News March 2005

• Adventist Church Representative meets with Sri Lanka Ambassador

Adventist Church Representative meets with Sri Lankan Ambassador

Ambassador Sarala Fernando, Dr. Jonathan Gallagher, Cmdr. W.J. Shavindra Fernando

Geneva, Switzerland... Following a request to meet with the Sri Lanka ambassador from Dr. Jonathan Gallagher, United Nations representative for the Seventh-day Adventist Church, an audience was granted on March 31.

In a private interview that lasted forty-five minutes, the Ambassador Mrs. Sarala Fernando dialogued on a number of issues, including the recent visit of Adventist church president Dr. Jan Paulsen to Sri Lanka in connection with the centenary of the church's presence in the island, humanitarian aid in the aftermath of the tsunami, and the question of "unethical conversion" bills currently before parliament.

"It was a great privilege to be extended this opportunity to speak to the Ambassador and also the Senior State Counsel, Cmdr. W. J. Shavindra Fernando," comments Gallagher. "As a church we wish to work through dialogue and to develop mutual understanding. Consequently we were delighted to hear that the government's plan for the so-called 'anti-conversion' law that is being proposed will follow international requirements for religious freedom and human rights, and that some of the previous extreme positions taken by some have been countermanded by the Supreme Court. We took the opportunity to distance ourselves from inappropriate activity that some groups have been accused of-that is linking humanitarian aid to conversion to Christianity. We also appreciated the chance to share with the government representatives the work the Adventist church is doing in Sri Lanka in terms of health and education etc, along with the disaster relief being carried out by ADRA." [PARL News]

"How to Reform the UN Commission on Human Rights?" --Adventists Participate in Dialogue

61st Session of the UN Commission on Human Rights

Geneva, Switzerland… Having come in for much criticism of late for its lack of effectiveness and credibility, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights seems set for reform.

At an open meeting on March 30 attended by Mrs. Louise Arbour, High Commissioner for Human Rights, the whole issue of reform was raised and debated by members of civil society, including representatives of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

In her remarks, Arbour said she wanted to "conceive of a body that will work universally and fairly for the implementation of human rights," and that there was a great "need to re-center the core of our work in this new environment. We want to see where we will be in ten years, and not be held back by the liabilities of the past. In general terms the emphasis is less on the normative phase, and more on equipping for the implementation phase of human rights-which is very dysfunctional as it is currently operating. It is a challenge for our office and for states parties."

Dr. Jonathan Gallagher, UN representative for the Adventist Church, posed what many see as the crucial question-who will make up the reformed Commission or proposed new Council? He suggested that many believed there should be qualifications for membership of a body that sought to enhance human rights, and that having countries who were human rights violators on the Commission brought it into disrepute. The recent "high level panel" that was charged by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan with bringing recommendations on necessary UN reforms stated in its report that "the Commission on Human Rights suffers from a legitimacy deficit that casts doubt on the overall reputation of the United Nations."

In her response, Arbour admitted "a credibility gap and lack of legitimacy in the Commission," adding that "this is particularly acute when states are invited to throw accusations against each other." However she was skeptical about implementing what she called suitability requirements for membership of the proposed new Human Rights Council. She suggested that the better question is "What should the Council focus on? Membership to do what? How will the work be conducted? As we look for a body which would equip itself to do peer review of implementation of all rights, done through processes which are universal, fair, and respectful, then it may matter less who constitutes the body."

Whether such a view is successful remains to be seen. The current session of the Commission on Human Rights runs from March 14 to April 22. The Adventist Church is making five statements to the Commission on issues of extreme importance that include religious intolerance and persecution, women's rights, and minorities. [PARL News]

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For more information of the church’s involvement at the U.N., visit http://un.adventist.org.

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