A Letter sent to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Statement on violence, hatred,of minorities | Christian Muslim Forum
Christian-Muslim Dialogue
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Letter sent to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Statement on violence, hatred, mistreatment of minorities and terrorist Attacks:
Dear Ms San Suu Kyi,
We write to you as the Presidents of the Christian Muslim Forum in England. We are concerned to see accounts of attacks on the Rohingya Muslim people of Burma at the hands of terrorists and the Burmese military.
We urge you to plead for the cause of the Rohingyas with the Burmese Government, for cessation of hostilities against them and impartial application of law and order.
We also ask you to highlight the ongoing discrimination against the Rohingya, especially since the 1982 Citizenship Law and call upon the Burmese government to recognize the Rohingya as Burmese citizens. Ethnic cleansing and marginalization of minorities can have no place in a modern state.
Yours sincerely,
Julian Bond
Director
Christian Muslim Forum
Signed by the Presidents of the Christian Muslim Forum: Revd Alison Tomlin, Anjum Anwar, Rt Revd Donnett Thomas, Rt Revd Dr Richard Cheetham, Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra, Rt Revd Paul Hendricks.
Statement:
1. We acknowledge that religions are implicated in acts of violence and terrorism, though religion does not justify atrocities
2. We affirm that no religion, in itself, advocates violence or terrorism
3. Equating religion with violence is a distortion, whether done by those opposed to religion or those who hijack religion to support violence
4. Peace with God and our fellow human beings is at the heart of Christianity and Islam
5. We acknowledge that believers do not always make clear that they are for peace and against violence
6. Doctrines of ‘just war’ and (military) jihad do not provide any justification for acts of terrorism
7. We urge Christians and Muslims, and all people, to renounce violence and work for peace
8. We are opposed to religious intolerance, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism and marginalization of minorities and condemn intolerant attitudes
9. We especially condemn any mistreatment and persecution by Christians or Muslims, including in situations of conversion
10. We feel deeply the pain of attacks on all who suffer from hostility and violence and urge those in conflict situations to acknowledge the humanity of the other
11. We stand with those who suffer in our words, prayers and deeds
12. We call on all governments to work for peace, instead of increasing conflict, and to respect all people within their countries.
2. We affirm that no religion, in itself, advocates violence or terrorism
3. Equating religion with violence is a distortion, whether done by those opposed to religion or those who hijack religion to support violence
4. Peace with God and our fellow human beings is at the heart of Christianity and Islam
5. We acknowledge that believers do not always make clear that they are for peace and against violence
6. Doctrines of ‘just war’ and (military) jihad do not provide any justification for acts of terrorism
7. We urge Christians and Muslims, and all people, to renounce violence and work for peace
8. We are opposed to religious intolerance, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism and marginalization of minorities and condemn intolerant attitudes
9. We especially condemn any mistreatment and persecution by Christians or Muslims, including in situations of conversion
10. We feel deeply the pain of attacks on all who suffer from hostility and violence and urge those in conflict situations to acknowledge the humanity of the other
11. We stand with those who suffer in our words, prayers and deeds
12. We call on all governments to work for peace, instead of increasing conflict, and to respect all people within their countries.
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