Petition Tag - intolerance

“The textbooks encourage children to develop ‘apartheid attitudes’” toward Tamils. In the 1950s and 1960s, Tamil and Sinhalese scholars vehemently protested this, but the Education Department that produces the textbooks dismissed their concern.

The Sri Lankan government impels planting and nurturing seeds of apartheid and intolerance in the young impressionable minds of Sinhalese schoolchildren through their educational system. http://bit.ly/nd3HQD

SL President Mahinda Rajapaksa has stated: “The elder generation is entrusted with the responsibility of creating a younger generation that will *NOT BETRAY* the country at any cost.” http://bit.ly/oAffpB

PLEASE NOTE! ~ Sometime between 20 Aug 2011 and 24 Aug 2011, someone REVISED Rajapaksa’s words above to the following:
"President Rajapaksa said the elder generation is entrusted with the responsibility of creating a younger generation that will *LOVE* the country at any cost." http://bit.ly/oAffpB (For original "phrase", please go to http://bit.ly/r3Eda7)

Regi Siriwardene, a well-respected Sinhalese writer, in an analysis of the effects of school textbooks on ethnic relations in Sri Lanka (1984): “Millions of school children are taught, in the name of social studies, through text-books published by the state, the myths of divergent racial origins which will help to divide the Sinhalese and Tamils for more generations to come….”

“Why education matters for global security”, http://bit.ly/obK3O9, by Irina Bokova (Director General, UNESCO), 01 March 2011:

“Education must rise on the agenda of peace building. We know the wrong type of education can fuel conflict. The use of education systems to foster hatred has contributed to the underlying causes of conflicts, from Rwanda to Sri Lanka, but also in Guatemala and Sudan.”

Speaking at the Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America (FeTNA) convention during the US Independence day weekend, Professor Francis A. Boyle, an expert in International Law, said that Sri Lanka is a violator of the Apartheid Convention:

Francis Boyle Speech On Tamil Genocide On Sri Lanka, FeTNA 2010 - P1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmxlGDfUbUY&feature=player_embedded#!

Francis Boyle Speech On Tamil Genocide On Sri Lanka, FeTNA 2010 - P2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5u2volDBOuU&feature=related

We are ONE VOICE for freedom, justice, equality and peace. What we accomplish today in the name of Humanity and Human Rights for All the Peoples of the World MUST NOT ONLY BE TAUGHT TO OUR CHILDREN, but it MUST be protected, appreciated and respected for all future generations.

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I have learnt about prejudice before and I think that it is completely wrong. I am very hurt when people are prejudiced against me. I am very shocked to discover that only certain types of prejudice such as racism and sexism are illegal.

It is now time that everyone understood and recognised that there is good and bad in everything and that there is a difference between what people CAN do and what they WILL do. I am always very nervous of prejudice and no one deserves to be afraid of being harassed because of who or what they are. I know some people who are prejudiced against pit bull type dogs because they have had bad previous experiences with them. Even this I cannot understand. They should be better educated to know that there is good and bad in everything.

I have heard of others who have bad experiences with Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs, and still hold nothing against them. Any dog of any breed can be trained to be nice, whatever their nature or original purpose. I once knew a border collie who wouldn't have known a sheep from a cow because she had never been trained to herd animals. Every day, I fear prejudice and I get even more strongly against it. I cannot understand nor tolerate ANY prejudice whatsoever. Children and young people should be better educated so that they grow up tolerating all religions, races, nationalities and types of people, as well as dog breeds. A better way of dealing with dog attacks on children would be to make socialization classes mandatory for all dog owners. This would also create more jobs as not everyone would be able to afford these classes so the government would have to set up their own classes and pay the people who own the places and those who run the classes. This would not be that hard to enforce because if enough signs and posters were placed regarding the importance of dog socialization the general public would report those who did not take their dogs.

Another idea would be to make it mandatory that children in primary schools are taught how to approach dogs properly. They should always ask the owner before touching a strange dog/s, and even if they let them stroke their dog/s, they should always put their hand out for the dog to sniff first. Never stare into a dog's eyes as this is a sign of aggression. Some dogs do not like to be petted on the head so unless you know the animal well you should never touch its head as it can appear to be frightening to the dog. If a dog chases you or growls at you, you should not run or scream because then he'll be more likely to chase you. The best thing to do is to just ignore him and, if possible, crouch down to show that you are not a threat.

Back onto the topic, how would YOU like it if people were hateful against your religion? Whoever said "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me" was talking out of his or her armpit. Words can and do hurt people. Black people do get offended when they are called "n*****" and foreigners do get offended when they are called "p****". Despite rumours and myths, most prisoners are not gypsies or travellers. Some of them are bad, some of them are good. Some of them steal, some don't. Some drop litter, some don't. No one should be judged by anything other than their own personal character.

Prejudice can be stopped, or at least reduced, by education!

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In accord to UN General Assemblies, two very clear Declarations against RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE were done by them.

They are related to religious freedom. One resolution (adopted by the 36th session of the United Nations General Assembly on 1981-NOV-25)- Declaration On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Intolerance And Of Discrimination Based On Religion Or Belief - and A second resolution (adopted by the 48th session on 1993-DEC-20) also exists - ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE.

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სახალხო დამცველის მოხსენებებში არაერთხელ აღინიშნა, რომ სამართალდამცავი ორგანოების მხრიდან კვლავაც არ კეთდება ჯეროვანი რეაგირება ქვეყანაში განხორციელებულ შეუწყნარებლობის ფაქტებზე. კერძოდ, სახალხო დამცველის მიერ გამოვლენილ შემთხვევათა უმეტესობაში გამოძიება ერიდება რელიგიური შეუწყნარებლობის მოტივაციით ჩადენილი დანაშაულის მაკვალიფიცირებელი ნორმის გამოყენებას და ამჯობინებს, საქმე ხულიგნობის მუხლით აღძრას.

ვფიქრობთ, რომ სახელმწიფოს მხრიდან ასეთი ტიპის დანაშაულებზე სრულყოფილი და ადეკვატური გამოძიების ჩატარების ნების ნაკლებობა გახდა იმის ერთ–ერთი მიზეზი, რამაც მიგვიყვანა არსებულ მდგომარეობამდე. მიგვაჩნია, რომ მსგავს ტენდენციას უარყოფითი გალენა აქვს ქართული სახელმწიფოს დემოკრატიულ განვითარებასა და აგრეთვე, მის ევროინტეგრაციაზე.

ასევე, დაუშვებლად მიგვაჩნია საპატრიარქოს მითითებითა და ზეწოლით რაიმე სახის საკანონმდებლო ცვლილებების გატარება, ცენზურის დაწესება და გამოხატვის თავისუფლების ნებისმიერი სახით შეზღუდვა.

კონსტიტუციის მიხედვით, საქართველოში სახელმწიფოსა და ეკლესიის საქმიანობისა და გავლენის სფეროები მკაფიოდ უნდა იყოს გამიჯნული, შესაბამისად, ვითხოვთ ადეკვატური პოლიტიკის გატარებას, რომელიც კანონის უზენაესობასა და კონსტიტუციით უზრუნველყოფილი ადამიანის უფლებების დაცვას დაეფუძნება.

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