Creation and destruction continue in the universe. Moreover, there is a constant inter-conflict going on in the whole universe. Such inter-conflict continues even within the state, society, and the individual. The contemporary world is also going through similar diverse inter-conflicts. One of the various conflicts is religious. In the history of the world, there have been great wars in the name of religion. Where millions of people have lost their lives. Looking back at history, more people die in wars in the name of religion than in wars between states over geography and power.
Religion is a belief that arises within the human conscience. The belief in a wonderfully invisible supreme power. Such an amazing invisible force that has the power to create and destroy not only human beings but the entire animal kingdom, nature, and the universe. Religion is the belief in that. Man’s belief in this invisible supreme power has been interpreted by some elements of society in their favor. When a person feels that his faith and belief have been attacked from somewhere, then he is ready to die and kill himself to preserve his faith and belief. Taking advantage of this human nature, various religious individuals and organizations have been using it for their own selfish ends. It is not only religious institutions that have taken advantage of this weakness within man. The rulers who run the state and the political institutions that do politics have also taken over.
Even in the present 21st century, there is no shortage of religious slogans for gaining power and power. Even the states themselves have been using religion as a weapon to maintain their dominance in the world. In the name of Allah, many fanatical religious parties and organizations have sprung up in Muslim states. In many countries, Christianity is protected by the state. There is no shortage of such activities in the name of Hinduism and Buddhism. Yes, everyone should be able to practice their religion and culture. But the name of religion should not be allowed to create an atmosphere of conflict in the state and society.
It is a matter of individual freedom to embrace one’s favorite religion, culture, and customs. Therefore, religious freedom is enshrined as a fundamental right in the constitutions of any democratic country in the world. At present, the constitutions of more than 120 countries of the world provide for religious freedom. Nepal’s constitution also states that there will be religious freedom.
Although the individual has the freedom to embrace the religion and culture of his choice, the state has no religion. Religion belongs to the individual. The state should help protect every religion that citizens believe in. No state should especially protect one religion and suppress other religions just as the state should protect the livelihood of every citizen. In the same way, he must protect the faith and trust of every citizen. However, conversion is not for the right person. That is indirectly prohibited. Nepal has also accepted this. But in practice, Nepal has sometimes failed to do so. For example, in recent times, many Christian missionaries in Nepal have been active through various organizations. Such religious organizations in the name of social service seem to have an impact on Nepal’s policy-making level as well. If we talk about other countries besides Nepal, those who are in the hands of the state power or the followers of the religions in power are found to be using the state power for the propagation of their religion. This has been adopted by the United States, which is the number one democracy in the world, from a country that is a fanatical Muslim religion. The United States has an organization called the International Religions Freedom Alliance. Which was established on February 20, 2020. Although the United States has been working on its formation since 2018/2019, the alliance was formed in February 2020 with the participation of 27 countries.
At present, high-ranking officials from dozens of countries are participating in this alliance. At its inception, US official Mip Pump said it would advocate for the rights of the world’s religious minorities. Not only that, since he is in the Alliance, he has to submit his report on the religious situation of his country to the commission under the US State Department every year. Dozens of European countries, from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Greece to Australia, Brunei, Israel, and Kosovo, are now members. As it is in the Alliance, it submits a report to the U.S. Commission under the U.S. Department of State. It is understood that some organizations in Nepal, especially those close to Buddhism, are in the process of joining the alliance. This is something that Nepal needs to think about in time. On the one hand, it will attack Nepal’s religion and culture, on the other hand, it cannot be said that such organizations will not even indirectly report the activities of neighboring India and China.
At first glance, the United States appears to have defended the rights of religious minorities, but in essence, its purpose seems to be to spread Christianity and spy on activities within the Alliance. Yes, the Alliance’s declaration aims to spread religious freedom around the world, to bring together high-ranking government officials in a single forum, and put pressure on countries that do not grant religious freedom through the Alliance. Looking at it this way, isn’t this a program targeted at India, Pakistan, and China? One wonders if this is politics in the name of American religion. Because India has a Hindu majority, Pakistan and Bangladesh have a Muslim majority. There is a Hindu majority in Nepal. Christians are in the minority here. Not only that, the United States can say that there is no religious freedom in China. Although members of the Chinese Communist Party are not members of religious organizations, there are Confucians, Buddhists, and Taiwanese. About 80 million Christians and Islam are minorities. There is reason to fear that the Alliance may take action tomorrow in the name of religious protection and religious freedom for these minorities.
In such a situation, if any organization in Nepal becomes a member of it, it can add complexity to Nepal’s diplomatic relations with China and India. The Government of Nepal should pay attention to this in time. Because even people from the religious sector themselves express the view that the government should be aware of this. As Kaudanya Bhante, a famous Buddhist monk in Nepal says, it doesn’t matter if you form such alliances to maintain religious harmony and religious tolerance, but you are a minority. The intention may be to provoke religious harmony by tempting the common people of poor countries, to put pressure on weak countries, so the government should think a lot before allowing them to participate in such alliances. It doesn’t matter if alliances are formed to increase harmony, but if harmony is broken, a bad situation can be created.
Similarly, Bhikkhu Anand, a religious leader, and former MP said that the state should work to protect the religion and culture of the majority of the people of the country. But the religion and culture associated with the soil and blood of their country should not be attacked in such a way as to affect the religion and culture of the sons of the land.
This does not mean taking away the rights of minorities, they should also be given priority, But in a poor country like ours, in the name of poverty alleviation and financial assistance, various organizations are active, the inner purpose of which is to remove the good things in the minds of the people and to insert bad things and ideas in the minds of the people should be careful. It is okay to help people but not brainwashed. Similarly, Archay Dhundhiraj Neupane of the Hindu religion has been the host of religious programs on Nepal Television for a long time. He also said that the government should be vigilant against the infiltration of foreign powers under various pretexts to destroy the country’s religion and culture.
In this way, even if religious freedom and the protection of minority religious communities are protected at the state level, the state itself should not consider any religion as special or suppress any religion. There may have been plans to enter Nepal in the name of conscious religion and cause conflicts within Nepal and even in the neighborhood. Aware of this, the government should also increase proper monitoring of organizations affiliated with organizations such as International Religion Freedom Airlines.
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