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Cologne Cathedral (icon image)
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The processing of abuse cases in the Archdiocese of Cologne is further delayed.
About half a year after starting its work, the Independent Commission (UAK) there has now resigned its activities for the time being.
This was announced by the UAK.
Most recently, two members of the body, the constitutional lawyer Stephan Rixen and the former State Secretary in the North Rhine-Westphalian Ministry of Family Affairs, Marion Gierden-Jülich, announced their resignations.
After his resignation on Monday, Rixen said that his initial doubts about the independent and effective work of the body had been confirmed.
According to Rixen, a meeting between the commission and Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki left him with a “massive feeling of disturbance”.
He lacks the confidence "that a reappraisal that also affects Cardinal Woelki himself is really desired."
On Tuesday, Gierden-Jülich said that "a constructive and factual discussion in the process of reappraisal was almost impossible".
The commission is now unable to continue working until the state of North Rhine-Westphalia completes the body.
The UAK also emphasized that the "analysis of previous cases of abuse" and the development of "systemic and organizational improvements" are still in the early stages.
Commission only started work in June
The seven-member committee was set up to deal with sexualized violence in the Archdiocese of Cologne and began its work in June.
The aim of the commission is, according to its own statements, to consistently advance the processing of sexualized violence in the archdiocese.
The necessary measures and changes are to be developed by independent experts.
More and more scandals and allegations had raised doubts that the leadership of the Archdiocese led by Cardinal Woelki was actually interested in a comprehensive clarification of the incidents.
fek/AFP
