On The International Day Commemorating The Victims Of Acts Of Violence Based On Religion Or Belief

Throughout the years, acts of violence and intolerance against individuals belonging to religious communities and religious minorities have been increasing. Amidst the violence, the Commission commits its unwavering solidarity to the struggle against religion-based violence, especially towards ethnic and national minorities.

Last August 22, the world observed the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief. The state’s inability or unwillingness to protect these victims only further marginalizes and brings further violence, and in most cases, these governments are the main perpetrators of violence. These attacks are in direct violation of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities.

In 2019 with attacks not halting but ever increasing, the resolution A/RES/73/296 was passed supposedly to protect and uphold the rights of people against violence based on ethnicity and religion. Despite the existence of these resolutions and policies, violence continues to plague ethnic and religious minorities around the globe.

This day should serve as a call to prioritize the promotion and protection of peoples’ rights including the rights of individuals in religious minorities as well as the democratic right of peoples to freely enjoy exercising their religion and beliefs. Violence against minority religions and beliefs also often comes with greater violence towards women, girls, and the LGBT+ community.

Various attacks based on religion are also rooted in the colonial legacy of exploitation and theft. Twenty nations saw state-sponsored violence that resulted in fatalities, an increase of 25% from 2007. Land-grabbing has become a widespread phenomenon internally displacing 431,000 people belonging to Indigenous Peoples and religious minorities and were driven away from their land, as the case in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh. Similar is the case for countless communities and peoples, one of many cases includes Israel’s terrorizing of innocent Palestinian families.

The International League of Peoples’ Struggle Commission 10 calls on all struggling and oppressed peoples to rally in solidarity with all victims of violence. Dismantle the systems and halls of power that perpetuate these attacks. We must resolutely recognize that the root of all violence is continuing domination of the ruling few. It is the agenda of the corporations and bureaucrat-capitalists to propagate the culture of violence, war, and militarism to secure their interests for massive plunder of resources and the exploitation of labor.

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