53nd Session of the SubCommittee for the Promotion
and Protection of Human Rights in Geneva

Point of the day: Economics, Socials and Culturals rights

Declaration of Fraternite Notre Dame
(July 30-August 17, 2001)

The Fraternite Notre Dame is happy to have you read these thoughts during this sub-Commission of Human Rights under and it is honored to bear witnes here as usuall.
In effect the Committees and sub-Committees are an important pillar to make the world and those of great wealth aware of the sufferings of human beings, to be the “mouth pieces” of these voiceless people and to testify that in this 21st Century unfortunately, Human Rights are despised in many countries and crippled underhandedly in others.

Let us remember that Fraternite Notre Dame is at work in almost all the continents, serving the most destitute, without distinction of class, race, sex or cread. All its permanent or temporary missions in Africa. The West Indies, Asia and America, have been made possible, thanks to its Bishop and Founder, The Most Reverend Jean Marie Roger Kozik.

Fraternite Notre Dame like other associations, testifies that these rights are despised in countries suffering from poverty, and in our European countries so-called free, civilized and respecting of Human Rights.
For 20 years, Fraternite Notre Dame has been working to relieve poverty and has seen unfortunately, that this misery has increased. We can measure that fact, on contact with the local population in Haiti, Niger, Mongolia, R wanda, Romania, Ex-Yugoslavia, Cameroon, Albania, Kosovo, France and El Salvador, where we have permanent or temporary missions.

The fundamental rights are despised: The right to nutrition lodging, health care, education, purchasing power or acquisition, and conservation of property or land. Laws do not protect enough of these fundamental rights. The less developed countries are affected, more and more, by the scourge of hunger, illiteracy, unamployment and mortality. In the most developed countries, whole populations are plummated into unemployment, without any hope of improvement, drug dependance, homelessness is considerably growing. Fraternite Notre Dame opened there soup kitchens to cover the daily needs for food. We welcome with love, and free of charge, these “marginalized” and poor of our society.

For someone to have to beg for a meal in our industrialized country has become a sad reality a sign of the times, illustrating the decline of our 21th Century’s societies. Exploitation of children, clandestine work or prostitution, organ sale, the sale of children, the enlistment of subvensive armias, the collapse of the basic family unit are just more indications that make us think about the current tragedies.
Fraternite Notre Dame estimates that one of the most important causes of this social decline is the decline of spiritual values: there is no more “active love” that was the blood of our civilization. In our times where modernization has become sophisticated, where there is consumption in our so-called civilized countries selfishness has ossified the heart of our societies. The poor do not benefit from this “progress”.
But the means exist, to stop this 21th Century tragedy, little by little. If we educate youth, if we provide employment to the active population, if we give back dignity to the elderly, then, stone by stone, from all directions, the fabric can be re-built.

The Founder of Fraternite Notre Dame, The Most Reverend Bishop Jean Marie, Roger Kozik, by these acts of mercy out in the “field”, proves that we can help the poorest of the poor get out of misery. There are hundreds of children who escape death in Mongolia, Haiti, Niger, who can enjoy again the “taste” of life and who will be able to attend school. Our charitable organization formed by more than 100 peoples, over several continents, has been feeding thousands of people with the help of lay volunteers.

Fraternite Notre Dame serves meals to patients with AIDS in the US, feeds the homeless in France, Chicago, New York, Mongolia, Niger, Haiti, Cameroon and Martinique. In 20 years, schools, orphanages, health care centers an hospital have been founded.
In Mongolia, for example Fraternite Notre Dame opened a 65 beds - hospital reserved to those who are rejected from other health centers for financial reasons. Fraternite Notre Dame would work more efficiently if it could receive more support, and if it could obtain more pharmaceuticals and surgical/medical products for example.
In several countries, some Catholics are narrow-minded and spiritually closed: they are “secta-rian” with regard to accepting any other conviction or expression, which might be different from their own. They own exert pressure and religious persecution-unworthy of so-called “Democratic” countries.
In Africa, discrimination does not allow development of the Faith and maintains a form of moral supervision, instead of developing the cultural identity of the country. For example, the establisment of bishops or priests from the country of origin, is non promoted. The installation of free schools is prevented thus in non support of the Rights of children and thus forbidding them access to education.
But, we are convinced that our actions are well-founded, we know that love always triumphs over hatrad, and that the true religion must carry with it, tolerance, devotion and compassion for one’s neighbor.

With an attitude of respect and limitless courage, the Founder of the Fraternite Notre Dame is concerned with respecting human dignity in a society despite its differences, and the Founder hands this necessity to his missionaries and his lay volunteers who are out there, working close to the people.

We are working for a life which is more dignified and humanitarian, respects difference and maintains solidarity, without distinction of race, class or creed and we believe that poverty can be stopped on a global scale if people of Good Will join one another, minorities as well as large, industrial groups and majority groups on our planet earth.

[End of Declaration]