Religious freedom a fundamental right, says Vatican’s top official

(December 01, 2010) The Holy See spoke out strongly on Wednesday on religious freedom, discrimination against Christians, human rights and human trafficking and various other issues at the two-day Summit of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, OSCE, that began in Kazakhstan's capital Astana. Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarciscio Bertone in his address to the gathering attended by fifty-six heads of state, including United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, stressed that the international community must fight intolerance and discrimination of Christians, as firmly as they fight hatred against members of other religious communities. He said “It is well documented that Christians are the religious group most discriminated against and persecuted. Over 200 million of them, belonging to different denominations are in difficult situations because of legal and cultural structures. He also pointed out that religious freedom is not doled out by the State, but is a veritable right based on human dignity. Unfortunately, today we see religion, especially Christianity being increasingly marginalized in some spheres, even in nations which attach great importance to tolerance. He stressed that religious freedom protects the transcendental dimension of human beings and expresses its right to seek God, both as individuals and communities of believers.
Cardinal Bertone said the Summit also offers us a unique opportunity to address today’s challenges to peace and security, caused by economic and environmental problems, and to reaffirm an integrated approach to the implementation of all human rights, including economic and social rights. In this regard, he said the Holy See does not cease to reiterate that its aim is always to seek the protection and respect for human dignity that unites the entire human family. Calling human trafficking a modern form of slavery, Cardinal Bertone said all efforts must be made to tackle criminal activities to protect the victims, majority of whom are women and young girls. He also called on the OSCE to fight corruption, promote good governance, protect the environment and pay attention to the rights of migrants and their families. The Summit meeting in Astana is also an “act of hope for our generation and the future,” he concluded