Century of genocides: end or continuity?

Article written by Ján Figeľ, Special Envoy for promotion of FoRB outside the EU

International Day of Religious Freedom (October 27) is a reminder that freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) is neither self-evident reality, nor broadly winning international trend. Quite opposite, tendency is negative. This essential, universal human value is currently seriously restricted or attacked in majority of world countries and territories representing 74% total population (Pew Study Center Report, 2013). The Day also reminds people of the hard, long, often bloody road from serfdom, deep societal divisions, sectarian hatred and violent oppression to free, pluralist and tolerant societies respecting the rule of law, human rights and basic universal values. None of them is the perfect role model in this, but we learn as we go. Many peoples, communities, leaders and governments in Europe, Asia, Africa, Americas, Australia and Oceania struggle to improve quality of democracy, to embrace and care more about these principles and values. Many dictators, autocratic regimes and violent groups struggle in the opposite direction: the rule without law instead of the rule of law, the rule over people instead of the service to people…

While more than 84% of people in the world can be described as “religiously affiliated” (ibid), FoRB is not just related to them. It doesn’t only concern them. It is for all, as it covers atheists, agnostics, everybody. Right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or conviction is linked to freedom of expression, of assembly and other important civil and political rights. It is a litmus test of all human rights. Because when the religious freedom is missing then other civil freedoms are missing as well. Culture of human dignity is inconceivable without FoRB. In my homeland Slovakia, then Czechoslovakia, struggle to overcome totalitarian, communist regime peaked after Bratislava Great Friday 1988 when peaceful prayer manifestation of citizens in the center of the capital city with requests for religious and civil rights was brutally attacked by police forces. Since then a trend towards “Velvet revolution” and overall political change in 1989 became unstoppable. More