, including certainly throughout the island of Cyprus," Fiona Bruce noted.
Source: CNA
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