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THE TANDEM PROJECT UNITED NATIONS, HUMAN RIGHTS, The Tandem Project is a UN NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Separation of Religion or Belief and State UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL PANEL DISCUSSION AND 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. Tuesday, 14 June 2011 Resolution A/HRC/16/18 - Combating Intolerance, Negative Stereotyping, Discrimination and Introduced by Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) adopted by consensus without a vote. Calls for strengthened international efforts to foster a global dialogue for the promotion of a culture of tolerance and peace at all levels, based on respect for human rights and diversity of religions and beliefs, and decides to convene a panel discussion on this issue at its seventeenth session within existing resources. ARCHIVED VIDEO & INTER-ACTIVE PANEL DISCUSSION AND DIALOGUE http://www.un.org/webcast/unhrc/archive.asp?go=110614 UN Human Rights Council Member States: Panel Discussion and Interactive Dialogue is an “important first step” in implementing Resolution A/HRC/16/18. Resolution A/HRC/16/18 is being sent to New York and the Third Committee of the General Assembly for review and adoption in the Fall of 2011. The General Assembly has decided to convene a high level meeting in New York on 21 September 2011 to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the 2001 Durban Declaration and Programme of Action. GENERAL ASSEMBLY The test is whether adoption by the General Assembly will resolve unanimously issues on Combating Defamation of Religion and the Right to Choose a Religion or Belief. ADDENDUM UN Human Rights Council Panel Statements, Resolution A-HRC-16-18, 2010 General Assembly Third Committee Actions KEY REFERENCE POINTS
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____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2010 - GENERAL ASSEMBLY “The Committee then took action on a draft resolution entitled combating defamation of religions (document A/C.3/65/L.46).” 23 November 2010, General Assembly, Third Committee. “Based on the growing defamation of religion, OIC found it necessary to continue promoting the draft. Many United Nations reports, as well as other stakeholders, noted the need to combat the increasing trend and stop the rise in the number of incitements to religious hatred. Those acts were obstacles to human rights. In that regard, OIC had conducted three rounds of informal consultations, besides organizing meetings with partners and groups in transparency. The co-sponsors had carefully considered all proposals, and had hoped to create a constructive dialogue aiming at cooperation regarding that trend. They had not lost hope and would continue their endeavors. The resolution stressed that vilification of any religions was a serious affront to human dignity. It called for combating such deplorable acts against all religions, without exception. The fact that Islam was at the core did not preclude that other religions could not be targeted. It was worth recalling that all States had agreed that terrorism could not be associated with any religion, civilization or ethnic group. It was a sign of compromise and consensus that they had reduced the concept of “defamation” and replaced it with the term “vilification” to avoid any pretext and encourage all to reach an objective consensus. States should show a higher degree of sensitivity in addressing the abuse of freedom of expression and insulting religions.” Actions in 2010 by UN General Assembly Third Committee - Public Information Office http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2010/gashc4001.doc.htm JOINT SUBMISSION BY SPECIAL RAPPORTEURS
- Mr. Heiner Bielefeldt, Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief; Special Rapporteurs to Regional Experts Workshops sponsored by the Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights on Prohibition of Incitement to National, Racial or Religious Hatred. LIST OF HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES The Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights website on Your Human Rights has three sub-sites: What are Human Rights; Human Rights Issues; International Law. In the List of Human Rights Issues are fifty identified by the Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN Human Rights Council. All of them have home pages with information that links them either directly or in directly to the issue of international human rights and freedom of religion or belief. Issues such as Children, Cultural Rights, Democracy and Human Rights, Indigenous Peoples Minorities, Terrorism, Women, Torture, Communications Adequate Housing, Civil and Political Rights all have a stake in seeing that international human rights law on freedom of religion or belief is adequately monitored. Treaty-based Human Rights Conventions and their corresponding Committee receives more funding and additional staff than a Charter-based Declarations under Special Procedures. The impression of The Tandem Project is that it may be time to consider reinstating the 1968 Working Group to better organize and bring all matters relating to freedom of religion or belief under one banner, a core international human rights legally-binding treaty. RACISM Two issues in the List of Human Rights Issues focus directly on Resolution A/HRC/16/18 and the Panel Discussion and Dialogue on a Culture of Tolerance and Peace - Racism and Freedom of Religion and Belief. Racism as a Human Rights Issue has eight separate links for information after establishing a Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Racism (CERD) to monitor implementation by States Parties that adopted, signed and ratified the Convention. There are eight listed activities under the Issue on Racism: Ad-Hoc Committee on the Elaboration of Complementary Standards (2008), Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (1969), Durban Review Conference (2009), Group of Independent Experts (2003), Special Rapporteur on Contemporary forms of Racism (1993), Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (2002), Working Group on the Effective Implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (2002), World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (2001). WORLD CONFERENCE ON RACISM In 1998 the General Assembly proclaimed 2001 to be the International Year of Mobilization against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Forms of Intolerance to draw attention to the World Conference on Racism. Mary Robinson, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and Nelson Mandela’s proclamation http://www.un.org/WCAR/e-kit/vision.htm was announced at the UN General Assembly Millennium Conference in New York. Preparation for the World Conference on Racism included preparatory meetings in all regions of the world and a review of Global Action Against Racism beginning in 1948 with eleven resolutions, conventions and declarations. In September 2011 the General Assembly in New York will celebrate the ten year anniversary of the World Conference on Racism: http://www.un.org/WCAR/. Many positive proposed actions as a follow-up the 2001 Durban World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance are identified in Resolution A/HRC/16/18- Combating Intolerance, Negative Stereotyping, Discrimination and Incitement to Violence & Violence Against Persons Based on Religion or Belief. A major test of the Issue on Racism is in the joint statement by the Special Rapporteurs; “ the Human Rights Council has – after years of debate – ultimately found a way to unanimously address these worrying phenomena without referring to concepts or notions that would undermine international human rights law. In this context we would like to emphasize the principle that individuals rather than religions per se are the rights-holders.” The United States and Israel withdrew their delegations from the World Conference because of draft language demonizing Israel the final conference document. DURBAN REVIEW CONFERENCE Subsequently the Durban Review Conference http://www.un.org/durbanreview2009/sessions.shtml was held in Geneva in 2009 to review progress at implementation of the World Conference on Racism. Preparatory Committees held religions meetings around the globe to prepare for the Durban Review and it was estimated that over 4,000 delegates participated in a side event outside the UN or as delegates participating in the UN sponsored Durban Review Conference. Resolution A/HRC/16/18 will be a test to see if these reports in the future identify persons rather than the collective stereotyping one or two religions under - Combating Intolerance, Negative Stereotyping, Discrimination and Incitement to Violence & Violence Against Persons Based on Religion or Belief. In the Durban Review Conference six Member States voted against and 12 Member States abstained because of continued demonizing language against Israel in the final conference document. FREEDOM OF RELIGION AND BELIEF Freedom of Religion and Belief in the List of Human Rights Issues is the Charter-based Special Procedures Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief adopted as a new title by the General Assembly (2000). The UN History on Freedom of religion or belief http://www.tandemproject.com/program/history.htm. COERCION AND FREEDOM TO CHOOSE An opportunity to build awareness and understanding of the right to choose a religion or belief by taking a Human Rights Lesson – Coercion and Freedom to Choose on Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the 1981 UN Declaration on the Elimination of all Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief. PRINCIPLE OF NEUTRALITY International human rights law on freedom of religion or belief protects theistic, non-theistic and atheistic beliefs, as well as the right not to profess any religion or belief, - General Comment 22 on Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The United Nations does not favor one religion or belief over another. This law protects individuals from discrimination based on religion or belief. It values the equal rights of majority and minority religions or beliefs, indigenous, traditional and new religious movements. It is a universal, neutral and impartial moral principle. INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW 2010 – General Assembly Third Committee: “The representative of Morocco, on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference said it had not been possible to resolve differences on respect for national laws and religious norms regarding changing one’s religion. Despite such divergences, it had been decided by the Organization not to oppose the draft; such resolutions ought to be adopted by consensus.” The question is from an article in The Economist asked of Ali Gomaa, Grand Mufti of Egypt: http://www.aligomaa.net/. TOLERANCE FOR DIVERSITY OF RELIGION OR BELIEF Resolution A/HRC/16/18 calls for local examples and strengthened international efforts to foster a global dialogue for the promotion of a culture of tolerance and peace at all levels, based on respect for human rights and diversity of religions or beliefs. In 1986 The Tandem Project called for the same approach in the first International Conference Tolerance for Diversity of Religion or Belief at local levels through twenty-seven Community Strategies on how to implement Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the 1981 UN Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief. COMMUNITY STRATEGIES Community Strategies are as applicable in 2011 as in 1986 and are proposed here as a follow-up to resolutions A/HRC/16/18 and the UN Human Rights Council Panel Discussion and Interactive Dialogue on a Culture of Tolerance and Peace. http://www.tandemproject.com/tolerance.pdf REFLECTIONS The First Preamble to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights reads: Recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world. Surely one of the best hopes for humankind is to embrace a culture in which religions and other beliefs accept one another, in which wars and violence are not tolerated in the name of an exclusive right to truth, in which children are raised to solve conflicts with mediation, compassion and understanding. There is an increase in dialogue today between religions and other beliefs to embrace diversity, but few persons, less than one percent of any population, ever participate. This is a challenge. The value of such dialogues is proportionate to the level of participation. For civil society increased participation would create opportunities for education on inclusive and genuine approaches to human rights and freedom of religion or belief. In 1968 the United Nations deferred passage of a legally-binding convention on religious intolerance saying it was too complicated and sensitive. Instead, they adopted a non-binding declaration on the elimination of all forms of intolerance and of discrimination based on religion or belief. While very worthwhile, the declaration does not carry the force and commitment of a legally-binding international human rights convention on freedom of religion or belief.
“I am become death, the destroyer of worlds” - Robert Oppenheimer, quote from the Bhagavad Gita after exploding the first atomic bomb, Trinity 1945. The Tandem Project a non-governmental organization (NGO) founded in 1986 to build understanding, tolerance, and respect for diversity of religion or belief, and to prevent discrimination in matters relating to freedom of religion or belief. The Tandem Project has sponsored multiple conferences, curricula, reference material and programs on Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights- Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion – and the 1981 United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief. In 1968 the United Nations deferred work on a legally-binding treaty on religious intolerance as too complex and sensitive and passed a non-binding declaration in its place. The Tandem Project believes until a core legally-binding human rights Convention on Freedom of Religion or Belief is adopted international human rights law will be incomplete. It may be time to begin to consider reinstating the 1968 Working Group to better organize and bring all matters relating to freedom of religion or belief under one banner, a core international human rights legally-binding treaty. Documents Attached: Background - Human Rights & Freedom of Religion or Belief; United Nations History - Religion, Science & Inquiry; USA - Universal Periodic Review & Freedom of Religion or Belief |