On Monday 28 October, Bishop Helen-Ann spoke in the House of Lords debate on freedom of religious belief in South Asia.
My Lords, I thank the noble Lord Ahmad for securing this important debate. I also commend the work of my Right Reverend friend the Bishop of Winchester, who works tirelessly on the issue of Freedom of Religion or Belief. He expresses his regret that he could not be here to contribute to today’s debate. It’s an honour to follow the noble Lord, Lord Harries who ordained me as a deacon in Oxford nearly 20 years ago!
As outlined by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Freedom of Religion or Belief is a foundational right. A denial of FORB is often a warning sign for challenges and human rights troubles to come.
The UK must therefore continue to reaffirm its commitment to FORB, particularly concerning regions where increasing threats to this foundational right are present. South Asia is home to a rich mosaic of religions. However, the religious diversity in this region is being undermined and I draw your Lordships’ attention to just two countries by way of illustration:
Firstly, Pakistan.
- I am particularly concerned about the misuse of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws that continue to target minority religions, often resulting in mob violence and extra-judicial killings. Ahmadi Muslims are a major target for prosecutions of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, as the noble Lord has already pointed out. My Lords I do want to acknowledge the repression and persecution that this, the noble Lord Ahmad’s own community have suffered and still suffer from inception.
Secondly my Lords, Sri Lanka, a country I have visited myself and where the previous diocese I held episcopal office in, the Diocese of Leeds has a formal link with the Anglican Church there.
- I wish to highlight the targeting of minority religious groups particularly by state authorities. Government policies reflect the Buddhist nationalist movements present within the country through the limitation of the ability to freely worship by creating discriminatory registration processes for places of worship. For 40 years now, the Prevention of Terrorism Act has been used to arrest without charge, detain for indefinite periods of time and torture Muslims and Tamils. Human Rights Watch expressed their concerns earlier this year regarding the proposed Anti-Terrorism Bill that is currently being considered to replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act. Instead of repealing the Act, this Bill would further weaken the legal grounds needed for security forces to arrest individuals without warrants and continue to permit lengthy pre-trial detention.
My Lords, I stress that while today’s debate focuses on the region of South Asia, safeguarding FORB is not a regional issue, but a global responsibility. This debate shows the need for the UK to have a permanent Special Envoy for FORB, as the noble Lord pointed out in his opening speech – ensuring that the UK’s commitment to this issue is turned into action. The appointment of a Special Envoy must be seen as a matter of urgency. The UK has already missed a significant opportunity to maintain its leading international role in this area by not having a Special Envoy in place to attend the international ministerial conference on this issue in Berlin earlier this month. So, I ask the noble Baroness, the Minister, when will such an appointment be made?
My Lords, it is only through tangible action that the UK will maintain its reputation and critical role in ensuring the protection of human rights across the globe. This is an opportunity for the UK to regain lost ground in its capacity to command respect and hold a voice in the international sphere. In a global context where many minority groups are under threat, my Lords this should be seen as a matter of urgent concern.