Respect for Religious and Cultural Sensitivities Critical for Global Harmony
23 February 2006
Religious and cultural sensitivities must be respected in order to build harmony in our world, said Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon at a Special Lecture he delivered under the auspices of the Aga Khan Foundation in Karachi, Pakistan, on 17 February 2006.
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| "Violence is not the answer. That will only fuel the cycle of hatred." |
"Efforts are being made constantly by those with sinister interests to divide people, by appealing to primordial instincts which fragment humanity," said the Secretary-General.
"Violence is not the answer. That will only fuel the cycle of hatred. Respect for others and their points of view cannot be imposed nor demanded at the end of a fist or a gun; it must be built up through dialogue, understanding and goodwill."
Mr McKinnon stated that the Danish cartoons controversy, which resulted in widespread protests in the Muslim world, has sharpened tensions in a world being made ever smaller by the forces of globalisation. This globalisation has facilitated greater interaction with people of different races and ethnic and religious groups, and yet, he said, "there are those who seek to force these groups apart, expounding chauvinism, intolerance, threatening behaviour and extremism."
He continued: "It is not a matter of Islam versus Christianity. Extremists who distort the pillars of a faith are not peculiar to any one religion -- sadly, they all have their share of them. Faith does not explain ethnic genocide or inter-clan warfare, nor why appealing to racial prejudice wins votes in some elections.
"Alienation, marginalisation, exclusion are phenomena that have many roots -- religion, language and culture are among them. But so too are poverty, illiteracy, environmental degradation and perceived political injustice."
The Secretary-General noted that the advancement and globalisation of technology today enables words and images to move rapidly and largely unchecked around the world. This has brought about tremendous freedom, opportunity, as well as abuse. The challenge, he said, is to use the channels of communication and freedom responsibly.
Mr McKinnon pointed out that the Commonwealth serves as an excellent example of unity in diversity, with its members comprising every major religious and ethnic group.
"We believe that this comparative advantage makes the Commonwealth well placed to lead by example, work with others, and campaign actively on the world stage for justice, tolerance and respect. That is why our leaders asked me in Malta to explore initiatives by which the Commonwealth can not only contribute to the growing international efforts to promote cross-cultural dialogue in a way which adds value, but also how it can use best practices from successful examples within its own ranks to enhance in practical ways mutual understanding and respect, and social harmony."
He said South Asia is a region which has seen -- and continues to witness -- examples of religious extremism, ethnic conflict, economic deprivation and challenges to democratic practice. He pointed out that Pakistan itself has paid a heavy price -- politically, economically and socially -- for the conflict in Afghanistan in the 1980s and the war against terror after the events of 11 September 2001.
"We all have to work harder to ensure that people in any society, wherever they live, are not made to feel that they are outsiders, that they are marginalised, that they don't have equality of opportunity, that they must simply give up in despair on their children's future."
The Secretary-General's speech was titled 'Shaping the Global Agenda: Role of the Commonwealth'. In it, he also touched on issues of democracy and good governance, including the Commonwealth's position on democracy in Pakistan, as well as free and fair multilateral trade and their impact on sustainable development.
The full text of the speech is available here.
CNIS - Commonwealth News and Information Service Issue 273, 22 February 2006
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