At the conclusion of any meeting or dialogue about Christians in the Muslim world, everyone stands confused, asking, what solutions can we put forth? What recommendations should we submit to those involved in this chronic crisis? These very questions topped the discussions at the conference Eastern Christians in Light of the Arab Spring," held in the Jordanian capital, Amman, Sept. 27-29.

But what if the problem emanates from something other than religion, and the solution also lies elsewhere? What if the issue deep down is not a matter of Christian sects, minorities or religious persecution? What if the issue is fundamentally one of inherent and inalienable human rights, regardless of the person whose rights are being violated? This particular point of view suggests that action is required on three levels.

First, the governments of the Muslim world must act. They ought to take immediate and drastic action in order to promote in these societies the concept of human rights as an idea, practice and set of laws. These rights should be solely based on international humanitarian law. This system includes the UN agreements: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948); the International Covenant on Civill and Political Rights (1966); the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide; the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination; the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief; and the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National, Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities (1992), in addition to all international conventions on human rights. When this system constitutes the reference for laws regulating human rights in Muslim countries, non-Muslim citizens will live in peace and enjoy their human rights, whatever their religion.

The second level relates to the international community and legal institutions. When dealing with a country or a state, both parties are required to show respect for human rights. For decades, the international community has abandoned the rule of equality in rights and duties, as if those rights were only undeniable as far as Western citizens are concerned and that these same rights can be treated leniently when they obstruct the interests of the West in its relationship with some Islamic societies.