Feb 15, 2000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 14, 2000
Contact:
Lawrence J. Goodrich, Communications Director, (202) 523-3240
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom will hold its first hearing on Tuesday, Feb. 15 to examine religious persecution and the 17-year civil war in Sudan. The hearing is scheduled from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Senate Commerce Committee hearing room, SR-253, in the Senate Russell Office Building.
A featured witness is Bishop Macram Max Gassis, exiled Roman Catholic Bishop of El-Obeid, Sudan. His testimony will be particularly timely, as last week Sudanese government aircraft bombed an elementary school in his diocese, killing 14 children and a teacher.
The witnesses and schedule are as follows:
9:00-9:15 Opening Comments: Rabbi Saperstein, Chair; Elliott Abrams, Commissioner
Panel I:
9:15-10:15 Bishop Macram Max Gassis, Roman Catholic Church, Sudan; Professor Gáspár Bíró, University of Budapest; Mr. Francis M. Deng, The Brookings Institute
10:15-10:30 Break
Panel II:
10:30-12:15
Baroness Caroline Cox, UK House of Lords
Ms. Victoria Ben Ding, Christian Sudanese exile
Mr. Adlan Abdelaziz, Muslim Sudanese exile
Dr. Eric C. Reeves, on leave from Smith College
12:15-1:15 Lunch
Panel III:
1:15-2:45
Mr. Roger Robinson, Jr., RWR Inc.
Prof. John Voll, Georgetown University
Mr. Ezekiel Gatkuoth, United Democratic Salvation Front
2:45-3:00 Break
Panel IV:
3:00-4:45
Mr. Dan Eiffe, Norwegian People's Aid
Mr. Roger Winter, U.S. Committee for Refugees
Ms. Jemera Rone, Human Rights Watch
Mr. Steve Rickard, Amnesty International
4:45 Closing Statement of Michael Young, Vice Chair
The hearing is held under authority of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. Reporters and producers wishing assistance in arranging interviews with witnesses or Commissioners may contact Communications Director Lawrence J. Goodrich, (202) 523-3240.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom was created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to monitor the status of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief abroad, as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related international instruments, and to give independent policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and the Congress."
Rabbi David Saperstein,Chair