Church Makes Submission to Samoa Parliamentary Select Committee

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints made a submission to a Samoa Parliamentary Select Committee on Thursday, 30 July 2020.

The submission was in response to three new bills being considered by Samoa’s Parliament titled: Constitution Amendment Bill 2020; Land and Titles Bill 2020; and Judicature Bill 2020.

Elder Sapele Fa'alogo, Area Seventy, made the submission on behalf of the Church.

The submission begins: “We are grateful for the opportunity to submit these comments and make a presentation to the Parliamentary Select Committee with regard to the 2020 Draft Bills noted above. This submission is presented with all respect on behalf of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the many thousands of Samoans who enjoy living and practicing their faith in Jesus Christ as members of the Church in Samoa. These members worship together in over 150 congregations of the Church in Samoa and treasure their Samoan citizenship. Like Christianity in general, the Church has members in all parts of the globe.”

It continues: “Our primary focus in this submission is to raise a voice of respectful warning that adoption of the 2020 Draft Bills will harm the exercise and protection of the fundamental human rights guaranteed by the constitution and international commitments, including the freedom of religion.”

Read the full submission here in English and Samoan.

The Samoa Observer reported 31 July 2020 on the submission, saying, in error, that the Church does not have a position on the Bills. Although the Church remains politically neutral, the submission raises clear concerns that the Bills will harm fundamental human rights including religious freedom.