Coalition for the Defense of Human Rights Press Release, August 29, 2001
The Coalition for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR), an umbrella coalition
representing minority religious and ethnic communities from around the world,
today called on the World Conference Against Racism (WCAR) in Durban, South
Africa, to condemn “Radical Islamism as form of religio-racism.”
In a letter to Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, and UN High Commissioner for
Human Rights, Mary Robinson, the Coalition asked that the voices and plights
of those oppressed, enslaved and murdered by adherents of the ideology of
“Radical Islamism — a deviation from Islam – be heard at the Conference.
Coalition spokesperson, Mary Elizabeth Hansen said, “Radical Islamism is not
the religion of Islam, founded by Mohammed 13 centuries ago. It is a 20th
Century movement based on a totalitarian ideology, which promotes violence
and militancy in the form of Jihad. Its segregationist view of society –
based on the concept of “dhimmitude – is racist, intolerant, xenophobic,
supremacist, discriminatory, anti-democratic, and has become genocidal.”
CDHR, which represents Hindus, Buddhists, Bahais, Humanist Muslims, Copts,
Assyrians, Syriacs, Southern Sudanese, Maronites, Southern Phillipinos,
West Africans, Ibos, Slavic Christians, Armenians, Arab Christians, Nubians,
secular intellectuals, and women_s groups, published today on its website,
a Declaration entitled “Radical Islamism = Racism = Genocide: Jihad-Islamism (not Islam) abuses human rights worldwide.”
The Declaration argues that “Radical Islamists persecute the Copts in Egypt;
in Sudan, they massacre and enslave the Dinkas, in Lebanon, they terrorize
the Christians; in Nigeria, they butchered Biafran Ibos and oppress the
Christians. In Iraq and Syria, secular radical regimes – penetrated by
Jihadic norms suppress native Christian cultures. In Iran, they persecute
Christians and Bahais; in Kashmir, they wage a terrorist war against the
Hindu minority; in the southern Philippines, they terrorize Catholics and
kidnap foreigners; in East Timor, they endorse ethnic cleansing against
Christians; in Indonesia, they routinely assault the native Christians,
particularly in the Moluccas.”
“Radical Islamism is a world ideology, fielding a world terror-army, and now
oppresses millions with its racist ideology. This threat to world peace and
racial, ethnic and religious harmony needs to be urgently addressed at the
UN Conference,” said Hansen.
