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OIC clarifies its views on the draft resolution on combating defamation of religions
Date: 02/11/2009 - View in: Arabic | French -  Print
The OIC Secretary General remarked that the position of his organization on the resolution on combating defamation of religions, submitted to the UN General Assembly, was based on the existing international covenants which had clearly pronounced the limits to freedom of opinion and expression in cases of incitement to hatred on religious grounds. He added that for the last ten years, OIC sponsored resolutions on defamation of religions were adopted by the General Assembly in New York and the Human Rights Council (and its predecessor UN Human Rights Commission) in Geneva.
The text of these resolutions had evolved over the years and in its current form was not restricted to or singling out Islam but denounced discrimination and incitement to hatred stemming from defamation of all religions. "It is important to note that passage of these resolutions by a majority vote beyond the membership of the OIC lends international legitimacy to the OIC position on this issue," Ihsanoglu said.
"It is, however, clear that there is a divergence of opinion on this issue with lots of intentional or unintentional misinformation and misunderstanding. On our part, we are looking at the positive side, encouraged by the broad recognition of the need to address the issue of discrimination and incitement to hatred on religious grounds," he added.
He pointed out that the text of the OIC resolution in the past few years had evolved to take on board the views of important stakeholders and the resolution was essentially premised on the existing international covenants. It, however, was unfortunate that smear campaigns were being conducted against the OIC by some NGOs as well as lobby and interest groups in the West on baseless presumptions aimed at misleading the Western public opinion. He explained that the OIC was merely seeking a concerted international effort aimed at elimination of acts of incitement to hatred stemming from defamation of religions.
Referring to the recent consensual passage of US and Egypt-sponsored resolution on the freedom of opinion and expression by consensus at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, the Secretary General said that elements in the resolution could form the basis of engagement and consensus to address this issue in a manner that would meet all concerns. He expressed his sincere wish to see such a convergence of views and broad consensus at the international level that would address the concerns of all parties.
"The OIC has always indicated readiness to engage in this regard," he emphasized. The most recent manifestation of this readiness was witnessed at the Durban Review Conference this year wherein the goodwill gesture on the part of the OIC Group contributed to the success of the Conference and was widely acknowledged by all including the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The full support of the OIC Group in Geneva to the jointly sponsored US-Egypt resolution was another manifestation of the positive approach of the OIC. “Let me reiterate the willingness on the part of the OIC to engage constructively with the US, the EU and others with a view to taking a holistic view aimed at defining and maintaining a delicate balance between freedom of opinion and respect for all religions and incitement to hatred," said the OIC Secretary General.
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