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Sub-Commission
on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights
Geneva, 26
July – 13 August 2004
Statement
by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists,
NGO in special consultative status with ECOSOC.
Point 5c: Prevention of discrimination and protection of minorities
Mr. Chairman;
Throughout history, religious minorities have often been subject to
discrimination and outright persecution. Today, religious intolerance
and prejudice are again on the rise. More than half a century has passed
since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, yet
states and majority organizations around the world continue both to
actively suppress and indirectly discriminate against religious minorities
on the basis of their religious beliefs.
As an international faith community representing some 25 million people
in 205 countries, the Seventh-day Adventist Church stands for the prevention
of discrimination and protection of minorities, in particular religious.
The Universal Declaration in general rightly critiques the exercise
of power and control to limit human rights. Specifically, Article 18
guarantees the rights to freedom of worship, practice and assembly,
as well as the right to educate according to faith convictions, and
the right to change one’s religion.
However such rights are frequently denied religious minorities, a situation
that is frequently compounded by national, ethnic or linguistic discrimination.
We would cite, for example, the situation in several Central Asian republics
where burdensome registration requirements are being implemented that
severely impact the freedom of religious minorities to actively practice
their faith. One particularly egregious example is that of Turkmenistan,
which has adopted an official policy that is hostile to almost all religious
minorities, with the destruction of churches and temples, and the harassment
and persecution of believers.
Other problems are related to governmental policies that can be seen
as directed against religious minorities. The onerous registration requirements
that are increasingly being developed, for example in Belarus and other
eastern European countries are clear instances of deliberate discrimination
against minority faiths by the state and suggest undue influence from
representatives of majority religions. Additionally, the closure of
churches in Eritrea by government action continues to be of grave concern.
Not directly mandated by the state, but still of great concern, are
the permitted actions of religious majorities against religious minorities.
Here again, states are failing their position as guarantors of safety
and security for all their citizens. To have a priest of a majority
religion, for example in Georgia, lead an attack on members of religious
minorities without arrest or even investigation by the police is an
intolerable situation. Such actions—that include beating and harassment
of members of minority religions, forcible conversions, the burning
of places of worship, stigmatism and discrimination in society and employment—demand
the outright condemnation of all, especially those charged with providing
law and order in these countries.
Worst of all, of course, are those signatories to the Declaration who
completely ignore its provisions and allow or even sanction the killing
of men, women and children of minority religions, as well as of those
who wish to freely exercise their right to change religion, which is
clearly enshrined in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration. To kill—or
allow the killing—of human beings simply because they are of a
different faith or freely choose to change their religion is surely
the ultimate example of gross human rights violations, and should be
repudiated by all here present.
For those who believe they have the power to impose their belief structure
because of their majority status in society, we would remind them that
all religions are a minority somewhere.
Therefore, Mr. Chairman, we ask that this body once again categorically
and explicitly condemn all violations and instances of discrimination
against religious minorities, upholding the principle of equality in
law and practice, and demonstrating that any such violations bring the
severest response from the international community.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
