A/HRC/31/18/Add.2
activists, the Government should meticulously avoid any ambiguities that could
be perceived as putting the blame partially on the victims of such violence. All
incidents of attacks must be investigated and the perpetrators must be brought
to justice;
(g)
The Government should step up its effort in fighting against the culture
of corruption;
(h)
The Government is encouraged to apply the Rabat Plan of Action when
combating incitement of acts of religious hatred. This requires inviting all
relevant stakeholders, including government agencies, religious communities,
media representatives, civil society and experts in education, to develop
strategies of “positive speech” in order to counter the impact of hate messages;
(i)
The Government should investigate allegations of land grabbing and
protect the rights of indigenous peoples and religious minorities to their land
where religious infrastructures, graveyards and cremation grounds rest;
(j)
The Government should engage in discussions with representatives of
indigenous peoples on how better to accommodate their spiritual practices and
needs;
(k)
The Government is encouraged to continue and broaden projects of
community policing in order to enhance the sense of security, especially for
minority populations and indigenous peoples;
(l)
The Government should repeal restrictive legislation, such as the
Information and Communication Technology Act, that prevents civil society
activists from voicing their criticism and concerns without fear of sanctions;
(m)
The Government should consider introducing reforms within the
existing system of personal status laws in order to overcome discriminatory
implications and effects, often at the intersection of religious minority status
and gender. This should include broadening the options for contracting a civil
marriage;
(n)
When providing for religious education in schools, the Government
should ensure sufficient resources are provided for the recruitment and
training of teachers from religious minorities. Furthermore, the autonomy of
schools run by religious minorities should be respected, including when
appointing principals;
(o)
The Government should provide equal resources to all religious
communities in the country to help them develop and maintain their religious
establishments and needs;
105. The Special Rapporteur would like to make the following recommendations
addressed to religious communities:
(a)
Religious communities are encouraged jointly to promote harmonious
interreligious coexistence and protect their rights to freedom of religion or
belief in Bangladesh;
(b)
When engaging in interreligious dialogue, religious communities should
accommodate the interreligious and intrareligious diversity of positions.
Furthermore, they should make sure that women play an active role in such
projects;
(c)
Religious community leaders have a particular responsibility to condemn
any incitement to religious hatred in the clearest terms and to send counter-
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