“The International Day in
memory of the victims of the Holocaust is thus a day on which we must reassert
our commitment to human rights…We must also go beyond remembrance, and make
sure that new generations know this history. We must apply the lessons of the
Holocaust to today’s world. And we must do our utmost so that all peoples may
enjoy the protection and rights for which the United Nations stands.”
These words were delivered by the
late Mr. Ban Ki-Moon,
former Secretary-General of the United Nations, for the second observance of
the Holocaust Victims Memorial Day on 19 January 2008. The United Nations General
Assembly Resolution 60/7 established 27 January as International Holocaust
Remembrance Day, urging every member state to honour the memory of the estimated
six million European Jewish victims and to encourage the development of
educational programmes to help prevent future tragedies.
However, in spite of such a resolution, human
rights violations continue unabated for millions of people all over the world
today in many forms. One such form is the persecution of religious minorities -
not only within developing and under-developed countries - but within the
supposedly constitutional and democratic Republic of Korea today. According to
the Human Rights Association for Victims of Coercive Conversion Programs (HAC),
the coercive conversion practice - created and implemented by pastors of the
Christian Council of Korea (CCK) - has led to the deaths of two women and
kidnappings of over 1250 (mainly young) Koreans. Pastors deceive parents into
making them believe that their son or daughter has fallen into a cult with the
intention being to forcibly convert him or her from one Christian denomination to
another. It is an outright violation of human rights disguised beneath the veil of religion.
And such attempts at coercive conversion show no sign of letting up in
South Korea - a country that has freedom of religion guaranteed by its
Constitution. Since Ms. Gu’s death on 9th January 2018 - and in
spite of the subsequent rallies held worldwide calling for a ban on coercive
conversion and for pastors to be brought to justice, as well as the publication
in the New York Times - there have been 147 confirmed cases of coercive
conversion. Most recently, a woman in her forties who had been confined for one
week in an isolated lodge in Pocheon, Gyeonggi-do, and subjected to coercive
conversion, was rescued.
It is unacceptable for the Korean government to label this issue as
“familial” or “religious” in nature and to take no action. We must continue
to rally and speak out against such injustices so that this practice - and any act
that violates one’s human rights - will come to an end.
#CCK #HAC #Human_Rights #Coercive_Conversion_Program #Rally
Oh.....my...god
ReplyDeleteWow
ReplyDeletewow
ReplyDeleteCCK OUT!!!
ReplyDelete