The latest report from the US State Department examines various aspects of religious practice in Mauritius, as well as the legal framework that governs it. Particular attention is paid to the under-representation of minorities and inter-religious tensions in the country.
In its “Report on International Religious Freedom”, the American Department of State looked into the question of the representativeness of minorities in Mauritius, particularly in the chapter “Government Practices”. This report highlights ongoing concerns about the underrepresentation of certain communities in the country's governmental and administrative spheres.
The US State Department has also highlighted the challenges faced by certain religious communities in Mauritius. Among these challenges, the official recognition of religious groups by the government takes center stage. The report thus states that the government has postponed action to recognize the Assembly of God, a Pentecostal denomination, as a religion. “This denomination has requested this recognition from the government for more than 20 years. At the end of the year, the group was still considered an association. The government has not provided a reason for its inaction. Religious and civil society sources said they believed the government did not want to add the Assembly of God to the list of recognized religions.
The report, which also noted comments from an Assembly of God pastor, said: “Because the group was not considered a religious group, newborns could not be registered as members of the Assembly of God and its pastors had limited access to hospitals and prisons.” Sources interviewed by the U.S. State Department also noted that “the Creole community, which is predominantly Catholic, has long been statistically underrepresented in the business sector compared to the Hindu community.” It further noted that while the Council of Religions, a local organization comprised of representatives from 18 religious groups, continues to assert that religious communities generally coexist peacefully.
In this same section, the report also refers to incidents that occurred last year during a concert held at La Citadelle. “On October 21, an armed crowd of around 30 young Muslim men interrupted a charity concert organized between two predominantly Muslim neighborhoods in Port Louis, forcing the participants to disperse. According to press reports and WhatsApp messages supporting the action, the crowd sought to prevent the broadcast of a song written by an American musician of Jewish origin, as a protest against Israeli military operations in Gaza following the attacks Hamas terrorists on October 7.
In terms of the legal framework surrounding the right to religion, the report states that the Constitution of Mauritius prohibits discrimination based on belief and guarantees freedom of thought and religion. “Individuals have the right to freely change their religion, to manifest and propagate their beliefs through worship, teaching, practice and observance, whether privately or publicly, individually or collectively. However, these rights may be restricted to protect public order, security, morality, health or the rights of others. The Constitution also prohibits the imposition of oaths contrary to a person's religious beliefs, as well as compulsory religious education or attendance at religious ceremonies in schools. It grants religious groups the right to establish schools and provide religious education to their members, these establishments being open to students of other religious faiths.”
It was also observed that in cases of alleged religious discrimination, citizens can file complaints with the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC), which can initiate an investigation if it believes that a citizen's rights may have been violated .
