06 November 2007

Constitutional Drafting Committee oppose freedom of religion

The Malaysian Professor Mohamed Hashim Kamali, currently in Maldives to advise the Special Majlis' constitutional drafting committee have said that the drafting committee was against allowing other religions to be practiced in the country.

He also said that the new draft constitution is 100% Islamic. Despite this, some members of the Majilis are demanding to make it more islamic it seems. I wonder if they are suggesting beheading of converts and stoning of adulterers.

“In my opinion it is not necessary to include the phrase ‘Islamic Shariah’ in every constitutional amendment. That is because the constitution says that Islam should be the (official) religion of the Maldives,” Professor Kamali said.“Despite my recommendations, it is up to the drafting committee to decide what to include in the draft. The recommendations include how Islam deals with other religions and the problems that could arise in Maldives if other religions were allowed to be practiced” he said.

“Many Quranic verses say so. It recognizes Christianity and other religions. To close the door to them is a disservice to….Islam.”
said Kamali. He also warned that Islam does not allow followers to renounce the faith but the 64,000 expatriates living in the Maldives should be able to open schools for their children and practice their faith openly, he urged. However the drafting committee and all the political parties are against freedom of religion even for migrant workers livings in the country.

source: [haveeru] , [minivannews]

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