A coalition of Bahraini civil society organisations issued a document on religious and sectarian tolerance on February 14th to coincide with the 13th anniversary of the National Action Charter.

Prepared by the Bahrain Society for Tolerance and Religious Co-existence (Ta’ayush), the Abdulrahman Kanoo Cultural Centre, the Bahrain Writers’ Circle and the Bahrain Journalists Association, the document defines tolerance as “accepting the viewpoint of the other, which does not mean giving up on principles and beliefs”.

Subscribing to the value of tolerance represents a commitment to uphold human rights and accept cultural pluralism, democracy and the rule of law. It also requires justice and impartiality in law enforcement and judicial and administrative proceedings, the document states.

These values will be strengthened through public-private co-operation, it continues, noting that as education and culture are the most effective ways to spread the spirit of tolerance, curricula that uphold these values must be developed.

The document highlights Bahrain’s adoption of international conventions on human rights, and urges the government to enact further legislation in this area.

“The document represents a popular declaration that Bahrain is a land of co-existence for all, no matter their ethnicities and religions,” said the Rev. Hani Aziz, pastor of the National Evangelical Church in Bahrain, vice president of the Ta’ayush Society, and a co-author of the document.

The document was conceived when the Ta’ayush Society and the Abdulrahmman Kanoo Cultural Centre agreed to draft a paper that promoted the values of tolerance and co-existence and activated the role of religion in civil peace in Bahraini society, he said.

Writers and journalists groups later joined in with this endeavour, he said.

A document for all Bahrainis

“This document is for all the people of Bahrain, and was issued from Beit al-Qu’ran in Manama to symbolise its inclusion of all,” Aziz said.

It is “a message of peace from a sincere heart which reveals the openness of Bahrainis to others from different persuasions and walks of life”, he added.

An outreach effort to churches and mosques is under way to educate people about the document and receive their endorsement, he said, adding that public signatures are now being collected.

After these have been obtained, the document will be sent to King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa for review, he said.

The document has met with wide acclaim from both private citizens and civil society institutions, said Buthainah Khalifa Qasim, a spokeswoman for the coalition that issued the document.

The public will have one month to sign it before it is submitted to the king, she said.

“The value of the document lies in it being a popular initiative, with noble goals of strengthening the foundations of tolerance, co-existence and civil peace,” by a group that is not involved in politics, she said.

All communities in Bahrain agreed on the document, Qasim said, adding that as a popular initiative “it has more weight than government or official initiatives, because the people are the source of all authority”.

Amity, brotherhood and tolerance

“The document represents the values of Islam, which invite everyone to the call of amity, brotherhood and tolerance,” said Jaafari Waqf president Sheikh Mohsen al-Asfour.

“All divine messages aim to lift man from spiritual poverty and deprived morals and behaviours, so he can become good, prosperous and stable,” he told Al-Shorfa.

It is time for all peoples of the world to see the importance of individual and collective security, social and political stability and co-existence, he added.

There has been broad popular support for the document, said Ta’ayush Society finance officer Ibrahim al-Nunu.

“The document will serve to educate children and youth, particularly schoolchildren, on how to develop the roots of tolerance and civil peace among members of civil society and its institutions,” he said.

The document also aims to educate people that tolerance is not only associated with religious concepts, but includes all aspects of life and the simplest daily transactions, he told Al-Shorfa.

Its provisions are “standard, but precious in their values and their involvement of everyone in developing and giving to the nation, regardless of religion, sect or political views”, he said.