6 | - Número: 024 | 11 de Maio de 2013

Surely, such initiatives as the Lanzarote Convention, the reinforcement of current laws and creation of others, the development of employment opportunities – as the report suggests – for the children at risk, the investment in training programs for stakeholders, etc, will certainly help to somewhat mitigate the problem. But the main issue will remain. And until we don’t put the focus back on the bulwark of family institution, the core values of brotherhood, caring, solidarity – the binds that humanize us all –, instead of the mere transaction of affections, then we’ll forever be coming home to a sour tune on the tv, a sad note – yet another murder or rape or kidnapping of a child – and the future will be a degree less appealing.

ANEXO C

Speech by Mr. Mendes Bota on the debate of report VOLONTE (doc. 13157), about “Violence against religious communities” Plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Strasbourg, 24th April 2013

Mr. President,

Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of the EPP Group, I congratulate Mr. Luca Volonte for the excellent report presented to this Assembly, and salute him for the great work he developed in the last ?? years.
We share with him the notion of indivisibility of Human Rights, upholding them all, but conscient of the hierarchy: Right to life, first; Right to freedom, second; Right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, third; Right to freedom of opinion and expression, fourth! We might feel comfortable with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the European Convention on Human Rights on each hand, invoking articles 9th and 10th on this last one.
But we cannot remain indifferent when the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination Against Christians in Europe reported 821 cases of intolerance, discrimination and marginalization in 5 years.
Or ignore the denounciations of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, the work of ECRI, OSCE and ODHIR.
We know there is islamophobia in Europe, as well as anti-semitism. We know other religions communities suffer attacks attacks around the globe.
But let me quote paragraph 45 of Mr. Volonte’s report: “There is a general feeling that religious communities, including muslims, are better protected in Europe, than the Christians in Africa, Asia ou Middle East.” That’s why the “democracy clause”, in European agreements with third countries is so important, and should include religious freedom.
In addressing this issue, let me begin by expressing first and foremost my unwavering belief in the fundamental goodness of men. I do not mean to say this as an adornment of speech. Rather it is my firm conviction that, given the right conditions of freedom of thought and religion, a man’s first impulse towards one’s neighbour will be one of acceptance and solidarity.
Every so often we find ourselves murmuring the words “how can this happen in the 21st century?” before news reports of religious related persecutions taking place roughly in every corner of the world. We are easily embroiled in the common feeling – particular to westernized society – that in an age that eventually saw Man master the forces of nature in favour of technology, saw the stereotypes of patriarchate smothered and overcome by a fresh wave of tolerance, saw the Berlin wall fall and much more, there can be place for such demonstrations of backwardness and intolerance.
We forget however that this was also an age where that our very genius, put in the service of war and destruction, promoted mass murder to heights never thought possible.