wfn.org | WCC - "We are making history"

["Sheila Mesa" <smm@wcc-coe.org>]

World Council of Churches
Update, Up-01-28
For Immediate Use
31 August 2001

"We are making history"
WCC delegation at the United Nations World Conference against
Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related
Intolerance

cf. WCC Press Release, PR-01-29, of 27 August 2001

"The range of issues and the intensity of the debates on racism
are a dramatic challenge to the churches world-wide. When we know
racism to be a sin, do we give our work against racism the
priority it needs?"   

This challenging question was asked by Bishop Mvumelwano
Dandala, leader of the World Council of Churches (WCC) delegation
to the UN World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination,
Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (WCAR) being held in Durban,
South Africa.  

In the run-up to the WCAR, more than 7 000 representatives of
hundreds of non-governmental organizations have been meeting in a
Non-governmental organizations' (NGO) Forum , 28-31 August. Among
them has been a 35-member delegation drawn from WCC member
churches. There are also a number of delegations from individual
churches and faith communities.  

Issues holding centre stage at the NGO Forum include a number of
central WCC concerns, including Palestine, Dalits, Indigenous
Peoples, women, and people of African descent. There have also
been calls for slavery and colonization to be recognized as
crimes against humanity. On this issue, the WCC delegation, in a
submission prepared for the Conference, said, "impunity for past
offenders responsible for massive crimes including slavery,
colonization, apartheid, genocide and indentured labour... should
be abolished in international and national law".  

The WCC delegation contributed to Forum discussions on several
issues. It issued a detailed comment on the Palestinian question
in which it stressed the need to continue to support efforts
towards a negotiated peace in the Middle East. The comment
referred to a WCC Central Committee statement of February 2001
which spoke of "a pattern of discrimination, routine humiliation,
segregation and exclusion which restricts Palestinian freedom of
movement" and "establishes 'cantonization' of the land, so that
Palestinian land is separated from one another." The delegation
included three Palestinians.  

Violation of the human rights of Dalits in India has been
another controversial issue and the government of India has
consistently blocked its discussion. WCC delegation member Rev.
Yesudoss Moses of the Dalit Concerns desk of the National Council
of Churches in India said, "[It] has been forcefully argued that
the governments' agenda should include caste discrimination, and
that governments should introduce mechanisms to deal with it. The
NGO Forum has made that clear."  

The WCC also hosted workshops on "Racism, Gender and Religion"
(co-hosted with the World Young Men's Christian Association) and,
with the South African Council of Churches, a panel on "Churches
in post-apartheid South Africa". Another workshop looked at "The
impact of globalization on people of colour and the role of
religion". A number of listening projects were co-sponsored with
the American Friends Service Committee, and the Durban-based
Diakonia Council of Churches hosted a church service and
candlelight march to the City Hall.  

Despite their efforts, WCC staff member, Marilia Schuller is
disappointed about "how little the voice of the churches has been
heard". She attributes this to the fact that "there is so much
more our churches could, and should have, done. In a number of
round table discussions, NGOs pointed to the historical role of
the church in racial oppression. Delegates at a discussion on the
plight of Indigenous peoples, for example, suggested that, apart
from a written apology, the church should be looking at paying
reparations."  

Bishop Mvumelwano Dandala for his part said that "In South
Africa we feel a sense of excitement that, after our years of
struggle against apartheid, the world has chosen to our country
to discuss racism worldwide. But we realise that the churches
have not been intentional enough in addressing the issues. "   

On the participation of Indigenous Peoples, WCC staff member for
Indigenous issues, Eugenio Poma of Bolivia, said, "Confusion and
disorientation resulting from the organization of the NGO Forum
diminished the expectations of Indigenous delegates and their
hopes to contribute to the outcome of the conference. But in
spite of that, they contributed to discussions on topics like
land dispossession, self-determination and language genocide."  

"Although we don't expect much from the Forum, we will continue
to struggle patiently until we fulfil the aspirations we brought
to the World Conference," Poma said. He agreed with UN
secretary-general Kofi Annan's recommendation to the Forum that
any success would depend on what the delegates could achieve in
the future rather than during the conference itself. 

At the workshop on gender, religion and racism, another WCC
delegation member, Rev. Dr Sirirat Pusurinkham from the
Presbyterian Church in Thailand, demanded to know what the
churches, civil society and the international community were
doing to stop the trafficking and prostitution of women and
children. "These are children who are suffering! Children as
young as nine years old are victims of trafficking." The workshop
heard that governments were not willing to crack down on
trafficking and prostitution for fear of hurting their tourist
industries. In most cases the victims of trafficking are women of
colour.  

Hurdles 

Canada downgraded its delegation to the government conference at
the last moment, leading to accusations that it is following in
the footsteps of its neighbour, the USA, which has only a
low-level representation. WCC delegation member Lyn
Headley-Moore, from the Episcopal Church in the USA, said "I am
really disappointed, really angry with my government . As a
superpower it has a greater responsibility to be here than anyone
else. With the history of our country it is so important it
should be here."  

Having initially committed itself to partnership, the British
government has excluded UK NGOs from their official delegation.
The UK Churches Commission for Racial Justice and anti-racist and
community organizations say that this is to silence voices which
would embarrass the British government's relationship with the
Americans.  

Signs of hope 

Reasons for optimism remain. In his address to the NGO Forum,
Kofi Annan remarked that NGOs across the spectrum "have
discovered that they have more in common than they thought". 
Schuller notes that "We are making history. It is the first
time that representatives of so many oppressed groups have come
together in an attempt to build a coalition against racism.
Unfortunately, this attempt was hampered by the lack of space and
time to dialogue on the issues." But Dalits from India have found
solidarity with Palestinians, while Palestinians have linked up
with people of African descent, and women of all backgrounds have
made common cause in the way racism intersects with
discrimination against them.    

The biggest hurdle of all is the difficulty NGOs will meet in
trying to make their voices heard at the governments' meeting.
There has been a great deal of anger and disappointment that,
despite the UN call for NGO participation, only 750 NGO
representatives will have access to the governments' meeting.
Schuller says that "Governments do not want to confront the
issues that the NGOs are putting forward."   
 
 ----------------
 
Address to the UN World Conference against Racism, Racial
Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance by His
Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia, moderator of the WCC
Central Committee
(This text is in English only)

"Intolerance has become the mark of many contemporary societies.
The causes for intolerance are economic, religious, social and
political. Intolerance is evil; it is a source of violence,
hatred and division, and it manifests itself through racism,
discrimination, xenophobia, and violation of human rights.
Therefore, it must be eradicated in the life of human societies.
Religions, actors of civil societies and states can together play
a pivotal role in combatting violence in all its forms and
expressions. I consider such a partnership of crucial importance
in this globalized world; a partnership that maintains the
particularities of each partner, uplifts the specific vocation of
each, and strengthens collaboration for common action. In this
perspective, I would like to make a few observations and share
with you a few experiences from my own Armenian background, and
global ecumenical experience: 

Speaking of tolerance or intolerance means basically speaking of
diversities. In fact, the creation of the universe and humanity
by God is characterized by diversities. Creation is not a
monolithic reality; diversity is a salient feature of it. In the
story of creation told in the book of Genesis, diversity is a
dominant reality. However, along with the emphasis on diversity,
the book of Genesis also speaks of coherence, harmony,
interaction and unity as inherent qualities of creation. These
two aspects show that in the context of God's creation, diversity
is a source of enrichment that acquires its true meaning and
value through unity. In fact, the creation of the universe and
humanity is in its essence a concrete manifestation of unity in
diversity and diversity in unity. Diversity is a gift of God that
must be preserved for the integrity and sustainability of
creation. This basic affirmation of Christian theology is common
in all living faiths.  

As diversity is a gift of God, it is also the commandment by God
and a basic necessity for the preservation of the integrity and
unity of the creation, and a conditio sine qua non for the
survival of the creation and humanity. This commandment by God is
a call to humanity to live together, and live out differences
through dialogical interaction. Intolerance hinders interaction,
destroys coexistence and jeopardizes the future of the world. It
is a sin against the Creator. We must, therefore, combat
intolerance with its far-reaching consequences. We must initiate
action-oriented processes and set efficient programmes that
transform intolerance to tolerance and isolation to co-existence.
In this context I would propose some specific ways through which
we could achieve this goal:  

1) Educating people. We should not always react and condemn
intolerance. We must become pro-active and promote mutual
understanding, mutual respect and trust among peoples and between
communities. We should design education programmes for people of
all ages. Programmes that will help them to live together as
neighbors, as men and women and children in communities.
Programmes that will inculcate in the minds of people that in
spite of their difference, as communities they are part of one
big world community, the same humanity, and one creation.
Programmes that will enhance the sense of mutual responsibility
and accountability. Diversities and differences should not become
a hindrance to peaceful and harmonious coexistence among people,
religions and cultures. They are integral to the fabric of human
society.  

2)  Promoting human rights. Violation of human rights is another
form of intolerance. Human rights are not discoveries of human
beings. They are gifts of God and hence inviolable. Violation of
human rights is a sin against God and the denial of other's
rights to live in justice, peace and dignity. The challenge to
eradicate intolerance comes to us in the form of the following
questions: How can religions with other players of civil society
work for the promotion of values of human rights? How can, all of
us together, stop the continuing violations of human rights? It
is evident that unless the rights of all peoples and nations for
freedom, homeland, equal opportunity, participation and community
are fully respected, intolerance will increase and generate more
hatred and  violence.  

3) Community building. Intolerance implies exclusion from
community or rejection of community. Intolerance is a concrete
expression of exclusion and marginalization. Where there is
community, there should also be equality, diversity and
participation. Where there is community, there can be no
intolerance. Community-building is essentially
tolerance-building; it is a process of generating mutual
confidence and understanding among people of different race,
religious belonging, cultural identity and ethnic backgrounds. We
must, therefore, aim at building communities that safeguard
diversities, where identity and unity interact and where rights
and obligations of all are fully respected.  

For all people of faith, eradication of intolerance is a
continual affirmation of their own beliefs and religious values.
For Christians, it is a response to the will of God. As the
spiritual head of the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia, and the
moderator of the Central Committee of the World Council of
Churches, I pray that the growing partnership between the United
Nations, world religions and civil society will become real, and
that this effort to work together will deepen collaboration on
issues arising from intolerance and give shape to relevant forms
of action in concrete situations. It is also my hope that the
forthcoming Durban World Conference will wrestle with the
question of intolerance seriously and responsibly, that its
message will touch the conscience of all those who perpetrate
human rights violations, and commit all people of good faith to
go beyond statements and make a difference. I hope and pray for
all these to happen not for our own glory but for the Glory of
the Creator and the integrity of His creation."  

For further information, please contact Karin Achtelstetter,
Media Relations Officer,  Tel:  (+41.22) 791.61.53,  Mobile: 
(+41) 79.284.52.12
or Bob Scott in Durban, Tel: (+27) 83 542 1946

**********
The World Council of Churches (WCC) is a fellowship of churches,
now 342, in more than 100 countries in all continents from
virtually all Christian traditions. The Roman Catholic Church is
not a member church but works cooperatively with the WCC. The
highest governing body is the assembly, which meets approximately
every seven years. The WCC was formally inaugurated in 1948 in
Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Its staff is headed by general
secretary Konrad Raiser from the Evangelical Church in Germany.

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