Bahá’í World/Volume 13/The Bahá’í Faith and the United Nations

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6. THE BAHA’t FAITH AND THE

UNITED NATIONS

THE BEGINNINGS OF Bahá’í RELATIONSHIP WITH UNITED NATIONS (Reprinted from The Bahá’í World— V01.XII)

IN THE spring of 1947 the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada was accredited to United Nations as a national non-governmental organization qualified to be represented at United Nations Conferences through an observer.

A year later the eight National Spiritual Assemblies then existing were recognized collectively as an international non-governmental organization under the title of “The Bahá’í International Community.” These eight Assemblies were those of North America; the British Isles; Germany and Austria; Egypt and Sl'ldan; ‘Iráq; Írán (Persia); India, Pakistan and Burma; and Australia and New Zealand. To these eight bodies have since been added the National Spiritual Assemblies of the Bahá’ís of Canada, of Central America and of South America. Each National Spiritual Assembly in its application established the National Assembly of the United States as its representative in relation to United Nations.1

A significant action was taken in July, 1947, when the United Nations Special Committee in Palestine addressed a letter to Shoghi Effendi Rabbani, as Head of the Bahá’í Faith resident in the Bahá’í World Center at Haifa, requesting an expression of the Bahá’í attitude on the future of Palestine. In his reply, Shoghi Effendi made it clear that “Our aim is the establishment of universal peace in the world and our desire to see justice prevail in every domain of human society, including the domain of politics.” The Guardian also pointed out his concern that “the fact be recognized by whoever exercises sovereignty over Haifa and ‘Akká, that within this area exists the spiritual and

1 The number of National Spiritual Assemblies has (1963) increased to fifty-six. See International Directory. p. 947.

administrative center of a world Faith, and that the independence of that Faith, its right to manage its international aflairs from this source, the rights of Bahá’ís from any and every country of the globe to visit it as pilgrims (enjoying the same privilege in this respect as Jews, Muslims and Christians do in regard to visiting Jerusalem) be acknowledged and permanently safeguarded.”

With this communication the Guardian enclosed a summary of the history and teachings of the Bahá’í Faith which the Bahá’ís of the United States reprinted and distributed widely.

In addition to participation in a number of United Nations regional and international conferences four Bahá’í documents have been formally submitted: “A Bahá’í Declaration of Human Obligations and Rights,” 1947; “A Bahá’í Statement on the Rights of Women,” 1947; and “The Work of Bahá’ís in Promotion of Human Rights,” 1948. On November 9, 1949, a letter was addressed to United Nations explaining the Bahá’í concept of worship, in connection with the effort of United Nations to formulate a method of worship acceptable for use in its future prayer building.

On May 9, 1947, the Guardian wrote through his secretary to explain why he was encouraging Bahá’í association with United Nations: “He feels that the friends should bear in mind that the primary reason that he is encouraging Bahá’í association with the United Nations is to give the Cause due publicity as an agency working for and firmly believing in the unification of the human family and permanent peace, and not because he believes that we are at present in a position to shape or influence directly the course of human affairs! Also, he believes

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this association will afford the believers an opportunity of contacting prominent and progressive-minded people from different countries and calling the Faith and its principles to their attention. We should associate ourselves in every way with all movements of UN which are in accordance with our principles and objectives; but we should not seek to take the initiative or . . . focus a glare of publicity and public attention on a very wide scale upon ourselves which might prove very detrimental to our own interests. He considered, for instance, the ”Bahá’í Declaration of Human Obligations and Rights’ appropriate and believes this type of action to be wise and suitable.” Other references in words of the Guardian include the following. From cablegram dated April 16, 1948, addressed to the National Convention of the Bahá’ís of the United States: “Recognition extended to the Faith by United Nations as an international non-governmental body, enabling appointment of accredited representatives to United Nations conferences is heralding world recognition for a universal proclamation of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh.” From cable of April 26. 1948, a passage included recognition by United Nations as one of the achievements of the American Bahá’í Community, “whose spokesmen are securing recognition of the institutions of Bahá’u’lláh’s rising world order in the United Nations.” From letter dated May 18, 1948: “The recognition given your Assembly (as representative of the other National Spiritual Assemblies) by UNO as a non-governmental body entitled to send representatives to various UNO conferences marks an important step forward in the struggle of our beloved Faith to receive in the eyes of the world its just due, and be recognized as an independent World Religion. Indeed, this step should have a favorable reaction on the progress of the Cause every THE BAHA’l WORLD

where, especially in those parts of the world where it is still persecuted, belittled, or scorned, particularly in the East.”

A11 Non-Governmental Organizations make contact with United Nations through its Department of Public Information, section for Non-Governmental Organizations. The status of the non-governmental organization has been defined by the Section for NonGovernmental Organizations in a letter written to the Bahá’í United Nations Committee:

“The Department of Public Information does not accredit organizations, but accredits the person nominated by an organization as an observer. This system is similar to the accreditization of newspaper correspondents, which does not give accreditization to the paper, but to the man. Of course, the accreditization of the observer or the correspondent is dependent upon the standing of the organization or paper. This may seem a fine line, but it is specifically designed to avoid the impression that we give status to organizations as such. The only way in which an organization can receive status from the United Nations is through having been granted consultative status by the Economic and Social Council.”

This definition of the Bahá’í relationship to United Nations is important. In referring to that relationship in public talks or publicity, the correct statement to make is: Bahá’í observers are accredited from the Bahá’í International Community (or from the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States if reference to the national non-governmental organization is intended).

In 1947 a United Nations Committee was appointed by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States, and Bahá’í relations with United Nations have been channeled through that committee.

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FESTIVAL OF FAITH Preceding the celebrations marking the tenth anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, thousands gathered at this festival held in the Cow Palace, San Francisco, California on June 15, 1955. The Bahá’í representative who participated by reading a Bahá’í prayer is standing at the extreme right.

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THE Bahá’í WORLD

THE BAHA’I’ INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND THE UNITED NATIONS

1954 —1963

THE period of 1954 to 1963 was a highly eventful one, marking an increase of strength through the participation of the newly elected National and Regional Assemblies. These years contained, as well, the desperate appeal to the United Nations to save the lives of the Persian Bahá’ís. As in previous years, the Bahá’í International Community sent delegates to many international, regional and state conferences.

By the end of 1956 the scope of the international activities had reached the point where it was desirable to divide the tasks previously assigned to the Bahá’í United Nations Committee. That Committee was given the specific task of developing relations between the American Bahá’ís and the United Nations and included the increasingly important function of assisting the American Bahá’í Community to celebrate properly United Nations Day and Human Rights Day, dates which soon became annual events in the calendar of the Bahá’í communities. The work of the Bahá’í International Community was assigned to our international observer at the United Nations, Mrs. Mildred R. Mottahedeh, in consultation with the Executive Secretary of the Community, Mr. Horace Holley.

In that same year Shoghi Effendi appointed a special committee to be called into action for matters of international importance. Permanent members of the committee were Dr. Ugo R. Giachery, John Ferraby, ‘Aziz Navidi, Dr. Amin Banam’ and Mildred R. Mottahedeh.

During the period of the Crusade the Bahá’í observers accredited to the United Nations were Hand of the Cause Ugo R. Giachery, Europe; Mrs. O. H. Blackwell, United States; and Mrs. Mildred R. Mottahedeh, International.

CHARTER REVISION CONFERENCE

When the United Nations wrote its Charter in 1945 in San Francisco, the member nations realized that changing world conditions might necessitate changes in its Charter. It, therefore, arranged for a Charter Revision Conference to be convened in 1955. In anticipation of this significant event each Bahá’í National Spiritual Assembly was solicited for suggestions which might be incorporated in Bahá’í proposals for Charter revision. Bearing these suggestions in mind, a carefully conceived pamphlet representing the first united effort of all the National Spiritual Assemblies in a non-Bahá’í field was prepared. Entitled “Proposals for Charter Revision Submitted to the United Nations by the Bahá’í International Community”, a copy of this pamphlet, together with a covering letter written by the Executive Secretary, Mr. Horace Holley, was sent to each of the delegates at the Conference. In addition, copies were presented to officials of many universities, to librarians, and newspaper men. The distribution of this pamphlet is specially to be noted as a point of future reference.

Preceding the opening of the Charter Revision Conference, a “Festival of Faith” was held in the San Francisco Cow Palace. The seven Faiths represented were: Buddhist, Christian-Eastern Orthodox, Christian-Protestant, Hindu, Jewish, Moslem, and Bahá’í. Mr. Arthur L. Dahl, Jr., representing the Bahá’í Faith, read a prayer taken from the words of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Fifteen thousand people were present at the Festival and the program was both televised and broadcast by several stations, as well as being widely covered by the press.

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UNITED NATIONS NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS CONFERENCES

The Bahá’í International Community was represented in many international, regional and local conferences of United Nations Non-Governmental Organizations. Bahá’í delegations chosen from many racial backgrounds attended international conferences held in the New York and the Geneva headquarters of the United Nations. Their contributions to the discussion on various subjects were highly constructive and received serious attention.

On May 20—2], 1959, at the New York headquarters, a United Nations Conference for Non-Governmental Organizations was held on the problems of technical aid given by the United Nations and its specialized agencies in the social and economic fields. In connection with those in the social field, a delegation representing the Bahá’í International Community and the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States presented a resolution recommending that Non-Governmental Organizations endeavor to obtain endorsements of the Genocide Convention from their respective organizations. Typical of local conferences, in the United States two delegates were sent each year to the Kansas Conference organized for the Non-Governmental Organizations in that state.

THE BAHA‘I APPEAL TO THE UNITED NATIONS

In May 1955, a sudden, violent storm of persecutions against the Persian Bahá’ís broke loose—wanton murder, rape, imprisonment, desecration of Bahá’í graves, dismissal of Bahá’ís from all civil service, destruction of the dome of the Bahá’í National Headquarters in Tihran by government ofificials, and destruction of the House of the Báb in shiraz. In short, these acts all denying human rights threatened the existence of the entire community of Persian Bahá’ís. Cables to the Sháh and the Prime Minister from Bahá’ís all over the world brought no cessation of the persecutions. The frenzy of the mobs, who were not only unrestrained but actually encouraged, reached such heights that the possibility of a wide-spread massacre of the Persian Bahá’ís became very real. This

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massacre was, in fact, openly promised in the press and in public meetings.

In July 1955, Shoghi Effendi cabled the Bahá’í International Community to lodge an appeal for immediate assistance with the United Nations. At that moment, the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations was meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, and it was to this Council, or to some division of it, that the petition would have to be addressed. The chances that the Bahá’ís could present their case in time to save their co-religionists was slim. It was well known that the files of the Human Rights Commission contained thousands of appeals for relief from religious persecution and that the United Nations was able to do very little to alleviate the distress of the victims. It was decided to send a committee to Geneva to make a desperate appeal for help. The Committee consisted of Dr. Ugo R. Giachery, Dr. Hermann Grossmann, John Ferraby, ‘Aziz Navidi and Mildred R. Mottahedeh, each coming from a dilTerent country and meeting within thirty-six hours of the time that the decision had been taken to convene.

First, the Committee tried to get one of the delegates sitting on the Economic and Social Council to present their case from the floor of the Council. All delegates, except those from Communist or Arab countries, were interviewed and to each a strong appeal was made. At the same time, the Committee pressed for an interview with the SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations. Despite days ofceaseless elTorts, only the personal sympathy of many of the delegates was won. Each passing day brought news of still more violent attacks on the Persian Bahá’ís and the date for the promised massacre drew steadily closer. The Committee redoubled its efforts but without effect. The head of the Human Rights Commission could offer little hope. Though many were friendly and sympathetic, no delegate or organization wished to speak up for the Bahá’ís. The day of the adjournment of the Economic and Social Council was drawing near. It was decided to seek the assistance of a competent lawyer to frame the appeal. Mr. Max Habicht was chosen, though at the time, the Committee did not know that it was this same lawyer who had represented the Bahá’ís before the League of Nations.

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The appeal, together with the evidence of the persecutions, was presented to the Secretary-General, to all members of the Economic and Social Council who had been interviewed, to the Human Rights Commission, to the Specialized Agencies, and to the international Non-Governmental organizations. A press conference was held and the news of the appeal circulated. The Committee could do no more in Geneva. With hearts made heavy by a sense of their failure to save their Persian brothers from extermination, they left Geneva to return to their native lands to launch a publicity campaign to arouse the public conscience.

A few days before the scheduled massacre, the Committee received the startling news that the Secretary-General, Dag Hammarskjéld, yielding to the pleas of the American delegates and of the High Commissioner for Refugees, Dr. G. J. van Heuven Goedhart, decided to send Dr. Goedhart to meet with Mr. Nasru’llah Intizém, chief Iranian delegate to the United Nations, and his brother, Mr.

THE Bahá’í WORLD

‘Abdu’lláh Intizém, Minister of Foreign Affairs in Train. The meeting took place in Bonn, West Germany, where the two brothers were visiting at the time. Their government had been certain that the United Nations would not intervene to save the Bahá’ís since the provisions of the Charter for upholding human rights and fundamental freedoms were morally, but not legally, binding. The intervention of the Secretary-General astounded the Iranian government. This intervention, the efforts of prominent Bahá’ís in Trim, the appeals of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States to the American State Department, and the publicity campaign, brought an immediate end to the physical persecution and lifted the danger of massacre

Economic reprisals against the Bahá’ís continued. Bahá’ís who had been summarily dismissed from civil service or from teaching posts were not restored to their posts. They were still denied the fundamental religious right of assembly for worship, and their

POMONA VALLEY FESTIVAL OF FAITH

Representatives of six religions, including the Bahá’í Faith, are shown on the occasion

of “A Service of Prayer for Peace and Divine Guidance to the United Nations”

held in Claremont, California on April 22, 1956. The Bahá’í representative is seated second from the right.

[Page 791]THE BAHA’I FAITH AND THE UNITED NATIONS

centers were still being held by the government. After months of attempts by individual Bahá’ís in Tihran and many appeals by the Americans to their State Department, Shoghi Effendi .instructed the Bahá’ís to launch another appeal to the United Nations.

In July 1956, Dr. Amin Banéni and Mildred Mottahedeh again went to Geneva. They spoke individually with the delegates of the Economic and Social Council, but were unable to get them to present the Bahá’í case. Finally, Dr. Jose Vincente Trujillo, the delegate from Ecuador and Chairman of the Social Commission, opened the session of that Commission with the following words:

“ ........ In regard to prevention of discrimination against religious minorities, we have received many complaints. One of these, which, in my estimate, is of great importance, regards the curtailment of rights of a religious group in a country which is an honored member of the United Nations and which has a good record in human rights matters — I am referring to the complaints of a new religious group called the Bahá’ís which have been distributed to the SecretaryGeneral and other delegates. I believe this matter should receive the close attention of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities and should receive equal attention with other instances of religious discrimination. This new religion should be respected like all other religions in the world.”*

ENDORSEMENT OF THE GENOCIDE CONVENTION

On April 10, 1959, representatives of the Bahá’í International Community presented to the President of the Human Rights Commission, Ambassador Gunewardene of Ceylon, a statement endorsing the Genocide Convention. For the second time, the National Spiritual Assemblies representing Bahá’í communities located in North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, made a joint effort in regard to the United Nations.

Mr. H. Borrah Kavelin, Chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís

’ Further details of these appeals and the successful outcome appear in the International Survey. pp. 292-296.

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of the United States, made the following statement: “Mr. President, I have the honor and the privilege to present to you, as the keeper of the conscience of the United Nations and therefore of the world at large, documents which represent an act of conscience of my fellow co-religionists of more than eighty countries and territories.

“The resolution they have adopted reads: ‘Since the teaching and practice of the oneness of mankind is the cornerstone of the religion revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, His followers throughout our jurisdiction recognize the vital importance of the Genocide Convention for assuring the protection of small and help less races and peoples.’

“The Bahá’ís of the world have endorsed the Genocide Convention as an expression of their firmly held conviction of the oneness of mankind and of the human race.

“Nations, races and religious groups are called upon to enrich, through their own inherent gifts, the common treasury of civilization. Therefore, the destruction of any one of them impoverishes the whole of the human race.

“Upon the preservation of this basic noble principle depend all the other efforts of the United Nations. By endorsing the Genocide Convention, the Bahá’ís express, through us, the hope that all the nations of the world will rally around this great Convention.”

Ambassador Ratnakirti Gunewardene replied as follows:

“Mr. Kavelin and Members of the Bahá’í International Community: I am greatly impressed by the endorsement of the Genocide Convention by eighty National and Regional Assemblies of the Bahá’ís, coming as they do from countries and territories all over the globe. This is a most powerful expression of world opinion. It makes us feel that our work here in the United Nations is supported indeed not only by the Governments, but by the people themselves.

“The Genocide Convention is a treaty by the people and for the people. It has been ratified by an impressive number of fifty-nine Parliaments for the purpose of protecting not the Governments but the people themselves. It is people who provide the backbone of human history, and by destroying them, history itself is interrupted. Millions of innocent men and women perished from

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genocide throughout the ages, but death did not silence their voices. These voices have awakened and nourished our conscience. It is with the ink of their blood that the Genocide Convention was written by the United Nations. We have now in this Convention a meaningful compact between East and West for the preservation of mankind.

“The Genocide Convention has already made an impact on human consciousness. The word ‘genocide’ carries in itself a moral judgment which the world will not suffer to be circumvented or weakened. To weaken a treaty which deals with the protection of life would mean undermining life itself. It is for this reason that nations have been unwilling to let the Genocide Convention lose its forcefulness by having its concept included in other documents which are not enforceable. We hope that more nations will ratify the Genocide Convention and will adopt domestic laws against genocide. Let us rededicate ourselves to an affirmation of our belief in this great Convention which is so basic to civilization.”

The Second Indian National Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations on United Nations Information was held at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, from April 3 to 5, 1959. This Conference was opened by the Prime Minister, Shri Jawaharlal Nehru, with an address advocating the idea of the oneness of nations of the whole world, thus attaining the federation of all nations.

About one hundred non-governmental organizations of India were represented at this Conference, including political, semipolitical, non-political, social welfare, trade unionist and some religious organizations. The Bahá’í Community was represented by Mrs. Shirin Fozdar, Dr. K. K. Bhargava, R. R. Williams, and P. C. Auplish.

Among the most important resolutions passed by the Conference were those on peace, universality, universal education for peace, and a world language. Several resolutions sponsored by the Bahá’í delegates were also passed.

On May 17 and 18, 1960 the United Nations Office of Public Information, in co-operation with the Executive Committee of the NonGovernmental Organizations, called a meeting at United Nations Headquarters to discuss problems of co-operation “with the United

THE Bahá’í WORLD

Nations family insofar as its program affects the new nations.” Each organization was invited to nominate two delegates and not more than three observers. In addition, each organization was asked to invite a member of its own executive governing board. Some 400 delegates and observers attended.

The Bahá’í International Community nominated Eugene Moye and Mildred Mottahedeh as delegates and Harriett Wolcott as observer. Charles Wolcott participated as secretary of the Bahá’í International Community.

During the final plenary session the nongovernmental organizations were invited to submit statements regarding their work in the “new nations.” The Bahá’í International Community submitted the following which became part of the record of the conference:

“The Bahá’í International Community, representing the Bahá’ís of over eighty countries in all five continents of the globe, wishes to present a few of its achievements in the new nations.

“Community centers have been established both in rural and urban areas. In the urban areas, vigorous assistance has been provided the primitive peoples enabling them to integrate successfully into these more highly developed societies.

“Since a fundamental principle of the Bahá’í Faith is education for all, schools at various scholastic levels form an important part of a continuously expanding educational program for adults as well as children.

“Each Bahá’í community endeavors to develop in its members a world point of view leading to a broader understanding of the fundamental oneness of the human race. This serves to eliminate the traditional prejudices between nations, races and religions.

“Since so many of our aims and those of the United Nations are identical, Bahá’í communities all over the world support a vigorous program explaining the structure and purposes of the United Nations, an important part of which is the annual observance of United Nations and. Human Rights Days.

“In the field of Human Rights, the equality of men and women has been firmly established in every Bahá’í community. In many of these communities situated in primitive areas where

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PRESIDENT OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION RECEIVES Bahá’í DELEGATES Ambassador Ratnakirti Gunewardene receives the representatives of the Bahá’í International Community on the occasion of presenting the Bahá’í endorsement of the Genocide Convention on April 10, 1959 in the United Nations Building, New York City.

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THE Bahá’í WORLD

UNITED NATIONS DAY COMMITTEE OF MOULMEIN, BURMA

One of many Bahá’í committees throughout the world responsible for arranging local programmes for observance of United Nations Week. The programme planned by this Committee was held in Moulmein on October 24, 1957.

the status of women has been very low, women are now increasingly being elected to serve on governing bodies. Bahá’ís are active in the promotion of all fundamental Human Rights, even to the extent of the sacrifice of their own lives to preserve and uphold these principles on which the ultimate peace and security of all peoples depend.”

During the conference our observers and delegates had many opportunities to meet members of the United Nations Secretariat and members of other non-governmental organizations. T hose attending on behalf of the Bahá’í International Community felt that the 1960 Conference was yet another step in the process of “strengthening our ties with the United Nations,” one of the ten goals which the beloved Guardian had set for the World Center of the Faith during the Ten-Year Crusade.

In 1962, for the second time in the nine year period covered by this report, persecution of Bahá’ís made it necessary to appeal to the United Nations for redress. This time the events took place in Morocco in the form of arrests and imprisonment of a number of believers on April 12th of that year. It was not

until October 3lst, however, that they were finally arraigned before the Regional Court of Nador, and not until December 10th that trial was finally held in the Criminal Court of Nador. Death sentences were imposed upon three, five were sentenced to life imprisonment, and one was sentenced to imprisonment for fifteen years.

As the session of the General Assembly of the United Nations was to close on the evening of the 21st of December, telegrams were sent to thirty-five delegations appealing for help under the Genocide Convention, which is a part of International Law. The Bahá’í International Community wrote to U Thant, Secretary-General of the United Nations, and the British United Nations Association, quite independently, cabled U Thant requesting his intervention.*

— Adapted from the report of Mildred R. Mottahedeh, Bahá’í International Observer at the United Nations.

" Further details concerning the Moroccan affair are reported in the International Survey. pp. 288-289.

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[Page 796]796 THE BAHA’iWORLD

May 23, 1955

Mr. Dag Hammarskjb'ld Secretary-General United Nations

New York, N.Y.

Dear M r. Secretary-General:

The Bahá’í International C ammunity, in its capacity of an international nongovernmental organization, submits recommendations for revision of the C harter Of Unite'd Nations and the Statute of the International Court of Justice.

T hese recommendations constitute the considered views of the twelve* National Bahá’í Assemblies representing the Bahá’ís of Train, India, Pakistan and Burma, Australia and New Zealand, ‘Ira'q, Egypt and Szida'n, Germany and A ustria, Italy and Switzerland, the British Isles, C anada, C entral America, South America and the United States. Their partictpation unites a wide diversity of national, racial and religious backgrounds in one common concept of the structure needed to establish justice and peace.

In submitting its recommendations the Bahá’í International Community is concerned with the desperate condition into which the nations and peoples of the world have fallen. The seeds of destruclion are sown within as well as without the present membership of United Nations. N0 minor and legalistic adjustment of the C harter, the Bahá’ís are convinced, can restore the supremacy of moral law in the conduct of human aflairs nor seize control qf'eventsfrom the chaos which engulfs mankind. The Bahá’ís appeal to every enlightened and responsible statesman associated with United Nations to grasp, before it is too late, this providential opportunity to create a political organism commensurate with the new and unprecedented character of the world in our time.

The Bahá’í recommendations are based upon three apparent truths: that real sovereignty is no longer vested in the institutions of the national state because the nations have become interdependent; that the existing crisis is moral and spiritual as well as political," and that the existing crisis can only be surmounted by the achievement of a world order representative of the peoples as well as the nations of mankind.

The Bahá’í concept of world order is defined in these terms: A world Super-State in whose favor all the nations of the world will have ceded every claim to make war, certain rights to impose taxation and all rights to maintain armaments, except for purposes of maintaining internal order within their respective dominions. This State will have to include an International Executive adequate to enforce supreme and unchallengeable authority on every recalcitrant member of the

‘ Since the submission of these Proposals for Charter Revision the number of National Spiritual Assemblies comprising the Bahá’í International Community has (1963) increased to fifty-six. (See International Directory, p. 947).

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Commonwealth; a World Parliament whose members are elected by the peoples in their respective countries and whose election is confirmed by their respective governments: a Supreme Tribunal whosejudgmettt has a binding7 effect even in cases where the parties concerned have not voluntaril y agreed to submit their case to its consideration.

Since action by peoples as well as <governments is essential, the Bahá’í recommendations include the proposal that consideration of revision by United Nations be accompanied by wide dissemination of the principles of international relations and the calling of peoples’ conventions to register the general will.

Impossible as the achievement of world order may appear to traditionalist or partisan, mankind is passing through a crucial stage likened to that of an individual entering maturity and using new powers and facilities beyond the grasp of irresponsible youth. Unassailable is the position that any lesser international body represents a compromise with the forces of disaster and destruction.

In support of its thesis the Bahá’í International Community presents with this letter an annex citing references to the subject in Bahá’í writings, and an annex proposing specific revisions.

Sincerely, Bahá’í INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

Represented by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States 536 Sheridan Road, Wilmette, Illinois.

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THE Bahá’í WORLD

Bahá’í PROPOSALS TO THE UNITED NATIONS FOR CHARTER REVISION

THE experiences of the last decade have demonstrated the need for certain fundamental changes in the charter of the United Nations if that organization is “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war . . . , reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small; to promote social progress and better standards of living in larger freedom.”

In order to insure the realization of the principles proclaimed in the Preamble of the Charter of the United Nations, that organization must be given real authority and military power to maintain Peace and uphold international Justice; it must operate in accordance with the principle of equality of nations large and small; it must become the guarantor of human rights, faith in which was so eloquently proclaimed in the Preamble.

The authors of the Charter foresaw a time when its terms would need revision and provided, in articles 108 and 109, for changes and revisions. In this connection, the Bahá’í International Community submits, in addition to its statement of principle, a number of specific and general suggestions listed below.

I. Membership in the United Nations being an indispensable condition for the preservation of international peace, no nation should be allowed to leave the organization. It is therefore proposed that Article 6 of the Charter be amended to read:

A member of the United Nations which has persistently violated the Principles contained in the present Charter may be subjected by the General Assembly, upon recommendation of the Security Council, toeconomic and other sanctions, and, in extreme cases, may be compelled by force to abide by the principles of the Charter.

II. In order to give the General Assembly more freedom of discussion, it is suggested that Article 12 of the Charter and all references

to it which occur in any other Article (such as Articles 10, 11, 35, etc.) be eliminated.

III.It is suggested that membership in the General Assembly be apportioned according to some form of proportionate representation and Paragraph 1, of Article 18 of the Charter, be amended accordingly.

IV. The Principle of the equality of nations large and small, proclaimed in the Preamble, must not be disregarded or contradicted in any article of the Charter. Therefore, it is suggested that Article 23 be changed to read: 1. The Security Council shall consist of eleven Members of the United Nations elected by the General Assembly for a term of two years, no retiring member being eligible for immediate reelection. 2. Each member of the Security Council shall have one representative. All reference to permanent members of the Security Council found in any of the articles of the Charter to be eliminated.

V. In conformity with Article 23 (as revised),

Paragraph 2 of Article 27 shall read: Decisions of the Security Council shall be made by an afitrmative vote of seven members; provided that in decisions made under Chapter VI, and under Paragraph 3 ofArticle 52, a party to the dispute shall abstain from voting.

Paragraph 3 of Article 27 to be eliminated.

VI.The maintenance of peace being a task incumbent upon all members of the United Nations, it is proposed that the first sentence of Paragraph 2, Article 47, be amended to read: The Military Stafl Committee shall consist of the Chiefs of Stafi" of the members of the Security Council or their representatives.

VII. In the interests of justice, it is proposed that Article 50 be amended to read: If preventive or enforcement measures against any state are taken by the Security Council, any other state, whether a member of the United Nations or not, which finds

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itself confmnted with special economic problems arising from the carrying out of those measures, Shall have the right to ask the Security Council for a solution of its problems.

VIII. Having been written and adopted during the course of the Second World War, the United Nations Charter at times reflects the feelings and conditions which prevailed then and which do not exist any longer. It is inappropriate to perpetuate the use of the term enemy in relation to certain states which must inevitably cooperate in the establishment and the maintenance of world peace. It is suggested that Paragraph 2 of Article 53, as well as references to “enemy states” in any other article of the Charter, be eliminated.

IX. In the interests of J ustice, which is the only principle upon which the edifice of durable peace can be raised, it is proposed that the International Court of Justice be given compulsory jurisdiction in all legal disputes between states and Article 35 of the “Statute of the International Court of Justice” be amended to read:

1. The jurisdiction of the C ourt comprises all cases and all matters especially provided for in the Charter of the United Nations or in treaties and conventions in force.

2. The states parties to the present Statute declare that they recognize as compulsory ipso facto and without special agreement, the jurisdiction of the Court in all legal disputes concerning:

a. the interpretation of a treaty;

b. any question of international law;

c. the existence of any fact which, if established, would constitute a breach of an international obligation;

d. the nature or extent of the reparation to be made for the breach of an international obligation;

3. In the event of a dispute as to whether the

Court has jurisdiction, the matter shall be

settled by the decision of the Court.

X. It is recommended that the United Nations adopt a Bill of Rights, which guarantees to every individual freedom of speech, of the press, of religion, and of thought, as well as freedom from racial and religious discrimination, freedom from arbitrary arrest and imprisonment, equality of sexes, equality

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before law, equality of opportunity, and other basic human rights. The individual human being is a spiritual as well as a physical creation and the purpose of society is to provide for the evolution of spiritual qualities in a framework of unity sustained by law.

REFERENCES TO WORLD ORDER IN THE Bahá’í WRITINGS

RELIGION is the greatest instrument for the order of the world and the tranquility of all existent beings. The weakness of the pillars of religion has encouraged the ignorant and rendered them audacious and arrogant. Truly, I say, whatever lowers the lofty station of religion will increase heedlessness in the wicked, and finally result in anarchy.

Beseech ye the one true God to grant that all men may be graciously assisted to fulfil that which is acceptable in Our sight. Soon will the present-day order be rolled up, and a new one spread out in its stead. Verily, thy Lord speaketh the truth, and is the Knower of things unseen.

The Great Being, wishing to reveal the prerequisites of the peace and tranquility of the world and the advancement of its peoples, hath written: The time must come when the imperative necessity for the holding of a vast, an all-embracing assemblage of men will be universally realized. The rulers and kings of the earth must needs attend it, and, participating in its deliberations, must consider such ways and means as will lay the foundations of the world’s Great Peace amongst men. Such a peace demandeth that the Great Powers should resolve, for the sake of the tranquility of the peoples of the earth, to be fully reconciled among themselves. Should any king take up arms against another, all should unitedly arise and prevent him. If this be done, the nations of the world will no longer require any armaments, except for the purpose of preserving the security of their realms and of maintaining internal order within their territories. This will ensure the peace and composure of every people, government and nation.

Be united, O kings of the earth, for thereby will the tempest of discord be stilled amongst

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you, and your peoples find rest, if ye be of them that comprehend. Should any one among you take up arms against another, rise ye all against him, for this is naught but manifest justice.

O ye elected representatives of the people in every land! Take ye counsel together, and let your concern be only for that which profiteth mankind, and bettereth the condition thereof, if ye be of them that scan heedfully. Regard the world as the human body which, though at its creation whole and perfect, hath been afflicted, through various causes, with grave disorders and maladies. Not for one day did it gain ease, nay its sickness waxed more severe, as it fell under the treatment of ignorant physicians, who gave full rein to their personal desires, and have erred grievously. And if, at one time, through the care of an able physician, a member of that body was healed, the rest remained afflicted as before. Thus informeth you the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

The Great Being saith: Blessed and happy is he that ariseth to promote the best interests of the peoples and kindreds of the earth. In another passage He hath proclaimed: It is not for him to pride himself who loveth his own country, but rather for him who loveth the whole world. The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens.

That which the Lord hath ordained as the sovereign remedy and mightiest instrument for the healing of all the world is the union of all its peoples in one universal Cause, one common Faith. This can in no wise be achieved except through the power of a skilled, an all-powerful and inspired Physician. This, verily, is the truth, and all else naught but error.

All men have been created to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization. The Almighty beareth Me witness: To act like the beasts of the field is unworthy of man. Those virtues that befit his dignity are forebearance, mercy, compassion and loving-kindness towards all the peoples and kindreds Of the earth. Say: O friends! Drink your fill from this crystal stream that fioweth through the heavenly grace of Him Who is the Lord of Names. Let others partake of its waters in My name, that the leaders of men in every land may fully recognize the purpose for which the Eternal Truth hath been revealed, and the reason for which they themselves have been created.

Bahá’u’lláh

THE Bahá’í WORLD

IN cycles gone by, though harmony was established, yet, owing to the absence of means, the unity of all mankind could not have been achieved. Continents remained widely divided, nay even among the peoples of one and the same continent association and interchange of thought were well nigh impossible. Consequently intercourse, understanding and unity amongst all the peoples and kindreds of the earth were unattainable. In this day, however, means of communication have multiplied, and the five continents of the earth have virtually merged into one. . . . In like manner all the members of the human family, whether peoples or governments, cities or villages, have become increasingly interdependent. For none is self—sufficiency any longer possible, inasmuch as political ties unite all peoples and nations, and the bonds of trade and industry, of agriculture and education, are being strengthened every day. Hence the unity of all mankind can in this day be achieved. Verily this is none other but one of the wonders of this wondrous age, this glorious century. Of this past ages have been deprived, for this century—the century of light—has been endowed with unique and unprecedented glory, power and illumination. Hence the miraculous unfolding of a fresh marvel every day. Eventually it will be seen how bright its candles will burn in the assemblage of man.

True civilization will unfurl its banner in the midmost heart of the world whenever a certain number of its distinguished and highminded sovereigns—the shining exemplars of devotion and determination—shall, for the good and happiness of all mankind, arise, with firm resolve and clear vision, to establish the Cause of Universal Peace. They must make the Cause of Peace the object of general consultation, and seek by every means in their power to establish a Union of the nations of the world. They must conclude a binding treaty and establish a covenant, the provisions of which shall be sound, inviolable and definite. They must proclaim it to all the world and obtain for it the sanction of all the human race. This supreme and noble undertaking — the real source of the peace and well-being of the world—should be regarded as sacred by all that dwell on earth. All the forces of humanity must be mobilized to insure the stability and permanence of this

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Most Great Covenant. In this all-embracing Pact the limits and frontiers of each and every nation should be clearly fixed, the principles underlying the relations of governments towards one another definitely laid down, and all international agreements and obligations ascertained. In like manner, the size of the armaments of every government should be strictly limited, for if the preparations for war and the military forces of any nation should be allowed to increase, they will arouse the suspicion of others. The fundamental principle underlying this solemn Pact should be so fixed that if any government later violate any one of its provisions, all the governments on earth should arise to reduce it to utter submission, nay the human race as a whole should resolve, with every power at its disposal, to destroy that government. Should this greatest of all remedies be applied to the sick body of the world it will assuredly recover from its ills and will remain eternally safe and secure.

‘ABDU‘L-BAHA

UNIFICATION of the whole of mankind is the 'hall—mark Of the stage which human society is now approaching. Unity of family, of tribe, of City-state, and nation have been successively attempted and fully established. World unity is the goal towards which a harassed humanity is striving. Nation-building has come to an end. The anarchy inherent in state sovereignty is moving towards a climax. A world, growing to maturity, must abandon this fetish, recognize the oneness and wholeness of human relationships, and establish once for all the machinery that can best incarnate this fundamental principle of its life.

The unity of the human race, as envisaged by Bahá’u’lláh, implies the establishment of a world commonwealth in which all nations, races, creeds and classes are closely and permanently united, and in which the autonomy of its state members and the personal freedom and initiative of the individuals that compose them are definitely and completely safeguarded. This commonwealth must, as far as we can visualize it, consist of a world legislature, whose members will, as the trustees of the whole of mankind, ultimately control the entire resources of all

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the component nations, and will enact such laws as shall be required to regulate the life, satisfy the needs and adjust the relationships of all races and peoples. A world executive, backed by an international Force will carry out the decisions arrived at, and apply the laws enacted by, this world legislature, and will safeguard the organic unity of the whole commonwealth. A world tribunal will adjudicate and deliver its compulsory and final verdict in all and any disputes that may arise between the various elements constituting this universal system. A mechanism of world inter-communication will be devised, embracing the whole planet, freed from national hindrances and restrictions, and functioning with marvelous swiftness and perfect regularity. A world metropolis will act as the nerve center of a world civilization, the focus towards which the unifying forces of life will converge and from which its energizing influences will radiate. A world language will either be invented or chosen from among the existing languages and will be taught in the schools of all the federated nations as an auxiliary to their mother tongue. A world script, a world literature, a uniform and universal system of currency, of weights and measures, will simplify and facilitate intercourse and understanding among the nations and races of mankind. In such a world society, science and religion, the two most potent forces in human life, will be reconciled, will co-operate, and will harmoniouslyfievelop. The press will, under such a system, while giving full scope to the expression of the diversified views and convictions of mankind, cease to be mischievously manipulated by vested interests, whether private or public, and will be liberated from the influence of contending governments and peoples. The economic resources of the world will be organized, its sources of raw materials will be tapped and fully utilized, its markets will be co-ordinated and developed, and the distribution of its products will be equitably regulated.

National rivalries, hatreds, and intrigues will cease, and racial animosity and prejudice will be replaced by racial amity, understanding and co-operation. The causes of religious strife will be permanently removed, economic barriers and restrictions will be completely abolished, and the inordinate distinction

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between classes will be obliterated. Destitution on the one hand, and gross accumulation of ownership on the other, will disappear. The enormous energy dissipated and wasted on war, whether economic or political, will be consecrated to such ends as will extend the range of human inventions and technical development, to the increase of the productivity of mankind, to the extermination of disease, to the extension of scientific research, to the raising of the standard of physical health, to the sharpening and refinement of the human brain, to the exploitation of the unused and unsuspected resources of the planet, to the prolongation of human life, and to the furtherance of any other agency

THE Bahá’í WORLD

that can stimulate the intellectual, the moral, and spiritual life of the entire human race. A world federal system, ruling the whole earth and exercising unchallengeable authority over its unimaginably vast resources, blending and embodying the ideals of both the East and the West, liberated from the curse of war and its miseries, and bent on the exploitation of all the available sources of energy on the surface of the planet, a system in which Force is made the servant of Justice, whose life is sustained by its universal recognition of one God and by its allegiance to one common Revelation—such is the goal towards which humanity, impelled by the unifying forces of life, is moving. SHOGHI EFFENDI