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The Chinese government claims that the country respects its citizens’ freedom of conscience and, when representatives of non governmental organizations criticize violations of religious freedom in China, laments that the international community is so ill-informed. China ’s constitution does respect the rights of its citizens to profess a religion, but it also supports the right not to believe. The State Administration for Religious Affairs recognizes only five national associations*, and those whose faith is not recognized by any of them must beware! They place themselves in a precarious position, at the mercy of the shifting moods of a civil servant who can decide that their belief is a “feudal superstition” which must be rooted out, or worse, who can persecute them for belonging to an “evil cult”. |
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Even those who are left alone because they are lucky enough to live in an area governed by more tolerant authorities can never be certain that their freedoms will continue to be respected when there is a change in local government.
The Chinese government claims that the country respects its citizens’ freedom of conscience and, when representatives of non governmental organizations criticize violations of religious freedom in China, laments that the international community is so ill-informed.
China ’s constitution does respect the rights of its citizens to profess a religion, but it also supports the right not to believe. The State Administration for Religious Affairs recognizes only five national associations*, and those whose faith is not recognized by any of them must beware! They place themselves in a precarious position, at the mercy of the shifting moods of a civil servant who can decide that their belief is a “feudal superstition” which must be rooted out, or worse, who can persecute them for belonging to an “evil cult”. Even those who are left alone because they are lucky enough to live in an area governed by more tolerant authorities can never be certain that their freedoms will continue to be respected when there is a change in local government.
Violations of religious freedom in China are not limited to Tibetans who continue to follow their spiritual leader. They also affect Catholics who persist in seeing the Pope as the paramount leader of their faith and Protestants who prefer to hold services in their homes rather than in registered churches under Party surveillance. Even more affected are a larger number of citizens who continue to follow rites that the state distrusts. The idea that the Communist Party, an atheist organization, considers itself qualified to determine what constitutes a “proper religion”, is quite strange. Stranger still is the notion that the Party can decide who should be the next Dalai Lama!
The Chinese Communist Party strives to build a “harmonious society”, and the world could only applaud if it achieves that goal. The Chinese people, believers and non-believers alike, support this goal. Yet the Party does not accept them within its ranks, a decision it justifies on the basis of its atheistic ideology. But this is the same Party that has decided to welcome business people, despite its commitment to socialism. In doing so, Chinese leaders deprive themselves of the enthusiastic support of a great number of citizens of good will.
* Government-sanctioned religious associations linked to the five main religions: Buddhism, Islam, Taoism, Catholicism and Protestantism.
André Laliberté is a professor at the University of Ottawa’s École d’études politiques, and his research focusses on relations between the Communist Party and the Buddhist Association of China.
2 responses so far ↓
1 frank yong // Aug 13, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Dr Laliberte, on this religious/spiritual issue matter, what is your understanding of Fa Lun Gong? It has some rather controversial views on
the existence of outer space aliens on earth, on supernaturalism and supernature powers, and on homosexuality. On the other hand it is a fact that those practitioners are being suppressed and persecuted. The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture confirmed cases of organ-harvesting. At the same time, it takes two hands to clap – the organ buying patients are from overseas – shall we say a case of international biopiracy or bioimperialism.
2 Andre Laliberte // Aug 15, 2008 at 8:50 am
Thanks for your question, Frank. First, I do not want to make any jugment on people’s religious beliefs, no matter how strange they may seem, because once we get to that, when do we draw the line? Every religion can be seen be non-religious believers, or believers in another religion, as “strange.” Second, I simply think it is wrong for any government to judge what is an appropriate religion. This is not the job of government, which has other important things to do. I do not know about the fact of organ harvesting but I know about the facts of persecution and torture, which are largely documented by reliable sources. If the facts of organ harvesting are true, I agree with you that we also need to denounce the individuals who want to use that horrible way to achieve transplant and do not seem the least concerned about it. I think that the Chinese government should let independent outside observers inquire about this matter. Regards, Andre Laliberte