U.S. Dep't of State, 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom: Micronesia

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The constitution states that no law may be passed to establish a state religion or impair the free exercise of religion. It also states that no law may deny or impair freedom of expression, peaceable assembly, association or petition. The government continued to provide grants to private, church-affiliated schools for nonreligious activities and stated it made no distinction between public and private schools in its grant programs. All private schools were either Catholic or Protestant.

Senior government officials regularly met with religious leaders. There were no reports during the year of significant societal actions affecting religious freedom. The Interdenominational Council in Pohnpei stated it encouraged unity among religious groups by addressing local social problems and promoting cooperation among religious communities. Senior government officials regularly met with religious leaders.

U.S. embassy officers held discussions with senior government officials and local religious leaders and those heading religiously affiliated institutions to promote religious inclusion and tolerance, including in Pohnpei, Yap, and Kosrae States. In Yap, the Ambassador met with leaders of Yap Catholic High School, Catholic Relief Services, and Pacific Mission Aviation in November. In July, an embassy representative gave a keynote address at a World Religions Conference organized by the local Islamic association. U.S. Army chaplains conducted outreach with religious communities and government during the summer across the four states.

Section I. Religious Demography The U.S. government estimates the total population at 100,000 (midyear 2023). According to a census conducted domestically, the population is approximately 72,000. According to government statistics, approximately 99 percent of the population identifies as Christian. Several Protestant denominations and the Roman Catholic Church are present in all four states.

According to government statistics, 55 percent of residents are Catholic, and 42 percent are Protestant. The United Church of Christ is the main Protestant denomination. Other Christian groups include Baptists, Assemblies of God, the Pentecostal Church, the Apostolic Church, the Salvation Army, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Church of Jesus Christ), Seventh-day Adventists, and Jehovah’s Witnesses. The Church of Jesus Christ reports approximately 6,300 members.

Jehovah’s Witnesses state they have approximately 10,000 followers throughout the country. Other religious groups exist in small numbers, with a variable expatriate population of Baha’is, Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, and Muslims. According to a 2014 Pew Research Center report, the most recent published on religious groups in the country, 2.7 percent of the population follow folk religions. Informally, many in the country combine Christian beliefs with traditional Indigenous beliefs in spirits, magic, and communing with the dead.

Funerals usually include some aspects incorporating traditional beliefs. In Kosrae State, 90 percent of the population is Protestant, with the United Church of Christ the most prominent denomination. In Pohnpei State, the population is divided evenly between Protestants and Catholics. In Chuuk State, approximately 60 percent of the population is Catholic and 40 percent Protestant.

In Yap State, approximately 80 percent of the inhabitants are Catholic and 20 percent Protestant. The majority of foreign workers are Filipinos, who number more than 1,000 individuals and are mostly Catholic. The Fijian community comprises approximately 100 individuals and is predominantly Christian. Section II.

Status of Government Respect for Religious Freedom Legal Framework The constitution forbids the establishment of a state religion or of governmental restrictions on freedom of religion. The federal constitution provides for the free exercise of religion. It states, “No law may deny or impair freedom of expression, peaceable assembly, association, or petition,” and “No law may be passed respecting an establishment of religion or impairing the free exercise of religion.” The constitution also says that the traditions of the country are protected by statute and that if a statute protecting a tradition is challenged as violating rights provided in the constitution, protection of the tradition “shall be considered a compelling social purpose warranting … governmental action.” Religious entities are required to register as nonprofit organizations to be exempt from taxation. While there is no religious education in public schools, private schools teach religion in addition to the curriculum established by the Department of Education.

The government may fund nonreligious activities in religiously affiliated schools. The country is not a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Government Practices The government continued to provide grants to private, church-affiliated schools and continued to state it made no distinction between public and private schools in its grant programs. All private schools were either Catholic or Protestant.

There were no non-Christian religious schools in the country. National and state government events routinely opened and closed with a prayer, invocation, or benediction from a Protestant or Catholic clergy member, and often two, one from each group. Senior government officials regularly met with religious leader. Section III.

Status of Societal Respect for Religious Freedom The Interdenominational Council in Pohnpei encouraged unity among religious groups by addressing local social problems, such as drug abuse and suicide, and by assisting the government’s task force on efforts against human-trafficking as well as by promoting cooperation among religious communities. Council officials met with other religious groups in the country to promote unity and cooperation, for example, by implementing measures to assure social distancing at church services. Ahmadi Muslims and other smaller religious groups were fully operational after being inactive while COVID-19 pandemic restrictions were in effect. Section IV.

U.S. Government Policy and Engagement U.S. embassy officials met with senior government officials and local religious leaders to stress the importance of religious freedom. In February, the embassy hosted an interfaith luncheon to discuss religious discrimination and the role religious communities play in promoting tolerance locally. In July, an embassy representative gave a keynote address at a World Religions Conference organized by the local Islamic association. The conference brought together representatives from seven different religions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, the Baha’i Faith, and Aboriginal spirituality.

Embassy officials met in Pohnpei, Yap, and Kosrae States with representatives of the Kosrae United Church of Christ, Kosrae Seventh-day Adventist Church, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Yap Catholic High School, Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, and Pacific Mission Aviation to discuss religious tolerance, interdenominational cooperation, and ways their congregations could help support local shelters for victims of human trafficking and domestic violence. In Yap, the Ambassador met with leaders of the Catholic High School, the Catholic Relief Service, and Pacific Mission Aviation in November. On This Page search > < EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Section I. Religious Demography Section II. Status of Government Respect for Religious Freedom Legal Framework Government Practices Section III.

Status of Societal Respect for Religious Freedom Section IV. U.S. Government Policy and Engagement Tags Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Micronesia Office of International Religious Freedom Religious Freedom Reports