International   

“Religion” mentioned for first time

BEIJING: For the first time in its history, the CPC mentioned the word “religion” in an amendment to its Constitution adopted on Sunday.

The resolution said the move would meet the demands posed by the new situation and tasks. The Communist Party of China is atheistic but allows freedom of religious beliefs. China is home to 100 million religious faithful — largely Buddhists, Taoists, Christians, Catholics and Islamists. “I learned of the amendment on the Internet and was inspired,” said Living Buddha Dainzin Qoizha in the Shannan Prefecture of southwestern Tibet Autonomous Region. He has been watching the week-long Party congress on the Internet.

Dainzin Qoizha is a government employee in Shannan. More than half of his colleagues are CPC members.

“I’m on very good terms with them,” he said. “As a non-Communist, I’m in charge of ethnic and religious work. The prefecture’s Party committee is very supportive.” Hao Peng, vice-party chief in Tibet, describes the relations between the Party and the religious faithful as “united, cooperative and mutually respectful.”

Tibet has more than 1,700 religious sites, 46,000 monks and nuns and more than 30 living Buddhas whose reincarnation has been recognised by the central or regional governments. — Xinhua

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

CPC Constitution adopts scientific development
CPC Central Committee elected
“Religion” mentioned for first time
Musharraf offers package for Northern Areas
Larijani to attend talks with E.U.
Tensions run high on the Turkey-Iraq border
Imran, Jemima attack Benazir
Bhutan elections on December 26
Singapore can be a bridge between India and growing economies: Nathan

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu