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The
World Report on Freedom of Religion and Belief
is the result of a project designed to explore the status of freedom of conscience, religion and belief in the world today [July 1999].
The
Radical Humanist
reports that experts and scholars were invited to contribute reports on their respective countries, supplemented by reports from human rights groups. The entry for India highlights the gap between precepts and practice. The situation in Pakistan and Bangladesh is no better. Discrimination against Quadiani Ahmedias, Christians and Hindus is widely reported.
The
World Report
reveals that rights are restricted at the operational level in Germany and France. The French concept of nationhood is assimilationist in its goal and refuses any separate entity. Non-recognition of differences is a major source of discontent amongst minorities, especially the Muslims. Students have been prohibited from wearing hijab in schools. This has been seen as a denial of the freedom of expression of cultural differences of the women.
In the USA it is specifically noticed that Islam is subject to the most consistent manifestations of intolerance. Muslims consider that they face widespread discrimination in the workplace and by society at large. The American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee has documented scores of instances where Muslims have been verbally and physically harassed. Mosques, Muslim owned stores and houses have been vandalised.
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