E/CN.4/2002/73/Add.1 page 14 identity. The Secretary of Worship recalled that article 75 of the Constitution recognized the rights of indigenous peoples and the need to respect their identity and that Act No. 23302 on the Protection of Indigenous Communities, adopted on the initiative of Mr. Fernando de la Rua before he became President of the Republic, had established the National Indigenous Affairs Institute (INAI) for the implementation of policies on behalf of those communities. He also stated that such progress had made it possible to start the process of returning land to the indigenous peoples. The representative of INAI explained that INAI has a temporary mandate as part of the Ministry of Social Development and the Environment until it becomes a body composed of experts serving in their personal capacity, in accordance with the law. In May 2001, an advisory council on indigenous peoples would be set up in INAI, as would provincial councils composed of indigenous representatives appointed by their communities. He also drew attention to the National Plan for Indigenous Populations, which reflects the Government’s policy. In addition to a national programme for the free issue of identity documents, indigenous cross-cultural education, sustainable development and drinking water supplies, a plan provides for a national programme for the regularization of land, the basis of the indigenous population’s identity. The representative of INAI said that, on the whole, there was a trend towards the normalization of the indigenous land situation and that indigenous peoples enjoyed full freedom of worship. B. Consultations with non-governmental organizations and independent experts in the field of human rights 66. The information collected has been included in part III in order to avoid repetition and since the situation of communities of religion and belief also reflects the Government’s policy in respect of religion and belief. III. SITUATION OF COMMUNITIES OF RELIGION AND BELIEF 67. The information presented below has been gathered in talks with religious representatives, laymen, humanists, non-governmental organizations and community leaders, as well as from written communications. A. Situation of the Catholic Church 68. Catholic representatives provided information on the satisfactory situation of the Catholic Church in Argentina with regard to respect for freedom of religion and freedom to manifest one’s religion or belief. 69. Regarding State support for the Catholic Church pursuant to article 2 of the Federal Constitution, it was made clear that this should not be interpreted as the establishment of an official religion. It was stated that some provincial constitutions embodied the principle of an official religion. Catholic representatives explained the special link between State institutions and the Catholic Church in terms of historical and sociological considerations (the Catholic Church predates the establishment of the Argentine State and contributed to the building of the Argentine nation and the majority of the population is Catholic). Church representatives also referred to various manifestations of Catholicism in public institutions, such as the presence of crucifixes in the courts and the obligation in certain provinces to teach the Catholic religion in