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[A special Parliamentary Debate.]

Today, Tuesday 4 August 1998, a special debate will be held simultaneously in Parliament and the provincial legislatures on Nation Building and the rights of cultural, religious and linguistic communities. This unprecedented event takes this form because of the centrality of the matter to be debated.

The only "state institution supporting constitutional democracy" in terms of chapter 9 of the constitution that has not as yet been established is the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities.

The establishment of this commission must be approached with the utmost care, circumspection and sensitivity for the concept of a commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities goes to the very heart of South Africa's National Question. The main task of the commission as defined by the constitution is to promote and develop peace, humanity, tolerance and national unity. Some of the commission's challenges and tasks are:

* The pursuit of a South African Nationhood. . A national identity. . A new patriotism. A restoration of our African Heritage.
* Killing the spirit of ethnicity and tribalism.
* Taking pride in the different culture, languages and religions of our people.
* An expression of our multiple identities in a manner which advances and compliments our national identity.

Ethnic prejudice and chauvinism and religious imbalance are major contributory factors to conflicts around the globe resulting in war, suffering and acts of barbarism. Only in the very recent past have we seen the genocidal wars based on ethnicity in the former Yugoslavia and the great lakes district of central Africa, the rise of racist groups in Europe, and religious prejudice between Muslim and Hindus in India and in Northern Ireland between Protestants and Catholics. Our own continents has more than its fair share of division and conflicts resulting from or fuelled by ethnic and religious differences.

As a country of many cultures and many religions, we dare not be complacent, especially as we have just emerged from Apartheid - a system which promoted racial prejudice and ethnic chauvinism.

It is increasingly becoming clear that Nation Building and lasting peace can only be developed on the basis of respect for South Africa's cultural and linguistic and religious diversity and not through its denial.

We expect that the parliamentary debate will launch the great South African debate on cultural, religion, language and nationhood.

The debates in the National Assembly and provincial legislatures will be followed by a series of public hearings on the role and form of the commission. The hearings will last for about a month and more emphasis will be placed on provincial/ and local hearings, so that the widest range of organisations and individuals can participate.

This process will culminate in to a National Consultative Conference to be held on the 30 September 1998. The Conference will be convened by Minister MV Moosa and attended by representative of cultural, linguistic and religious organisations and communities. The theme of the conference will be "Nation building and the rights of cultural,, religious and linguistic communities". The conference will consist of participatory session dealing with nation building, functions and composition of the commission and specific issues of concern to cultural, linguistic and religious communities.

Issued by the Ministry for Provincial Affairs and Constitutional Development, 4 August 1998

Contact: Mpho Mosimane: 082 459 6750 or Onkgopotse JJ Tabane: 082 465 6166

Note: More information on the Press Package is available from the mentioned Contact persons.

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