THE TANDEM PROJECT
UNITED NATIONS, HUMAN RIGHTS,
FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR BELIEF
Separation of Religion or Belief and State
ETHIOPIA
Sixth Session U.N. Human Rights Council Universal
Periodic Review (30 Nov. – 11 Dec. 2009)
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UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW
The
Ethiopia Universal Periodic Review will be held by the UN Human Rights
Council on Wednesday 9 December 2009 from 14.30-17.30. Open this link to
access reports for the Ethiopia Universal Periodic Review: National
Report; Compilation prepared by OHCHR; Summary prepared by OHCHR; Interactive
Dialogue; Comments & Answers; Final Remarks.
HRC
Web Cast: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/UPR/PAGES/ETSession6.aspx
Inter-active
Dialogue: http://www.un.org/webcast/unhrc/archive.asp?go=091209
The
Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a unique process launched by the UN Human
Rights Council in 2008, to review the human rights obligations and
responsibilities of all UN Member States by 2011. Click for an Introduction to
the Universal Periodic Review, Process and News:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/UPR/Pages/BasicFacts.aspx
The
primary international human rights instruments on freedom of religion or belief
are:
Article
18 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; and the 1981
Declaration on the Elimination of all Forms of Intolerance and of
Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief.
General
Comment 22 on Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights:
http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/(Symbol)/9a30112c27d1167cc12563ed004d8f15?Opendocument
The
1981 UN Declaration on the Elimination of all Forms of Intolerance and of
Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief: http://www.tandemproject.com/program/81_dec.htm.
Human rights are individual rights and universal.
Organizations do not have the rights of a person. But they have
responsibilities, limited rights and some receive government benefits such as
exemption from taxation. The definition of organization for this Universal
Periodic Review is based on Article 2 of the 1981 UN Declaration; No one
shall be subject to discrimination by any State, institution, group of persons
or person on the grounds of religion or other beliefs.
For
UN Member States with ideological differences on defamation of religion and the
right to change a religion or belief, it is important to continue the
dialogue to “overcome the gaps in perceptions, concepts and ideas” and
achieve consensus between deeply-held religious beliefs and the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights: Vote
on Defamation of Religions
Excerpts:
The Conclusions and Recommendations
of the Working Group Report for the Ethiopia Universal Periodic Review include
98 recommendations that enjoy the support of the government of Ethiopia, 12
recommendations that are being studied by the government of Ethiopia and 32
recommendations that do not have the support of the government of Ethiopia. UN Member
States called for Ethiopia to invite Special Procedures experts, especially the
Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression, to visit Ethiopia and
do a report on their obligations under Article 19 of the International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights.
The Tandem Project
Follow-up recommends
Ethiopia continue a dialogue on defamation of religions and the right to
freedom of opinion and expression through Forums on Religious Tolerance and
Ethnic-sectarian Violence mentioned in the U.S. State Department Report:
“According to the U.S.
State Department International Religious Freedom Report Ethiopia has made some
improvements and Positive Developments in Respect for Religious Freedom: “On
February 16-17 and April 23-24, 2009, the Ministry of Federal Affairs held
forums in each regional state, which included representatives from local
government, security bureaus, and police commissioners, to build interreligious
understanding and resolve sectarian conflicts. In July 2008 the government-supported
NGO Interfaith Peace-Building Initiative established a National Inter-Faith
Peace Council to promote a culture of peace, improve interfaith cooperation,
establish trust and good relationships among religious groups, and help prevent
future conflict.”
The Tandem Project Follow-up Recommendations encourage Ethiopia to create a
curriculum on human rights and freedom of religion or belief using Article 18
of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the
1981 UN Declaration on the Elimination of all Forms of Intolerance and of
Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief. Such a curriculum should be framed
in the context of the Ethiopia National Report for the Universal
Periodic Review:
“Civics
and Ethical Education, which incorporate the ideals of human rights, democracy
and constitutionalism, has started to be taught at the primary, secondary and
tertiary level throughout the nation whether in public or private, secular or
religious schools. In our law schools and judicial training centers, various
courses are given on human rights issues. Human rights courses are incorporated
in the military and police training schools curriculum.”
Excerpt
from Report on Freedom of Opinion and Expression: The UN Human Rights Council by a vote of 23 for, 11
against and 13 abstaining passed a UN Resolution on Combating Defamation of
Religion (A/HRC/10/L.2/Rev.1) on 26 March, 2009.
Mr.
Imran Ahmed Siddiqui, Pakistan Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva, spoke at
a Parallel meeting in the tenth session of the UN Human Rights Council. The
Parallel meeting was sponsored by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty: “10
years of Defamation of Religions: Is there an alternative?” Mr. Siddiqui
speaking on behalf the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) expressed
this tension: “We are dealing with two worlds that have totally
different world views.”
Attachments: Ethiopia – Universal Periodic Review &
Freedom of Religion or Belief; Freedom of Opinion and Expression