OSCE Baku conference stresses role of religions in preventing terrorism
Baku conference on religious freedom and combating terrorism was organized by the OSCE/ODIHR and the Azerbaijan State Committee for the Work with Religious Associations. (OSCE/Alex Nitzsche) Photo details
BAKU, 11 October 2002 - An international OSCE conference on religious freedom and combating terrorism, which ended in Baku today, stressed the important role religions and beliefs can play in preventing terrorism and conflict. Participants also called on states to ensure religious freedom, and to direct measures to combat terrorism to the individual perpetrators of terrorist acts only and not against the national, ethnic or religious community they belong to.
The participants rejected any attempt to justify terrorism and extremism on any political, religious, economic and social grounds. "All religions and similar beliefs preach tolerance and respect for the inherent humanity of all persons, and that violence and terrorism are incompatible with the authentic spirit of religion", reads the document which contains the conference's conclusions and recommendations. "The recourse to terrorism under the name of religion does not demonstrate a clash of culture, but a clash based on ignorance."
The document acknowledges the important role of religion and belief in modern democratic societies. It calls on religious communities to refrain from inciting inter-religious hatred and to contribute actively to peaceful settlement of conflicts.
The conference participants urged states to fully respect human rights, and the freedom of religion or belief in particular, in the fight against terrorism. "Just as religion may wrongly be used to justify terrorism, so can 'anti-terrorism' actions of governments wrongly be used to justify actions that undermine human rights and freedom of religion or belief", warns the conference document.
It calls on governments to address, at the earliest possible moment, the social, economic, and political factors that engender conditions in which terrorist organizations are able to recruit and win support. Inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue should be developed within the OSCE region and the area of the Great Silk Route in particular.
The conclusions and recommendations that emerged from the conference will be forwarded to the OSCE's Permanent Council as a contribution to the discussion of the fight against terrorism at the OSCE Ministerial Council in Porto this coming December.
The two-day conference was organized by the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Azerbaijani Government. Some 400 representatives of governments, religious communities and civil society participated in the conference.
The participants rejected any attempt to justify terrorism and extremism on any political, religious, economic and social grounds. "All religions and similar beliefs preach tolerance and respect for the inherent humanity of all persons, and that violence and terrorism are incompatible with the authentic spirit of religion", reads the document which contains the conference's conclusions and recommendations. "The recourse to terrorism under the name of religion does not demonstrate a clash of culture, but a clash based on ignorance."
The document acknowledges the important role of religion and belief in modern democratic societies. It calls on religious communities to refrain from inciting inter-religious hatred and to contribute actively to peaceful settlement of conflicts.
The conference participants urged states to fully respect human rights, and the freedom of religion or belief in particular, in the fight against terrorism. "Just as religion may wrongly be used to justify terrorism, so can 'anti-terrorism' actions of governments wrongly be used to justify actions that undermine human rights and freedom of religion or belief", warns the conference document.
It calls on governments to address, at the earliest possible moment, the social, economic, and political factors that engender conditions in which terrorist organizations are able to recruit and win support. Inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue should be developed within the OSCE region and the area of the Great Silk Route in particular.
The conclusions and recommendations that emerged from the conference will be forwarded to the OSCE's Permanent Council as a contribution to the discussion of the fight against terrorism at the OSCE Ministerial Council in Porto this coming December.
The two-day conference was organized by the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Azerbaijani Government. Some 400 representatives of governments, religious communities and civil society participated in the conference.