Dear All<br>
<br>
I seem to recall that way back then there were a Languages Caucus and
Minorities Caucus, but a lot of our records are disappearing or being
written over!<br>
<br>
This was sent to me to an online forum that I don't visit with frequency, so it might be slightly dated, but nonetheless valid.<br>
<br>
<span>Specific to this forum, I'd like to recall Point 6 of our Charter
of Civil Rights for a Sustainable Knowledge Society, which
states that "CULTURAL DIVERSITY IS A PREREQUISITE FOR INDIVIDUAL AND<br>SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT."</span><br>
<br>
If the relevant caucuses can this this up, please advise where people couple post on this.<br>
<br>
Regards,<br>
<br>
Rui<br>
<br>
_____________________________________________________<br>
Text received:<br>
Greetings! Not long ago I received an email from someone who mentioned
in passing how children in one school in Tanzania were under threat of
a beating if they uttered a word in their mother tongue. I also
happened to see some recent articles about the larger issues of
linguistic rights and education in various parts of the world, in which
various ways of discouraging use of the mother tongue were discussed.
It occurred that in this International Year of Languages (and during a
decade on non-violence for children) it might be time to call attention
to this and at least try to build opinion against punishment for
speaking one's mother tongue. Which is easy to say but quite another
matter to implement. <br>
<br>How to stop the beating or shaming of children for speaking their mother tongue? <br>
<br>
The practice of punishing children for speaking their mother tongue in
school - or even at home - is apparently still not that uncommon. It is
rationalized in terms of keeping order in the classroom or forcing the
children to learn another more widely spoken or dominant language. The
victims are anyone who does not have the targeted language as their
mother tongue, and historically the most outrageous applications of
this mindset has been against indigenous peoples. <br>
<br>
The issue now is how to draw attention to such punishment - not just
the use of corporal punishment but the whole concept of punishing
someone for speaking their first language - and to educate teachers,
parents and school administrators. Since this year is the International
Year of Languages and the 8th year of the International Decade for a
Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World, it
would seem an ideal moment to do something in this regard. Any
suggestions regarding strategies and organizations are invited.<br clear="all"><br>-- <br>________________________________________________<br> <br> <br>Rui Correia<br>Advocacy, Human Rights, Media and Language Consultant
<br>2 Cutten St<br>Horison <br>Roodepoort-Johannesburg, <br>South Africa<br>Tel/ Fax (+27-11) 766-4336<br>Cell (+27) (0) 84-498-6838