wfn.org | Workshop identifies sensitive human rights issues in Europe

[FRANK_IMHOFF.parti@ecunet.org (FRANK IMHOFF)]

Churches urged to speak up courageously against violations

SIBIU, Romania/GENEVA 16 June 1999 (lwi)   Participants in a human
rights training workshop in Romania said a lack of effective dialogue in
the relationships between the majority and ethnic, religious and
cultural minorities, is among the most sensitive human rights issues in
central and eastern Europe.

In a communique at the end of the 15 to 20 May 1999 workshop, they said
that this lack of dialogue  leads to manifestations of nationalism,
conflict and violations of human rights, including discrimination and
obstacles to the freedom of expression.

The workshop was jointly organized by the Lutheran World Federation
(LWF) and the Conference of European Churches (CEC) and hosted by the
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Romania and the
Ecumenical Association of Churches in Romania.

The 28 participants drawn from 21 churches of different confessions and
12 countries in central and eastern Europe, met in Sibiu/Hermannstadt in
Transylvania under the theme "Justice for national, ethnic and religious
minorities."

Their discussions focussed on ways and means of implementing human
rights in their respective countries, as well as on the role and tasks
of their churches. Participants based their reflections on the
fundamental biblical understanding that "all human beings are created in
the image of God" and that in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ
they are promised a life in dignity and under God's protection.

Other key human rights issues listed in the communique include racist
behavior, coming both from the state authorities and from the wider
community, against persons regarded as 'outsiders'. The workshop
participants noted that "in almost all of countries in the region, the
"Roma/Sinti people are especially victimized by these attitudes and this
behavior."

Violations of human rights in prisons and lack of recognition of the
special needs of and inadequate social assistance and medical care
provided for women, children, elderly people and handicapped people were
also underlined as issues of specific concern in central and eastern
Europe.

To this list, participants added the increasing violence against and
growing marginalization of women in all its forms, including poverty,
domestic violence, forced prostitution, trafficking and sexual abuse. 

"One of the painful experiences which we have all shared is repression
under past totalitarian regimes, under which we as individuals,
communities and churches were mostly unable to express ourselves freely
and without fear. During this period, we would have wished for more help
from the international ecumenical community to open a space for speaking
frankly about the violation of human rights and on behalf of the
victims," the report of the meeting states

The participants pointed out that in view of their common experience of
former repression, they felt particularly challenged as church
representatives to deal more effectively and concretely with human
rights issues, and to apply the tools provided during the workshop in
the form of the human rights principles, instruments and mechanisms to
help promote human dignity and freedom, justice and democracy in their
societies.

Being so close to the situation in Yugoslavia and Kosovo, they observed
that in the course of the workshop they became especially aware of the
urgent need to implement human rights all over Europe. "It is clear to
us that all parties to this conflict have violated human rights and that
there can be no permanent resolution of conflicts by the use of arms. In
this understanding we joined the ecumenical movement in praying for the
people in this region and for lasting peace," the communique states.

The participants in the regional workshop resolved amongst other things
to raise awareness in their churches, as well as societies, of human
rights principles and of violations of human rights in their countries.
They would also develop appropriate strategies to counter such
violations together with other partners.

 The church representatives called on   their churches to speak up
 courageously against human
 rights violations, to struggle against any form of injustice and to use
 all possible means to
 support victims of human rights violations. In addition, the churches
 were asked to recognize
 the equal rights of all religious communities in the region whether
 majority or minority, and
 to support the international confessional and ecumenical organizations
 in their human rights
 work.

While expressing appreciation to the CEC and LWF for organizing the
workshop, the participants urged the international church organizations
to strengthen the promotion and implementation of human rights as a
priority on the ecumenical agenda.

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Lutheran World Information
Assistant Editor, English: Pauline Mumia
E-mail: pmu@lutheranworld.org
http://www.lutheranworld.org/