From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Worried by the increasing cases of violence largely attributed to the lack of freedom of religion, the Search for Common Ground, Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), yesterday commenced a 2-day dialogue to find a lasting solution to the problem.
Other participating institutions include Legal Aid Council (LACoN), Federation of Women lawyers (FIDA), National Orientation Agency (NOA), and Nextier.
The theme of the conference is ‘Building a Community of Practice on Freedom of Religion or Beliefs.’
Country Director, Search for Common Ground, Fatima Abubakar Madaki, at the opening ceremony in Abuja, said the participants would weave ideas on how to achieve the goal to Promote and Protect Freedom of Religion and Belief (PP-FoRB Nigeria Project).
According to her, the PP-FORB Nigeria project was designed to empower actors (human rights defenders, journalists, CSOs, and critical stakeholders), to address and prevent conflicts along religious lines and advance Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in Nigeria.
Madaki noted that the project which is funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands, was in response to the incidents of addressing and mitigating violent conflicts that have occupied religious space since the later part of the last century thereby calling for collaborative approaches to promote freedom of religion or belief system in Nigeria.
“Today marks a significant moment as we convene to address one of the most fundamental and crucial aspects of human rights – the freedom to practice one’s religion or belief without fear or discrimination.
“Search for Common Ground (Search) is the world’s largest peacebuilding organization working on the frontline of today’s most consequential conflicts where millions of lives are at stake. We are a locally rooted, global peacebuilding organization working in 33 countries worldwide.
“Our mission is to find local solutions to today’s toughest violent conflicts and save millions of lives in the process.
“Our core methodology is called the Common Ground Approach, which helps adversaries learn to trust each other, create avenues for collaboration and generate breakthroughs for peace.
“We are building a future where collaboration in the face of conflict is the norm- where our difference stimulates social progress rather than precipitates violence.
“At Search for Common Ground, we are a dedicated peacebuilding organization and are not affiliated to any particular religion or belief.
“To this end, our FoRB stand promotes the rights of all Nigerians to freely practice their religion or belief hinged on their fundamental human rights,” she said.
IPCR Director General, Dr Joseph Ochogwu, said it was regrettable that the country’s diversity that should have been a source of peace and economic prosperity had metamorphosed to violence because of religious intolerance.
“This diversity is a source of strength and richness, but also a potential cause of conflict and violence, as we have witnessed in recent years.
“The escalation of religious intolerance, hatred, and discrimination has resulted in the violation of human rights, the disruption of social cohesion, and the threat to peace and security.
“In a nation as diverse and culturally rich as ours, the principles of tolerance, understanding, and respect for varying beliefs are not just ideals but fundamental pillars upon which our society stands.
We recognize that religious freedom is not just a matter of law but a reflection of our collective humanity.
“It is the recognition that each person, regardless of their faith or belief system, is entitled to dignity, respect, and the freedom to worship or not to worship according to their conscience.”
On his part, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Nigeria, Wouter Pomp, said the conference came at a better time.
“I am happy to be here at this very Institute of Peace and Conflict Resolution, because you see your institute Dr. Joseph, if you allow me is exactly the kind of catalysts between the state institutions on the one hand and civil society on the other hand, which can play a very beneficial role.
“I am very happy to be here. A guest of this illustrious Institute today. In a world where people are all too often forced to hide their personal beliefs, to not express their face the way they wanted, and their religion is at times politicized the importance of advancing freedom of religion and belief what we are doing here today can not be overstated.
“On an individual level, this entails the rights the very simple that also important right to live freely and indignity.
“It forms the basis of society as a culture of tolerance and respect among diverse communities. And as we all know, diversity is what makes society flourish.
“Look at Mumbai, Dubai, New York, my own city of Amsterdam and Abuja and we don’t need economists to tell us that I’ve done several times that actually companies that are more diverse in the workforce, they perform better.
“They simply make higher profits. So there is also an economic benefits of embracing diversity.
“Whenever we get at the Netherlands embassy in Abuja, a visitor from the Netherlands we showcase the beauty of diversity of Abuja by visiting the two national monuments, the National Christian Center and the National Mosque.
“And it is not often the two places of worship from different religious Religions can be found so close to each other.
“And this is again reason to celebrate in the same way that I was impressed last year when seeing people in Abuja from different religions fasting at the same time, and coming together to break the fast. I look forward to enjoying that wholesome period again soon.
“At the same time, we have to reflect on the world and also in Nigeria. Still too many people fall victim under the name of religion, often incited because people do not respect the religion or belief of other person’s religion is all too often used.
“For reasons of division, influence and power. In my own country, allow me to share me what my country looked like when I was a boy.
“Netherlands society was very much characterized by what the political scientists thought from zoning which meant that depending on your church, you either belong to a Catholic, Protestant reformed or a humanist.
At the school you were going to the radio and TV programmes you are watching and the bakery shop, you would go to they were all part of your pillar, even rarely meet people outside of your group.
“Let us seize the moment of going together to make steps together for a more inclusive society where no one faces religious discrimination and violence that we learn from each other and each other’s practices, cultures and tradition.