Editorial: Freedom of religion?
Most Norwegians confess to a religion whose geographic and spiritual centres are far beyond intellectual and physical reach. Perhaps we believe that this is also the case for all other peoples?
But there are places on Earth where people believe in much more concrete and present gods and spirits. We have heard of numerous religions centred on a specific local mountain, river, lake or other features in nature. For these people, the faith in the waterfall-spirit is as strong and as important as the faith Norwegians have in that God lives in a heavenly Paradise.
When Norwegian authorities willingly give financial support to industrial and infrastructural projects that destroy such religious and geographical landmarks, be it the Bujagali Falls of Uganda or the Baphlimali hill in India, they are guilty of violating the right to freedom of religion. What has happened with this chapter of the Declaration of Human Rights?
Are NORAD, GIEK (The Norwegian export credit agency), Eksportfinans and all the other actors ready to participate in a future Jerusalem Dam or Golgata Mining Project?
Norwatch Newsletter 7/01