Case NO. 14/2016: AECID (SPANISH AGENCY OF INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION FOR DEVELOPMENT and Spanish National Commission of Cooperation with UNESCO)

JUDGMENT AND ETHICAL CONCLUSION

Dear Prosecutors, Executive Secretaries and Jury Members of the International Buddhist Ethics Committee (IBEC) and Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights (BTHR), regarding the case reported by the World Association of Buddhism (WBA) against the “AECID (SPANISH AGENCY of INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION for DEVELOPMENT and Spanish National Commission of Cooperation with UNESCO) “, through the present, on the day May 10, 2016, I put on record that it is concluded the case 14 of the Tribunal in order to analyze the violation of Buddhist Spirituality and Human Rights carried out by the accused party. After the evidence certified as valid by the Prosecutor, and the accused having had the possibility of providing preliminary statement, it has proceeded with the voting of four members of the Jury, who unanimously issued the verdict of “Responsible” with respect to AECID for the offenses of COMPLICITY WITH DISCRIMINATION AND VIOLATION OF THE IDEALS AND PURPOSES OF UNESCO.

The accused’s actions have breached the Buddhist ethical precepts but also the international guidelines established by UNESCO, since its indifference and lack of control with respect the immoral acts of the “UNESCO Association for the Promotion of Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue in Malaga” – sentenced in case 11 / 2015- evidence that it is complicit in discrimination, in addition to failing to comply with the duties and responsibilities they have assumed in their relationship with UNESCO.

The AECID or SPANISH AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION FOR DEVELOPMENT and Spanish National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO has breached the ethical values of both Buddhism and UNESCO, showing indifference to acts of discrimination that should be monitored, although the International Buddhist Ethics Committee has previously sentenced the “UNESCO Association for the Promotion of intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue in Malaga” to which AECID should monitor in order that the UNESCO logo is not misused. This kind of omissions constitutes a violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms, since Discrimination should always be criticized and condemned. In addition, the AECID is a part of the government of Spain, which shall be investigated as a result of these acts violative of Buddhist ethics and Human Rights. In a global context of discrimination it is essential that spiritual values and fundamental freedoms are defended by the Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights. All great human rights instruments created by UNESCO and the UN should not be mere declarations reduced to bureaucratic papers which are ignored in practice, but rather they must be respected as the greatest tools created for social peace. Even though these international organizations are dominated by inept bureaucracies, it is the duty of the Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights to make these organizations remember their Principles and Purposes for the welfare of all beings. Helping to combat discrimination is one of the fundamental tasks of the critical thinking and ethical judgment of Buddhist Law, by developing compassionate wisdom for the people.

Therefore, the International Buddhist Ethics and Buddhist Committee and Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights dictates that Buddhist Spirituality, as a Supreme Path of Global Equality, should establish that SPANISH AGENCY OF INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION FOR DEVELOPMENT and Spanish National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO has violated both the ethical Buddhist precepts and the principles of UNESCO, organization with which it supposedly collaborates. The Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights offers AECID a full scholarship for all its members to study a Career in Human Rights, with the requirement that the AECID publicly apologizes for its conducts complicit in discrimination, pledging to try to repair the damage committed to the principles of UNESCO through the annulment of the logo of UNESCO granted to the Association of Malaga involved. We hope the AECID learns of the present ethical judgment and is committed to a genuine defense of righteousness and values of UNESCO, which have been disgracefully abandoned by all actors involved in the case. The fact that the very directors of UNESCO have chosen to ignore the case is a proof of this.

Following the Way of the Master Siddhartha Gautama, who was the embodiment of justice and the struggle against discrimination, our Tribunal has found that the SPANISH AGENCY OF INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION FOR DEVELOPMENT and Spanish National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO is “Responsible” for the charges of COMPLICITY WITH DISCRIMINATION and VIOLATION TO THE IDEALS AND PURPOSES OF UNESCO.

Always with a reconciling (maitri) spirit,

Buddhist Master Maitreya

Spiritual Guide and President of the International Buddhist Ethics Committee (IBEC) and Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights (BTHR)