Vatican Diplomat at UN: 75% of Those Killed for Religious Hatred Are Christians
Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, permanent representative of the Holy See to the U.N. offices in Geneva, delivered on March 2 at the XVI ordinary session of the Human Rights Council on religious freedom an address in which he urged the UN to protect the right to seek truth.
Find the full text here. We thank Zenit for reporting!
http://www.zenit.org/article-31939?l=english
Excerpts:
At the heart of fundamental human rights is freedom of religion, conscience and belief: it affects personal identity and basic choices and it makes possible the enjoyment of other human rights. As the UN Declaration on the Elimination of Religious Discrimination recognises, the spiritual dimension of life is a vital part of human existence. But an increased proliferation of episodes of discrimination and acts of violence against persons and communities of faith and places of worship in several different geographical regions of the world denies in practice the principle proclaimed in law. ... A recent survey shows that out of 100 people killed because of religious hatred, 75 are Christian. That concentration of religious discrimination should cause concern to all of us. ...
The State has the duty to defend the right to freedom of religion and it has therefore the responsibility to create an environment where this right can be enjoyed. ... For example, the State must not practice religious discrimination -- in its laws, in its policies, or by allowing de facto discrimination by public employees. It must promote religious tolerance and understanding throughout society, a goal that can be achieved if educational systems teach respect for all and judicial systems are impartial in the implementation of laws and reject political pressure aimed at ensuring impunity for perpetrators of human rights crimes against followers of particular religion. ... The State must have laws that require employers to make "reasonable accommodations" for an employee's religion.
...The right to express or practice one's religion is not limited to acts of worship. It also includes the right to express one's faith through acts of charitable and social service. For example, providing health and education through religious institutions are important ways for people to live their faith.
... faith communities have their own rules for qualifications for religious office, and for serving in religious institutions, including charitable facilities. These religious institutions are part of civil society, and not branches of the state. Consequently, the limits that international human rights law places on States regarding qualifications on state office holding and public service do not apply automatically to non-state actors. As acknowledged by the Declaration on Religious Discrimination, freedom of religion entails the right of a religious community to set its own qualifications.
The State has an ethical and legal obligation to uphold and make applicable the right to freedom of religion or conviction both because it is a fundamental human right, and because it is its duty to defend the rights of its citizens and to seek the welfare of society....