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'CONFUSINGLY MANY PERSPECTIVES' ON RELIGION IN CYPRUS
By Poly Pantelides
http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/confusingly-many-perspectives-religion-cyprus/20120406
Published on April 6, 2012
Cyprus, Cyprus, hala sultan tekke mosque, Heiner Bielefeldt, religion,
UN human rights council, UN special rapporteur THE GOOD news is
that the island is hospitable and friendly but the bad news is that
religious issues are "even more complicated" than what the UN Special
Rapporteur on religious freedom had originally anticipated.
Heiner Bielefeldt - a UN human rights council independent expert -
yesterday held a news conference on the preliminary findings on how
much freedom of religion is promoted and protected in Cyprus.
Bielefeldt spent eight days on the island to carry out his survey.
He said he had recommended to the authorities to guarantee access to
religious places, encourage inter-religious and bi-communal work and
ensure schools do not discriminate against or exclude religions.
The Hala Sultan Tekke mosque in Larnaca for example keeps museum
hours. Bielefeldt said its use as a museum "clashed" with its use as
a religious place of worship.
In the north, Greek Orthodox priests were prevented from crossing over
while "the presence of plainclothes police men taking photos and videos
during service seems to have an intimidating effect," Bielefeldt said.
Other religions also need to respected, Bielefeldt said.
"I visited the Armenian monastery St Makar [in the north] which,
after decades of neglect, is in very poor condition and partially
even inaccessible."
And "religious communities outside of the remit of bi-communalism -
such as Anglicans, Protestants of different denominations, Buddhists,
Jehovah's Witnesses, Baha'is and others - generally received little
attention," he said even though their members comprise tens of
thousands.
There are, for example, some 25,000 Buddhists in the south of the
island: "Just imagine that number," Biefeldt said and added almost
immediately that they did not "seem to be very much present".
Biefeldt said that although Orthodox Christianity was part of the
curriculum in the south, steps should be taken to make sure exempt
children do not have to remain in the classroom whereas in the north,
he said, "parents or students do not have an option of having an
exemption."
Before visiting Cyprus, Bielefeldt completed some two months
preparatory work only to come here and find "confusingly many
perspectives". He will continue working on a report which he will
submit at the end of the year to the UN Human Rights Council and will
be made available online.
By Poly Pantelides
http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/confusingly-many-perspectives-religion-cyprus/20120406
Published on April 6, 2012
Cyprus, Cyprus, hala sultan tekke mosque, Heiner Bielefeldt, religion,
UN human rights council, UN special rapporteur THE GOOD news is
that the island is hospitable and friendly but the bad news is that
religious issues are "even more complicated" than what the UN Special
Rapporteur on religious freedom had originally anticipated.
Heiner Bielefeldt - a UN human rights council independent expert -
yesterday held a news conference on the preliminary findings on how
much freedom of religion is promoted and protected in Cyprus.
Bielefeldt spent eight days on the island to carry out his survey.
He said he had recommended to the authorities to guarantee access to
religious places, encourage inter-religious and bi-communal work and
ensure schools do not discriminate against or exclude religions.
The Hala Sultan Tekke mosque in Larnaca for example keeps museum
hours. Bielefeldt said its use as a museum "clashed" with its use as
a religious place of worship.
In the north, Greek Orthodox priests were prevented from crossing over
while "the presence of plainclothes police men taking photos and videos
during service seems to have an intimidating effect," Bielefeldt said.
Other religions also need to respected, Bielefeldt said.
"I visited the Armenian monastery St Makar [in the north] which,
after decades of neglect, is in very poor condition and partially
even inaccessible."
And "religious communities outside of the remit of bi-communalism -
such as Anglicans, Protestants of different denominations, Buddhists,
Jehovah's Witnesses, Baha'is and others - generally received little
attention," he said even though their members comprise tens of
thousands.
There are, for example, some 25,000 Buddhists in the south of the
island: "Just imagine that number," Biefeldt said and added almost
immediately that they did not "seem to be very much present".
Biefeldt said that although Orthodox Christianity was part of the
curriculum in the south, steps should be taken to make sure exempt
children do not have to remain in the classroom whereas in the north,
he said, "parents or students do not have an option of having an
exemption."
Before visiting Cyprus, Bielefeldt completed some two months
preparatory work only to come here and find "confusingly many
perspectives". He will continue working on a report which he will
submit at the end of the year to the UN Human Rights Council and will
be made available online.