U.S. Department of State Annual Report on International Religious Freedom for 2002 - Guyana
| Publisher | United States Department of State |
| Publication Date | 7 October 2002 |
| Cite as | United States Department of State, U.S. Department of State Annual Report on International Religious Freedom for 2002 - Guyana , 7 October 2002, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3da3f08824.html [accessed 31 May 2023] |
| Comments | This report is submitted to the Congress by the Department of State in compliance with Section 102(b) of the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998. The law provides that the Secretary of State, with the assistance of the Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, shall transmit to Congress "an Annual Report on International Religious Freedom supplementing the most recent Human Rights Reports by providing additional detailed information with respect to matters involving international religious freedom." This Annual Report includes 195 reports on countries worldwide. The 2002 Report covers the period from July 1, 2001, to June 30, 2002. |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice.
There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom during the period covered by this report, and government policy continued to contribute to the generally free practice of religion.
Despite ethnic tensions, the generally amicable relationship among religions in society contributed to religious freedom.
The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting human rights.
Section I. Religious Demography
The country has a total area of 82,980 square miles, and its population is approximately 700,000. The country is very religiously and ethnically diverse. Nearly half of the population traces its ancestry to the Indian subcontinent, and more than one-third of the population is of African descent. These two major ethnicities, along with smaller groups of native South Americans and persons of European and Chinese descent, practice a wide variety of religions.
Approximately 50 percent of the population are either practicing or nominal Christians – of these roughly one-third are Anglicans, one-quarter are Roman Catholics, and one-quarter are Pentecostals and Baptists; there are smaller percentages of Methodists, Presbyterians, Seventh-Day Adventists, Lutherans, Mormons, and members of Jehovah's Witnesses. Practicing or nominal Hindus constitute approximately 33 percent of the population, and Muslims (both Sunni and Shi'a) constitute about 15 percent. There are also a small number of Baha'is. Although not included in official figures, substantial numbers of persons practice Rastafarianism or a traditional Caribbean religion known locally as "Obeah," either apart from or in conjunction with the practice of other faiths. Members of all ethnic groups are well represented in all religions, with two exceptions: almost all Hindus are Indo-Guyanese, while nearly all Rastafarians are Afro-Guyanese.
There are foreign missionaries from a wide variety of denominations in the country.
Section II. Status of Religious Freedom
Legal/Policy Framework
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice. The Government at all levels strives to protect this right in full and does not tolerate its abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
Members of all faiths are allowed to worship freely. There is no state or otherwise dominant religion, and the Government practices no form of religious favoritism or discrimination.
Both public and religiously affiliated schools exist, and parents are free to send their children to the schools of their choice without sanction or restriction. The Government makes no requirements regarding religion for any official or nonofficial purposes.
The Government has promoted cooperation among religious communities as a means of addressing long-standing racial tensions.
Restrictions on Religious Freedom
Government policy and practice contributed to the generally free practice of religion.
There were no reports of religious prisoners or detainees.
Forced Religious Conversion
There were no reports of forced religious conversion, including of minor U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the United States, or of the refusal to allow such citizens to be returned to the United States.
Section III. Societal Attitudes
Relations between the country's diverse religious communities are amicable. Although significant problems exist between the country's two main ethnic groups, religious leaders have worked together frequently to attempt to bridge these gaps.
Section IV. U.S. Government Policy
The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the Government, local groups, and other organizations in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting human rights. The Ambassador and other embassy officials met on numerous occasions with the leaders of religious denominations and with foreign missionaries. The Embassy pursues a policy of active engagement with the Islamic community. The Ambassador spoke before various religious groups promoting religious and racial harmony during the period covered by this report.
