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RELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN RIGHTS
E-Newsletter
Vol.2 No.36
September 4, 2000
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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.
Please notify us in case your e-mail address is
changed.
Dear Friends,
It is a bit unusual for us to include reports of
two workshops in the same newsletter.However given their
relevance to the Churches in Asia and to South Asia we are
providing edited texts with some highlights. The complete texts
could be obtained on request.
1)
Bangkok Statement of Understanding on Peace Process in Sri Lanka
2 September, 2000
Bangkok, Thailand
Twenty-eight participants from the civil society
from Sri Lanka and India met in Bangkok, Thailand for Peace Audit
Exercise on the Sri Lanka Peace Process organized by the South
Asia Forum for Human Rights (SAFHR). Here are some of the
highlights of the statement issued at the end of the workshop.
Deeply concerned about the prevailing situation,
stress the importance of greater democratization of the pursuit
of peace and the primary role of civil society in this regard.
The restriction of the peoples participation explains the lack of
progress, increasing militarisation, the polarisations in
the society and intense suffering to the people living in combat
zones.
The following four themes and courses of action
to further the peace process is advocated:
i)
Review of the peace process
ii)
Humanitarian issues and the peace and reconciliation process
iii) Media and peace
activism and
iv) Women
in conflict and peace making
i)
Review of the peace process
Any genuine solution to the problem must include the following
factors:
Recognition of the diversity and respect
for the human rights and democratic rights of all the
peoples of Sri Lanka; taking into consideration the
serious deterioration of the democratic system in Sri
Lanka the reform of institutions and processes of
governance.
Proposals for devolution and power
sharing must instill faith and confidence in the
democratic and non-violent forms of conflict resolution
and be just and comprehensive in addressing the root
causes of conflict.
The role of the LTTE must be recognized
as integral in any peace process.
The necessity of a peoples' movement for
democratic reform
Third party assistance in the peace
process was recognized as necessary and unavoidable and
the role of the UN and international organizations in
monitoring human rights violations and encouraging the
peace process was also recognized.
ii)
Humanitarian issues and the peace and reconciliation process
We deplore the weaponisation of the basic means
of survival e.g. food, medicine and shelter and stress the
fundamental link between humanitarian issues and human rights.
The state cannot abdicate its obligation to protect and provide
for the welfare of all its citizens. The responsibility of the
LTTE as a non -state actor under international law with regard to
this need is strongly emphasized.
The delivery of relief and humanitarian
assistance should be handled by civilian authorities and
agencies supervised by international humanitarian
institutions.
The way Tamils are treated by the pass
system, the arbitrary detention of youth, denial of legal
redress in their own language, gravely impede the process
of reconciliation. Redress in these areas can and should
be the starting point for confidence building.
The humanitarian plight of the Muslim and
Sinhala minorities in the combat zones needs attention
and they should not become a pawn in ethnic politics.
In the context of escalating conflict, a
humanitarian corridor should be created under the
supervision of the ICRC or any other neutral organization
to assist the civilian population to move to safe areas.
The role of Indian civil society, in
particular, in providing humanitarian assistance and
urging the government of Indian to
provide shelter to the fleeing population of Sri
Lanka.
iii)
Media and peace activism
Demystification of IT and capacity
building of NGO in employing IT in their lobbying and
dissemination programmes.
Training programmes for sensitizing
journalists to issues of social justice and "what is
news" in conflict situations. Better professional
training could be a first step in countering the problem
of self-censorship.
The need for a Right to Information law
was emphasized.. Free access of journalists to the
military zone was also called for.
iv)
Women in conflict and peace making
We feel that women throughout Sri Lanka should be
singled out as being adversely affected by war both directly and
indirectly. In some cases conflict is forcing the revival of
hitherto discarded social practices which undermine women's
autonomy e.g. veiling of Muslim women. The phenomenon of women
headed households has imposed an additional burden on women but
it has also opened up ambivalent spaces of empowerment.
Conflict has forced women to think and
act in terms of their ethnicity and this polarization has
made it difficult for civil
society women activists to work together let alone
bringing together the women of the various communities.
There needs to be a plurality of approach
in organizing women from the three communities taking
into account the different ground situation in which they
are placed and the specific needs of their respective
communities.
The agony that all the peoples of Sri Lanka are
currently enduring demands a comprehensive and vibrant discourse
on democratization on the one hand and devolution and power
sharing on the other. This situation creates an enormous
obligation on civil society and its organizations. It also casts
a duty on the civil society in South Asia to support the Sri
Lankans at this crucial hour.
2)
CONSULTATION ON ADVOCACY FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE in the 21stCentury
A three day workshop conducted by the Office for
Human Development (OHD)
OHD had lay and religious from a large number of
Asian countries focussing on the theme Advocacy for Justice and
Peace.
On the side of important developments the following were
noted:
A growing appreciation of human rights
and the articulation of heir problems in human
right terms,
Due to changes in communication and
education there is less acceptance of their lot as
predetermined,
Greater mobility in and outside the
country providing exposure resulting in the lessening of
rigid attitudes ,
Less acceptance of traditional
distinctions based on caste, creed or race; growth of
healthy individualism and collective responsibility based
on mutual respect.
Increases in domestic laws recognizing
human rights, such as constitutional provisions on Human
Rights particularly on children, women and the use of
Torture. Taking into consideration the human rights
situation in Asia, the following proposals were made to
the Church by the Asian Human Rights Commission:
Ensure human rights education to all
Justice and Peace leaders and workers,
Building links with the human rights
community in the country, region and international
groups,
Being active members of human rights net
works,
Introduce human rights to religious
education curriculums,
Engage in symbolic actions - for example
erecting monuments for Universal Declarations, giving a
place for the disappeared in the cemeteries, celebrating
the human rights Day -10th December.
Introducing human rights education to
formation courses of priests and nuns,
Conduct inter-religious dialogue on human
rights issues.
Helping human rights victims.
CASTE IS
DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF WORK AND DESCENT
Posted on 2000-09-04
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