Pic: Parishioners leave Tonga church after a service
Churches in the Cook Islands are advocating for the nation to be officially recognized as a Christian state, following the discovery of a mosque in Rarotonga.
The Cook Islands Christian Church has proposed a constitutional amendment to establish Christianity as the foundation of the country’s laws and governance.
Opposition leader Tina Browne, also a member of the select committee reviewing the proposal, expressed concerns, “At the moment, it’s definitely unconstitutional and I am a lawyer, so I think like one too.”
The initiative gained momentum after a mosque, Masjid Fatimah Rarotonga, was discovered on the island late last year. Select committee chair Tingika Elikana acknowledged this event as the catalyst for the proposal. He also raised concerns about potential conflicts with international human rights commitments.
“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,” Mr Elikana said.
William Framhein, interim secretary of the Cook Islands Christian Movement, supports the proposal but also seeks to reverse the 2023 decision that decriminalized same-sex relations, labeling it a “western concept” incompatible with local values. He said, “We believe that the country should be declared a Christian country and if anyone else belongs to another religion they’re free to practice their own religion but it doesn’t give them a right to establish a church in the country.”
Tatiana Kautai, a Muslim resident of Rarotonga, expressed concern over potential marginalization of non-Christian communities. “People have a right to practice 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. To marginalise those people just seems unfair, and not right.”
The select committee continues to gather submissions, aiming to balance the nation’s cultural identity with its international obligations and the rights of all citizens.
