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RELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN RIGHTS
E-Newsletter
Vol.1 No.10
August 16, 1999
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Religious Perspectives on Human Rights is now available online at: http://www.rghr.net
Religious Perspectives on Human Rights is a weekly e-newsletter issued by Buddhist, Muslim, Catholic and Christian Groups on Human Rights, initiated by the Asian Human Rights Commission.
IN THIS ISSUE OF THE E-
NEWS LETTER WE ARE PUBLISHING A SHORT REPORT WRITTEN BY TWO
MEMBERS OF GRASS ROOTS BASED IN LONDON ON THEIR EDUCATIONAL TOUR
TO POLAND.
Dear Friends and
colleagues,
We made an educational
tour to Poland recently. I thought of sharing the following
reflection with you since the experience had a profound impact on
both David and I. Please do read it and I would like to have one
comment by you and I am sure you will pass on a copy to another a
few friends of yours, you can give my e mail address as well
Shanthi.
THE READERS ARE WELCOME
TO SEND THEIR COMMENTS TO SHANTHI HETTIARRACHI_E-
Mail
Malshanthi@aol.com
A POLISH EXPERIENCE
The visit to Poland was
part of Building Plural communities, a project that Grassroots
initiated under the aegis of Kairos Europa. The visit to this
land of SOLIDARITY was important during this particular history
of Poland where the Warsaw pact is scrapped, a member of NATO and
a member to be of the European Union.
These three
socio-economic and geo political scenarios will have an immense
effect on the social, political, economic and cultural landscapes
of Polish life and behaviour. These markers underpinned our
discussions and conversations or at least they were consciously
brought in to make them relevant for both the host and the
guests.
Some significant events
just prior to and during our visit:
John Paul II had made
his sixth visit to his native land. The strike by the Nurses
Union had just ended. 150th death Anniversary celebration of
Fredrick Chopin. A fresh look at the assassination of Fr.
Popiluszko. Visit of the French prime minister to Auschwitz.
These events, though remote to the primary aim of our visit, drew
us to look at the Polish reality more holistically.
Warszawa-WAR/SAW- indeed
a city that has SEEN much WAR, destruction and suffering. We
learnt that the city was almost destroyed except for a few places
to the east of the River Vistula. It is estimated that at least
20% of its population was killed and several thousands fled and
were made destitute in their own land. The Nazi legacy and the
subsequent Kremlin domination are historical scars of this land's
history. A contemplative look at the city tells us a story of
resistance and resilience that is inherent in the masses to rise
from the ashes and rubbles. This spirit certainly was clear from
the resistance by the inmates of Auschwitz towards the end of the
World War II and the Solidarity movement that emerged from Gdansk
at the end of the Cold War. However the world is still to see
what the post communist Poles will do with the new democracy now
in their hands.
Though the fall of
Communism in Poland was dramatic, it may take some years for its
people to have a good grip of its socio economic political and
cultural reforms. There is no doubt that the Roman Catholic
Church has a substantial influence on the thinking of the nation.
It has a moral power to make changes. However many were of the
opinion that the Catholic church as an institution should keep
away from politics but the irony is that the government seems to
support this church financially which is a privileged position
compared to the Orthodox and Protestant traditions. Will the
social doctrine of the Catholic Church which is over a hundred
years old be really effective in navigating the future of Poland?
Poland in the post
communist era is a hub for the Eastern, Western and Central parts
of Europe. This means one cannot stop Warsaw being the
cosmopolitan capital, it already is. Warsaw is being shrouded
with both glamour and tragedy that any capital city in the world.
Increasingly, the new Warsaw is becoming the gateway to the new
urban nomads crossing the boarders of continental Europe. The
Polish capital we saw is a reflection of an undeniable plurality.
The giant granite structure built by Stalin; high rise buildings
with glass facades; glittering Japanese, German and Swedish cars
in a congested traffic jam in the Centrum; refugees seeking
Asylum; the poverty and depravation in the inner belt area of
Prague; en gothic Catholic churches and Orthodox churches
(architecturally Russian), key symbols of the Polish soul;
increasing unemployment figures; Egos trying to make their
contribution towards regeneration and community Upliftment;
polluted waters of Vistula flowing into the Baltic sea; well
preserved green patches; Mc Donalds and the Kiosks of Vietnamese
and other immigrants; trams and busses; no parings signs and
one-way streets a "the political and economic pushes and
pulls to adopt the West, give an observer much to ponder where it
is heading for.
The Polish sample we
witnessed is not a general reflection of Poland instead it is a
view by an outside observer.
Poland is a Christian
country with all expressions of Christianity. However we could
not get hold of a Christian ethos that critically theologises on
the observable changes and the covert socio economic and geo
political movements and spheres of Poland.
We would like much to be
associated and to see the Christian churches in Poland reflecting
on its new missionary task of new Poland and critically assessing
the present situation and engage the faithful and other
institutions to shape its fragile economy and the infant
democracy. We believe that no church is unto itself and it is the
social responsibility of the churches to engage in the life of
its people. Since Poland has learned the bitter manipulative
processes of a one party system, we are hopeful that both the
state and churches would allow religious freedom for development
of theology and flexibility to all smaller Christian
denominations, the Tartars of Cremea and the Jews living all over
Poland. The churches need to lead in the re-democratisation of
both the urban and rural structures and institutions as its
apostolic task since it is a means of building peoples'
confidence, co-operation and mutuality which are obviously the
values of the reign of God.
No miracle is possible
without a human component. Inspiration is 1% as with 99% of
perspiration, and they are both equally important for the
reconstruction of society. The spirit that rebuilt the rubbed
city of Warsaw can now see the future beyond Warsaw. The
Auschwitz and Birkanu must never happen again anywhere. The
rubbles and ashes of yester year must be the foundations of hope
and confidence - not vengeance and hatred. There is a high
activity of reconstruction both in the capital and the many
villages we passed on the way to Krakow and Auschwitz. It is a
clear sign of hope that people have decided to rebuild their
lives and it is also an indication that people have the capacity
to rise above vengeance and hatred. There is a lesson to be
learnt from Poland even though the transition was not as velvet
as in the Czech Republic and certainly not bloody as it was in
Romania.
Seeing Auschwitz brought
back memories of the human barbarism and the politicisation of
racism that Europe is still grappling with. It is ironic that
Poland is politically aligned towards the European Union. It is
reckoned to be a movement from its fatal history towards a
peaceful future, but is yet to be tested in history. Poland's
friend and foe are mixed in the new democracy that is before
them. However there is a socio-political challenge for Poland to
make democracy work for its majority agro-based rural masses.
There is another challenge which is Christian, and therefore
theological. How does Christian Poland witness to the Gospel and
understand its past and present theologically and make life
meaningful for its future generations? There is certainly a
feeling of the new, the promise of a better future - but is not
without uncertainties.
Shanthi Hettiarachchi
July 1999
David Cowling and
Shanthi of Grassroots visited Poland 13-18 July 199
ANNOUNCEMENTS
A colourful
presentation of some of the items from the past issues of this
E-Newsletter appear in the
Human Rights SOLDIARITY
Volume 9. No. 8, August 1999 issue
A NEW PUBLICATIONS: The
Buddhist Teachings on Human Liberation- A Doctoral Thesis- By Dr.
Nalin Swaris
Posted on 1999-08-16
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