(Vatican Radio) The Holy See on Thursday said it has become “outdated” to speal about minority and majority communities when it comes to discrimination, “since victims of intolerance and discrimination may belong to either.”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