In the name of protecting religion, the United Nations has voted against religious liberty. Islam, however, is to be protected from criticism. Religious persecution is distressingly common around the globe. Most offending states are either communist or Islamic. Yet, while many 'Christian' states avoid acknowledging their religious heritage, most Muslim societies suppress other faiths.
Pakistan, where religious minorities face legal discrimination and private violence, led the campaign on behalf of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC). Pakistani UN ambassador Masood Khan complained that Islamophobia 'is an alarming and growing phenomenon in several countries'.
The Islamic states that promoted the resolution against the 'defamation of religions' obviously did not mean to criticise the persecution of Christians - especially by their own governments. And despite isolated assaults on Muslims, there has been no significant western discrimination, let alone persecution, against Muslims for decades.
The real purpose of the defamation resolution is to protect Islam from criticism. The measure technically covers all faiths and is filled with the usual boilerplate about 'mutual respect and understanding'.
However, the measure mentions only Islam by name: 'Alarmed at the continuing negative impact of the events of September 11, 2001, on Muslim minorities and communities in some non-Muslim countries, the negative projection of Islam in the media and the introduction and enforcement of laws that specifically discriminate against and target Muslims.'
The resolution expresses 'deep concern that Islam is frequently and wrongly associated with human rights violations and terrorism'.