USCIRF Delegation Travels to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh

Mar 3, 2006


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 3, 2006


Contact:
Anne Johnson, Director of Communications, (202) 523-3240 (202) 523-3240, ext. 27

WASHINGTON - A delegation from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) traveled to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh February 21 - March 2. Commissioners on the delegation were USCIRF Chair Michael Cromartie, Vice Chair Felice D. Gaer, and Commissioners Preeta D. Bansal. In Sri Lanka, the delegation traveled to Colombo and Galle. In Bangladesh, the delegation traveled to Dhaka. In both countries, the delegation met with a broad range of individuals, including government officials, religious leaders, human rights advocates, civil society representatives, and international observers. The delegation consulted with these individuals on human rights issues, including freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief, as protected in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and other instruments.



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.

Michael Cromartie,Chair
  • Felice D. Gaer,Vice ChairNina Shea,Vice ChairPreeta D. BansalArchbishop Charles J. ChaputKhaled Abou El FadlRichard D. LandElizabeth H. ProdromouBishop Ricardo RamirezAmbassador John V. Hanford III,Ex-OfficioJoseph R. Crapa,Executive Director