Dear Editor,
We sometimes take for granted the extent to which we enjoy religious freedom and tolerance in Guyana. According to a new study conducted by Pew Research Centre, violence and discrimination against religious groups by governments and rival faiths have reached new highs in all regions of the world except the Americas. According to the report, social hostilities such as attacks on minority faiths or pressure to conform to certain norms was evident in one third of the 198 countries of the world, especially in the Middle East and North Africa.
These attacks were not limited to any particular religion or religious beliefs. Only recently, the UK Government in a landmark ruling granted refugee status to an asylum seeker on the grounds that he faced persecution in his country, Afghanistan, for being an atheist.
Our constitution provides for freedom of religion. There can be no discrimination against anyone because of his or her religious beliefs and persons are free to believe or not to believe. This is indeed how it should be. No one should be forced into accepting any religion if he or she is not so inclined or convinced. A man convinced against his will is of the opinion still.
As Guyanese we can be proud of our ability to embrace diversity and multiculturalism in a manner that many other societies and cultures are finding it so difficult to cope with.
I have always maintained that Guyana has one of the most advanced constitutions when it comes to the question of addressing political, ethnic and cultural pluralism. It may not be a perfect constitution but it does in a fundamental way provide for a law based society where individual rights are guaranteed and protected.
Yours faithfully,
Hydar Ally
