The Federal Government’s Third Report on the GlobalStatus of Freedom of Religion or Belief. Reporting period 2020 – 2022
Bonn: Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ) (2023), 234 pp.
"Freedom of religion or belief is also a human right that is constantly being misunderstood. It is not about any religion, church or institution claiming their rights. And I am not a Commissioner for Religion. It is about the freedom of every individual to manifest their religion or belief, either alone or in community with others, or to change it, or to not have any a religion or belief. Raising awareness of this and providing input for debates both in the political sphere and in society is one of the aims of the Third Report on the Global Status of Freedom of Religion or Belief [...] The report explores new ground above all with its thematic focus on the freedom of religion or belief of Indigenous peoples. There are about 5,000 such groups of people worldwide, with an estimated total population of more than 470 million. With this focus our report ties in with a report by the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, developing the topic further. In the process of drafting the report, I realised that we are doing pioneering work, because there was and still is the belief that Indigenous spirituality has nothing to do with freedom of religion or belief.
The report provides an opportunity to look in a different way at conflicts over land and infrastructure that involve Indigenous communities. And to develop an understanding that often such conflicts are not just about resources but in fact have to do with Indigenous peoples’ belief that all natural things have a spirit or soul. My personal learning curve on this topic is closely connected with Indigenous communities in Guatemala and my experiences with conflictual infrastructure projects. When I visited Guatemala many years ago, I had difficulty understanding why people staged fierce and violent protests against small-scale hydropower plants that were actually environmentally friendly. Today I know that the areas surrounding a small river were regarded as important spiritual places, with Indigenous communities believing that the forest had a soul, and that interfering with nature there without giving any thought to the spiritual implications was not acceptable." (Foreword, page 3)
The report provides an opportunity to look in a different way at conflicts over land and infrastructure that involve Indigenous communities. And to develop an understanding that often such conflicts are not just about resources but in fact have to do with Indigenous peoples’ belief that all natural things have a spirit or soul. My personal learning curve on this topic is closely connected with Indigenous communities in Guatemala and my experiences with conflictual infrastructure projects. When I visited Guatemala many years ago, I had difficulty understanding why people staged fierce and violent protests against small-scale hydropower plants that were actually environmentally friendly. Today I know that the areas surrounding a small river were regarded as important spiritual places, with Indigenous communities believing that the forest had a soul, and that interfering with nature there without giving any thought to the spiritual implications was not acceptable." (Foreword, page 3)
A CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES, 15
1 Indigenous peoples and the right to freedom of religion or belief, 15
2 The contribution of religions to sustainable development, 25
B COUNTRY SECTION, 46
Afghanistan -- Algeria -- Armenia -- Azerbaijan -- Bahrain -- Bangladesh -- Belarus -- Brazil -- Central African Republic -- China -- Hong Kong -- Egypt -- El Salvador -- Eritrea -- Guatemala -- India -- Indonesia -- Iran -- Iraq -- Kenya -- Lebanon -- Malaysia -- Maldives -- Mexico -- Myanmar -- Nicaragua -- Nigeria -- North Korea -- Pakistan -- The Philippines -- Russia -- Saudi Arabia -- Somalia -- Sri Lanka -- Sudan -- Syria -- Tajikistan -- Tanzania -- Turkey -- Turkmenistan -- Ukraine -- Viet Nam
C MEASURES BY THE GERMAN GOVERNMENT, 148
D SCHOLARLY ASSESSMENT / Heiner Bielefeldt und Volker von Bremen, 152
1 A politically charged topic for Germany as well, 154
2 Basic information about Indigenous peoples, 157
3 Foundations in human rights, 159
4 Characterising Indigenous religion, 176
5 Indigenous peoples’ freedom of religion or belief: Conflicts, obstacles, breakthroughs, 187
6 New opportunities and new risks: Prospects for policy, 205
1 Indigenous peoples and the right to freedom of religion or belief, 15
2 The contribution of religions to sustainable development, 25
B COUNTRY SECTION, 46
Afghanistan -- Algeria -- Armenia -- Azerbaijan -- Bahrain -- Bangladesh -- Belarus -- Brazil -- Central African Republic -- China -- Hong Kong -- Egypt -- El Salvador -- Eritrea -- Guatemala -- India -- Indonesia -- Iran -- Iraq -- Kenya -- Lebanon -- Malaysia -- Maldives -- Mexico -- Myanmar -- Nicaragua -- Nigeria -- North Korea -- Pakistan -- The Philippines -- Russia -- Saudi Arabia -- Somalia -- Sri Lanka -- Sudan -- Syria -- Tajikistan -- Tanzania -- Turkey -- Turkmenistan -- Ukraine -- Viet Nam
C MEASURES BY THE GERMAN GOVERNMENT, 148
D SCHOLARLY ASSESSMENT / Heiner Bielefeldt und Volker von Bremen, 152
1 A politically charged topic for Germany as well, 154
2 Basic information about Indigenous peoples, 157
3 Foundations in human rights, 159
4 Characterising Indigenous religion, 176
5 Indigenous peoples’ freedom of religion or belief: Conflicts, obstacles, breakthroughs, 187
6 New opportunities and new risks: Prospects for policy, 205
