Dear Committee,

I do hope you are finding the time to take consideration of the very limited and sensible proposals in front of you, to allow specific Classical Languages, where they are and have long been second language vehicles, with proven methods of educating second langauge users and contemporary usage. There are two options along these lines at the RFC, which seems stable to me.

I would like to draw your attention to this part of the preamble

Eliminating potential discrimination against ethnic and religious identities

The proposal seeks to lower the possibilities of discrimination against people with particular religious or ethnic identities that may occur by placing an absolute ban on further Classical language projects. The importance of Ancient Languages to ethnic and religious identity can be seen regarding to Sanskrit for Hindus, Buddhists and Jainists; or Classical Chinese for Buddhism. Latin and Koine Greek are important to Orthodox Christians, Catholics and Protestants in differing ways, being the languages of most important theological debates.

There are some considerable risks of offence (as well as unfairness) from the current policy in certain of those cases, particularly Sanskrit, which is a Holy language for Hindus. The current policy could quite reasonably be interpreted from the policy and some of the justification made for it by Committee members to mean that Wikimedia believes that Sanskrit is dysfunctional, incapable of usage and usefulness in a modern setting and unworthy of an active place in the modern world of education; something which of course it does have.

Given the highly politicised and at times violent nature of Hindu politics, these are not trivial risks; ones which I imagine the Board will want you to ensure are mitigated.

I say this entirely understanding that the authors of these statements did not have Sanskrit in mind; but to remind you that it is the impliation of the current policy, that the criticisms of all ancient languages, apply to any particular one, as all are currently blocked from progress.

Thank you for your consideration,

Jim