Staff Reporter :
US Ambassador in Dhaka Marcia Bernicat has said religious liberty is an integral factor of American life, and has been since their nation’s founding.
“An essential component of religious liberty is the right of people of all faiths to participate fully in society without facing discrimination based on their religion,” she said in a statement on Thursday.
Bernicat said religious pluralism is an American value and tradition of not merely “tolerating” religious diversity, but embracing it as a national asset, and as an opportunity to build bridges across faiths.
“Indeed, many of the first European settlements in America were comprised of individuals and families fleeing religious persecution. Not surprisingly, this fundamental right is the ‘first freedom’ enshrined in the Bill of Rights of our Constitution,” she said.
The envoy said each day in every state of their union, diverse groups of Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, and others come together as Americans to tackle poverty, combat discrimination, and resettle and provide services to refugees fleeing persecution. “As the U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh, I have the opportunity to tell America’s story. This often includes responding to recent events. For example, following terrorist attacks by groups such as ISIL or Al Qaeda, I often hear concerns about the rights of Muslims in America,” she added.
“Let me be clear: acts of violence or discrimination against Muslims are contrary to American principles and will not be tolerated. This has been and remains the policy of the U.S. Government. As President Obama stated earlier this year, “Islam has been woven into the fabric of our country since its founding. Muslim Americans are part of the fabric.”
The freedom to choose one’s faith, change one’s faith, dissent from religion, speak publicly about one’s beliefs, gather for worship, and teach one’s beliefs to one’s children are enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
A more accurate view of the United States can be found in everyday actions that often do not make international headlines, in part because these regular interactions of tolerance and respect are not newsworthy because they are the norm, the statement said.
