AN IHEU APPEAL FROM CENTRAL EUROPE<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

In the end of September, an important Seminar was organised by the Prometheus Society of Slovakia under the aegis of the IHEU. This important Seminar brought together Humanist leaders from the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland and also involved those from Hungary. An appeal prepared at the Seminar has now been forwarded to officials of the European Union, Human Rights organisations and important political leaders in Europe.

 

Appeal  by  representatives  of  Central  European  humanist movements to the European Commission, to member states of the EU, and to Human Rights Organisations.

 

September 29, 2001

 

The delegates of humanist organisations from Czech republic, Poland and Slovak republic convened Ð under the aegis of the International Humanist and Ethical Union Ð on September 27Ð29, 2001 in Bratislava, in order to evaluate the situation of the communities of citizens claiming no religious belief (non-denominational citizens) in their particular  countries  and  to  propose  measures  to  national  and international bodies for improving their position and the enjoyment of their legitimate social, cultural and legal rights.

 

After a comprehensive analysis of the current situation in each particular country - with reference to article 1.) of the UN Resolution 53/144. Declaration on the Rights and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognised Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (8 March, 1999) we are forwarding  to  governments  of  the  aforesaid  nations  and  to international bodies this

 

SUBMISSION

Considering  the fundamental principle in the practical policy of every  democratic  state  to  treat  all  of  the  citizens  equally  as incorporated  in  the  Universal  Declaration  of  Human  Rights (10.12.1948), in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (16.12.1966) and in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966)

 

Remembering the tragic events in Northern Ireland, in the former Yugoslavia and in numerous other countries all over the world, which have been partly caused by the fact that the relevant governments did not manage to implement PARITY in treating and in enjoyment of equal  rights,  opportunities,  freedoms  and  advantages  to  all communities in their states,

 

Aware that the international bodies did not manage to exert sufficient pressure for implementing preventive measures, capable of averting mutual tensions between communities and the consequent violent confrontations,

 

WE APPEAL

1)  To  the  governments  of  the  Central  European  transforming democracies, asking them to observe strictly their duties to RESPECT, to PROTECT and to FULFIL the cultural rights of their communities of non-denominational citizens in accordance with the injunctions of Maastricht Guidelines on Violation of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (January 22,1997)

 

 

 

2) To the governments of the said countries to adjust their legal texts (insofar as they have not yet done so) to accommodate the above- mentioned obligations with the object of securing a full equality in state policy with regard to the treatment of the needs of their non- denominational communities of citizens Ð both institutional and for financial support - in accordance with the Resolution of NGOs having consultative status with the Council of Europe, issued in Strasbourg on April 24, 2001.

 

3) To all international bodies monitoring the observance of basic human rights in the transforming Central European democracies, to closely follow up PARITY in the practice of state policy in relation to non-denominational communities of citizens Ð similarly to the way that they have done so in relation to other communities Ð such as national  and  ethnic  minorities  including  the  Roma  minorities.

 

(Comment:   the   currently   disadvantaged   non-denominational communities  in  these  countries  constitute  by  far  the  largest “minorities” - but nevertheless the human rights organisations have so far ignored their problems)

 

We  propose  that  the  human  rights  monitoring  organisations INCLUDE  in  their  agenda  monitoring  and  reporting  about  the situation of non-denominational communities in each country, and assess their standard of treatment by state authorities in comparison with the treatment of religious communities and organisations, and to report about the extent of the observation of PARITY in the treatment of  both  communities  in  accordance  with  international  laws  and conventions.

 

4.) To the Council of Europe and all the member states of EU - with reference to art.13 of the Amsterdam Treaty - asking them to follow steps  for  averting  any  form  of  discrimination  against  non- denominational communities of citizens in the transforming Central European democracies which aspire to membership of the EU, and to adopt as a condition of their acceptance in the EU the same standards in the treatment of both religious and non-religious communities as are prevalent in the majority of EU member states.

 

 

Representatives of Central European humanist movements

 

Czech republic:                        Dr. Jozef Haubelt

Poland                                    Andrzej Dominiczak

Slovak republic                        Prof Ladislav Huben‡k & Prof Alexander Reh‡k

Executive Director, IHEU          Babu R.R. Gogineni