Holy See tells UN 75% of those killed for religious hatred are Christians

(March 08, 2011) Citing a study that found 75 out of every 100 people killed for religious hatred are Christian, the Vatican's representative to the United Nations offices in Geneva, Switzerland, is reiterating that freedom of religion is at the heart of fundamental human rights. Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, permanent representative of the Holy See to the U.N. offices in Geneva, affirmed this last week during the Human Rights Council’s session on religious freedom. He warned that religious strife polarizes society, breaking the bonds necessary for social life and commerce to flourish. It produces violence, which robs people of the most fundamental right of all, the right to life. And it sows seeds of distrust and bitterness that can be passed down through the generations. Noting that 75 out of 100 people killed are Christians he said that such a "concentration of religious discrimination should cause concern to all of us." Archbishop Tomasi therefore underscored the state's duty to defend freedom of religion and "therefore the responsibility to create an environment where this right can be enjoyed."