By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist
Churches in the Cook Islands are pushing for the country to be declared a Christian nation following the discovery of a mosque in Rarotonga.
The Religious Organisation Special Select Committee has heard submissions on Rarotonga and plan to visit the outer islands.
It was initiated by the Cook Islands Christian Church, which has proposed a constitutional amendment to recognise the Cook Islands as a Christian nation, “with the protection and promotion of the Christian faith as the basis for the laws and governance of the country”.
Cook Islands opposition leader Tina Browne said the proposal was in conflict with Article 64 of the Constitution which allows for freedom of religion.
“At the moment, it’s definitely unconstitutional and I am a lawyer, so I think like one too,” Browne said, who is also part of the select committee.
Late last year, a mosque was discovered on Rarotonga.
Select committee chair Tingika Elikana said it was the catalyst for the proposal.
Signatory to human rights conventions
He said the country was a signatory to several human rights conventions and declaring the Cook Islands a Christian nation could go against them.
“Some of the questions by the committee is the impact such an amendment or provision in our constitution [would have] in terms of us being parties to most of these international human rights treaties and conventions.”
Elikana said the committee had received lots of submissions both in support and against the declaration.
Cook Islands Christian Movement interim secretary William Framhein is backing it.
“We believe that the country should be declared a Christian country and if anyone else belongs to another religion they’re free to practise their own religion but it doesn’t give them a right to establish a church in the country,” he said.
Tatiana Kautai, a Muslim Cook Islander living in Rarotonga said the country was already considered a Christian nation by most.
However, she was worried that if the proposal became law it could have practical implications on everyone who was not a Christian.
“People have a right to practise their religion freely, especially people who are just going about their day to day, working, supporting their families, not causing any harm, not trying to make any trouble.
Marginalising people ‘unfair’
“To marginalise those people just seems unfair, and not right.”
Framhein said he also wanted to see the Cook Islands reverse its 2023 decision which legalised same sex relations. He said this was a “Western concept”, acceptable elsewhere in the world but not in the Cook Islands.
Tatryana Utanga, president of rainbow organisation Te Tiare Association, said it was not clear what the Christian nation submission was trying to achieve.
However, she is worried that it would sideline minority groups.
“Should this impeach or encroach on the work that we’ve been doing already, it would be a complete reverse in the wrong direction.
“We’d be taking steps backwards in our advocacy to achieve love and acceptance and equality in the Cook Islands.”
This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.
This content originally appeared on Asia Pacific Report and was authored by APR editor.