The General Manager of the Tonga Broadcasting Commission, ‘Elenoa ‘Amanaki, today rebutted a claim by the US Department of State that the government-owned TBC infringed the human right of Freedom of Religion.

But 'Elenoa also said that TBC's policy on "Jesus Christ" still stands

In its 2004 Reports on Human Rights practices in Tonga, the US State Department claimed that the government owned TBC infringed Freedom of Religion by not allowing the Baha'i Faith and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints LDS, to discuss their faith and to mention the names of their founders, Baha'ullah and Joseph Smith in their religious programs.

...‘Elenoa said that the LDS is a member of the TBC religious committee, which meets once a year to allocate free religious programs for churches and to discuss other issues regarding religious broadcasts using Radio and Television Tonga. She said that during the recent celebration of the Baha'i Faith, Radio and TV Tonga covered the whole week-long event, and the LDS use Radio and TV Tonga in their own Church programs on Sundays and for other social programs.

Siaosi Moleni, for the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, said that he was not aware of any restriction on any of their programs with TBC but he admitted that they do not discuss serious issues such as church doctrine in their programs.

The US State Department report was concerned with a long-standing policy of TBC on Jesus Christ.

The TBC policy as published in 1988, reads ...–

"While it is recognised that there are doctrines peculiar to particular churches, the character of the listening public obliges you to confine your preaching within the limits of the main stream of Christian tradition as contained in the Commission's Policy guidelines:

1. Preaching to be confined only to the Biblical Jesus i.e. the Jesus that is taught in the Holy Bible.

2. Preach only the Historical Jesus i.e. the Jesus as is accepted in the History of the Bible.

3. It will assist in the peaceful co-existence of all Christians if the respective doctrines of churches are not preached for broadcast purposes, and,

4. Attacks on other churches either directly or implied is an abuse of the privilege as stipulated in this clause."

Under this policy the churches are required to practice self-censorship in order to comply with the guidelines for broadcast.

The policy contributed to Tonga's continuing "poor" rating for Human Rights in the annual US report.

See: US govt rates "poor" Tongan human rights [2]