E/CN.4/1992/52
page 173
IV.
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
165. This is the sixth consecutive year that the Special Rapporteur has
examined, under the mandate entrusted to him by the Commission on Human
Rights, incidents and governmental measures reported to be inconsistent with
the provisions of the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of
Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief. He has been
particularly gratified by the confidence placed in him by the Commission,
which extended his mandate for an additional two years in 1990, as well as by
the interest of the States members of the Commission in his mandate.
166. During the period covered by this report, the Special Rapporteur has
continued to receive allegations of infringements of the rights and freedoms
set out in the Declaration occurring in practically all regions of the world
and is concerned at their persistence. He has continued to gather information
regarding the factors which impede the implementation of the principle of
tolerance in matters of religion or belief and is pleased to have maintained a
constructive dialogue with Governments in searching for clarifications on
specific incidents or cases which concern them. He considers the spirit of
cooperation shown by the Governments in the implementation of his mandate as a
particularly encouraging development.
167. The practice of intolerance and discrimination based on religion and
belief has continued to occur during the past year throughout the world in
countries with varying degrees of development and different political and
social systems. It concerns the rights enshrined in almost all of the
provisions of the Declaration, namely, the right to have the religion or
belief of one's choice, the right to manifest and practice one's religion in
public and in private, the right to change one's religion or belief, the right
not to be subjected to discrimination by any State, institution or group of
persons on the grounds of religion or other beliefs, the right to teach a
religion or belief in places suitable for these purposes, the right to make,
acquire and use to an adequate extent the necessary articles and materials
related to the rites or customs of a religion or belief, the right of parents
to bring up children in accordance with the religion or belief of their
choice, the right to train, appoint, elect or designate by succession
appropriate leaders called for by the requirements and standards of any
religion or belief and the right to celebrate holidays and ceremonies in
accordance with the precepts of one's religion or belief.
168. The infringement of the above-mentioned rights undermines the integrity
and dignity of the human person and also threatens the enjoyment of other
fundamental human rights and freedoms. The allegations received in the course
of this reporting period concern acts of discrimination violating rights
enshrined both in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and
the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, as well as
other international human rights instruments, and refer in particular to the
right to life. In addition to the right to freedom of thought, conscience,
religion and belief, including those of religious minorities, they include the
right to liberty and security of the person, to physical integrity, the right
not to be subjected to torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment