E/CN.4/1996/95/Add.1
page 16
introduced to inculcate tolerance through preaching. In addition, the
Government has forbidden the carriage of weapons at religious demonstrations.
75.
Regarding religious schools, the Special Rapporteur has been informed
that the authorities have been trying to make their financial support
conditional on a say in teaching programmes, in order to offset political
militancy. As pointed out by the authorities, Koranic schools, which have
grown exponentially compared with public sector schools, have long been in
receipt of finance from abroad, especially from Saudi Arabia.
76.
With regard to publications, the authorities have introduced controls
banning over 1,500 publications considered to create intolerance by inciting
their readers to murder and persecutions. Publishers are threatened with
arrest if they commit the above offences or adopt attitudes leading to such
offences.
77.
In the area of interfaith dialogue, a code of conduct has been drafted in
conjunction with the leaders of the different religious communities with a
view to preventing any intolerance.
2.
Required measures
78.
From the point of view of non-governmental sources, there is a need to
change or even to abrogate some existing laws or parts of them (e.g. the laws
on blasphemy, separate elections, the declaration of Ahmadis as a non-Muslim
minority, the reference to religion on passports, the mention of religion in
identity card application forms, or the laws on evidence), with a view to
introducing new legislation which would be fairer to all components of
society.
79.
In this respect, some sources advocated a separation between State and
religion, particularly as a source of law, in order to avoid any State
interference in determining the content and mode of expression of religions
and in order to establish clearly a citizenship entailing identical rights and
duties for all regardless of religious persuasion. Opinion was also strongly
in favour of promoting a culture of tolerance through the media, especially
television, and through education at school and in the family.
80.
Regarding the changes in blasphemy law proceedings (see under blasphemy
law and related jurisprudence, paras. 14-16), the Ministry for Foreign Affairs
assured the Special Rapporteur that the legal amendments would be introduced
in 8 to 12 months’ time.
IV.
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
81.
With regard to legislation, the Special Rapporteur would like to point
out that an official or State religion in itself is not opposed to human
rights. The State should not, however, take control of religion by defining
its content, concepts or limitations, apart from those which are strictly
necessary, as provided in article 1, paragraph 3, of the Declaration on the
Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on
Religion or Belief, and in article 18, of the International Covenant on Civil
and Political Rights. On 20 July 1993, the Committee on Human Rights adopted