Syriac Monastery in Turkey

This from Reuters on a Syriac Christian monastery in Turkey that faces a battle to retain its property in the face of legal challenges and opposition from neighboring villages. The reporter notes that this particular case has broader implications for Turkey's aspirations to be admitted to the EU.

Here is a sliver of the article:

The row began when Turkish government land officials redrew the boundaries around Mor Gabriel and the surrounding villages in 2008 to update a national land registry.

The monks say the new boundaries turn over to the villages large plots of land the monastery has owned for centuries, and designate monastery land as public forest. Christian groups believe officials want to ultimately stamp out the Syriac Orthodox monastery.

Their allegations come as the EU has said the ruling AK Party government, which has Islamist roots, needs to do more to promote religious freedom alongside its liberal economic and political reforms.

(HT: Jim Davila)