Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Asma Jahangir, defended on Saturday, November 25, (Christian) missionaries and the right to convert.
"Missionary activity is accepted as a legitimate expression of religion or belief," Jahangir told an international gathering on religious freedom in Prague. The meeting of government officials, human rights activists, scholars and other representatives from dozens of nations was to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the 1981 UN Declaration on the Elimination of Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief.
The gathering in Prague’s neo-renaissance building on Slavonic Island, came amid reports of attacks against churches and missionaries in Pakistan, India and many other countries where Islamic, Hindu or other militants have accused Christians of "illegally" spreading their "religion." In India this has led to controversial legislation in several states prohibiting "forced conversions" which rights groups claim is en excuse to crackdown on churches.
Without mentioning, predominantly Hindu, India or other nations by name, Jahangir said she had received "reports concerning numerous examples of persecution of religious minorities as a result of excessive legislation on religious offensives…" However she made clear that converting to other religions or beliefs "cannot be considered a violation" if "all involved parties are adults and able to reason on their own."
CHILDREN DISPUTE
But in comments expected to raise eyebrows among some churches’ Sunday school teachers, she expressed doubts about "converting" children. "Who is competent to decide whether children could or should change their religion or belief? Should it be the parents’ decision until the child has attainted the age of majority, or do children wield the maturity in religious matters earlier,?" she wondered. Jahangir regretted however that the UN has not been able to adopt a more legally-binding Convention related to religious freedom.
"We have to ask ourselves if this legally non-binding declaration as adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1981 is still relevant…" said Jahangir, who released a report noting religious intolerance in 42 countries this year. She spoke after delegates adopted the ‘Prague Declaration’, condemning "violence against religions of believers" around the world
"We appreciate the right to freedom of religion of belief," said Netherlands’ Ambassador at Large for Human Rights Piet de Klerk, reading the Prague Declaration, adopted by consensus.
He stressed that the declaration reaffirms "the precious value to have or to adopt religion or whatever belief of one’s choice and to manifest it in private alone or in community, with others in worship, observance, practice and teaching."
URGING GOVERNMENTS
He said the delegates signing up to the Prague Declaration, "consider it essential for governments and international organizations, such as the UN and various regional organizations, to give priority to the protection of the freedom of religion or belief and to the eradication of all forms of intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief."
Earlier in the evening participants at the meeting saw dramatic film footage of attacks against religious minorities and churches and related violence, which also included the 1998 Omagh bombing carried out by the Real IRA group in Omagh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It killed 29 people and injured at least 220 people.
Despite the declarations, at least some Christian rights activists criticized the UN for not doing enough to combat religious intolerance. "Twenty five years after the adoption of this UN declaration, the international promotion of the elimination of religious intolerance and discrimination still lags far behind mechanisms adopted in other areas of human rights, such as the elimination of racial discrimination," Tina Lambert, Advocacy Director of the UK-based group Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) told BosNewsLife.
"It is time the international community recognizes the need to commit to ensuring the implementation of this declaration." Up to 250 million are believed to suffer as a result of their faith in Christ, CSW estimates. Christians are "being harassed, attacked, imprisoned, tortured and even killed for their choice of faith," the human rights group added.
UK CONTROVERSY
In an open letter released Saturday, November 25, 24 UK-based religious leaders and faith-based organizations from different traditions, urged the United Kingdom to play a more significant role in combating cases of religious persecution. Among other recommendations they urged the government to "appoint an envoy for religious freedom to investigate cases of religious persecution and prepare briefings for relevant Government departments and Parliamentary committees."
The groups also want British Embassies and High Commissions to prepare "an annual report on the state of local equality and tolerance, including freedom of religion and belief." In addition they seek "to train Foreign Office and Home Office Case Officers and others to ensure promotion of the right to freedom of religion and belief, accurate reporting of religious persecution, and the provision of relief and asylum for victims of religious persecution." They also want authorities to "support peace and reconciliation initiatives designed to counter religious hatred and promote understanding."
The United Kingdom was long seen as among European countries at the forefront of religious tolerance, however rights activists raised alarm bells after a Christian check-in worker of British Airways (BA) who was sent home for wearing a crucifix over her uniform lost an attempt last week to have that decision overturned.
BA said it rejected the appeal of Nadia Eweida, 55, citing company rules which forbid employees from wearing religious symbols over their uniforms. Eweida, who claims she is the victim of religious persecution, said she did not want to hide the cross because "Jesus has to be glorified."
