Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 16 July 2019
Government restrictions on religion increasing worldwide

among some segments of
the Muslim youth in Europe
by presenting the West as
the enemy of the Islamic
religion."
Jonathan Laurence, a po-
litical science professor at
Boston College who has
written about Europe's Mus-
lims, said the continent's
debate over headscarf
bans has strengthened the
hand of populist parties
while failing to bridge so-
cial divisions.
"Ironically, headscarf laws
that were intended to
force integration have in-
stead accelerated the cre-
ation of publicly subsidized
religious schools where chil-
dren may wear what they
like," he said in an email.
Religious discrimination
and persecution will be
the topic of a three-day
meeting hosted by the U.S.
State Department starting
Tuesday in Washington,
attended by hundreds of
In this June 29, 2018, file photo, Rohingya refugees gather near a fence during a government organized media tour to a no-man's government officials, re-
land between Myanmar and Bangladesh, near Taungpyolatyar village, Maung Daw, northern Rakhine State, Myanmar. ligious leaders and other
participants from all regions
By DAVID CRARY on religion, followed by the Slovenia have complained worst-scoring countries in of the world.
NEW YORK (AP) — Govern- Asia-Pacific region. How- of government officials in- this category in 2017, in Previewing the event, Sam
ment restrictions on religion ever, it said the biggest terfering in their religious part because of the Unite Brownback, the U.S. gov-
have increased markedly increase during the 2007- traditions by trying to crimi- the Right rally in Charlottes- ernment's ambassador-at-
in many places around the 2017 period was in Europe, nalize circumcision for non- ville, Virginia, where white large for international reli-
world, not only in authori- where the number of coun- medical reasons. supremacist protesters dis- gious freedom, noted that
tarian countries, but also in tries placing restrictions on Globally, among the 25 played swastika flags and religions of all sorts are vul-
many of Europe's democ- religious dress — including most populous countries, chanted anti-Semitic slo- nerable to persecution.
racies, according to a re- burqas and face veils worn those with the highest level gans. "Almost every faith that's
port surveying 198 countries by some Muslim women — of government restrictions Pew said the biggest in- a majority somewhere is a
that was released Monday. rose from five to 20. were China, Iran, Russia, crease in religious hostility minority somewhere else
The report released by Among other measures Egypt and Indonesia, the by individuals occurred in and often gets persecuted
the Pew Research Center, in 2017, Austria enacted report said. The lowest lev- Europe. Victims of violence, where they're a minority,"
covering developments a ban on full-face veils in els of restriction were in in incidents cited in the re- Brownback said at a State
through 2017, also seeks public spaces, and Ger- South Africa, Japan, the port, include Jehovah's Department briefing. "So
to document the scope of many banned face veils for Philippines, Brazil and South Witnesses in Ukraine and a that's why a big part of our
religion-based harassment anyone driving a motor ve- Korea. rabbi and a Muslim woman effort is to get the faiths
and violence. Regarding hicle or working in the civil In terms of government in Belgium. to come together and to
the world's two largest reli- service. In Switzerland, vot- harassment of religious In Germany, Pew said, stand for each other."
gions, it said Christians were ers in two regions have ap- groups, Pew said the phe- there were reports that "We're not talking com-
harassed in 143 countries proved bans on face veils, nomenon was most pro- thousands of refugees mon theology here — no-
and Muslims in 140. and voters nationwide nounced in the Middle were pressured to convert body agrees on theology,"
This was Pew's 10th annual backed a ban on the con- East-North Africa region, to Christianity after being he added. "We're talking
Report on Global Restric- struction of new minarets. but two examples from warned they might other- about a common human
tions on Religion. It said 52 In Spain, according to Asia were highlighted. The wise be deported. right."
governments, including the report, some munici- report noted that hundreds Jocelyne Cesari, a profes- Pew's annual reports are
those in Russia and China, pal governors have intro- of thousands of Uighur Mus- sor of religion and politics compiled by research-
impose high levels of restric- duced bans on burqas and lims were sent to reeduca- at the University of Birming- ers who annually comb
tions on religion, up from 40 face-covering veils, and tion camps in China, while ham in Britain, views gov- through numerous sources
governments in 2007. It said have also restricted public in Myanmar there were ernmental and societal dis- of information, including
56 countries in 2017 were preaching and proselytiz- large-scale abuses against crimination against Muslims annual reports on interna-
experiencing social hos- ing by such groups as the the Rohingya, a Muslim in Europe as a threat to the tional religious freedom
tilities involving religion, up Jehovah's Witnesses and ethnic minority, leading to broader principles of reli- by the State Department
from 39 in 2007. the Church of Jesus Christ massive displacement. gious freedom. and the U.S. Commission
Pew said the Middle East of Latter-day Saints. Another category in the She also suggested that on International Religious
and North Africa, of the Circumcision of boys also report was religious harass- headscarf bans and simi- Freedom, as well as publi-
five major regions it stud- has been an issue in Eu- ment by individuals and lar laws play into the hands cations by European, U.N.
ied, had the highest level rope. Muslim and Jewish social groups. The United of radical Islamist groups bodies and nongovern-
of government restrictions groups in Germany and States ranked among the "that build their legitimacy mental organizations.q