A/55/280 denominations. Autonomous religious movements have few adherents, but they enjoy the same rights and freedoms as other denominations. The number of religious communities originating in the national minorities has grown considerably. In January 2000 there were 655 communities comprising believers from 12 different denominations. Half of these — of which there are 305 more than in 1992 — are currently Muslim communities. The number of Jewish congregations has risen by 103, that of reformed communities (Hungarian Church) by 13 and that of German Lutheran churches by 36. Viet Nam 74. With regard to the cases of the bonzes Thich Khong Than and Thich Tue Sy of the Unified Buddhist Church of Viet Nam (see document E/CN.4/2000/65, para. 99), Viet Nam replied as follows: Pham Ngoc An (Thich Khong Than) lives in Ho Chi Minh City. An was arrested on 6 November 1994 and convicted to five years’ imprisonment for the acts committed in violation of articles 81 and 205 (a) of the Penal Code. Pham Ngoc An was released on 6 November 1998 and is now conducting his normal religious life at Lien Tri pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City. Pham Van Thuong (Thich Tue Sy) was arrested on 22 March 1984 and was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment on the charges of activities in violation of article 73 of the Penal Code. Thuong was released on the occasion of the National Amnesty on 1 September 1998 and is now conducting his normal religious life at Gia Lam pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City. Nigeria, Pakistan, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Yemen. III. Review of communications 76. Analysis of the communications makes it possible to identify the main problems and sources of intolerance and discrimination in the area of religion and belief. It makes it possible to confirm, in particular, the assessments made by the Commission on Human Rights at its most recent session in the framework of its resolutions. Among these resolutions, attention is drawn to resolution 2000/50 of 25 April 2000, on tolerance and pluralism as indivisible elements in the promotion and protection of human rights, in which the Commission expresses its full awareness that even at the onset of the twenty-first century, forces of aggressive nationalism, absence of religious tolerance and ethnic extremism continue to produce fresh challenges. Likewise, the Commission, in its resolution 2000/33 of 20 April 2000, on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, notes with alarm that serious instances of intolerance and discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief, including acts of violence, intimidation and coercion motivated by religious intolerance, occur in many parts of the world and threaten the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms. In this regard, the Commission has a special interest in problems affecting religious minorities and practices that undermine the fundamental rights of women and discriminate against women. A review of the Special Rapporteur’s communications makes it possible to highlight the following problems and concerns. *** 75. The Special Rapporteur has still not received replies to some or all of the communications sent, in connection with the report submitted to the Commission on Human Rights at its fifty-sixth session, to the following 36 States: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Cyprus, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Dominican Republic, Gabon, Greece, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Israel, Kazakhstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Mexico, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, 20 Extremism 77. Several communications transmitted in the framework of this report cite an ever-growing scourge, namely, religious extremism, whose primary victims are vulnerable groups, such as women and minorities. The case that epitomizes this is that of Afghanistan, where the Taliban, in the name of their own interpretation of Islam, but in reality using religion as a political tool in the interests of power, have taken an entire society hostage. This attempt at enslavement mainly affects women, who are relegated to a pariah