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RELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN RIGHTS
E-Newsletter
Vol.1 No.29
December 28, 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.
Dear Friends,
This last e-newsletter
for the year ’99 is dedicated to PEACE. As you might read in
the following messages, peace necessitates the enjoyment of
rights, freedom that is both internal and external, democracy and
the care for the other. Peace is not something that we get but
something that is obtained by promoting and defending the rights
of all. The UN Secretary General and the Pope are both
emphasizing the need to safeguard the sovereignty of each
individual given the failure of the many a State to accomplish
this task. Venerable P.A. Payutto, then speaks of the need for
democratic movements promoted by persons liberated from internal
and external constraints that can set the tone for the next
century. Let these be our thoughts for the years to come. Editor
The New
Questions to be Confronted
in the New Century –
Kofi Annan (courtsy UN WIRE)
The world body's most
pressing challenges are human security and human rights, and
their relationship to notions of state sovereignty. "Now we
are challenged because there is a growing concern that we should
be focusing on the security of the individuals within the state,
not on state security per se," Annan said. In the new global
era, "traditional notions of sovereignty can no longer do
justice to the aspirations of people everywhere to attain their
fundamental freedoms."
Annan: "The [UN]
Charter's own words declare that 'armed force shall not be used,
save in the common interest.' But what is the common interest?
Who shall define it? Who will defend it? Under whose authority?
And with what means of intervention? These are the monumental
questions facing us as we enter the new century" (Djibril
Diallo, UNDP Choices, December 1999).
VATICAN: Calls
For UN Reform In World Peace Address
In a message for the
33rd World Summit of Peace scheduled for 1 January, Pope John
Paul II expressed support for UN reform and said all member
states should be offered the same opportunity to participate in
the world body's decision-making (Agencias/Mexico City La Cronica
de Hoy, 14 Dec, UN Wire translation).
The United Nations needs
to overcome its system of "privileges and discriminations
that weaken its role and credibility" to better include its
members, the Pope said (ANSA/Caracas El Nacional, 14 Dec, UN
Wiretranslation).
Referring to wars,
genocides and ethnic cleansings in the 20th century, the Pope
said peace must be accompanied by equity, truth, justice and
solidarity. "Crimes against humanity cannot be considered
internal affairs of a nation," the Pope added, calling for
the creation of the UN's International Criminal Court. He also
supports the abolition of the death penalty (Agencias/Mexico City
La Cronica de Hoy).
The "entire
dimension of international relations" should be reformed,
the pope says, including its institutional, judicial, political,
economic and social aspects. He called for a globalization of
"humanity," not "economy" (ANSA/CaracasEl
Nacional).
WHERE DOES
PEACE BEGIN ? - Venerable P.A. Payutto *
"The people of a
democracy have rights, and they also have duties; having obtained
their rights, they must perform their duties".
"When rights are
coupled with duties there is a balance between getting and
giving, between receiving and relinquishing. When this kind of
balance arises, we have the Middle Way which leads to good
democracy".
"Only the really
happy person has real peace, and only the person who has peace
can be really happy. The person who has happiness radiates
happiness, and the person who has peace diffuses peace. People
who have no peace of mind tend to destroy peace…"
"In practical
terms, the first step is to make our own minds free, happy and
peaceful, and then share our peace and happiness among all other
people with whom we come into contact.
May all be happy and
peaceful, and their mental, verbal and physical actions be
contributions to the creation of long years of peace to come.
Peace be unto you and all beings".
* Quotations from
"Buddhist Solutions for twenty-first century"
Peace Building Ideas
72- hours for peace
- HOW TO JOIN IN THE ACTION FOR PEACE!!
Invitation
From Friday December 31,
1999 through Sunday January 2, 2000, people of faith will
mobilize their communities for peace
building. To be part of this effort, you
are invited to commit to
any or all of the following seven specific
actions:
1. Dialogue
People interview each other within your community about
memories, forgives and hopes for the new millennium. Invite
friends to gather during the 72 hours to talk about what each
person could do to make the world better this year.
2. Families
Families plan how they want to ring in the new millennium by
taking steps that matter to them.
Block parties for families in neigborhoods. Convene an interfaith
gathering for children
3. Public Media
Ask local media to cover what each faith community is doing
over the 72 Hours. Let the media know that all the faith
communities in your town are open to any person during the 72
Hours.
Make space for a column by someone of another faith in your
December bulletin.
4. Social Action
Bury a cylinder for children to find in 100 years (1000
years). Discuss with children what's important to put in it, and
why. Find ways to remember and include prisoners, the homeless,
shut-ins and the sick during the 72 Hours. Interfaith community
cleanup on January 2nd. Interfaith New Year's Day meal for all
the homeless in your town. Interfaith peace walk. Invite someone
to dinner who has no place to go that weekend. Plan together how
to identify and take care of anyone in need because of Y2K
difficulties, esp shut-ins -- utilities, medicines, etc.) Plant
earth, trees and plants at each other's faith buildings.
Project CLICK! no
watching violence on TV for 72 Hours. Share a meal with another
faith community in town. Turn in guns. Call on political leaders
to cease violence during these 72 Hours.
5. Spiritual Life
with Others
Hold a service for letting go of spiritual wounds. Have a
service to remember all we want to honor before we cross this
threshold into the new millennium -- blessings, etc. Hold an
interfaith service for reconciliation -- anyone in community
welcome to come and let go of burdens. People write on ribbons
one step they will take this year to make the world a better
place -- hang ribbons on wall.
People write on ribbons
the one memory they want to carry with them above all into the
new millennium -- hang ribbons. Sponsor an interfaith service in
the local prison. Write down our wounds, regrets, guilts --
collect slips of paper from community and ritually burn them.
6. Spiritual
Practices
Ask faith leaders in town to have their picture taken
together, wishing all the people of your town a blessed new year.
Eat vegetarian for one day or the entire 72 Hours. Light candles
during the 72 Hours. Plan a spiritual retreat for part or all of
the 72 Hours. Participate during part of a 72-hour vigil of
silence, prayer and meditation for peace. Prayer vigil during
part or all of the 72 Hours. Send greetings and blessings to your
spiritual neighbors that weekend, wishing them a blessed New
Year. Share the prayer concerns of a neighboring faith community.
Sit together in silence
for part of the 72 Hours.
Special service to remember, let go, celebrate our hopes and
commitments
7) Refrain from all
acts of violence in the family during the 72 hours
* 72 Hours: An
Interfaith Peace-Building Project of the United Religions
Initiative. For more information you may contact, <
72hours@united-religions.org
>
Posted on 1999-12-28
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