RELIGIONS

Suppression of religion and the introduction of programs of

antireligious indoctrination began in 1949 and intensified, with the
closure of temples, shrines, mosques, and churches, from the mid-
1960s through the mid-1970s. Overt antireligious activity eased in
1976, and the government reactivated its Bureau of Religious
Affairs. The constitution of 1982 provides for freedom of belief and
worship; however, the government restricts religious practices and
maintains a great deal of control over the growth of various religious
organizations. The State Administration for Religious Activities and
the United Front Work Department monitor religious organizations
and supervise the implementation of government regulations for
religious groups and activities. All groups are required to register
with the government in order to legally participate in worship. Many
groups refuse to register, however, either out of protest for
government policies and control over religion or from fear of
providing the names of religious leaders to government authorities.