The Fifth Interethnic Interfaith Leadership Final Statement

Oct 19, 2009 | Buddhists, Charter 08, Christians, Falun Gong, InterEthnic InterFaith Leadership Conference, Mongolia, News, Religious Freedom, Statements, Tibet, Topics, Uyghur

The Fifth

Interethnic / Interfaith Leadership Conference

Washington, D.C. October 8-10

Leaders of ethnic and religious groups of China to convene for three-day conference to promote understanding, respect, and cooperation.

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We, the delegates to the FIFTH INTERETHNIC / INTERFAITH LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE, reflecting the diversity of regional, religious, and ethnic groups under the rule of the People’s Republic of China, do declare our support for the following
principles, which will govern our words and actions as we pursue our common desire to bring justice, the rule of law, and mutual respect for us all:

  1. Commitment to nonviolence and peaceful discourse in the expression and pursuit of our rights and freedoms as human beings, distinct nations, and religious groups
  2. Rejection of Inflammatory, demonizing, and divisive rhetoric,which only breeds violence and mistrust
  3. Cooperation in the development of constructive actions which support truth, understanding, mutual respect and good will between all individuals and religious groups, and results in a stable, just, and equal society for all.  Specifically we pledge cooperative action toward achievement of the following:
    • Communication freedom
    • The freedom of departure and return to homelands as prescribed by international law and the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights
    • The right to legal redress of grievances under the rule of law, without government subversion of the judicial process.  In particular, we call for an independent,  open, fair,  judicial process for cases related to the events of 3/14/2008 and 7/5/2009.
  4. We urge all organizations, corporations, and political leaders to vigorously support and advance our commitment to these principles in the conduct of their activities with the government of China.
Adopted by acclamation this tenth day of October, 2009

Conference Sponsors

 

China Aid | Initiatives for China | International Campaign for Tibet
National Endowment for Democracy
Southern Mongolian Human Rights Information Center
Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation
World Uyghur Congress