News December 2002 | International Religious Liberty Association

Coalition Brings Religious Freedom and Human Rights Issues to the Forefront

SILVER SPRING, MD, USA. [December12] The Washington Coalition for International Religious Freedom met for the third time today to discuss religious freedom and human rights issues at the headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Silver Spring, Maryland. Organized by the International Religious Liberty Association (IRLA), the Coalition first met shortly after September 11, 2001.

"We believe it is important to provide a wider forum for dialogue and mutual respect between peoples of faith and also greater understanding by government representatives," said John Graz, secretary-general for the IRLA.

"Religious freedom is not even on the back page of the news now with Iraq and terrorism being the main focus," said Ambassador Robert Seiple, chairperson for the Coalition. "This Coalition needs to come up with concrete suggestions on what non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and faith communities can do to keep religious freedom concerns in the forefront. Persecution, discrimination and violations of human rights continue in many countries such as, Vietnam, China, North Korea, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, and many others."

"Religious freedom is a human right, and the challenge is to keep religious freedom in the front burner of America's international foreign policy," said Joseph Crapa, new executive director for the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), and an observer at the Coalition meeting. "We will, however, continue looking at ways to encourage countries of particular concern to work towards a climate of religious freedom."

The Coalition agreed on various methodologies that have proven successful such as: good indigenous legal advice; selective use of the Department of State; mobilize local people ; facilitate not supervise; persevere; selective use of international press; eschew monolithic categories; understand geo-political context; and finding ways to influence public policy.

Participants commented on the danger of religious freedom becoming subverted by arguments appealing to national and international security; and the use of terrorism as an excuse to suppress religious dissent; and the increase of intolerance. Members of the Coalition agreed to continue the fight the for religious freedom, and to bring cases of religious freedom and human rights violations to the attention of the public and the media. [Viola Hughes]

Religious Freedom Conference Aims to Teach Children Tolerance

Silver Spring, MD, USA. [IRLA news] Teaching children about tolerance and respect was the focus of recent discussions with government officials in Chile. Representatives from the Seventh-day Adventist Church and the International Religious Liberty Association (IRLA) met with Senate President Andrés Saldivar and Minister Heraldo Munoz, at the invitation of Guido Quinteros, president of the Adventist church in Chile.

"It's so important to teach children to have respect and tolerance towards other religions. It's also important for children to be knowledgeable about various religions rather than grow up with biases and misconceptions towards others," said Graz who attended the meetings December 5-8. Education opens the minds of people, and public schools have the responsibility to cultivate respect and tolerance towards differences. It's better to teach respect and tolerance to young children rather than wait till they are adults."

Graz and organizers in Chile are preparing for an International Congress that will take place in August 2003. The Congress will address education in public schools.

Senate President Andrés Saldivar assured the IRLA of his government's support toward the Congress and to the mission of the IRLA. Saldivar affirmed the importance of associations such as the IRLA that works with different religions in promoting respect and tolerance. While government officials recognized that discrimination toward minorities still exist in their communities, they agreed to continue their work in educating the mindset of its citizens. Protestant minorities have been discriminated against in the past in many aspects of public life. In 1999, Chile passed a new law, which improved religious freedom for religious minorities.

The Adventist Church in Chile numbers close to 100,000 in this population of over 15 million. [Viola Hughes]

© 2004 International Religious Liberty Association