2016-04-15 15:05:00

Holy See urges attention to suffering of Christians


(Vatican Radio) The Holy See on Thursday said it has become “outdated” to speal about minority and majority communities when it comes to discrimination, “since victims of  intolerance  and  discrimination may belong to either.”

Monsignor Janusz S. Urbańczyk, Permanent Representative of the Holy See to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), was speaking at the OSCE Permanent Council.

“In  particular, in the case of Christians, it is recognized that they are  suffering  violations of their rights also where they are a majority, often in ways that go unnoticed,” Msgr. Urbańczyk said. “Therefore,  all forms of religious intolerance and  discrimination  need  to  be  carefully  identified  and  equally  addressed,  avoiding  any improper selectivity or hierarchical approach.”

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), based in Vienna, is a 57 nation group committed to promoting peace on the continent.Hol

 

The full text of Msgr. Urbańczyk’s intervention is below

 

STATEMENT BY MONSIGNOR JANUSZ S. URBANCZYK, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE HOLY SEE, AT THE 1096th MEETING OF THE OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL

14 APRIL 2016

RE: REPORT BY THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE FOR DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Mr. Chairman,

The Holy See willingly joins other Delegations in welcoming  back to the Permanent Council the Director of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), Mr.  Michael  Georg  Link,  and  is  grateful  for  the  opportunity  to  thank  him for his comprehensive and informative report,  that  my  Delegation  unfortunately  did not  have the opportunity to examine before this meeting and on which we were prevented from receiving relevant instructions from the Capital.

The Holy See wishes also to renew its appreciation to Director Link and to the ODIHR  for  the  assistance  and support provided to the participating States in the implementation of their human  dimension commitments.  Many  thanks, Director Link, for your work.  The Report presented today  –  a veritable  tour de horizon  –  indicates how  you and your Office are involved in a wide range of programs and activities.

My Delegation would like to acknowledge your presence here today, Director Link, in order to clarify its position on the matters at stake as well as to express some concerns and  recommendations  about  certain  aspects  of  the  ODIHR’s  work,  while  highlighting  its many successes, which constitute the majority of the cases.  

At the outset, my Delegation wishes to recall that participating States did agree  on principle that the full respect and the implementation in good faith of all commitments are of fundamental importance for the stability and security of the OSCE area.

In this perspective, the OSCE essentially represents a political forum where activities are related  to  security, with decisions adopted by the participating States  that need to be fully implemented in good faith. Thus,  the interpretation of the OSCE commitments cannot amend, overrule or transform the extent of the commitments, since such an interpretation would  be  in  contrast  with  the  bona  fide  principle  and  the  Rules of Procedure of the Organization.

With regard to discrimination and intolerance, we all agree  with the fact that these issues  are  among  factors that can provoke conflicts which could  undermine security and stability. Therefore, the Holy See remains  confident  that, in accordance with the OSCE’s nature as a security organization,  the  ODIHR  will  develop  a  specific  response  to  those phenomena  that  threaten  to  undermine  the  peace  and  stability  of  the  Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian  Regions,  remaining  always  within  the realm of  the  commitments  consensually agreed upon by the participating States.

One of the lessons learned in recent years (thanks also to the work of the ODIHR) is that  it has become  outdated  to talk about minority and majority communities, since victims of  intolerance  and  discrimination may belong to either.  In  particular, in the case of Christians, it is recognized that they are  suffering  violations of their rights also where they are a majority, often in ways that go unnoticed. Therefore,  all forms of religious intolerance and  discrimination  need  to  be  carefully  identified  and  equally  addressed,  avoiding  any improper selectivity or hierarchical approach.

In this respect, my Delegation reiterates its wish that the ODIHR prepare guidelines for  educators  on  countering  intolerance  and  discrimination  in  general,  as  well  as  against Christians.

My  Delegation  particularly  appreciates  the  ODIHR’s  programs  and  activities pertaining to freedom of religion or belief,  and feels that they are of the utmost  importance. In fact, the Holy See considers it a distinctive duty to insist on the central importance of this freedom,  not  because  it  seeks  a  purely  individual interest  or is uninterested  in  other freedoms, but because freedom of religion or belief is the litmus test for the respect of all other human rights and fundamental freedoms, since it is their synthesis and keystone.

Furthermore, my Delegation  urges  the ODIHR  to continue its analysis and  reflection about  interreligious  dialogue  and  dialogue  between  religious  communities  and governmental bodies, taking into consideration the differences between these two forms of dialogue. We are confident that the work in this field  will lead  the participating States to a Ministerial Council declaration on this topic, which, regrettably, proved impossible to adopt in Belgrade.

In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, my Delegation renews to Director Link its gratitude for his leadership and efforts, assuring him that the Holy See wishes to continue a constructive dialogue and cooperation with his Office in order to seek  the  full implementation,  in good faith, of the human dimension commitments agreed upon by the participating States.

Thank you, Mr Chairman.








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