PM GLYNN INSTITUTE An overview 10 points on Religious Persecution CRICOS registered provider: 00004G Religious freedom: a question of survival “In the Central African Republic, religious Many instances of religious persecution freedom is not a concept; it is a question have been underreported or neglected of survival. The idea is not whether one completely, especially in Western media. is more or less comfortable with the 10 points on Religious Persecution is ideological foundations underpinning intended to draw attention to the issue religious freedom; rather, the issue is and raise awareness on the plight faced how to avoid a bloodbath!” For Cardinal by many, most often minority religious Dieudonné Nzapalainga, the Archbishop groups. of Bangui in the Central African Republic, At a time when advocacy for minority this is a sad and harsh reality; a reality that groups is increasing, it would be is faced by millions of people on a global encouraging to see similar support for scale today. religious minority groups who face When religious freedom is undervalued, persecution because of their faith and ignored, discouraged or targeted, religious beliefs. persecution sometimes follows. Current views on the importance and relevance of religious freedom as a human right are varied and complex, however what can be agreed upon is that persecution is never the right course of action, regardless of the reason. Cover image: Original iron cross from the grave of St. Mary MacKillop 1909, late-19th century, iron and timber. Australian Catholic University Art Collection Overleaf: John Coburn, The First Day: The Spirit of of God brooded over the waters, 1977. Colour lithograph. Australian Catholic University Art Collection What is religious persecution? 1. IT IS VIOLENT AND OPPRESSIVE minorities, as in China or North Korea. Defined as an active program or campaign In many countries including Myanmar, to exterminate, drive away, or subjugate Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Syria, religious people based on membership of a religious majorities in certain regions are responsible group, acts of religious persecution can for persecuting religious minorities. include: murder (mass or individual), kidnapping, detention, enslavement, forced 4. IT IS NOT ONLY DRIVEN BY exile, expropriation of buildings, assets and RELIGIOUS DIFFERENCES funds and damage to property, physical It is important to highlight that difference assault including mutilations and battery, in faith is not the only driver of religious harsh sentences or punishments, and persecution. The historical background of intimidation and threats. a particular region, and its relationship with the State, is often vital to understanding 2. IT HAPPENS ALL AROUND how religious persecution comes about. THE WORLD The legal and social restrictions that are In 2018, at least 25 countries were identified placed on religious freedom within a where significant religious persecution country are also important factors. was taking place. These countries include: These are shaped both by governments Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Central African and social groupings, and are informed Republic, China, Eritrea, India, Indonesia, by a broader range of socio-political factors Iran, Iraq, Libya, Myanmar (Burma), including religious regulations, nationalism Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, the and fundamentalism. This can often take Palestinian Territories, Russia, Saudi Arabia, the shape of ethnic subjugation Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Turkmenistan, and discrimination. Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Yemen. Ethnic cleansing and genocide has also taken place in recent history: in Myanmar 3. IT IS PERPETRATED BY with the state persecution of Rohingyas; GOVERNMENTS, EXTREMISTS AND in Iraq through the persecution of Yazidis EVEN OTHER RELIGIOUS GROUPS by Islamic State Group; and in Nigeria State and non-state bodies are usually with the persecution of Christians by Boko responsible for religious persecution. In Haram and Fulani jihadis. places like China, Myanmar, North Korea and Saudi Arabia, to name a few, religious 5. IT AFFECTS CHRISTIANS minorities are predominantly targeted by Conservative estimates suggest that their governments. 260 million Christians were subjected In Afghanistan, Iraq, Niger, Nigeria and to religious persecution in 2017-18; the Somalia religious minorities are targeted by largest group by number targeted by non-state groups such as extremists. religious persecution. In some countries like India, Indonesia, Christian minority groups face persecution Pakistan, Syria and Yemen groups are in many countries, but some of the worst targeted not only by extremists but also by places include: Afghanistan, India, the government. Interestingly, it is not just Iraq, Libya, Nigeria, North Korea, the non-religious groups targeting religious Palestinian Territories and Syria. Of these, North Korea is considered to be one of the have ‘graduated’ from these re-education worst countries in the world for violations camps are being forced to work in factories of human rights and perpetrating religious which are in the supply chain of at least 83 persecution. While the North Korean well-known companies including: Amazon, constitution protects people’s freedom Apple, BMW, Dell, General Motors, Google, of religion in principle, this only extends H&M, Land Rover, Microsoft, Nike, Puma, to a handful of state-controlled houses Sony, Toshiba, Volkswagen and Zara. of worship permitted to exist. All other religious activities outside of this domain 7. IT AFFECTS JEWS AND OTHER are heavily regulated. RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES The North Korean regime actively seeks out Evidence suggests that anti-Semitism is Christians practising their religion in secret increasing around the world, which has led and imprisons those that they apprehend, to a rise in Jewish migrants to Israel. This along with their families, in political prison rise in anti-Semitism has been documented camps. There they endure forced labour, in in countries including France, Germany, violation of international law, on minimal Iran, Norway, Sweden, the United States of rations, causing extreme fatigue and America and Yemen. sickness or even death. Estimates suggest After the 2015 Hyper Cacher attack in that 25 per cent of Christians in North France, where four Jewish people were Korea are held in these prison camps where killed and a number were taken hostage at a they are heavily persecuted, even more so kosher supermarket, a record 7,900 Jewish than other prisoners. people emigrated to Israel, with many of them citing increased fears of anti-Semitism 6. IT AFFECTS MUSLIMS as their reason. Many Muslim communities also face While attacks on the Jewish population persecution, not only because of their today rarely fall into the category of religious beliefs but because of their ethnic persecution, discrimination and growing and cultural origins as well. hatred towards Jewish populations is on In China, estimates suggest between one the rise leading in some instances to Jewish and two million Uyghurs and members people concealing their faith in public to of other Turkic Muslim minorities have avoid harassment. disappeared into a vast network of re- While religious persecution aimed at other education camps in the far west region religious minorities like the Rohingyas in of Xinjiang since 2017. Inside the camps Myanmar and the Yazidis in Iraq has been detainees are subjected to political well-documented, religious persecution of indoctrination, forced to renounce their other minority groups often go unnoticed, religion and culture and, in some instances, such as the suppression of Buddhists in reportedly subjected to torture. Tibet and Hindus in Yemen. In the name of combating religious extremism Chinese authorities have been actively remoulding the Muslim population in the image of China’s Han ethnic majority. A recent report suggests that trainees who 8. IT TARGETS WOMEN WITH SEXUAL While religious persecution is not the only VIOLENCE factor driving people from their homelands, Sexual violence towards women and young it is often a factor that is rarely discussed girls is a growing concern around the or acknowledged. Religious persecution world. Rape is often used as a means of has forced Christians from China, Iraq, punishment, humiliation and degradation, Libya, Nigeria, North Korea, the Palestinian and women of faith are often targeted. Territories, Sudan and Syria, Yazidis from Where there is religious persecution, there is Iraq and Rohingya from Myanmar. often rape. While these people often struggle to access Sources indicate that countries of particular basic rights in their new homelands, concern include: India, Iraq, Libya, and often face racism, hatred and other Myanmar, Nigeria, North Korea and hostilities, the greater issue here is the Pakistan. In some instances, women are destruction of communities. also forced into sexual slavery. If they are Communities and traditions that span fortunate enough to escape, shame and generations are being destroyed and stigma from within their own communities traditional ways of life annihilated. This often follows. in turn devastates a person’s sense of In 2014, 17 year old Esther was kidnapped belonging; something that is of great from her village in Nigeria’s Borno State by importance to all of us. members of Boko Haram. When she would not renounce her Christian faith she was 10. IT CAN BE RESISTED repeatedly raped and eventually conceived While the situation is dire for many, and gave birth to her daughter in captivity.