by David Kavanagh

As a majority of the world waits in festive anticipation for Christmas to come about once again, a few would-be celebrants in at least three countries so far are not quite as lucky.

The populations of Brunei, Somalia, and Tajikistan this year face severe government-enforced bans on any form of celebration relating to the Christian holiday.

While this is by no means the first instance of anti-Christmas sentiments and restrictions on yuletide revelry emerging, here’s a closer look at what exactly is going on this time.

Brunei

Last year, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, one of the richest men in the world, introduced Sharia law to the tiny, oil-rich nation of Brunei.

Met with far-reaching condemnation from many international human rights organisations, the country, which sits neatly on a small corner of the island of Borneo, became the first in South-East Asia to be officially governed by strict Islamic doctrine.

Fearing that the Christian holiday of Christmas could negatively impact Muslims throughout the sultanate, religious leaders this month declared that any festivities, other than those hosted by Christians in a non-excessive or open manner, would be met with punishment.

Christians make up about 9% of Brunei’s 430,000 citizens.

“Using religious symbols like crosses, lighting candles, putting up Christmas trees, singing religious songs, sending Christmas greetings… are against Islamic faith,” imam sermons in Brunei’s local presses read.

Although penalties are not as outrightly severe as others espoused by Sharia law, such as death by stoning, those that violate the ban could be met with a five-year stint in prison.

To enforce this, authorities have been ordered to step up checks throughout the country.

This has resulted in most people in Brunei fearing there’d be repercussions if they were to speak out against the decree.

“The ban is ridiculous,” one unnamed Bruneian Muslim mother told the ABC, despite this.

“It projects this image that Islam does not respect the rights of other religions to celebrate their faith.

“Islam teaches us to respect one another and I believe it starts with respecting other religions, even if what is being banned are ornamental displays.”

In protest, others have taken to social media.

The hashtag #MyTreedom, part of a larger campaign aimed at drawing attention to oppression against Christian populations worldwide, has been flooded with Christmas-themed imagery and messages.

Somalia

Like in Brunei, Somalia’s decision to ban public Christmas and New Year festivities is grounded in religious uncertainty and fears that the Christian holiday could lead Muslims astray.

The East African country, which borders Ethiopia on the horn of Africa, has a population that is almost entirely Muslim and has been governed by Sharia law since 2009.

While Christmas is not celebrated much in Somalia anyway, save for during parties thrown just for the sake of partying, this is the first year that it has been officially banned.

“Having Muslims celebrate Christmas in Somalia is not the right thing, such things are akin to the abandonment,” top official at the Somalian justice and religious affairs ministry Mohamed Kheyrow said.

According to the BBC, an increasing number of Somalis that grew up in the West are returning home as the country recovers from civil war, bringing Western traditions with them.

Fears pertaining to this, as well as concerns that Christmas gatherings could be targeted by al-Shabab, an Islamist extremist group operating in the region whose edicts expressly denounce Christmas, are the driving argument behind this ban.

Last Christmas, al-Shabab launched an attack on African Union headquarters near the capital Mogadishu, killing four.

Concessions will be made for foreign diplomats, aid workers and soldiers staying in their homes or at UN or African Union compounds, so long as they celebrate privately.

Tajikistan

The Central Asian country of Tajikistan, bordering Afghanistan, China, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan, has tightened curtailments during the festive season for somewhat differing reasons to Brunei and Somalia.

Although Muslim’s make up a majority of the population, the former Soviet state remains a nominally secular republic.

Its primary motivation for banning gift-giving, fireworks, festive food and Christmas trees in education centres throughout the country stems from a uncertainty about the benefits of Russian, and particularly Soviet, influences.

In fact, Tajikistan has been toning down the number of Russian-inspired traditions it celebrates for some time now.

In 2013, it banned the Russian version of Santa Claus, known as Father Frost, from appearing on TV at all.

Measures against other holidays deemed to threaten the local culture have also been enforced since, with some reports suggesting people found dressed up in costume on Halloween were detained by police.

Uncertainties about Tajikistan identity extend beyond the government in this case, causing division among the population.

At the end of 2011, on New Year’s Eve, 24-year-old Parviz Davlatbekov was murdered while dressed up as Father Frost by an unknown group in the city of Dushanbe.

These assailants reportedly yelled “infidel” before stabbing the young man to death.

But it’s not all bad news

While the list of countries opposing Christmas celebrations for religious or other reasons continues to change, others have lifted restrictions in recent years.

China, Cuba, and Albania have all witnessed a growing trend of support for the tradition in both public and private realms.

In places like Pakistan and Iraq, festivities are thrown despite constant threats from violent insurgents and other obstacles.

The Christmas spirit remains strong.

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