'Radical Islamism, is a Form of Religio-Racism That Should Be Condemned at UN Racism Conference in Durban,' Rights Group Says

DURBAN, South Africa, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- The Coalition for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR), an umbrella coalition representing minority religious and ethnic communities from around the world, today called on the World Conference Against Racism (WCAR) in Durban, South Africa, to condemn "Radical Islamism as form of religio-racism."

In a letter to Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, the Coalition asked that the voices and plights of those oppressed, enslaved and murdered by adherents of the ideology of "Radical Islamism -- a deviation from Islam" -- be heard at the Conference.

Coalition spokesperson, Mary Elizabeth Hansen said, "Radical Islamism is not the religion of Islam, founded by Mohammed 13 centuries ago. It is a 20th Century movement based on a totalitarian ideology, which promotes violence and militancy in the form of Jihad. Its segregationist view of society -- based on the concept of 'dhimmitude' -- is racist, intolerant, xenophobic, supremacist, discriminatory, anti-democratic, and has become genocidal."

CDHR, which represents Hindus, Buddhists, Bahais, Humanist Muslims, Copts, Assyrians, Syriacs, Southern Sudanese, Maronites, Southern Phillipinos, West Africans, Ibos, Slavic Christians, Armenians, Arab Christians, Nubians, secular intellectuals, and women's groups, published today on its website, (www.dhimmi.com) a Declaration entitled "Radical Islamism = Racism = Genocide: Jihad-Islamism (not Islam) abuses human rights worldwide."

The Declaration argues that Radical Islamists:

persecute the Copts in Egypt;
in Sudan, massacre and enslave the Dinkas;
in Lebanon, terrorize the Christians;
in Nigeria, they butchered Biafran Ibos and oppress the Christians;
In Iraq and Syria, secular radical regime...penetrated by Jihadic norms suppress native Christian cultures.
In Iran, persecute Christians and Bahais;
in Kashmir, wage a terrorist war against the Hindu minority;
in the southern Philippines, they terrorize Catholics and kidnap foreigners;
in East Timor, endorse ethnic cleansing against Christians;
in Indonesia, routinely assault the native Christians, particularly in the Moluccas.

"Radical Islamism is a world ideology, fielding a world terror-army, and now oppresses millions with its racist ideology. This threat to world peace and racial, ethnic and religious harmony needs to be urgently addressed at the UN Conference," said Hansen.