Vietnam: Chair Young to testify before SFR

Feb 11, 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 11, 2004

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

WASHINGTON - U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Chair Michael K. Young will testify on Thursday, February 12, at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on "Trade & Human Rights: The Future of U.S.- Vietnamese Relations." Young will discuss Vietnam's record on religious freedom and testify about the Commission's recent recommendation to Secretary of State Colin L. Powell that Vietnam be designated a "country of particular concern" (CPC). Ambassador John V. Hanford, Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, will also testify, in addition to Matthew Daley, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs; Ambassador Robert A. Seiple of the Institute for Global Engagement; Rmahy Eban, Montagnard Refugee; Virginia Foote of the U.S. - Vietnam Trade Council; Viet D. Dinh of Georgetown University's Law Center, and; Nguyen Dinh Thang of Boat People S.O.S., Inc.

USCIRF Chair Young's testimony will be available on the USCIRF Web site after 2:00 p.m. on February 12, 2004.

When:2:00 p.m., Thursday, February 12, 2004

Where:419 Dirksen Senate Office Building

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.

Dean Michael K. Young,Chair

 

  • Felice D. Gaer,Vice ChairNina Shea,Vice ChairPreeta D. BansalPatti ChangArchbishop Charles J. ChaputKhaled Abou El FadlRichard LandBishop Ricardo RamirezAmbassador John V. Hanford III,Ex-OfficioJoseph R. Crapa,Executive Director