|
WASHINGTON (September 15, 2006)--- The president of the U.S. Conference
of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has warned Amnesty International that a
proposal to abandon its neutral stance on abortion for a policy of
advocating for abortion as a “human right” will threaten vulnerable
unborn children and jeopardize the organization’s excellent record as a
champion for human rights.
“To abandon this long held position would be a tragic mistake, dividing
human rights advocates and diverting Amnesty International from its
central and urgent mission of defending human rights as outlined in the
U.N. Declaration of Human Rights,” Bishop William S. Skylstad, president
of USCCB, wrote in a letter to Irene Khan, the Secretary General of
Amnesty International.
Noting that USCCB has worked with Amnesty International on a range of
issues - most recently on a campaign to end the death penalty in the
United States - Bishop Skylstad urged the organization not to “dilute or
divert its mission by adopting a position that many see as fundamentally
incompatible with a full commitment to human rights and that will deeply
divide those working to defend human rights.”
“If Amnesty International were to advocate for abortion as a human
right, it would risk diminishing its own well-deserved moral
credibility,” Bishop Skylstad said. “It certainly would most likely
divide its own members, many of whom are Catholic, and others who defend
the rights of unborn children.”
Abortion is not considered a human right in international law, Bishop
Skylstad points out, and both the United Nations Convention on the
Rights of the Child and the recently adopted United Nations Declaration
on Human Cloning uphold the principal of the dignity of the unborn
child.
“The right to life itself is fundamental – it is ‘the right to have
rights,’ and its integrity depends on being acknowledged in absolutely
every member of the human family regardless of race, age or condition,”
Bishop Skylstad said. “This is no peculiarity of Catholic teaching, but
an insight of the ‘natural law’ tradition of human rights that has
produced so many advances in upholding human dignity.”
The full text of Bishop Skylstad’s letter follows.
September 12, 2006
Ms. Irene Khan
Secretary General
International Secretariat
Amnesty International
1 Easton Street
London
WCIX ODW, United Kingdom
Dear Ms. Khan:
It is with a sense of great alarm that I write to you about the proposal
by some within Amnesty International to abandon the organization’s
traditional neutral stance on abortion, replacing it with an assertive
policy of advocating abortion on demand as a “human right.” The United
States Conference of Catholic Bishops believes a change in policy will
erode the human rights of the most vulnerable members of the human
family: unborn children. It will also jeopardize Amnesty International’s
excellent record as a champion of human rights. To abandon this long
held position would be a tragic mistake, dividing human rights advocates
and diverting Amnesty International from its central and urgent mission
of defending human rights as outlined in the U.N. Declaration of Human
Rights.
For many years, the Catholic community here in the United States and
elsewhere has admired and worked with Amnesty International in its
efforts to advance the cause of universal human rights. Greater respect
for human rights is one of the hard won achievements of humanity since
World War II. Founded by a Catholic layman, Peter Benenson, Amnesty
International has been a beacon of hope to thousands of prisoners of
conscience, of abuse and torture and a source of inspiration to millions
of supporters, including many Catholics who are Amnesty members. Much
more urgent work remains, work which we believe will be harmed by this
unprecedented and unnecessary involvement in the abortion debate.
We share Amnesty’s vision of a “world in which every person enjoys all
of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights and other international human rights standards.” Amnesty
International and the Catholic Church have both been in the forefront of
the struggle to promote the dignity of the human person and basic human
rights. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has worked with
Amnesty International over many years on a range of human rights
concerns in our own nation, most recently in our common efforts to end
the use of the death penalty in the United States. We have also taken up
many issues of common concern internationally, ranging from
anti-apartheid efforts in South Africa to opposition to the
government-sanctioned death squads in Central America to more recent
efforts to end the practice of torture by anyone under any circumstances
in the struggle against terrorism.
Amnesty International should continue its tradition of focusing on often
neglected human rights issues – issues that lack the visibility and
advocacy which surround the abortion issue, but are widely acknowledged
as legitimate human rights concerns among people of good will. As you
know, abortion is not considered a human right in international law. The
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the recently
adopted United Nations Declaration on Human Cloning uphold the principle
of the dignity of the unborn child and the need for special protection
for the unborn in the context of a concern for advancing human rights.
It would be ironic for Amnesty International, as an advocate for human
rights, to now deny what various international bodies have
supported—namely two parties with rights when it comes to birth and
abortion.
While the proposed action by Amnesty International may appear to some to
support women’s freedom or provide a compassionate response to women who
are in difficult situations of pregnancy, abortion injures the health
and dignity of women at the same time that it ends the life of the
unborn child. In the United States, our experience is that women oppose
unrestricted abortion as strongly as men or more. These views are
sometimes strongest of all among women who have undergone an abortion.
Violence to correct situations, even unjust ones, diminishes human
dignity and the fabric of society. When the Second Vatican Council
condemned violations of the dignity of the human person such as
mutilation, torture and coercion of conscience, it began its list of
human rights abuses with actions “opposed to life itself” such as
abortion and euthanasia. The right to life itself is fundamental – it is
“the right to have rights,” and its integrity depends on being
acknowledged in absolutely every member of the human family regardless
of race, age or condition. This is no peculiarity of Catholic teaching,
but an insight of the “natural law” tradition of human rights that has
produced so many advances in upholding human dignity. Many of the great
figures of our time in advancing human rights and compassion for the
destitute – Susan B. Anthony, Mohandas Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Dietrich
Bonhoeffer, Archbishop Oscar Romero, Dorothy Day, Elizabeth Cady
Stanton, Fannie Lou Hamer – also spoke out against abortion. Many will
find it incomprehensible that these giants of human progress must now be
seen as enemies of human rights.
A far more compassionate response is to provide support and services for
pregnant women and to advance their educational and economic standing in
society. The Catholic Church provides these services to many women
around the world and commits itself to continuing to do so. The Catholic
Church will also continue to advocate greater attention to these needs
in all relevant international assemblies.
If Amnesty International were to advocate for abortion as a human right,
it would risk diminishing its own well-deserved moral credibility. It
certainly would most likely divide its own members, many of whom are
Catholic, and others who defend the rights of unborn children. It could
jeopardize Amnesty’s support by people in many nations, cultures and
religions. The core
values, commitments and leadership of Amnesty International for the
protection of human rights are still greatly needed. We urge you to
maintain the focus of Amnesty International’s work on behalf of human
rights. Please do not dilute or divert its mission by adopting a
position that many see as fundamentally incompatible with a full
commitment to human rights and that will deeply divide those working to
defend human rights.
Thank you for your attention to our perspective and concerns.
Sincerely yours,
Most Reverend William S. Skylstad
Bishop of Spokane
President
cc
Rick Halperin, Chair, Board of Directors, AIUSA
Larry Cox, Executive Director, AIUSA
Curt Goering, Senior Deputy Executive Director, Policy and Programs,
AIUSA
Julie Hertzog, Senior Deputy Executive Director, Operations, AIUSA
|