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FOREWORD

To commemorate the 10th year of Praxis, our periodical newsletter, it was decided at the Standing Committee meeting held in Hong Kong, in December '83, to publish a book on minority rights, because minority issues are one of the major concerns of the WSCF Asia/Pacific Region. In the past, working within the framework of this major concern, we have published a number of articles on minority issues in the "Praxis". It is also because of the growing and continuous discrimination of minority rights in the areas of religion, language, education, land, race, sex and social rights that the WSCF Asia/Pacific Region is publishing this book on Minority Rights titled "The Image of God in Minorities".

Human beings are created by God in his image and likeness. Thus, all are born equals. When rights of any particular person or group of persons are infringed — then the will of God is violated. Consequently, as a student organization it is incumbent upon us to voice the feelings of these minorities in every possible way, for establishment of a just and humane society.

The articles we have chosen from the Praxis of 1980 to 1983 deal with the violation of rights in the following Asia/Pacific countries — Sri Lanka, India, Japan, New Zealand, Australia and Vietnam. The articles have been contributed by fellow SCMers and friends from the Ecumenical organization.

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This being an ongoing concern of ours, we shall continue our endeavors to publish articles on the minority issues, not only in Praxis, but our other publications as well.

Before concluding, I would like to request all our readers to join hands and strengthen the bonds of solidarity with the Minority people – so that an equal society is created, where the image and likeness of God is visible in mankind.

Ahn Jaewoong

May 1984