Through the experience gained in these consultations AHRC has become aware that each religion present a unique set of problems in understanding of human rights and a unique set of opportunities for promotion of rights. As human thought takes place only through language and symbols, religious language and symbols constitute an important part of the way people understand themselves and others. For this reason all serious attempts for promotion of human rights must address this factor and find ways to express human rights message through religious language.

Besides this it is also necessary to recognize that all authoritarian regimes attempt to manipulate religions and often religious authorities do not resist such manipulation sufficiently. In fact religions have a tendency to encourage hierarchical social structures rather than egalitarian ones. This attitude is a product coming from past histories. Often religious training of lay people or priest retards their creativity and originality. Any attempt to gain support from persons who are so affected must be accompanied by making of opportunities for them to come to an understanding of their traditions.

For these purposes it is necessary to address problems unique to each religious groups while at the same time having common programmes to create mutual understanding and foster common action.

For this purpose AHRC will initiate four programmes: Asian Buddhist Human Rights Group(ABHRG), Asian Christian Human Rights Group( ACHRG), Asian Catholic Group for Human Rights( ACGHR) and Asian Muslim Human Rights Group. We have made two groups for Christian and Catholic Groups separate as there are significant differences of language and symbolism between both groups. However, we will attempt to work out a coordination of both programmes).

As an initial step to begin the operation of these programmes , AHRC announces the inauguration of Asian Catholic Group for Human Rights( ACGHR ).

The Activities of Asian Catholic Group for Human Rights( ACGHR)

1. To develop human rights promotion materials for Catholic groups

2. To develop human rights campaign materials in suitable language and art forms easily understood by Catholic groups.

3. Provide human rights training programmes to Catholic NGOS and other Catholic agencies

4. To create Catholic support groups for human rights

5. To develop effective urgent appeals and other action programmes on human rights

6. To promote actions for human rights related reforms- political-social- legal

7. To act as a support base for the work programme of Asian Human Rights Commission

8. To promote Asian Human Rights Charter (a peoples charter) and lobby Catholic support groups for regional mechanisms for human rights.

The need for this programme arose from the following factors

1. The strong support for human rights has not yet become a part of Catholic tradition;

2. Catholic understanding of social justice has not included a strong emphasis on human rights

3. There are no Catholic human rights groups in most countries.

4. Justice and Peace groups have to work under hierarchical constraints

5. The regional groups have failed to develop effective methods of work and are not likely to grow due to perceptions of hierarchical controls and due to lack of creative leadership

6. Strong demand has come from individuals and groups to understand modern human rights movement and to participate in it.

Immediate activities

1. We have prepared mail and E-mail list of persons who we think to have an interest in promoting human rights. (Any one on the list who does not wish to be included will be deleted from the list) This list will be expanded in future.

2. Immediate preparation of human rights materials for various types of Catholic groups. The initial set of materials will be on Torture. Various persons will be invited to write lessons, poems, stories; or to make pictures.

3. Conduct study sessions

4. Local and regional campaigns

5. To develop an effective urgent appeal programme.

6. Publication of print and electronic newsletters and discussion papers.

Organizational matters

While ACGHR will attempt to work in cooperation with Catholic hierarchies as a matter of principle it will not have any official links with any official structure. It will function as an independent organization.

Initially ACGHR will function as a project of AHRC. It is hoped that it will become an organization of its own some time in the future. It is hoped that it may soon be possible to have a coordinator for the project. Any comments for development of this programme are welcome.