Connecting Communities of Discourse: How the Judiciary, Academia, Government and International Institutions Further the Work of Religious Freedom Leaders of national and international judicial, academic, and government organizations met at the J. Reuben Clark Law School to discuss various aspects of religious freedom as part of an annual International Law and Religious Freedom Symposium. The program, hosted by BYU, the J. Reuben Clark Law School, and the International Center for Law and Religion Studies, is in its sixteenth year. Over 70 delegates from more than 43 countries participated in the program’s discussions, presentations, and dialogue. Represented countries included Iraq, China, Russia, India, Germany, Belgium, Japan, Jordan, Indonesia, Nepal, Vietnam, and many others.“As a people,” BYU International Vice President Sandra Rogers said, “we are committed to religious opportunity and religious freedom, and we are willing to defend it, and we are willing to discuss it.” During the opening session of the program, Anastasia Crickley, Chairperson of the European Union Fundamental Rights Agency and Head of the Department of Applied Sciences at the National University of Ireland, addressed guests. She spoke of the challenges and methods of overcoming all forms of discrimination in Europe and around the world. “I have found,” Crickley said, “that discriminations need to be understood together, as well as taught, if they are to be addressed.” “We’re not all the same,” she continued, “but we do share values, and defending the rights of people to practice their religion is defending rights for all.” Following Crickley’s remarks, Pius Nkonzo Langa, Chief Justice of the South Africa Constitutional Court, spoke of the rule of democracy and freedom in post-apartheid South Africa. He spoke candidly of the fact that apartheid, inequitable as it was, was “grounded on law.” Therefore, Langa urged members of the symposium to consider the impact of law for both good and evil. “No single act of apartheid was committed outside of the law,” Langa said. “Apartheid also relied on religion. The churches gave justification for the oppression of apartheid…. Since 1994, the law has been made to work for justice. But… it is also possible for the law to serve other purposes…. It is for us to see to it that both the law and the people serve [the good].” Participants came to the symposium for many reasons, some very practical, and some philosophical. Kanak Bikram Thapa, for example, a former dean of law at Tribhuvan University in Nepal, is serving on a committee that is in charge of drafting a new constitution for the Federal Democratic of Nepal. He and other committee members are considering how religion will be addressed in the document. “It is a very crucial time,” Thapa said. “[Nepal] was Hindu, but [it has] now [been] declared a secular state… [We consider here how we will] write to the freedom of profession and practice of religion.” In Nepal, the former law dictated that one may profess and practice their religion, but they may not convert to another. Now, Thapa said, “there is a big debate on that issue. Should individuals have the right to choose religion, or just to practice?” “I want to see the status of other countries regarding constitutional freedom of religion,” Thapa’s fellow committee member, Prakash Man Singh said. Ibrahim Ismail Malik, Chairman of the National Handicap and Vocational Government Services Program in Zambia, came to the symposium with the hope of learning how he might open the dialogue of law and religious freedom in his own country. “It gives us an opportunity,” Malik said, “[to know] how to persuade our government to start a dialogue [regarding] various religious bodies, so we can eliminate persecution of different religious bodies.” Written by Justin Forsyth Participant Comments: “We came here to experience with each other… how to ensure freedom of religion of citizens.” “We are trying to set up a law and religion center at the University of Ghana.” “The issue of religion is important for everybody. We have the chance to share our views… We have the same values and principles. How [do we] promote justice, dialogue, [and] cooperation among members of society? This is a moral principle.” “We have never considered the dialogue, because for us [freedom of religion] is a fact. It has been [in our country] for such a long time… Why in our history has this not become an issue? … [I] still [have] no answer, but I hope to find the answer here.” |
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Musa Fancis Ecweru, Minister of State for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees,Govermnet of Uganda |
Posted: October 12, 2009
