A recent article in this newspaper broached the subject of religious beliefs coming into direct conflict with administrative regulations. Student members of the Seventh Day Adventist at a local school had complained of being forced to forgo the Sabbath in full violation of their religious beliefs. At first glance, the two opposing sides were on a collision course all in the name of theological differences, but a closer look reveals that the whole conflict could have been avoided. The constitution guarantees freedom of worship and no one should be victimised for their beliefs. But any cohesive organisation needs to have rules and regulations. So, where does one draw the line? Many schools in Rwanda are administered by religious organisations and are therefore under strong influence to spread their religious ethos to their students. But should that be reason to victimise those not willing to toe their religious line? Today, most of the world’s major conflicts are a result of religious intolerance that has been left to fester into uncontrollable spiral of violence. Incidents like the one reported by this newspaper might be regarded by some as an administrative disciplinary measure blown out of proportion, but that could not be further from the truth. An inferno usually begins with a tiny spark, but it costs a lot to bring it under control. The government should come out firmly and bring educational and other institutions back into line, with a strong message that intolerance, of whatever nature, has no place in society.
