Tag: freedom of religion

Bishop of Newcastle speaks in debate on treatment of religious minorities

The Bishop of Newcastle spoke in a debate on treatment of religious minorities in South Asia on 28th October 2024, highlighting the treatment of these minorities in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and the global responsibility to safeguard freedom of religion and belief:

The Lord Bishop of Newcastle: My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Ahmad, for securing this important debate. I also commend the work of my right reverend friend the Bishop of Winchester, who works tirelessly on the issue of freedom of religion or belief. He expresses his regret that he could not be here to contribute to today’s debate. It is an honour to follow the noble and right reverend Lord, Lord Harries, who ordained me as a deacon in Oxford nearly 20 years ago.

As outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, freedom of religion or belief is a foundational right. A denial of FORB is often a warning sign for challenges and human rights troubles to come. The UK must therefore continue to reaffirm its commitment to FORB, particularly concerning regions where increasing threats to this foundational right are present. South Asia is home to a rich mosaic of religions. However, the religious diversity in this region is being undermined, and I draw your Lordships’ attention to just two countries by way of illustration.

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Bishop of Winchester asks about protection of vulnerable communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in Iraq

The Bishop of Winchester received the following written answers on 7th October 2024:

The Lord Bishop of Winchester asked His Majesty’s Government whether they intend to work within international forums to establish a commission of inquiry to investigate and hold accountable those responsible for human rights violations against the Banyamulenge in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

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King’s Speech Debate: Bishop of Winchester urges “faith literate” approach to foreign affairs

The Bishop of Winchester gave a speech on the topic of freedom of religion and belief during the King’s Speech debate on 25th July 2024, encouraging the government to take “a faith literate approach to foreign affairs”:

The Lord Bishop of Winchester: My Lords, I am grateful for the noble Baroness’s remarks at the start and am pleased that the Government have expressed a desire to reset the UK’s international relations. If the UK is to exercise the soft power that we undoubtedly might, not least through proper investment in the BBC World Service, it is vital that we are as fully engaged internationally as we can be. In that regard, I stress the vital importance of freedom of religion or belief—or FoRB for short, because it is a mouthful—in today’s world. It is a vital human right, and its increasing abuse is a growing global threat.

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Bishop of Guildford speaks on freedom of religion and belief and persecution of religious minorities in Pakistan

On 25th April 2024, the Bishop of Guildford spoke in a debate on the use of UK aid to support minorities in Pakistan, touching on the topics of freedom of religion and belief and the persecution of religious minorities:

The Lord Bishop of Guildford: My Lords, I am privileged to be the first of a trio of Bishops speaking in this debate.

For the past eight years or so, the diocese of Guildford has partnered with the diocese of Sialkot in the Majha region of Punjab. Sialkot is probably best known for the production of medical equipment and World Cup footballs. The diocese also includes the Mirpur district, which has strong connections to the British-Pakistani community—not least in Woking, just a few miles from where I live, which boasts the oldest purpose-built mosque in the UK. I was privileged to visit Sialkot and Mirpur in 2019; Mirpur had just suffered two devastating earthquakes. I am a vice-chair of the Pakistani Minorities APPG.

I am hugely grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Alton, for initiating the debate and for his tireless championing of freedom of religion or belief over so many years. I fully support the suggestion that religious minorities should be explicitly included in the list of marginalised communities when it comes to the provision of UK aid.

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Bishop of Winchester asks about freedom of religion and belief in India

On 16th April 2024, the Bishop of Winchester tabled a question to the Foreign Secretary on the current state of freedom of religion and belief in India:

The Lord Bishop of Winchester: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs what assessment he has made of the current state of freedom of religion or belief in India.

Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton (Con, Foreign Secretary): My Lords, India is a multifaith, multiethnic democracy and remains among the most religiously diverse societies in the world. It is home to 966 million Hindus, 172 million Muslims, 28 million Christians, 20 million Sikhs, 8 million Buddhists and 4.5 million Jains. India is committed via its constitution to freedom of religion and belief. Where specific issues or concerns arise, the UK Government of course raise these directly with the Government of India.

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Bishop of Oxford speaks on freedom of religion and belief and need for universal human rights to be respected

The Bishop of Oxford spoke in a debate on what steps the government are taking to support persecuted Christians around the world on 25th March 2024, highlighting the importance of freedom of religion and belief in the context of broader human rights, and calling for the government to inform the House of future strategies to promote freedom of religion and support those facing persecution:

The Lord Bishop of Oxford: My Lords, I too add my congratulations and appreciation to the noble Baroness, Lady Foster, on securing this important debate and her comprehensive and moving survey and speech. It is a pleasure to follow the noble and right reverend Lord, Lord Carey, and I pay tribute to his considerable expertise in this area over many years. I am grateful to my colleague, the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Winchester, formerly the Bishop of Truro, for a briefing in advance of this debate. He is not able to be present, but I know he will follow deliberations closely.

As the noble Baroness, Lady Foster, set out so eloquently, the beginning of Holy Week is a fitting time to remember the persecution of Christians across the world and the costs of faith. This persecution has been evident since the very beginning of the Church. Even so, it is extremely sobering and moving to reflect that, according to Open Doors, 365 million Christians face some sort of persecution worldwide—about one in seven of the global Christian population. I also note with other noble Lords the disproportionate consequences and costs for women and girls.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about Religion for International Engagement training for civil servants

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 20th March 2024:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 15 February (HL2046), how many civil servants completed the Religion for International Engagement training module in (1) 2022, and (2) 2023.

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Bishop of Leicester asks about freedom of religion and belief in India

The Bishop of Leicester asked a question on threats to freedom of religion and belief in India on 14th March 2024:

The Lord Bishop of Leicester: My Lords, the number of acts of religiously motivated violence against Christians in India has increased almost every year since 2014, from 147 to 687 in 2023. Last year, over 500 Christians were arrested under anti-conversion laws, including a couple and their pastor during their wedding, on the grounds that it was a conversion event. Will the Minister condemn this state of affairs and, if so, what steps will the Government take with their allies to defend the freedom of religion and belief in India?

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Bishop of St Albans asks about training on freedom of religion and belief for those in the diplomatic service

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 19th February 2024:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to put in place mandatory training for diplomats on Freedom of Religion and Belief.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con, Foreign Office): In July 2021, the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB), Fiona Bruce, MP, and I, launched the FCDO International Academy’s training module “Religion for International Engagement,” delivering recommendation 11 of the Bishop of Truro’s review of FCDO support for persecuted Christians. The training is essential for FCDO diplomats, and highly recommended for all FCDO staff. The training is also available to all civil servants.

Hansard

Bishop of Winchester makes maiden speech on the topic of climate change and its effects on developing nations

On 11th January 2024, The Bishop of Winchester made his maiden speech during a debate on the impact of climate change on developing nations, referencing the importance of both local and international approaches in tackling these issues, and linking to his previous work on freedom of religion and belief:

The Lord Bishop of Winchester: My Lords, I am conscious of the immense privilege that is mine to have a seat as of right in your Lordships’ House. I am very grateful for the welcome and help I have received from noble Lords and staff, both today and as I have been inducted into its ways.

The See of Winchester, which I serve, was founded in 660. In 838, at the Great Council of Kingston, King Ecgberht of Wessex entered into a compact with the Sees of Winchester and Canterbury, in return for their promise of support for his son Aethelwulf’s claim to the Throne. Aethelwulf was the father of Alfred the Great. That ancient compact was a key moment in the developing relationship between Church and state that has done so much to shape to the life of this country, as together we have sought the common good—and it is to that theme of the common good that I will return later.

I turn specifically to the matter of this debate. In looking at this issue of international development, I believe we must pay proper attention to two cardinal principles: internationalism and localism. It is vital that, as a country, we take an internationalist approach to international development. Global problems, including climate change, require global solutions, and nothing less will do. But, in all that, the local must not be lost. Effective development must always have purchase at the grass roots in specific contexts and communities, or it will be simply unsustainable.

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