What are the predomingant religions in your country? How are minority religions treated? The three predominant religions in Guyana are Islam, Hinduism, and Christianity. Guyana is special because we have very high religious tolerance. The Guyana Chronicle News describes Guyana as an oasis of religious tolerance. The three majority religions all play an active part in contributing to the tranquility between religions and this is extended to other religions like Bahai and Rastafarianism. All types of religions are respected.
What do human rights monitoring groups (for example, Human Rights Watch, Freedom House and Amnesty International) say about your country’s religious tolerance? Human rights groups and the US Embassy are impressed with how tolerant Guyana is when it comes to religion. The US Ambassador to Guyana said in 2017 “it is my hope that this incredible tolerance for different religions in Guyana will one day spill over into other areas”.
Does your country separate religion from government? Religion is separate from government in Guyana but our leaders understand the importance of respecting every religion. In fact, every president that I can remember has made it a priority to honor and celebrate the religious events of the different religions in Guyana. Whether this is a politically driven move or not, it is one trait that has contributed tremendously to religious harmony in my country. According to your country, what are the worst cases of religious intolerance occurring in the world today?
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Some of the places that people talk about having the worse religious intolerance are Burma and Iran where religious freedom is restricted by the laws and constitution. The governments of these two countries lack respect for religious freedom and don’t consider very important even been prejudice against people of different religious beliefs. What treaties has your government signed or ratified regarding religious intolerance? Guyana has numerous clauses in its constitution that support religious freedom. Religious practices are protected and respected.
The law protects the right of individuals to choose and change their religion. Members of all religious groups are able to worship freely. The government also recognizes religious groups of all faiths but, they must register to receive formal recognition. In addition, religious groups wanting to establish formal operations must first obtain permission from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
What programs can your country suggest to help build respect for religion around the world? How can the UN help stop state‐sponsored religious intolerance? Should some countries be pressured to change their government if their policies are too restrictive?
One program that is done in Guyana that would be beneficial to other countries is having religious panels where leaders from different religious communities can discuss issues that affect their communities and their country. This setting would promote unity as each religious body would be working towards a common goal, the prosperity of the people of the nation.
The UN can urge the leaders of countries to make it a priority in their nations to promote religious freedom and respect. Having laws in favor of religious freedom should be part of the criteria for countries within the UN and I do think pressure should be put on countries that do not have those policies in place.
References
- Guyana Chronicle Staff Reporter. (2017). Guyana an oasis of religious tolerance. Retrieved from http://guyanachronicle.com/2017/07/10/guyana-an-oasis-of-religious-tolerance
- U.S. Embassy Georgetown (2017). Remarks at a Forum on Religious Tolerance in Guyana. Retrieved from https://gy.usembassy.gov/remarks-forum-religious-tolerance-guyana/
