FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 14, 2003

Contact:
Lawrence J. Goodrich, Communications Director, (202) 523-3240, ext. 27

WASHINGTON - With Afghanistan about to begin the process of selecting a permanent government, now is the time for the United States to promote religious freedom and other human rights there, says the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom in a report and recommendations issued today. That process is at a crucial stage with the ongoing selection of members of the Emergency Loya Jirga, which is scheduled to begin its work in mid-June.

Among its recommendations, the Commission, a federal agency advising the Administration and Congress, calls for the stationing at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul a person whose sole responsibility is to promote religious freedom and other human rights, including by coordinating U.S. participation in relevant international initiatives and by monitoring and reporting publicly human rights and religious freedom conditions. If the Administration does not send a representative to Afghanistan to perform these functions, the Commission is prepared to do so.

The full text of the Commission's report and recommendations on Afghanistan can be found on the Commission's Web site at www.uscirf.gov. A printed copy can be obtained by calling the phone number above.

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."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 14, 2003

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

WASHINGTON - The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has sent a letter to Secretary of State Colin Powell urging the United States to oppose any efforts at the United Nations Human Rights Commission to abandon ongoing scrutiny of continuing serious violations of human rights in Sudan and oppose any procedural process that would give Libya - the current chair of the Commission on Human Rights - control over the appointment of a Special Representative on Sudan.

"The United States must deliver a strong statement on Sudan so that there will be no doubt as to our position regarding ongoing scrutiny of continuing violations," said USCIRF Chair Felice Gaer.

The text of the letter follows:

Dear Secretary Powell:

As deliberations continue in Geneva at the UN Commission on Human Rights, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) respectfully requests that you raise critical issues pertaining to Sudan.

The USCIRF believes that the United States should oppose efforts at the UN Commission on Human Rights to revoke the mandate of the Special Rapporteur and oppose proposals that would upgrade consideration of Sudan from that of a country examined under agenda Item 9 ("question of the violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms in any part of the world") to one considered under agenda Item 19 ("advisory services and technical cooperation in the field of human rights"). Such a change is generally understood as a form of graduation, suggesting that a government has improved its human rights performance.

This is certainly not the case with Sudan:

• The Sudan Peace Act found that actions committed by the Government of Sudan (GOS) constitute genocide as defined by the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (78 U.N.T.S. 277).

• The Civilian Protection Monitoring Team (CPMT) clearly states in its February 2003 report that the GOS has continued to attack, kill and maim civilians despite signing a cease-fire accord with the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM).

• The GOS has, according to reports, without justification, grounded operations of the CPMT since March 7.

• The U.S. State Department's annual report on human rights describes extensive continued gross human rights abuses committed by the GOS.

As the peace talks between the GOS and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) reach a critical stage, it is important that the international community retain the post of a Special Rapporteur on Sudan so that human rights violations will be clearly identified and condemned by not only the United States, but by the international community. The Special Rapporteur on Sudan is perceived by many to provide a non-biased, independent perspective on human rights violations in Sudan. The USCIRF urges the Administration to support the extension of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Sudan, and not to suggest ways to remove it from such scrutiny.

A change from Item 9 to Item 19 would permit the appointment of a new person to carry out the monitoring. This would offer the opportunity for the chair of the UN Commission on Human Rights to appoint and select a new Special Representative on Sudan. Given the poor human rights record of Libya - the current chair of the UN Commission on Human Rights - the United States should oppose any procedural process to move consideration of Sudan so that Libya cannot control the appointment of a Special Representative on Sudan.

Furthermore, the USCIRF recommends that the United States deliver a strong statement on Sudan at the UN Commission on Human Rights condemning the serious human rights violations in that country so that there will be no doubt as to our position regarding ongoing scrutiny of continuing violations.

Thank you for considering the Commission's requests.

Sincerely,

Felice D. Gaer

Chair

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.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 19, 2003

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

WASHINGTON - In a new report, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom concludes that the government of Laos has engaged in particularly severe violations of freedom of religion, and merits designation by the Administration as a "country of particular concern" under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. The Commission draws attention to abuses including arrests, prolonged detention and imprisonment of members of minority religions, forced renunciations of faith of Christians, and extensive governmental interference with and restrictions on all religious communities, including Evangelical Christians, Roman Catholics, Baha'is, and Buddhists. In July 2002, the Lao government promulgated a new decree on religious affairs that provides a legal basis for control of and interference with religious activities. While some religious detainees have reportedly been released since July 2002, others remain in detention

"The United States has a unique opportunity to engage the government and people of Laos in a process of reform that would end the suppression of religious freedom and other related human rights, and relatively small measures of attention and assistance could accomplish a great deal," said Commission Chair Felice D. Gaer. The Commission notes that "Laos is at an important crossroads" between those who advocate that the country follow the model of China or Vietnam, and those who seek to modernize the country by learning from the United States and other Western democracies that respect human rights.

Therefore, as outlined in the new report, the Commission makes the following recommendations to the President, Secretary of State, and Congress:

1. President Bush should designate Laos as a "country of particular concern" to make clear U.S. concerns over particularly severe violations of religious freedom in Laos, thus engaging the U.S. government in a process to promote changes that would advance legal as well as practical protections of freedom of religion and related human rights in that country.

2. The U.S. government should urge the government of Laos to take specific steps to improve respect for religious freedom, including ending coercive and abusive practices, and should undertake to establish a bilateral human rights dialogue with measurable goals to eliminate violations.

3. If the Lao government demonstrates a genuine commitment to change, the U.S. government should provide assistance to Laos to take steps to reform its practices, policies, laws, and regulations that contribute to religious freedom violations. This could begin with a State Department assessment of human rights needs in Laos, and assistance could include information, education, legal training, and technical advice.

The Commission will discuss its report at a press conference on March 20, 2003, from 2:30 to 3:30 pm in 121 Cannon House Office Building. The report and recommendations may be read in their entirety on the Commission's Web site at www.uscirf.gov after the press conference.

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.