E/CN.4/1993/62 page 88 4. Isn’t your office well aware that 100 per cent of all the citizens of Saudi Arabia are adherents of the Muslim religion, inlcuding the Shiites? The ’allegations’ of their mistreatment in Saudi Arabia can only emanate from political motives to disturb law and order in the country, and thus violate its freedom of religion. Our Constitution is based on the Holy Koran which all Muslims, including the Shiites, believe to be the Divine Law governing the life of the adherent. Our Government, as any other responsible Government, refuses to engage in any sort of polemics emanating from any source questioning our religious freedom and using alleged allegations to justify such an intervention. 5. Finally, is it not evident to all Muslims, who constitute more than a quarter of this planet’s population, that they are confronting a sort of political and ideological ’crusade’ against Islam and its Governments and countries? Doesn’t this ’crusade’ use and abuse the banner of human rights and the slogan of religious intolerance?" 53. Although it is not the role of the Special Rapporteur to make accusations or value judgements, as concerns the reply of the Government of Saudi Arabia according to which "100 per cent of all the citizens of Saudi Arabia are adherents of the Muslim religion", he would like to indicate that such uniformity does not exist in either political or religious matters. Mankind has a right to diversity, to the freedom of thought, conscience and belief, without limits being imposed on anyone, except in cases where restrictions to their exercise are prescribed. The Special Rapporteur does not wage any "crusades" but limits himself to fulfilling the letter and spirit of the major international texts concerning human rights which are universal and should be respected by all countries, regardless of their political regime and predominant religion. Sri Lanka 54. In a communication sent on 18 September 1992 addressed to the Government of the Democratic Republic of Sri Lanka, the following was transmitted by the Special Rapporteur: "According to the information received, the Sri Durga Devi Temple in Tellippalai was subjected to an air attack on 31 May 1992. It has been alleged that bomber aircraft carried out four bombing attacks, that a grenade was thrown from a helicopter and that a barrel bomb was thrown from an Avro airplane. It has been reported that the bombing took place despite visibly displayed flags denoting a religious building. Six persons are reported to have died on this occasion, 25 were badly injured while approximately 100 persons are said to have suffered minor injuries. The temple reportedly also runs a Children’s Home, houses a number of elderly persons and has been providing accommodation for 116 refugee families that have been displaced since June 1990. In addition, persons displaced in security operations on 30 and 31 May 1992 had also taken refuge in the temple, amounting to a 2,500 total number of persons present at the time of the incident. Damage was allegedly caused to the Vasantha and Thirumurai Mandapam as well as to the residences of the Chief Priest and temple staff.

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