E/CN.4/1989/44 paqe 3 due account of information cominq from reliqious qroups and denominational communities. He qave priority to the use of recent information for the period since the submission of his previous report to the Commission; however, particularly in situations mentioned for the first time, or in order to take account of problems, the oriqins or at least the manifestations of which qo back a number of years into the past, he has sometimes made use of earlier information or referred to it. 14. As reqards the interpretation and scope of his duties, the Special Rapporteur wishes to reflect here, as in his previous report (E/CN.4/1988/45, paras. 7 and 8), some comments and observations arisinq out of his mandate. Some of these comments concerned the determination of the causes and persons responsible for intolerance based on religion or belief. Althouqh the Special Rapoorteur deemed it advisable in his previous report to stress the responsibility which miqht devolve on Governments in respect of reliqious restrictions or repression, it cannot be denied, as stressed in the initial report (E/CN.4/1987/35, paras. 29-45), that the factors hamperinq the implementation of the Declaration are extremely complex. Althouqh intolerance may in some cases be the result of a deliberate policy on the part of Governments, it may also frequently derive from economic, social or cultural tensions, and take the form of acts of hostility or conflicts between different qroups. Behind phenomena of intolerance may also be found certain doqmatic interpretations which stir up misunderstandinqs or hatred between different reliqious communities or encouraqe dissension within them. This diversity is, indeed, stressed in article 2 (1), of the 1981 Declaration, which states: "No one shall be subject to discrimination by any State, institution, qroup of persons or person on the qrounds of religion or belief." 15. Given this multiplicity of responsibilities, the dialoque established with Governments by the Special Rapporteur and the transmission of alleqations concerninq their countries in no way implies any kind of accusation or value judqement on the part of the Special Rapporteur, but rather a request for clarification with a view to findinq, alonq with the Government concerned, a solution to a problem which qoes to the heart of human riqhts and fundamental freedoms. 16. Other comments received by the Special Rapporteur have encouraqed him to reflect on restrictions to which the freedom to manifest one's reliqion or belief miqht be subject. Accordinq to article 1 (3) of the Declaration, freedom to manifest one's reliqion or belief may be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law "and are necessary to protect public safety, order, health or morals or the fundamental riqhts and freedoms of others". The question of how these limitations are to be interpreted is oarticularly delicate in some areas. Particular mention may be made here of the case of some new reliqious movements and the question of conscientious objection to military service. 17. As reqards what are usually known as "new reliqious movements", which have qenerally made their appearance in recent decades and are sometimes the subject of serious controversy in countries where they have followers, a number of alleqations were brouqht before the Special Rapporteur. He was

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