(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - The concerted action by state and government authorities to demonise Shia Muslim followers and to ban their teachings is extremely worrying and a clear violation of Malaysia’s commitments to freedom of religion and belief.On July 19, the Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir announced that the Kedah government will gazette an anti-Shia fatwa to check the belief from spreading. Other states have also been urged follow suit.One of the most vocal proponents of banning the Shia is former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed who himself detained Shias’ without trial under the Internal Security Act in the 1990s.The Home Minister has also stated that he will “take stern action against individuals including political leaders as well as organisations involved in spreading Shia teachings in this country and that his ministry and its agencies like the Police, Registrar of Societies and Immigration Department would intensify monitoring of Shia activities”.All these actions seem to be at odds with Malaysia’s commitments to human rights standards especially the right to freedom of religion and belief. The right to freedom of religion or belief and to manifest them in teaching, practice, worship and observance is guaranteed in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).During Malaysia’s human rights review at the UN Human Rights Council in 2009, the Malaysian delegation stated that “respect for human rights has been long established given the country’s character as a melting pot of various cultures, religions and ethnicities”.It noted that Article 11 of the Federal Constitution guaranteed every person the right to profess and practise his religion and to propagate it. As a member of the international community and the UN Human Rights Council, the Malaysian government must respect and protect the right of all religious minorities including Shia followers to practise their faith; free from fear of harassment or intimidation.Further, for a country that has been championing a global movement of moderates the Prime Minister’s silence has been deafening, in the midst of these sustained threats against the Shia community. In January 2012, the Prime Minister highlighted the need to “embrace diversity” and “foster tolerance and understanding by making the voice of reason louder”. Ironically, the actions of his government seem to contradict this message.Even the opposition has joined the bandwagon with Harun Taib, the head of the Ulama Council, welcoming the proposed fatwa in Kedah and propose it be expanded to other states to stem Shia teachings. Sadly, none of their Pakatan allies’ have publically voiced their concerns or criticised the ongoing persecution of the Shia community.Discrimination against Shia minorities in many countries such as Pakistan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and most recently in Indonesia, has fuelled intimidation and attacks against them by extremists groups in the name of religion.There is an urgent need for true moderates from both sides of the political divide in Malaysia to stand up and speak out against the religious discrimination faced by the Shia.We must remind the Malaysian authorities that they have a human rights obligation to protect all religious minorities and to ensure that anyone can practise their faith without the fear of coercion, intimidation or attacks./129
source : Free Malaysia Today
Wednesday
31 July 2013
7:30:00 PM
447277
Discrimination against Shia minorities in many countries such as Pakistan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and most recently in Indonesia, has fuelled intimidation and attacks against them by extremists groups in the name of religion.