Ensuring respect for and peaceful co-existence between all religious communities and beliefs in a globalised world

National Assembly Cape Town: 27 February 2007  

 Madam Speaker:

At the end of April the International Parliamentary Union will meet in Indonesia to discuss serious matters concerning the people of this world.  Around 150 Parliaments will then try to find solutions for our planet's challenges.

One of the issues to be discussed, concerns religious communities. There are literally thousands of different religious beliefs on earth and they all have to be respected and have to co-exist peacefully and contribute to creating a better life for all human beings.

Those members of the South African Parliament attending the forthcoming IPU meeting, cannot simply arrive there and take stands. They represent the South African Parliament and must reflect Parliament's views.

For that reason this debate takes place so that the South African delegation can today be briefed on what stands we are to take, not only on the issue we are debating today, but also on other issues to be covered later by this House.

Madame Speaker

Religion is supposedly all about Faith, Hope and Love. And yet, one will have to go far to find another issue that is so filled with divisive elements such as intolerance, disrespect, hatred and war.

In many ways religion has shaped the modern history of the world. Witness for instance the Christian Crusades to the Holy Land and the penetration of Islam into Europe hundreds of years ago. The reverberations of these monumental historic epochs can today still be felt, and for some, still serve as a rallying point.

It is very important that all people recognise and respect freedom of religious choice and practise, and especially to be tolerant of differences and divergent approaches to religion.

We therefore have to give people room to freely practise their religion of choice.

But unfortunately, hard line religious fundamentalists refuse to be tolerant of other religions and they refuse to give room to other believers to freely practise their choice of religion. They thrive on intolerance, hatred and fear and have become a danger to humanity and to world peace.

One needs to take an example from the Roman Catholic Pope who, having raised the ire of Muslims everywhere with his misunderstood speech in Regensburg, went on a bridge-building visit to Turkey where his humility and respect for Islam went a long way towards rebuilding a fractured relationship.

Madame Speaker

The IPU must therefore at the forthcoming meeting in Indonesia urge its member Parliaments to make it possible for religious communities and leaders to enter into a dialogue of which the main aim should be guaranteeing respect for and peaceful co-existence between religious communities and beliefs in a globalised word.

Thank you