Freedom at Risk: Religious Persecution Around the World

September 7, 2022

Religious persecution still exists throughout the world, affecting people of all religions.

A protest at a Chinese embassy advocating for freedom of religion for Tibetan Buddhists and Uyghur Muslims. futureatlas.com. CC BY 2.0.

In April 2021, the United States announced that it would withdraw all troops from Afghanistan. In his reasoning to withdraw, President Joe Biden said that it is “the right and responsibility of the Afghan people alone to decide their future”. That future, however, is compromised as the Taliban quickly took over the country and imposed laws that undermine the rights of women and religious minorities.

Religious minorities in Afghanistan have “faced harassment, detention and even death due to their beliefs”, according to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. The commission has recommended Afghanistan be included in the State Department’s list of “countries of particular concern” in terms of religious liberty. Many Jewish, Hindu and Sikh Afghans have been forced to flee the country and Ahmadiyya Muslims, Baha’i’s and Christians have been worshiping in secret in fear of persecution.

While many people think that the world is now much more enlightened than before, religious persecution is not a practice of the past. Conflicts are still being fought over religion. Religion is the key of freedom of conscience, which makes up a key part of the human being. Totalitarian regimes, that attempt to claim the whole person, are intent on suppressing religion, with controlling the individual as the end goal. However, religious persecution is not just limited to authoritarian states, as a 2018 report claims that harassment of religious groups occurs in 90% of all countries.

With authoritarian regimes on the rise in countries like China, religion is being suppressed there. In China, Xi Jinping is embarking on a campaign against religion in general and sending countless Uyghur, Kazakh and Kyrgyz Muslims to concentration camps. In addition, the Chinese government is trying to impose forced assimilation of Tibetan Buddhists and closed many Protestant churches.

Though officially a secular democracy, Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, and his Hindu nationalist party the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has led a fierce anti-Muslim campaign in India. The Indian government has recently moved to limit the rights of Muslims, including a new law that allows for fast-tracked citizenship of non-Muslim immigrants from nearby countries. There has also been an increase in violence against Muslims in India during Modi’s time in office.

Religious persecution in India is not just limited to Muslims, however. Christians are also facing animosity in India. Hindus are committing violence against Christians under the pretext of the country’s anti-conversion law, which prohibits missionary activity. To Hindu nationalists, the notion that some Hindus are willing to convert to Christianity throws a dent in their plans for a purely Hindu nation. The only problem is, that the Christians under the threat of vigilante violence are not engaging in conversions. Instead, the anti-conversion law is used as an excuse to justify violence against Christian communities in India.

There are countless other examples of religious persecution around the world that are not getting much attention. According to Open Doors, an organization that advocates for persecuted Christians, more than 360 million Christians across 76 countries suffer high levels of discrimination, with Christians in the Middle East and Africa under particular threat. In Kenya, six Christians were killed in early 2022 by Al-Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda aligned terrorist group. Even in Uganda, where 82% of the population is Christian, a Muslim hanged his wife and children in January 2022 because they converted to Christianity.

Even Western countries, which are generally considered more tolerant, are not bereft of instances of religious persecution. France in recent years instituted a “burqa ban”, prohibiting some people from wearing their religious garments. While some justified the ban as an embrace of secularism and public safety, France also instituted a compulsory mask mandate during the Coronavirus pandemic without reversing the “burqa ban”, showing that Islamophobia was the driving force behind the ban.

These instances of religious persecution are a direct affront to human rights. Article 18 of the United Nation Universal Declaration of Human Rights establishes the freedom of religion to be a fundamental human right. While the world may not be the most tolerant place currently, there are numerous organizations and individuals working to change that.

To Get Involved

There are plenty of organizations that fight for religious freedom around the world. The Religious Freedom Institute is working to convince stakeholders around the world that religious freedom can help them achieve their goals. The International Association for Religious Freedom promotes the work of individuals fighting for religious freedom. Other organizations advocating for religious tolerance can be found here.

Countries Around the Globe Continue to Legalize Islamophobia

April 30, 2021

At the beginning of March, independent rights expert Ahmed Shaheed addressed the United Nations Human Rights Council, underscoring the rise in anti-Muslim hate globally and urging member-states to take action immediately. Shaheed noted that in 2018 and 2019, four in 10 Europeans held a negative view of Muslims, and in 2017 30% of Americans held the same negative view.

But in the following weeks, Islamophobic legislation—laws which seek to discriminate against Muslims—were proposed or enacted in countries like France and Sri Lanka, showing just how widespread the situation remains.

France has a long-standing history of Islamophobia. The country, with a Muslim community of 4.4 million, or 8.8% of the country’s population, maintains the largest Muslim community of any Western nation. Over the past decade, the country banned the wearing of niqabs, veils which cover one’s face, in public, several coastal cities banned burkinis, a form of swimwear, and more recently, the French Senate voted to ban anyone under the age of 18 from wearing a hijab.

While protests have met each of these pieces of legislation, with the recently proposed hijab ban seeing demonstrators take to the streets around the country, Islamophobia has been disturbingly commonplace. The number of Islamophobic attacks in France increased by 53% in 2020.

Sri Lanka, a South Asian country whose Muslim community constitutes 9.7% of its population, has had a more recent problem with Islamophobia. While several one-off Islamophobic attacks took place throughout the 2010s, the government only recently began to write Islamophobia into law. In March, the country banned the wearing of the burqa and closed over 1,000 Islamic schools.

The United States is also no stranger to Islamophobia. Throughout the 2010s, states ranging from Arizona to Florida to South Dakota passed 22 anti-Muslim laws. At the federal level, the Trump administration authorized several Muslim travel bans and used Twitter to perpetuate an equivalency between Islam and terrorism.

While bigotry against any religion has existed since the beginning of religion itself, Islam has increasingly been the target of xenophobia globally due to the Sept. 11 attacks, the rise of the Islamic State group in the Middle East and other terror attacks in the West carried out by Islamic extremists.

Regardless of its origins, Islamophobia remains one of the most pressing social justice issues to address in the 21st century. As U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a March 2021 video commemorating the International Day to Combat Islamophobia: “We must continue to push for policies that fully respect human rights and religious, cultural and unique human identity … As the Holy Quran reminds us: nations and tribes were created to know one another.”

To Get Involved:

To raise awareness about the recently proposed French hijab ban, sign “Hijab Ban France,” a petition urging the French government to revoke the ban, by clicking here.

To find out about more opportunities globally and locally to get involved in the fight against Islamophobia, check out the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the European Network Against Racism, both organizations taking intersectional approaches to combat Islamophobia through legislative and social means.

With Democracy on the Horizon, Uzbekistan Flirts with Freedom

November 25, 2020

Uzbekistan’s new attention to human rights and democratic ideals, along with the rapid boom in its tourism industry and steps toward religious tolerance, are potential signifiers of progress.

Tashkent, capital of Uzbekistan. Markus Biedermann. CC BY NC-ND 2.0.

Cradled between Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan lies at the heart of Central Asia. Uzbekistan’s population is predominantly Sunni Muslim, and adherents are considered the most devout in Central Asia. The capital, Tashkent, is full of signs of its rich Islamic heritage: historic mosques and mausoleums are scattered among Soviet-style towers.

The country’s complex and multifaceted history explains its diverse population. At the height of the Silk Road, cities located in present-day Uzbekistan such as Bukhara and Samarkand were trading hubs between the East and the West. It was through these centers that Arab traders brought Islam and a written alphabet to the region. After centuries of conquests and rivalry between Uzbek city-states, Russia swallowed up these states with the promise of protection in the early 19th century. It was established as the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic in 1924, where religion was suppressed and the population inflicted with forced collectivization.

Ever since Uzbekistan’s independence in 1991, long-serving President Islam Karimov has largely avoided democratization while embracing diplomacy and investment from the global community. Despite his attempts to join the U.S. in its “war on terror,” Karimov was regularly criticized by the United Nations for his long record of human rights violations. His persecution of the large Muslim population in Uzbekistan could not be ignored by U.S. in light of the Andijan massacre, when at least 187 civilians were killed. After Karimov’s death in 2016, Uzbekistan seems to have emerged from three decades of isolation and autocratic rule.

Today, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s administration boasts of its progressive policies: Mirziyoyev advocates for freedom of the press, supports religious tolerance and disapproves of unjust imprisonment. Since the start of Mirziyoyev’s presidency in 2016, a few journalists have been spared incarceration, previously blocked media platforms were made accessible, and a number of political prisoners were released. These actions displayed Mirziyoyev’s ostensible devotion to human rights, which was bolstered by his emerging friendship with U.S. Rep. Trent Kelly, his interaction with nongovernmental organizations, and his government’s partnership with the Cotton Campaign, which combats unpaid cotton production in Uzbekistan. As a result, Uzbekistan was elected to the U.N. Human Rights Council for the first time in history this October. In an article found on the United Nations’ website, Uzbekistan is lauded for its “firm commitment to the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter and the universal declaration of human rights.” Although members of the U.N. carefully watch Mirziyoyev to ensure the establishment of these democratic ideals, Uzbekistan is now regarded as a country working toward greater freedom.

There are complications involved in Mirziyoyev’s steps toward democratization. Even though Mirziyoyev has been vocal about eliminating Uzbekistan’s forced cotton labor, advocacy group Uzbek Forum found that forced labor persists in the country. Rather than setting up an institutional stronghold on the cotton industry, the government privatized the cotton sector, which only decentralized government-enforced labor by a few degrees.

Mirziyoyev’s efforts toward modernizing the Uzbek capital of Tashkent have resulted in mass displacement of the city’s original inhabitants. Through the demolition of its buildings and the restructuring of its neighborhoods, the government has carried out a wide-scale gentrification of the city. Tashkent is now considered a travel destination, full of shining skyscrapers and new hotel districts. In order to bolster Uzbekistan’s economy, Mirziyoyev allowed visa-free travel for 30 days for visitors from 65 countries, including the United States.

These markers of progress are met with a mixture of emotions—the U.N. is enthusiastic about Mirziyoyev’s commitment to human rights, while Human Rights Watch remains skeptical of the legitimacy of these policies. The new seemingly democratic leadership of Mirziyoyev creates suspicion among Uzbeks and foreigners alike. Pushed by economic motivations, the president’s attempts to abide by the universal guidelines of human rights stir up hopes among Uzbeks for a freer future.

Heather Lim

recently earned her B.A. in Literatures in English from University of California, San Diego. She was editor of the Arts and Culture section of The Triton, a student-run newspaper. She plans on working in art criticism, which combines her love of visual art with her passion for journalism.

Sudanese people gathering in front of a mosque. Nina R. CC 2.0.

Sudan Separates Religion and State Following al-Bashir’s Ouster

September 23, 2020

The Northeast African nation of Sudan has made the decision to separate religion from the state, dissolving 30 years of governance by Islamic law. The country, which has been attempting to rebuild itself after long periods of colonial rule and political strife, came to this decision in an attempt to quell current tensions between religious and military groups.

Sudan was formerly under colonial rule by the United Kingdom, though the British did not make their presence in Sudan a physical one. They maintained control by partnering with Egypt through a dual colonial government known as the Anglo-Egyptian Condominium (1899–1956). This agreement separated the Muslim-dominated north from the majority-Christian south. As colonial presence grew stronger in the region, so did division along ethnic, socioeconomic, religious and linguistic lines.

Sudan was able to gain independence in 1956, but the country is still overwhelmed with tensions as its citizens and government continue to reconcile with issues caused by colonization. They eventually led to the Second Sudanese Civil War (1983-2005) between the central government in Khartoum and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army, causing an eventual 2 million deaths and the creation of an independent South Sudan. This conflict was amplified when Omar al-Bashir took office by way of a military coup in 1989 in the middle of this 22-year-long civil war. He ruled for 30 years and did so through the suppression of political opponents as well as violence against the Sudanese people. During his presidency, multiple arrest warrants were issued to al-Bashir by the International Criminal Court on charges including war crimes and crimes against humanity, such as his attacks on citizens in Darfur.

Map of Sudan. Muhammad Daffa Rambe. CC BY-SA 3.0.

Al-Bashir continued to hold his power until April 2019 when, after months of unrest, the Sudanese military toppled him. On Sept. 3, 2020, Sudan issued its declaration to sever ties between mosque and state, saying that, “For Sudan to become a democratic country where the rights of all citizens are enshrined, the constitution should be based on the principle of ‘separation of religion and state,’ in the absence of which the right to self-determination must be respected.”

Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. Ola A .Alsheikh. CC BY-SA 4.0.

Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and Abdelaziz al-Hilu, leader of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North rebel group, signed this document together. Additionally, the document emphasizes its effort toward unity with the statement, “Sudan is a multiracial, multiethnic, multireligious and multicultural society. Full recognition and accommodation of these diversities must be affirmed.” More than simply separating church and state, the declaration gives the country momentum in its push toward unification.

Renee is currently an English student at The University of Georgia. She lives in Ellijay, Georgia, a small mountain town in the middle of Appalachia. A passionate writer, she is inspired often by her hikes along the Appalachian trail and her efforts to fight for equality across all spectrums. She hopes to further her passion as a writer into a flourishing career that positively impacts others.

VIDEO: Indonesia's Mentawai Tribe

September 8, 2020

To give Joshua Cowan’s film even deeper meaning, it’s important to understand context. Mentawai is an archipelago found off the west coast of Sumatra (Indonesia) consisting of approximately 70 islands and islets. The history of the people is often debated, but as early as 1954, under Indonesia’s goal of national unity and cultural adaptation, the National Government began introducing civilization programs designed to integrate the tribal groups into the social and cultural mainstream of the country. This, for native Mentawai, meant the eradication of Arat Sabulungan — the animist belief system that links the supernatural powers of ancestral spirits to the ecology of the rainforest — ; the forced surrender, burning and destruction of possessions used to facilitate cultural or ritual behavior; and their Sikerei (shamans) being disrobed, beaten, and forced into slave labor and imprisonment.

Under Pancasila — the official, foundational philosophical theory of Indonesia — the Indonesian state should be based on the Five Principles: Indonesian nationalism; Internationalism, or Humanism; Consent, or Democracy; Social prosperity; and Belief in One God. Based on the Indonesian notion ‘belief in one God’, there are officially only five religions recognized: Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Hinduism, and Buddhism. Which, for the Mentawai Islands, resulted in an immediate influx of missionaries and an increase in violence and pressure on the people to adopt change. In the end many chose Christianity due to its flexible views on the possession and consumption of pigs, which play an integral role in Mentawai history and culture.

By the late 1980’s loggers had devastated the forests of Sipora, North and South Pagai. In 1980, WWF (World Wildlife Fund) published a report entitled ‘Saving Siberut’ which, along with the support of other organizations – primarily UNESCO and Survival International – and other additional international interest, helped persuade the Indonesian government to cancel logging concessions and declare the forests of Siberut a biosphere reserve. With this, the people in the Mentawai found that they were once again free to practice their native cultural activities – at least in areas away from the villages.

However, by this point, and as it remains today, the number of Indigenous people still actively practicing the cultural customs, rituals and ceremonies of Arat Sabulungan had already been limited to a very small population of clans primarily located around the Sarereiket and Sakuddei regions in the south of Siberut Island.

Raeann is an avid traveler, digital storyteller and guide writer. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Comm & Media Studies from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism & Mass Communication. Passionate about a/effective journalism and cultural exchange, she is an advocate of international solidarity and people's liberation. As the founder of ROAM + WRITE and EIC of Monarch Magazine, Raeann hopes to reshape the culture of travel and hospitality to be ethically sound and sustainable.

Religious persecution still exists throughout the world, affecting people of all religions.

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Uzbekistan’s new attention to human rights and democratic ideals, along with the rapid boom in its tourism industry and steps toward religious tolerance, are potential signifiers of progress.

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