Can Malmö Learn from Freetown? Comparing the Promotion and Protection of Religious Tolerance
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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN DENMARK & THE DANISH INSTITUTE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS European Master’s Degree in Human Rights and Democratisation A.Y. 2016/2017 Can Malmö Learn From Freetown? Comparing the Promotion and Protection of Religious Tolerance Author: Marcus Olsson Supervisors: Eva Maria Lassen & Tim Jensen 1 Abstract The purpose of this study is to identify and explain the main differences between the promotion and protection of religious tolerance in Freetown and Malmö. This study investigates to what extent Malmö can possibly draw inspiration from Freetown in order to increase religious tolerance. The idea behind this research comes from material collected regarding the situation of religious tolerance in both societies. Furthermore, former Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Heiner Bielefeldt, recommended religious leaders, states and the international community to look at how Sierra Leone maintains its high level of religious tolerance. A framework connecting religious tolerance to human rights is used in order to understand the promotion and protection of the concept. The study analyses the promotion and protection of religious tolerance through four different levels connected to each city: international, state, municipality and civil society level. Data for this study was gathered from secondary sources and field trips to both cities, where interviews were conducted with persons involved in inter-religious work. The results of this research suggest that there is inspiration worth drawing from Freetown. However, the historical, cultural and demographic differences between the cities, are in general too great for Malmö to realistically increase religious tolerance by following the main methods of the promotion and protection in Freetown. 2 Abbrevations ACHPR - African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights AU - African Union CoE -Council of Europe ECHR - European Convention on Human Rights ECtHR - European Court of Human Rights EU - European Union FoRB - Freedom of Religion or Belief GC22 - General Comment No. 22 HDI - Human Development Index HRC - Human Rights Committee ICCPR - International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights IGO - Inter-Governmental Organisations IRCSL - Inter-Religious Council of Sierra Leone OIC - Organisation of Islamic Cooperation NGO - Non-Governmental Organisation OHCHR - Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights SST - Commission for Government Support for Faith Communities UDHR - Universal Declaration of Human Rights UMAF - Young People Against anti-Semitism and Xenophobia UN - United Nations UNDP - United Nations Development Programme UNHRC - United Nations Human Rights Council UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization 3 Table of Contents 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 6 1.1 “The international community is encouraged to pay more attention to Sierra Leone.” (Bielefeldt, 2013a:17) ....................................................................................................................................................... 6 1.2 The Idea and Relevance for Malmö and Freedom of Religion or Belief .......................................... 7 1.3 Literature Review .............................................................................................................................. 8 1.4 Objective and Research Questions .................................................................................................... 8 2 Background and Contemporary Situation ............................................................................................ 9 2.1 Sweden .............................................................................................................................................. 9 2.2 Malmö.............................................................................................................................................. 10 2.3 Sierra Leone ..................................................................................................................................... 11 2.4 Freetown .......................................................................................................................................... 13 3 Religious Tolerance in a Human Rights Framework ......................................................................... 15 3.1 Tolerance ......................................................................................................................................... 15 3.1.1 Importance, History and Definition of Tolerance .................................................................... 15 3.1.2 Tolerance in today’s society and its impact ............................................................................. 17 3.2 Religion ........................................................................................................................................... 18 3.2.1 What is Religion and what characterises it? ............................................................................ 18 3.2.2 Religion and Human Rights .................................................................................................... 20 3.2.3 Overlapping Consensus ........................................................................................................... 23 3.3 Religious Tolerance ......................................................................................................................... 24 3.3.1 Religious Tolerance, why is it important? ............................................................................... 24 3.3.2 Religious Tolerance and International Human Rights ............................................................. 25 3.3.3 Controversy of Freedom of Religion or Belief for States ........................................................ 27 4 Method .................................................................................................................................................... 29 4.1 Research design ............................................................................................................................... 29 4.2 Sample and Data Collection ............................................................................................................ 30 4.3 Data Analysis ................................................................................................................................... 31 4.4 Limitations and Delimitations ......................................................................................................... 32 5 Empirical Data ....................................................................................................................................... 33 5.1 International Level and Freedom of Religion or Belief ................................................................... 33 5.1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 33 5.1.2 UN Instruments and Freedom of Religion or Belief................................................................ 33 5.1.3 UN Mechanisms of Surveillance and Implementation ............................................................ 34 5.1.3.1 UN Human Rights Committee ............................................................................................. 34 4 5.1.3.2 UN Human Rights Council .................................................................................................. 35 5.1.3.3 UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief .................................................. 36 5.1.4 Sweden and the UN concerning Freedom of Religion or Belief ............................................. 38 5.1.4.1 Sweden and the UN Human Rights Committee ................................................................... 38 5.1.4.2 Sweden and the UN Human Rights Council ........................................................................ 38 5.1.4.3 Sweden and the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief ........................ 39 5.1.5 Sierra Leone and the UN concerning Freedom of Religion or Belief ..................................... 39 5.1.5.1 Sierra Leone and the UN Human Rights Committee ........................................................... 39 5.1.5.2 Sierra Leone and the UN Human Rights Council ............................................................... 39 5.1.5.3 Sierra Leone and the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief ............... 40 5.1.6 Other inter-governmental organisations concerning Freedom of Religion or Belief .............. 40 5.1.6.1 Sweden ................................................................................................................................. 40 5.1.6.2 Sierra Leone ........................................................................................................................ 40 5.2 Domestic State Level and Freedom of Religion or Belief ............................................................... 41 5.2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 41 5.2.2 The Swedish State and Freedom of Religion or Belief ........................................................... 41 5.2.3 The Sierra Leonean State and Freedom of Religion or Belief ................................................