This essential, universal human value is currently seriously restricted or attacked in the majority of the world’s countries and territories representing 74% of the total world population (Pew Study Center Report, 2013). The day also reminds people of the hard, long, often bloody road from serfdom, deep societal divisions, sectarian hatred, and violent oppression against efforts to form free, pluralist and tolerant societies respecting the rule of law, human rights and basic universal values. No society is the perfect role model in this, but we learn as we go. Many peoples, communities, leaders and governments in Europe, Asia, Africa, Americas, Australia and Oceania struggle to improve the quality of democracy, to embrace and care more about these principles and values. Many dictators, autocratic regimes and violent groups struggle in the opposite direction: they proclaim rule without law instead of the rule of law; the power over people instead of the service to people…
While more than 84% of people in the world can be described as “religiously affiliated” (ibid.), FoRB is more widely applied. It is a fundamental freedom relevant for all, as it also covers the rights of atheists, agnostics, and non-believers. The right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or conviction is linked to the freedom of expression, of assembly and other important civil and political rights. FoRB is a litmus test of all human rights, because when the religious freedom is missing then other civil freedoms are missing as well. More www.foref-europe.org
Restoring Religious Freedom Conference:Law, Religion, Equality, and DignityNovember 6, 2016Emory School of Law A Conversation between Ján Figel’, EU Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief, and W. Cole Durham, Founding Director of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies Moderator: Mark Goldfeder, Senior Lecturer, Emory University School of Law; Spruill Family Fellow in Law and Religion, Center for the Study of Law and Religion, Emory University; Director, Restoring Religious Freedom Project Sponsored by J. Reuben Clark Law Society, Religious Freedom Project
Article written by Ján Figeľ, Special Envoy for promotion of FoRB outside the EU
International Day of Religious Freedom (October 27) is a reminder that freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) is neither self-evident reality, nor broadly winning international trend. Quite opposite, tendency is negative. This essential, universal human value is currently seriously restricted or attacked in majority of world countries and territories representing 74% total population (Pew Study Center Report, 2013). The Day also reminds people of the hard, long, often bloody road from serfdom, deep societal divisions, sectarian hatred and violent oppression to free, pluralist and tolerant societies respecting the rule of law, human rights and basic universal values. None of them is the perfect role model in this, but we learn as we go. Many peoples, communities, leaders and governments in Europe, Asia, Africa, Americas, Australia and Oceania struggle to improve quality of democracy, to embrace and care more about these principles and values. Many dictators, autocratic regimes and violent groups struggle in the opposite direction: the rule without law instead of the rule of law, the rule over people instead of the service to people…
While more than 84% of people in the world can be described as “religiously affiliated” (ibid), FoRB is not just related to them. It doesn’t only concern them. It is for all, as it covers atheists, agnostics, everybody. Right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or conviction is linked to freedom of expression, of assembly and other important civil and political rights. It is a litmus test of all human rights. Because when the religious freedom is missing then other civil freedoms are missing as well. Culture of human dignity is inconceivable without FoRB. In my homeland Slovakia, then Czechoslovakia, struggle to overcome totalitarian, communist regime peaked after Bratislava Great Friday 1988 when peaceful prayer manifestation of citizens in the center of the capital city with requests for religious and civil rights was brutally attacked by police forces. Since then a trend towards “Velvet revolution” and overall political change in 1989 became unstoppable.
Il rappresentante Ue per la libertà di religione dà riscontro alla petizione dell’Osservatorio sulla Cristianofobia.
Il 10 ottobre scorso l’Osservatorio sulla Cristianofobia ha portato all’attenzione di Jàn Figel la protesta dei 6.258 firmatari della petizione Liberiamo Asia Bibi e “oggi il Rappresentante speciale per la promozione della libertà di religione o di credo al di fuori dell’Unione Europea risponde loro e a tutti coloro che hanno a cuore la sorte della donna cristiana incarcerata ingiustamente con parole che non lasciano alcun dubbio”. Lo afferma Silvio Dalla Valle, Direttore dell’Osservatorio sulla Cristianofobia. “La libertà di religione e di credo in Pakistan è una delle mie priorità”, ha scritto Figel. “Abbiamo accolto con grande piacere la risposta del Dottor Figel”, prosegue Dalla Valle, “perché, oltre a riconoscere l’attenzione e l’apprensione di moltissime persone per la sorte di Asia Bibi e dei molti cristiani perseguitati, garantisce a tutti noi un impegno concreto per la risoluzione della piaga della Cristianofobia in Pakistan e nel mondo”.
“Sono molto soddisfatto – aggiunge il direttore – dell’impegno costante dei sostenitori dell’Osservatorio sulla Cristianofobia; è grazie a loro che l’attenzione sulla situazione dei cristiani nel mondo si sta facendo sempre più alta e le parole di Jàn Figèl ne sono la dimostrazione”. Le azioni dell’Osservatorio sulla Cristianofobia dell’Associazione Luci sull’Est proseguiranno senza tregua, rinnovando quotidianamente l’impegno ad informare e sollecitare coloro che sono deputati alla difesa della libertà religiosa e di credo in Italia e nel mondo.
Brussels, 27.10.2016 (FOREF) – The annual International Day of Religious Freedom on October 27 is a reminder that freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) is neither a self-evident reality, nor a broadly winning international trend. Quite the opposite is the case, since the actual tendency is negative.
This essential, universal human value is currently seriously restricted or attacked in the majority of the world’s countries and territories representing 74% of the total world population (Pew Study Center Report, 2013). The day also reminds people of the hard, long, often bloody road from serfdom, deep societal divisions, sectarian hatred, and violent oppression against efforts to form free, pluralist and tolerant societies respecting the rule of law, human rights and basic universal values. No society is the perfect role model in this, but we learn as we go. Many peoples, communities, leaders and governments in Europe, Asia, Africa, Americas, Australia and Oceania struggle to improve the quality of democracy, to embrace and care more about these principles and values. Many dictators, autocratic regimes and violent groups struggle in the opposite direction: they proclaim rule without law instead of the rule of law; the power over people instead of the service to people…
While more than 84% of people in the world can be described as “religiously affiliated” (ibid.), FoRB is more widely applied. It is a fundamental freedom relevant for all, as it also covers the rights of atheists, agnostics, and non-believers. The right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or conviction is linked to the freedom of expression, of assembly and other important civil and political rights. FoRB is a litmus test of all human rights, because when the religious freedom is missing then other civil freedoms are missing as well.
A culture of human dignity is inconceivable without FoRB. In my homeland of Slovakia, then Czechoslovakia, the struggle to overcome the totalitarian, communist regime peaked after Bratislava Good Friday 1988, when a peaceful prayer manifestation of citizens in the center of the capital city with requests for religious and civil rights was brutally attacked by police forces. Afterwards, a trend towards “Velvet revolution” and overall political change in 1989 became unstoppable.
Freedom is not purposeless and cannot survive without shared responsibility. Therefore, claims for more religious liberty are in my mind implicitly linked to active engagement of religious leaders and communities for peace, justice, human togetherness and solidarity. This is very much needed in the 21st Century. Since 1915-16, the systematic extermination of 1.5 million Armenians, which constituted the first recognized genocide of the 20thCentury, mankind went through similar horrors on religious, racial, national or ethnic foundations in many parts of the globe – in Nazi and Soviet concentration camps, gulags and mass graves, in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, etc. Unfortunately, the “Never Again” promise from the Nuremberg Tribunal of 1946 was broken repeatedly, again and again. We abandoned commitment to prevent genocide or inhumane treatment too often. In reality, people in need have been abandoned as well as those who have been persecuted for their religion, conviction, race or ethnicity.
The current systematic murder, torture, enslavement, kidnapping, raping and persecution of religious and ethnic minorities on territories dominated by the “Islamic State” constitute the very same type of the greatest crime – genocide. This position was strongly expressed by parliamentary bodies of the Council of Europe, EU, USA, UK and Australia. Thus, a very timely and alarming question arises: “Shall the century of genocides end or continue?” After Christians, Yezidis, Shia-Muslims and some other communities in Iraq and Syria, who will follow next? The answer is crucially important and commitment is decisive. I am sure with many like-minded supporters, that a better century is possible. A more human century is our moral obligation! If we want to share more peaceful and better times, we have to prevent that repetitive tendency, prevent returns of inhumanity. This means to stop persecution of innocent people and to help voiceless and defenseless victims, and to finally bring perpetrators of crimes to justice. Ignorance, indifference or fear helps fanatics and perpetrators of crimes; our silence hurts the victims.
Besides genocidal persecution there are many other forms of religious oppression – blasphemy laws, anti-conversion laws, sectarian violence, totalitarian regimes which try to eliminate religious manifestations and freedom of conscience and conviction for the sake of their ideology and uniformity. Already Marx and Lenin despised religion as “the opium of the people”. And they have created their own political religion, a new coercive and militant ideology. The major dictators of the 20th century – Hitler, Stalin, Mao Zedong, Pol Pot – all have something in common: They fiercely suppressed FoRB.
Without understanding the aims, structure and effects of religions, including the abuse of religion, i. e. by Islamist terrorists, we cannot understand what is going on in our world. Subsequently we cannot find efficient solutions that help society to recover from inter-religious strife. The promotion of FoRB, an ethic of responsibility, and education for living in diversity is the principal way to tackle religious fundamentalism, violent extremism and terrorism.
When there is indifference, ignorance and fear become the allies of evil. But when we continuously cut the roots of indifference, ignorance and fear, a culture of human dignity for all and everywhere may grow and bear positive fruit in our century.
Ján Figeľ is the Special Envoy for promotion of FoRB outside the EU.
The article is available here: https://foref-europe.org/2016/10/29/a-contribution-in-commemoration-of-the-annual-international-day-of-religious-freedom/
And here: http://europeanpost.co/century-of-genocides-end-or-continuity/
Brussels, Belgium, Oct 27, 2016 / 12:08 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The genocide of Yazidis and Christians in the Middle East and the refugee crisis should be a priority for Europe, the EU special envoy for religious freedom has said.
Jan Figel told CNA that even though “there many other places where religious freedom is liquidated, discriminated and oppressed,” the Middle East is an unavoidable focus.
“It is evident that what it is going on the Middle East affects the rest of the world,” he said at a media symposium organized by Alliance Defending Freedom International in Brussels.
Figel, a Slovak who served as EU Commissioner for Education from 2004 to 2009, was chosen to be the union’s special envoy for the promotion of freedom of religion or belief outside the European Union. The position is an observer role and has a one-year term.
“I deem that the religious persecutions against Yazidis and Christians can be labeled as genocide, and this is the reason why the Middle East is a priority: there is a crime committed in the geopolitical center of the world, where three continents meet and the most important religions live together,” he explained.
Figel stressed the need to aid countries at the frontlines of conflicts that involve religious persecution and mass refugee displacement.
“Europe should provide more cooperation and assistance, as there are countries, like Jordan, that cannot sustain the flow of refugees that is coming to their lands,” Figel said. “Jordan did not close its borders, it is open to refugees from Syria and Iraq, and needs and deserves more EU support and comprehensive cooperation.”
Figel has focused on the plight of Christians in the Middle East in his own work. For his first official overseas trip, he visited Jordan Oct. 18-19, meeting with representatives of government and religious and civil society leaders.
Brussels, Belgium, Oct 27, 2016 / 12:08 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The genocide of Yazidis and Christians in the Middle East and the refugee crisis should be a priority for Europe, the EU special envoy for religious freedom has said.
Jan Figel told CNA that even though “there many other places where religious freedom is liquidated, discriminated and oppressed,” the Middle East is an unavoidable focus.
“It is evident that what it is going on the Middle East affects the rest of the world,” he said at a media symposium organized by Alliance Defending Freedom International in Brussels.
Figel, a Slovak who served as EU Commissioner for Education from 2004 to 2009, was chosen to be the union’s special envoy for the promotion of freedom of religion or belief outside the European Union. The position is an observer role and has a one-year term.
“I deem that the religious persecutions against Yazidis and Christians can be labeled as genocide, and this is the reason why the Middle East is a priority: there is a crime committed in the geopolitical center of the world, where three continents meet and the most important religions live together,” he explained.
The hands of a Syrian woman living as a refugee in Jordan. Credit: Kevin Jones/CNA.
Figel stressed the need to aid countries at the frontlines of conflicts that involve religious persecution and mass refugee displacement. “Europe should provide more cooperation and assistance, as there are countries, like Jordan, that cannot sustain the flow of refugees that is coming to their lands,” Figel said. “Jordan did not close its borders, it is open to refugees from Syria and Iraq, and needs and deserves more EU support and comprehensive cooperation.”
Figel has focused on the plight of Christians in the Middle East in his own work. For his first official overseas trip, he visited Jordan Oct. 18-19, meeting with representatives of government and religious and civil society leaders. The EU envoy praised Jordanian Muslim leaders’ work against extremism.
Authorities in Jordan “are very much committed in dialogue and action against radicalization, violence and extremism,” Figel said.
This is despite “an increasing climate of tensions” following the assassination of Nahed Attam, a Christian writer killed Sept. 25 because he shared a cartoon on Islam deemed offensive. Figel praised the Jordanian commitment to fighting the Islamic State, known locally as Daesh.
“Jordan is a member of anti-Daesh coalition,” he said.
The country’s work is also cultural. It puts into action “significant initiatives to show that Islam is a moderate religion beyond any extremist interpretations.” The EU envoy praised Jordanian initiatives for dialogue like the Amman Message, which King Abdullah II of Jordan issued in 2004 as a call for tolerance and unity in the Muslim world.
The message recognized eight legal schools across various branches of Islam, rebuked sectarian attitudes like declaring other Muslims apostate, and set conditions to counter illegitimate edicts issued in the name of Islam; it drew support from 200 Islamic scholars from more than 50 countries.
Jordan also backed the 2009 letter “A Common Word Between Us and You,” a response to the controversy following Benedict XVI’s 2005 Regensburg speech that discussed Islam, religion and reason.
With Benedict XVI’s initiative, the letter grew into a forum that meets every three years. The endeavor aims to find common ground of dialogue between Catholicism and Islam. The initiative’s facilitator is Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad of Jordan, the king’s first cousin.
King Abdullah and Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad also launched the World Interfaith Harmony Week, marked in the first week of February.
The article can be found here: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/for-eus-religious-freedom-envoy-middle-east-is-key-arena-56109/
BRUXELLES , 26 ottobre, 2016 / 9:00 AM (ACI Stampa).
È tornato la scorsa settimana da una visita ufficiale in Giordania, dove ha potuto non solo parlare di cooperazione tra l’Europa e il piccolo Stato nel Medio Oriente, ma anche toccare con mano la situazione dei rifugiati cristiani. Jan Figel, inviato speciale dell’Unione Europea per la libertà religiosa, guarda con attenzione alla situazione del Medio Oriente, e cerca di implementare relazioni chiave con Paesi come la Giordania. Perché non si tratta solo di parlare del genocidio dei cristiani, ma anche di creare una nuova narrativa. Ne parla con ACI Stampa a margine di un simposio sulla libertà religiosa organizzato dalla rete internazionale di avvocati ADF International a Bruxelles dal 19 al 20 ottobre.
Come definirebbe quello che sta avvenendo in Medio Oriente?
È una priorità politica guardare a quello che sta avvenendo in Medio Oriente, ovvero la persecuzione dei cristiani e di altre minoranze religiose come gli yazidi e musulmani. Credo che la situazione possa essere etichettato come genocidio. Si tratta di un crimine che avviene nel centro geopolitico del mondo, dove tre continenti si incontrano e le religioni più importanti e con più seguito vivono insieme. È evidente che quello che accade in Medio Oriente ricasca anche su altri continenti, anche se non dobbiamo trascurare il fatto che ci sono molti altri posti in cui la libertà religiosa è liquidata, discriminata e oppressa.
Come va affrontata questa situazione?
Servono strumenti e politiche da mettere in atto in maniera efficace.
Quali sono state le sue impressioni dopo il viaggio in Giordania?
È stata una visita politica ufficiale, nella quale ho incontrato rappresentanti del governo giordano, ma anche leader religiosi e della società civile. Sebbene sperimenti un clima di crescente tensione – complice anche l’assassinio dello scrittore cristiano Nahed Hattar per aver condiviso una vignetta sull’imam – le autorità sono molto impegnate nel dialogo e nelle azioni contro la radicalizzazione, la violenza e l’estremismo. Non solo. La Giordania è membro della coalizione anti-Isis, e promuove iniziative significative perché l’Islam venga interpretato in maniera moderata al di là dell’interpretazione radicale. Tra queste iniziative, ricordo il “messaggio di Amman”, la lettera “Una parola comune”, e la Settimana dell’Armonia Religiosa. Sono iniziative che lodo, perché c’è bisogno di un dialogo positivo.
Da primo inviato dell’Unione Europea sulla libertà religiosa, cosa ci si aspetta dall’Unione Europea?
Ci deve essere più cooperazione. La Giordania non ha chiuso i confini, ha raddoppiato quasi la sua popolazione accogliendo i rifugiati ed è praticamente impossibile per loro sostenere questa situazione.
Bearing samples of drawing and messages gathered from 1.2 million Muslim and Christian children from schools in Homs, Aleppo and Damascus, Syria, an appeal for peace was brought by representatives of the three main churches in Syria to policymakers at the highest levels of the EU and UN institutions.
Organized by the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), the delegation visit, representing 95% of all Christians in Syria, was led by the Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch Gregorius III Laham of Antioch and all the East and Alexandria and Jerusalem, Metropolitan Georgis Abou-Zakhem of the Antioch Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Homs, and Metropolitan Selwanos Boutros Alnemeh of the Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese of Homs and Hama, Syria.
Fourteen meetings were held at the EU institutions in Brussels including discussions with Jan Figel the EU Special Representative for Freedom of Religion, Christos Stylianides the Commissioner for Humanitarian and Emergency Aid, Federica Mogherini the EU High Representative for External Relations and Security, the President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz, and President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker.
Encouraging EU policy makers to press the international community for security and stability in Syria, Patriarch Gregorios III stated: “Peace in Syria will come only if everyone does his part. The international community has to sit down again and achieve security and stability. Peace, however, cannot be imposed, it must come from inside, from the hearts of each one of us – and that has and continues to be the work of the Churches, every day”.
European Parliament President Martin Schulz stated: “The circumstances are dramatic and your timely visit allows us to underline our solidarity and our respect for your tireless efforts to seek peace. Know that your meetings have been greatly discussed by our colleagues and that it is extremely important to know the situation on the ground”.
“The role of the Christians in Syria is important not only because of the past but also for the future”, said Metropolitan Georgis Abou-Zakhem. “Christians are uniquely trusted; we are in some ways the glue in the Syrian society enabling dialogue and reconciliation in a country in which we have lived together for over 14 centuries”. Citing several examples of this Muslim-Christian dialogue of life in Homs, where he has lived since before the beginning of the conflict, Bishop Georgis demonstrated that the different communities of Muslims and the Christians know how to get along: “With security and stability, social life picks up again rapidly as we witness with the people who are coming back to Homs. We are helping both Muslims and Christians integrate back into the villages”.
This was echoed by Metropolitan Selwanos of Homs explaining how Christians living throughout the country serve as a guarantee that Syria will not be divided into sectarian provinces. “We are rebuilding schools and they are open for everyone; more than 90% of the students are Muslim because they believe in the quality of our education and like this the new generation learns to live together.”
The delegation then moved from Brussels to Geneva bringing the children’s messages to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi and the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Prince Zaaid Al-Hussain, seeking concrete ways to cooperate with their respective UN delegates inside Syria.
“The Churches are, in some areas where other international NGO’s have withdrawn due to security risks, one of the few remaining structures effective in helping the humanitarian needs,” said ACN Middle East Project Director Fr. Andrzej Halemba. The Churches are already helping families of internally displaced persons returning to their destroyed homes, for example in Qusayr, to buy construction and repair materials with which to start to rebuild. Filippo Grandi stated: “The UN needs the Churches as messengers of peace, because they speak for everyone.”
“A generation without school is a lost generation capable of joining ISIS out of despair. We are not politicians, our part is to rekindle the soul of a multicultural Syrian society”, explained Patriarch Gregorios III, “we are confident that with enough stability and security allowing children to go to school we are cementing a peaceful future for Syria.”
EndFragment
BRUSSELS / GENEVA “Without education Syrian children will be the next generation of Islamic State”- Mark Riedemann – Aid to the Church in Need (Malta)
Boris Johnson is under fire from the EU’s special envoy on religious freedom over the failure to describe ISIS atrocities against Christians and Yazidis as “genocide”, Christian Today can reveal.
In an interview in Brussels on Thursday Ján Figel, the European Union’s special envoy for the promotion of freedom of religion and belief, criticised the Foreign Secretary for not acting after MPs’ unanimously described ISIS crimes as “genocide”. The term, which carries legal and moral obligations, has been adopted by the White House, the European Parliament and the Council of Europe.
All MPs who spoke in the debate called on the government to recognise ISIS’ crimes in the Middle East as genocide.Reuters
Figel told Christian Today he was “disappointed” with Johnson and expected him to “take it up” after the “British Parliament clearly expressed an announcement of genocide”.
In an interview in Brussels, Figel issued a direct call on the UK to act on the will of its MPs. “The United Nations needs leadership and there are certain countries who are permanent members of the UN security council [who can do that].
“I am sure the message of the US people and the UK population has given a strong mandate” to the two governments, he said. “The government should take executive action which is truly in line with the parliament.”
MPs passed a motion by 278 to 0 votes that described ISIS’ atrocities as genocide and called on the government to act in April. But ministers and their aides were ordered to abstain from the vote and no action has since been taken.
Jan Figel is a former European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth.Reuters
The International Criminal Court (ICC) can only investigate whether a genocide has occurred if it is asked to do so by the UN security council, of which the UK is a permanent member. But the foreign office has refused to bring a resolution to the council. A senior source told Christian Today there was an “institutional reluctance” among officials to declare genocide because it would require action.
The UK is a signatory to the genocide convention which, if declared, requires states to both prevent it continuing and prosecute the perpetrators. This would require a significant step up in UK military action in the Middle East and would also oblige more action to protect the refugees who have fled.
Figel issued an impassioned call to end “a century of genocide”. He told an audience of journalists and officials: “In October 1946 there was a commitment – ‘never again’. We have failed.”
There is evidence of genocide “like never before”, he said at the conference organised by the legal organisation Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF). “Whether this century of genocide continues or ends depends on us. It is a question of whether indifference, ignorance and fear will prevail, or if humanity will prevail.”
Ján Figeľ Special Envoy for the promotion of freedom of religion or belief outside the EU
The article is available here: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/eu.slams.britain.isis.is.committing.genocide.and.youre.doing.nothing/98593.htm
