UN Assembly decries use of religion in terror acts

United Nations, Nov 14 (UNI) A high-level meeting of the General Assembly has decried the use of religion to justify the killing of innocent people and terrorist acts and voiced concern that serious instances of intolerance, discrimination and harassment persist between people of different faiths and cultures.

The two-day ''Culture of Peace'' gathering, convened on the initiative of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, called for mutual understanding through dialogue, and respect for human rights among proponents of various faiths, cultures and civilisations.

''Concerned about serious instances of intolerance, discrimination, hatred expressions, and harassment of minority religious communities of all faiths, participating States underlined the importance of promoting dialogue, understanding, and tolerance among human beings, as well as respect for all their diverse religions, cultures and beliefs,'' according to a declaration read out at a news conference yesterday by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as the meeting concluded.

''Participating states affirmed their rejection of the use of religion to justify the killing of innocent people and actions of terrorism, violence and coercion, which directly contradict the commitment of all religions to peace, justice and equality,'' it added. Ban said the challenge now was to move beyond ''powerful, positive words'' to ''dialogue that delivers.'' Heads of state, ambassadors and senior officials from some 70 countries addressed the meeting including King Abdullah, United States President George W Bush, Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Israeli President Shimon Peres, Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Jordan's King Abdullah and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari.

In the declaration, the General Assembly reiterated its call for ''promoting a culture of tolerance and mutual understanding through dialogue, and supporting the initiatives of religious leaders, civil society, and states seeking to entrench the culture of peace, understanding, tolerance, and respect for human rights among the proponents of various faiths, cultures, and civilizations.'' Participating states expressed their commitment to strengthening existing mechanisms within the United Nations for ''promoting tolerance and human rights, preserving the institution of the family, protecting the environment, spreading education, eradicating poverty, and fighting drug abuse, crime and terrorism, noting the positive role of religions, beliefs and moral humanitarian principles in tackling these challenges.'' On Wednesday, at the opening of the high-level event, General Assembly President Miguel D'Escoto told participants that the world was facing its most difficult period since the founding of the UN.

He urged global leaders to use their ''moral strength'' to find solutions to some of the greatest problems plaguing the planet, including poverty, hunger and climate change.

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