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Ambassador David Sapertsein, the envoy of the US State Department on International Religious Freedom, in an exclusive interview with India Today, termed the recent incidents of cow vigilantism very disturbing and said that the vulnerable minorities must be protected.
The United States today sent out a message to the Modi government to ensure that minorities who feel vulnerable are protected.
Ambassador David Sapertsein, the envoy of the US State Department on International Religious Freedom, called the recent incidents of cow vigilantism very disturbing and hoped that Prime Minister Modi's message would stop the impunity.
Asked about the recent restrictions against NGOs and accusations by American groups like Compassion International that this discrimination is against Christian NGOs, Saperstein stressed that NGOs are a vital part of society. He said that if NGOs were driven by a religious conscience to serve society, it should be allowed under religious freedoms.
Responding to German Chancellor Merkel's call for a ban on burqa, the State department's ambassador at large said that a burqa ban was a security-driven issue compared to a headscarf ban which premises on the secularism debate.
Saperstein, who is on a week-long visit to India, spoke exclusively to India Today's Smita Sharma.
Q1. US religious freedom reports have been critical of the atmosphere in India. What are your views?
We are clear that India is a country that shares with US constitutional commitment to religious freedom, societal commitment to religious tolerance, harmony to accommodate religious groups. We have a lot in common. Our report talks about the good things as well as those aspects where more needs to be done. It's up to India and Indian people how to go about that. We just have facts about what's going on and don't make judgements.
Q2. What do you think of beef lynching incidents and cow vigilantism in India?
The incidents were very disturbing and PM Modi spoke out forcefully against this. It is important that the minorities who are vulnerable are protected. And leaders like the Prime Minister speak out in a very clear way so as not to create an atmosphere of impunity by those who are violators of the law. I believe that he did that and I hope that it has calmed down some of the issues here. But people have a right to hold views that the majority might not like.
International Human rights laws protects the rights of individuals to live peacefully in accordance with his or her beliefs.
Q3. Talking about the issue of triple talaks in India, do you think governments and courts intervene in personal law?
There is a right of religious communities to make decisions about religious life under their aegis. And there is right of individuals to have equal access to equal citizenship. They should have rights in terms of their ability to live in accordance with their individual conscience even if groups differ with their conscience.
Q4. What are your views on Angela Merkel's call for burqa ban? What is your opinion of individual rights versus religious freedom.
Burqa bans are a little bit different from the headscarf bans often done in the name of a commitment to secularism. We think people ought to be able to wear whatever headgear they wear. If the burqa raised a security issue in terms of explosives being hidden under the burqa, there can be reasonable limitations. Religious autonomy and individual rights of citizens are often inter-chained with each other and there has to be a process to adjudicate it. That's what you are going through.
Q5. Recently, there have been house hearings in US on NGO clampdown in India. Are these restrictions because of catholic credentials?
We are deeply supportive of rights of religious and other NGOs to carry on their functions in accordance with their conscience. And across the globe, we see the extra ordinary contribution that civil society makes to ameliorating some of the serious problems of hunger, disease, lack of education that countries have. The partnership of civil society in governments is vital in providing for all people. We are deeply concerned when civil society who act peacefully are restricted from carrying out their country interests and obligations.
We really hope that countries and groups like Compassion international which has indicated it is willing to live by whatever the laws and restrictions of India are will reach accommodation to allow that partnership to go forward.
Q 6. Will you raise the issue of compassion wrapping down operations in your meetings?
The US government has already raised concerns about individual groups asking for clarifications why actions have been taken, for particularly the American base groups. We will continue to express our opinion that a robust civil society is indispensable partner with governments in countries all across the globe in providing for needs of all of citizenry.
And the fact that they are doing this because their religious conscience tells them, and they have to feed hungry people, feed sick people and educate those who otherwise wouldn't have an education is an important part of religious freedom that benefits broader society, governments and groups who are providing the services.
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/...urbing-minorities-us-ambassador/1/833055.html
The United States today sent out a message to the Modi government to ensure that minorities who feel vulnerable are protected.
Ambassador David Sapertsein, the envoy of the US State Department on International Religious Freedom, called the recent incidents of cow vigilantism very disturbing and hoped that Prime Minister Modi's message would stop the impunity.
Asked about the recent restrictions against NGOs and accusations by American groups like Compassion International that this discrimination is against Christian NGOs, Saperstein stressed that NGOs are a vital part of society. He said that if NGOs were driven by a religious conscience to serve society, it should be allowed under religious freedoms.
Responding to German Chancellor Merkel's call for a ban on burqa, the State department's ambassador at large said that a burqa ban was a security-driven issue compared to a headscarf ban which premises on the secularism debate.
Saperstein, who is on a week-long visit to India, spoke exclusively to India Today's Smita Sharma.
Q1. US religious freedom reports have been critical of the atmosphere in India. What are your views?
We are clear that India is a country that shares with US constitutional commitment to religious freedom, societal commitment to religious tolerance, harmony to accommodate religious groups. We have a lot in common. Our report talks about the good things as well as those aspects where more needs to be done. It's up to India and Indian people how to go about that. We just have facts about what's going on and don't make judgements.
Q2. What do you think of beef lynching incidents and cow vigilantism in India?
The incidents were very disturbing and PM Modi spoke out forcefully against this. It is important that the minorities who are vulnerable are protected. And leaders like the Prime Minister speak out in a very clear way so as not to create an atmosphere of impunity by those who are violators of the law. I believe that he did that and I hope that it has calmed down some of the issues here. But people have a right to hold views that the majority might not like.
International Human rights laws protects the rights of individuals to live peacefully in accordance with his or her beliefs.
Q3. Talking about the issue of triple talaks in India, do you think governments and courts intervene in personal law?
There is a right of religious communities to make decisions about religious life under their aegis. And there is right of individuals to have equal access to equal citizenship. They should have rights in terms of their ability to live in accordance with their individual conscience even if groups differ with their conscience.
Q4. What are your views on Angela Merkel's call for burqa ban? What is your opinion of individual rights versus religious freedom.
Burqa bans are a little bit different from the headscarf bans often done in the name of a commitment to secularism. We think people ought to be able to wear whatever headgear they wear. If the burqa raised a security issue in terms of explosives being hidden under the burqa, there can be reasonable limitations. Religious autonomy and individual rights of citizens are often inter-chained with each other and there has to be a process to adjudicate it. That's what you are going through.
Q5. Recently, there have been house hearings in US on NGO clampdown in India. Are these restrictions because of catholic credentials?
We are deeply supportive of rights of religious and other NGOs to carry on their functions in accordance with their conscience. And across the globe, we see the extra ordinary contribution that civil society makes to ameliorating some of the serious problems of hunger, disease, lack of education that countries have. The partnership of civil society in governments is vital in providing for all people. We are deeply concerned when civil society who act peacefully are restricted from carrying out their country interests and obligations.
We really hope that countries and groups like Compassion international which has indicated it is willing to live by whatever the laws and restrictions of India are will reach accommodation to allow that partnership to go forward.
Q 6. Will you raise the issue of compassion wrapping down operations in your meetings?
The US government has already raised concerns about individual groups asking for clarifications why actions have been taken, for particularly the American base groups. We will continue to express our opinion that a robust civil society is indispensable partner with governments in countries all across the globe in providing for needs of all of citizenry.
And the fact that they are doing this because their religious conscience tells them, and they have to feed hungry people, feed sick people and educate those who otherwise wouldn't have an education is an important part of religious freedom that benefits broader society, governments and groups who are providing the services.
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/...urbing-minorities-us-ambassador/1/833055.html
