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SINGAPORE, June 10, 2003: After six months of intense debate over its exact wording, leaders of religious groups here have worked out a declaration on religious harmony that all parties are comfortable with. The groups plan to hold activities to recite and teach the declaration to their congregations during the week of Racial Harmony Day, beginning July 21. Representatives of the religious bodies have also formed a network called the Inter-Religious Harmony Circle. Its role will be to clarify matters if people have objections or questions with any part of the declaration. The proposal for the declaration that affirms that groups will practice their religions bearing in mind the secular and multi-religious context of Singapore was first raised by Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong last September. His suggestion came after a year in which racial ties here were tested following the September 11 attacks and the arrests of Jemaah Islamiah (JI) terrorists. Mr. Goh, who came up with a draft of the creed, said it would be one of Singapore’s responses to the threat posed to racial harmony by the JI. Members of different religious groups were then asked to help refine the draft.



The declaration reads:



“We, the people in Singapore, declare that religious harmony is vital for peace, progress and prosperity in our multi-racial and multi-religious Nation. We resolve to strengthen religious harmony through mutual tolerance, confidence, respect and understanding. We shall always



” Recognise the secular nature of our State,



” Promote cohesion within our society,



” Respect each other’s freedom of religion,



” Grow our common space while respecting our diversity,



” Foster inter-religious communications,



” and thereby ensure that religion will not be abused to create conflict and disharmony in Singapore.”

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