Author:
Publication: The Times
of India (on Web)
Date: September 3, 2000
Hindu, Buddhist, Jain
and Sikh delegates of the World Peace Summit have rejected the interpretation
of some Christian organisations that United Nations' Universal Declaration
of Human Rights gave them the right to unhindered conversion.
At a hurriedly convened
meeting here on Friday, they adopted a resolution that the declaration's
provisions did not grant any such right and resolved to present it to the
UN and seek clarifications from it. The resolution was read out at the
closing session of the summit in the evening but did not form part of the
declaration issued by it.
Hindu leaders, including
Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Ashok Singhal, said they fully agreed with
the summit's declaration but had objections to ``misinterpretation'' of
the provision by some Christian organisations. The article of the declaration
in question says, ``Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience
and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief,
and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or
private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship
and observance.''
The declaration was adopted
by the General Assembly way back on December 10, 1948.
The resolution adopted
by the Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Sikh delegations says any such provisions,
either in the declaration or any other human rights instruments, ``do not
mean and cannot be construed to authorising any establishment or individual
to resort to organising proselytisation which has a long history of creating
tension, conflicts, between religious communities and which continue to
impair inter-faith goodwill, tolerance and harmony.''
Legal experts from India
and Japan drafted the resolution which was adopted at a hurriedly convened
meeting of the religious leaders of these faiths. Delegates attending the
meeting said Buddhists were particularly agitated over the interpretation
being given by some Christians, pointing out that several Muslim bodies
also opposed it.
Hindu leaders said that
everyone had the right to follow any path or religion and even to change
it. But to lure others to change their religions en masse by giving incentives
was wrong and that is what was being objected to. Making conversion to
a religion a condition for giving aid to the needy cannot be tolerated,
they said.
Singhal also denied that
VHP or any Hindu organisation was involved in attacks on churches or Christians,
saying these criminal acts were committed by criminals and such incidents
needed to be treated as law and order problem rather than politicised.
(PTI)
