Meetings with Ombudsman of Slovenia, dr. Zdenka Čebašek-Travnik

At the meeting, were present dr. Zdenka Čebašek-Travnik, Deputy Ombudsman Jernej Rovšek, from Ombudsman Office; Lama Shenphen Rinpoche and Ljubica Klančar from Dharmaling.

Main points of discussion were:

* The actual situation regarding the"religious freedom" act - Dharmaling was the only religious community which opposed the draft from Government as a whole, and engaged into the writing of an alternative respecting the constitutional separation between State and Church (draft later called "Gulič law"). We still believe the now voted act should be replaced or at least seriously amended.

* The situation regarding financing a priest in hospitals and jails - In a time whenhospital are facing difficulties to pay nurses, doctors, others indispensable staffs and modern equipments, it seems ironic to ask that a priest would be paid from the social security money (of all tax payers, while we know only a Catholic priest might be chosen).

* Content of Ethic & religion classes in school - Only few school have the wisdom to request a respresentative of each main religion to come present their faith to the children, in the framework of the class "ethic & religion" in primary school. Many teachers are using manual provided or at least approved by Education ministry, writen by theologian, with incomplete, erroneous, biased content regardin Buddhism.

* Discrimination in media - Several newspapers are allowing writings sometime oriented against other religions, without even respecting the right to publish eventual answer from the attacked communities.

Other points were also discussed, such as:

* The fact that many administrations, including some Ministries, are not replying to letters or even acknowledging the reception of them.

* Boy circumcision should be baned same as girl circumcision, as (except rare medical cases) it is to be considered as a mutilation without the concent of the individual. It is a serious breach of children's right, often neglected under the cover of (barbarian) religious practice of old time.