INkantolo YaseYurophu Ilungisa Iphutha

NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! EGREECE

INKONZO yezempi iphoqelelwe eGreece. Noma nini, oFakazi BakaJehova abangaba ngu-300 basuke besejele ngenxa yokwenqaba ukwenza inkonzo yezempi. I-Amnesty International ibabheka njengeziboshwa eziboshwe ngenxa kanembeza wazo futhi ngokuvamile iye yakhuthaza ohulumeni base­Greece ngokulandelana kwabo ukuba babakhulule futhi bakhiphe umthetho ozobavumela ukuba benze inkonzo yomphakathi engesona isijeziso.

Ngo-1988, kwakhishwa umthetho omusha othinta inkonzo yezempi. Phakathi kokunye, wawuthi “uhlobo lwabantu abalandelayo luyakhululwa enkonzweni yezempi: . . . Ababuthiwe abayizikhonzi zenkolo, izindela noma abasaqeqeshelwa ukuba izindela zenkolo eqashelwayo, uma befuna ukukhululwa.” Izikhonzi zenkolo zeSonto LamaGreki Lobu-Orthodox njalo zikhululwa kalula nje, zingabhekani nankinga noma nanoma iluphi nje uhlobo lokwephulwa kwamalungelo abantu ayisisekelo. Ingabe kwakuzokwenzeka okufanayo ezikhonzini zenkolo encane? Isimo esivivinyayo sayinikeza ngokushesha impendulo.

Ukuboshwa Ngokungemthetho

Ngokuvumelana nalomthetho, ngasekupheleni kuka-1989 nasekuqaleni kuka-1990, uDimitrios Tsirlis noTimotheos Kouloumpas, abayizikhonzi ezimisiwe zeBandla lamaKristu LaseCentral LoFakazi BakaJehova eGreece, bafaka izicelo emahhovisi okubuthwa kwamasosha zokuba bakhululwe enkonzweni yezempi. Izicelo zabo bazithumela nezincwadi ezazifakazela ukuthi bayizikhonzi ezingokwenkolo ezimisiwe. Njengoba kwakulindelekile, lezi zicelo zenqatshwa ngezizathu ezingamanga zokuthi oFakazi BakaJehova abayona “inkolo eyaziwayo.”

Umfoweth’ uTsirlis noKouloumpas baya ezikhungweni zendawo zokuqeqeshelwa impi futhi baboshwa, babekwa icala lokuvukela, futhi bavalelwa ejele. Ngaleso sikhathi, i-General Headquarters for National Defense yasenqaba isicelo sabo sokudlulisa icala ukuze baphikise izinqumo ezazithathwe amahhovisi okubuthwa kwamasosha. Izikhulu zempi zasebenzisa iphuzu lokuthi iSigele Esingcwele SeSonto LamaGreki Lobu-Orthodox sasibatshele ukuthi inkolo yoFakazi BakaJehova ayiqashelwa! Lokhu kwakuphikisana nalokho okwakunqunywe izinkantolo eziningi zomphakathi ukuthi oFakazi BakaJehova bayinkolo eyaziwayo ngempela.

Izinkantolo zezempi nazo zathola uTsirlis noKouloumpas benecala lokuvukela futhi zabagweba iminyaka emine besejele. Laba bazalwane ababili bafaka isicelo sokudluliselwa kwecala eNkantolo Yokudluliswa Kwamacala Ezempi, eyahlehlisa ukucutshungulwa kwalamacala adlulisiwe kwaze kwaba kathathu ngezizathu ezingefani. Kodwa isikhathi ngasinye yayenqaba ukuba labo abadlulise amacala bakhululwe okwesikhashana ejele, nakuba umthetho waseGreece wawukuvumela lokhu.

Kusenjalo, kwamanye amacala ayethethwa iNkantolo Ephethe Ephakeme yazichitha izinqumo ze-General Headquarters for National Defense, ngesizathu sokuthi oFakazi BakaJehova bayinkolo eyaziwayo ngempela.

Phakathi nezinyanga ezingu-15 uTsirlis noKouloumpas ababehleli ngazo eJele Lezempi e-Avlona, bona kanye nezinye iziboshwa ezingoFakazi babhekana nokuphathwa kobulwane nokuhlazisayo. Umbiko wangaleso sikhathi wakhuluma “ngezimo zonya zasejele [oFakazi BakaJehova] abaphila ngaphansi kwazo, waphawula nangenyama ebolile nemisila yamagundane, ngokuvamile ababeyiphakelwa nokunye ukudla, ukuncishiswa kwamahora okuvakashelwa okwenziwa uma kuthanda iHhovisi Eliphethe, ukungabibikho kwendawo ngenxa yokuminyana kweziboshwa kanye nokunye ukuphathwa ngesihluku okwakwenziwa eziboshweni ezazenqaba ukwenza okuthile ngenxa kanembeza.”

Ekugcineni, iNkantolo Yokudluliswa Kwamacala Ebutho Lezempi yabathola bengenacala uMfoweth’ uTsirlis noKouloumpas kodwa ngesikhathi esifanayo yanquma ukuthi uMbuso wawungabophekile ukubanxephezela ngokuvalelwa kwabo ejele ngoba “lokhu kube ngenxa yobudedengu obukhulu babafaki bezicelo.” Lokhu kwaphakamisa imibuzo enengqondo kwabezomthetho: Ubani owayenecala lalobu budedengu obukhulu? OFakazi noma izinkantolo zezempi?

Abazalwane bakhululwa ngokushesha ejele futhi ekugcineni bakhululwa emabuthweni ezempi ngesizathu sokuthi bayizikhonzi zenkolo. Lapho bededelwa, i-Amnesty International yamemezela ukuthi yayikweseka ukukhululwa kukaDimitrios Tsirlis noTimotheos Kouloumpas futhi yathi yayinethemba lokuthi esikhathini esizayo, izikhonzi ezingoFakazi BakaJehova ziyokhululwa enkonzweni yezempi ngokuvumelana nomthetho waseGreece. Nokho, ngokushesha leli themba lashabalala.

Uphuma Engena Emajele

Esinye isikhonzi senkolo esimisiwe soFakazi BakaJehova sabhekana nosizi oluthé ukwehluka kodwa ngesizathu esifanayo. Ngo-September 11, 1991, u-Anastasios Georgiadis wafaka isicelo ngendlela efanayo sokuba akhululwe enkonzweni yezempi. Ezinsukwini eziyisithupha kamuva ihhovisi lokubuthwa kwamasosha lamazisa ukuthi isicelo sakhe sasenqatshiwe, ngesizathu esifanayo sokuthi iSigele Esingcwele seSonto LamaGreki Lobu-Orthodox asikwamukeli ukuthi oFakazi BakaJehova bayinkolo eyaziwayo. Lokhu kwenzeka naphezu kwesinqumo esakhishwa yiNkantolo Ephethe Ephakeme emacaleni kaTsirlis noKouloumpas!

Impendulo ebhalwe phansi eyayivela kuyi-General Headquarters for National Defense yathi: “INkantolo Ephethe yenze isinqumo esingafanele ngokuphathelene nesicelo [sikaGeorgiadis], esisekelwe embonweni wochwepheshe okhishwe iSigele Esingcwele SeSonto LaseGreece, esingababheki oFakazi BakaJehova njengenkolo eyaziwayo.”—Omalukeke sizenzele.

UGeorgiadis waya eKamu Lokuqeqeshwa eNafplion ngo-January 20 futhi ngokushesha wavalelwa esitokisini sekamu lokuqondisa izigwegwe. Kamuva wadluliselwa eJele Lezempi e-Avlona.

Ngo-March 16, 1992, iNkantolo Yezempi yase-Athens yamthetha uGeorgiadis. Kwakungokokuqala ukuba inkantolo yezempi yaseGreece ivume ukuthi oFakazi BakaJehova ngempela bayinkolo eyaziwayo. Umqondisi weJele Lezempi e-Avlona wamdedela ngokushesha kodwa wamtshela ukuba abuye azosebenza esikhungweni sokubuthwa kwamasosha ­eNafplion ngo-April 4. Ngalolo suku, uGeorgiadis waphinde wenqaba ukubhaliselwa ukubuthwa, wabe esephinda ebekwa icala lokuvukela, wavalelwa okwesibili ejele, futhi kwathethwa icala.

Ngo-May 8, 1992, iNkantolo Yezempi Yase-Athens yamthola engenalo icala lobugebengu kodwa yanquma ukuba anganikezwa sinxephezelo ngokuvalelwa kwakhe ejele. UGeor­giadis wadedelwa ngokushesha eJele Lezempi Lase-Avlona kodwa watshelwa ukuba aphinde abuye okwesithathu azosebenza esikhungweni sokubuthwa kwamasosha eNafplion, ngo-May 22, 1992! Waphinde wenqaba ukuba abuthwe wabe esephinde ebekwa icala okwesithathu lokuvukela futhi wavalelwa ejele.

Ngo-July 7, 1992, iNkantolo Ephakeme Ephethe yasichitha isinqumo esasithathwe ngo-September 1991, ngezizathu zokuthi oFakazi BakaJehova ngempela bayinkolo eyaziwayo. Ngo-July 27, 1992, ekugcineni uGeorgiadis wakhululwa eJele Lezempi LaseThesalonika. Ngo-September 10, 1992, iNkantolo Yezempi YaseThesalonika yamthola engenacala kodwa yagcizelela ukuthi uGeorgiadis kwakungafanele anxeshezelwe ngenxa yokuthi ukuvalelwa kwakhe nakho kwathiwa kwakungenxa ‘yobudedengu bakhe obukhulu.’

Ukusabela Kwabo Bonke Abantu

Likhulumela icala likaGeorgiadis, iPhalamende LaseYurophu lathi: “Lendaba imane ingeyokubandlululwa kwezikhonzi zenkolo ezingoFakazi BakaJehova uma ibhekwa ngokwesimiso sokuthi bonke abantu bayalingana phambi komthetho kanye nokujabulela ilungelo lokuphathwa ngendlela efanayo.”

Ngo-February 1992, i-Amnesty International yathi “ikholelwa ukuthi [u-Anastasios Georgiadis] wayeboshwe ngenxa nje yokuthi izikhulu zezempi zibandlulula oFakazi BakaJehova futhi ikhipha umyalo wokuba adedelwe ngokushesha nangokungenamibandela njengesiboshwa esenqabe ngenxa kanembeza.”

Ngisho nomshushisi wezempi welinye lamacala kaGeorgiadis waphoqeleleka ukuba athi: “Intuthuko yempucuko yomphakathi ibonakala ngendlela osingatha ngayo izimo ezithile ezihilela izakhamuzi. Uma thina lapha eGreece sifuna ukuba intuthuko yempucuko yethu ivumelane nezindinganiso zaseYurophu, uma sifuna ukuthuthuka, khona-ke kufanele sivumelane nemithetho yomhlaba wonke futhi silahle ubandlululo. Isici okubonakala kakhulu kuso lokhu esokuhlonipha amalungelo esakhamuzi ngasinye. Nokho, izenzakalo ezingokoqobo kanye nenqubo yabantu abaphethe kukubonisa ngokusobala ukubandlululwa kanye nokungabekezelelwa kwenkolo okuboniswa kumalungu ezinkolo ezincane. Lendaba esikhuluma ngayo iyisihluku esesabekayo.”

U-Ian White, ilungu lePhalamende LaseYurophu, ovela eBristol, eNgilandi, wabhala: “Umqondo wokuthi oFakazi BakaJehova abayona ‘inkolo eyaziwayo’ ingaba ihlaya kuleli liZwe. Ngokuqinisekile, nakuba bembalwa, oFakazi baziwa kahle kakhulu kuleli liZwe futhi bavamile ukuhambela indlu nendlu.” Njengoba kunoFakazi abangaphezu kuka-26 000 abashumayelayo eGreece, akunakwenzeka nje ukuba babe ‘inkolo engaziwa’!

Iqembu lamalungu ayishumi ePhalamende LaseYurophu labhala ukuze lizwakalise intukuthelo yalo ngecala likaGeorgiadis, lathi “lalimangele kakhulu futhi lidabuka” ngokwephulwa okungaka kwamalungelo abantu eGreece.

Ukudluliselwa Kwecala Kuyi-European Court of Human Rights

Ngemva kokuthethwa icala nokudedelwa ejele, zonke izisulu ezintathu zalolu bandlululo olungokwenkolo zazizwa zinesibopho esingokomthetho sokudlulisela icala kuyi-European Court of Human Rights. Ababekukhalazela kwakuwukuvalelwa kwabo ejele ngokungemthetho, kona ngokwako okwakungebona ubulungisa, kanye nokuhlukunyezwa ngokwengqondo nangokomzimba okwenziwa kubo, kuhlanganise nemiphumela ejulile engokomzwelo nengokwenhlalo eba khona ngokugodlelwa ngokuphindaphindiwe inkululeko yabo isikhathi eside kangaka. Ngenxa yalezi zizathu zadlulisa icala ukuze zithole isinxephezelo esifanele.

I-European Commission of Human Rights yanquma ngazwi linye ukuthi kulamacala kaTsirlis noKouloumpas, kwakwephulwe ilungelo labo lokukhululeka nokulondeka komuntu, ukuvalelwa kwabo ejele kwakungekho ngokomthetho, babenelungelo lokuthola isinxephezelo futhi icala labo lalingazange lithethwe ngokungakhethi. IKhomishane nayo yafinyelela isiphetho esifanayo ecaleni likaGeorgiadis.

Ukungabi Nabulungisa Kuyalungiswa

Ukuthethwa kwecala kwamiselwa u-January 21, 1997. Babebaningi abantu enkantolo, kuhlanganise nabafundi ababevela eyunivesithi yendawo, izintatheli kanye noFakazi BakaJehova abaningi baseGreece, eJalimane, eBelgium naseFrance.

UMnu. Panos Bitsaxis, ummeli woFakazi, wakhuluma “ngenkani ephikelelayo nangesimo sengqondo esilukhuni sezikhulu zase­Greece sokungafuni ukuqaphela iqembu elilodwa lenkolo encane,” okungoFakazi BakaJehova. Wasilahla isenzo seziphathimandla zamaGreki sokusekela indlela ezibheka ngayo oFakazi embonweni wezitha zabo ezinkulu—iSonto LamaGreki Lobu-Orthodox! Waqhubeka: “Kuyoze kube nini kwenzeka lokhu? . . . Kuyophela nini ngempela?” Wakhuluma “ngokwenqaba ukuqaphela umphakathi othile ongokwenkolo, ukwenqaba okubonakala kuyimbudane uma uqaphela ukuthi akuzi ngomshoshaphansi, kusobala, futhi akunangqondo, kuphikisana nomthetho, kuphikisana nezinqumo eziningi zeNkantolo Ephethe Ephakeme.”

Ummeleli kahulumeni waseGreece wakuqinisekisa ukuthi iziphathimandla zaseGreece zinobandlululo ngokuba athi: “Kufanele singakhohlwa ukuthi sekuphele amakhulu eminyaka cishe bonke ­abantu baseGreece bengamalungu eSonto Lo-bu-Orthodox. Umphumela osobala walokhu ukuthi ukuhlelwa kwalelo Sonto kanye nezikhundla zabefundisi balo kanye nezindima zabo eSontweni kucacile. . . . Isikhundla sezikhonzi zeSonto loFakazi BakaJehova asicacile kangaka.” Yeka ukuvuma isidanasi okungaka ukuphathwa ngobandlululo kweqembu elincane lenkolo eGreece!

Inkululeko Engokwenkolo Iyalwelwa

Isahlulelo sakhishwa ngo-May 29. UMongameli wamaJaji, uMnu. Rolv Ryssdal, wafunda isinqumo. INkantolo, eyakhiwa amajaji angu-9, yavumelana ngazwilinye ukuthi iGreece yephule iSiphakamiso 5 no-6 se-European Convention. Lenkantolo yabuye yanika abafaki bezicelo isamba esingaba u-R319 000 njengemali yesinxephezelo nezindleko. Okubaluleke nakakhulu, isinqumo sihlanganise nezimpikiswano eziningi ezibalulekile ezilwela inkululeko engokwenkolo.

INkantolo yaphawula ukuthi “iziphathimandla zezempi azizange zikunake ngamabomu” ukuthi oFakazi BakaJehova baqashelwa “njengenkolo eyaziwayo” eGreece ngokuvumelana nalokho okwanqunywa iNkantolo Ephakeme Ephethe. Yaphinde yathi: “Ukuphikelela kwalezi ziphathimandla zingabaqapheli oFakazi BakaJehova ‘njengenkolo eyaziwayo’ kanye nokulishaya indiva ilungelo labafaki bezicelo okwalandela kwakuwubandlululo uma kuqhathaniswa nendlela izikhonzi zeSonto LamaGreki Lobu-Orthodox elikuthola ngayo ukukhululwa kwezempi.”

Abemithombo yezindaba balisakaza yonke indawo yaseGreece leli cala. I-Athens News yathi: ‘Inkantolo [yaseYurophu] igxeka iGreece ngelungelo likaJehova.’ Isinqumo esathathwa ecaleni lika-Tsirlis & Kouloumpas and Georgiadis v. Greece sinikeza ithemba lokuthi uMbuso waseGreece uzokwenza umthetho wawo uvumelane nesahlulelo seNkantolo YaseYurophu, ukuze oFakazi BakaJehova eGreece bajabulele inkululeko engokwenkolo ngaphandle kokungenela kweziphathimandla, abezempi noma isonto. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lesi esinye isahlulelo esikhishwa iNkantolo YaseYurophu esilahla abahluleli bamaGreki ezindabeni eziphathelene nenkululeko engokwenkolo.a

OFakazi BakaJehova bayayazisa inkululeko yabo, futhi bazama ukuyisebenzisela ukukhonza uNkulunkulu nokusiza omakhelwane babo. Izikhonzi ezintathu zenkolo yoFakazi zalidlulisela kuyi-European Court of Human Rights icala lazo, zazingafuni inzuzo yezinto ezibonakalayo, kodwa kwakungenxa nje yezizathu ezingokokuziphatha nezimiso zokuhle. Kanjalo, bonke bobathathu baye banquma ukuba isinxephezelo abanikezwe sona sisetshenziselwe ngokukhethekile ukuqhubekisela phambili umsebenzi wokufundisa woFakazi BakaJehova.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 20]

U-Esther noDimitrios Tsirlis

[Isithombe ekhasini 21]

UTimotheos noNafsika Kouloumpas

[Isithombe ekhasini 22]

U-Anastasios noKoula Georgiadis