D-4: A joint Pledge

In the light of the coming GA session on the issue of minorities the representative of Indonesia Ms. Tina Orešnik sent us the official Joint Pledge /on the issue of preventing religious extremism) of the D-4 Group - Arab Republic of Egypt, the Republic of Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Turkey (D-4). If you have not noticed, Nigeria has distanced itself from this statement.

D-4: A JOINT PLEDGE

"The state of international religious freedom is increasingly dire due to the presence of forces that fuel instability. These forces include the rise of violent religious extremism coupled with the actions and inactions of government. Extremists have been targeting religious minorities and dissenters from religious communities, that are in majority, with violence, including physical assaults and even murder. 

In tackling the current issues around the world, D-4 member states are aware of the drastically changing religious picture on the geo-political situation of countries and regions. Ecology, demography, rights, economy, personal life, international relations, all these elements are in one way or another marked by the upheavals that have come about in the religious sphere. 

The rise of religious extremism in many of our societies is one phenomenon which poses a strong danger and threat to people’s lives and security. Furthermore, it contributes to the consolidation of a more democratic and pluralistic political life, especially since it has also reached such an amplitude where terror reigns and solutions have become even more difficult to achieve.

D-4 member states hereby pledge to uphold the following commitments:

• - To do everything in our power to achieve plurality and equal opportunities for people of all faiths;

• - To protect all the communities that are on our territories;

• - To condemn acts of religious extremism and to provide a legal framework, that will enable, where possible, the states to compensate minorities for any discriminatory or unjust acts against them;

• - To calling upon police, law enforcement and policy makers to apply "zero-tolerance" strategies toward criminal acts of religious extremists;

• - To furthermore improve the legislation so that the perpetrators of acts of religious terrorism will be held accountable for those actions and will have to take responsibility for this before the respective court of law;

• - To strengthen diplomatic dialogue, in full consideration of the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of all the concerned countries and with that in mind trying to solve the only the inter-ethnic issues involving minorities;

• - To acknowledge religious extremists as people who – for reasons they themselves deem religious – commit, promote or support purposely hurtful, violent or destructive acts against others. 

Finally, we, the members of the D-4, believe in the neccessity of exploring the theological, historical, political, social and psychological roots of extremism. This should be done in order to combat the various forms of religious extremism and to establish what limits can and should be integrated into societies that promote good democratic governance.

Tamara Čakić

Permanent representative of the Arab Republic of Egypt to the United Nations

Tina Orešnik

Permanent representative of the Republic of Indonesia to the United Nations

Marc Andre Bobinger

Permanent representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations

Sara Jud

Permanent representative of the Republic of Turkey to the United Nations"