FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 14, 2003

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

WASHINGTON -- On July 10, 2003, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) held its second off-the-record roundtable on religious freedom in China in the U.S. Capitol building. The USCIRF created this series to foster dialogue among senior Administration officials, members of Congress, human rights experts, NGOs, and representatives of religious groups to advise the Administration and Congress on U.S. policy options for promoting religious freedom and human rights in China. Commissioners Felice D. Gaer, Nina Shea, and Dean Michael K. Young were joined by State Department officials John Hanford, Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, and Lorne Craner, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, as well as Congressional staff and experts from academia, commissions, and advocacy, religious, and human rights organizations.

The July 10 roundtable focused on the status of the Uighurs in Xinjiang. Participants discussed the extent to which the Chinese government has permitted or restricted religious freedom among the Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang, in the context of the government's Uighur and religious freedom policies. Participants suggested steps the U.S. government could take to advance the protection of human rights, including religious freedom, of the Uighurs. Participants also received updates on the Chinese government's ongoing activities to restrict the rights of Falun Gong practitioners, Tibetans, and unregistered house church members like Pastor Gong Shengliang, as well as on the status of the Hong Kong government's implementation of Article 23 ( see USCIRF July 1 press release ).

The USCIRF has produced reports on the status of religious freedom in China and has recommended that China be listed by the State Department as a "country of particular concern" (CPC). Under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA), a CPC is a country whose government has either engaged in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom, defined as violations that are "systematic, ongoing, and egregious." IRFA sets forth that the policy of the United States is to oppose particularly severe violations of religious freedom. The Commission's report on China may be viewed USCIRF's web site

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.

Felice D. Gaer, Chair

• Dean Michael K. Young, Vice Chair Preeta Bansal, Richard Land, Bishop William F. Murphy, Bishop Ricardo Ramirez, Leila Nadya Sadat, Nina Shea, Ambassador John V. Hanford III, Ex-Officio Joseph R. Crapa, Executive Director

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 7, 2003

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

WASHINGTON-- The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent and bipartisan federal agency, has written to President Bush urging him to raise with Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo the need to take action to end recent Muslim-Christian violence that threatens one of the most strategically important nations in Africa and to underscore with African leaders the importance of actively supporting a just peace in Sudan.

"In Nigeria, recent Muslim-Christian violence that has killed thousands since 1999 and threatens to divide the country," said USCIRF Chair Felice D. Gaer. In its letter, the USCIRF states that the expansion of Islamic law (Sharia) into the criminal codes of several northern states in Nigeria has sparked much of the recent violence. "Some specific steps that President Bush could urge Nigerian President Obasanjo to take to reduce such violence include publicly condemning religious intolerance and bringing those responsible for communal violence to justice," said Ms. Gaer.

In Sudan, African governments should use their influence with both parties to the conflict to urge compliance with commitments made as part of the ongoing peace negotiations. Earlier this year the USCIRF called for both Sudan and Nigeria to be placed on the U.S. list of "countries of particular concern" under the International Religious Freedom Act. The Administration has placed Sudan on that list and the President signaled that peace is a major priority.

The text of the letter follows:

Dear Mr. President,

On behalf of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, I am writing to urge you to raise with Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo the need to advance religious freedom in his country. We also urge that you raise with African leaders the importance of actively supporting a just peace in Sudan.

In your recent speech to the Corporate Council of Africa, you said the United States will be "fully engaged in a broad, concerted effort to help Africans find peace, to fight disease, to build prosperity, and to improve their own lives." We wholeheartedly agree with these goals, but we also hope you will engage African leaders about the importance of protecting internationally recognized human rights, including religious freedom. These are critical foundations for securing real peace, stability, and democracy in Africa.

In Nigeria, recent Muslim-Christian violence that has killed thousands since 1999 threatens to divide the country and undermine one of the most strategically important nations in Africa.

The expansion of Islamic law (Sharia) into the criminal codes of several northern states has sparked much of the recent violence and places at risk the rights of both Muslims and non-Muslims. Presently, a woman convicted of adultery faces a sentence of death by stoning. A ban on alcohol sales, and gender segregation on public transportation, shows that at least some aspects of the new Sharia codes can be imposed on non-Muslims.

In northern Nigeria, Christians report that they are hindered by local Muslim-controlled governments from building or repairing houses of worship and face official or officially sanctioned discrimination in the media, education, and participation in government. Muslim leaders in southern Nigeria, where Muslims are a minority, voice many of the same complaints.

The Commission recommends that you urge Nigerian President Obasanjo to take the following steps to protect religious freedom and to reduce religious violence:

--investigating and removing legal obstacles to repairing places of worship;

--providing religious instruction that does not compel any student with a religious objection to attend;

--granting equal access to state-run radio and other government media sources for all religious groups.

1. Publicly and vigorously condemn religious intolerance and discrimination.

2. Bring those responsible for communal violence to justice.

3. Ensure that the recent expansion of Sharia-based criminal law does not apply to non-Muslims and respects the human rights, including religious freedom, of all individual Nigerians.

4. Prevent law enforcement activities in northern states by any quasi-official or private corps of Sharia enforcers; and,

5. Counter religiously-based discrimination by

With regard to Sudan, the Commission urges you to encourage the African leaders with whom you meet to support the current Sudan peace process. Your Administration-- through your appointment in September 2001 of former Senator John Danforth as Special Envoy for Peace in Sudan and your signing in October 2002 of the Sudan Peace Act-- has signaled that peace in Sudan is a major priority for U.S. policy in Africa. African governments should use their influence with both parties to the conflict, the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army, to urge compliance with commitments made as part of the ongoing peace negotiations. The human rights of all Sudanese must be protected from the horrific abuses that have characterized this conflict, including the Sudanese government's aerial bombardment of civilians and of humanitarian facilities, deliberate denial of international humanitarian assistance, abduction of women and children into conditions of slavery, and the forcible displacement of populations from oil-producing areas. Since Khartoum's effort to impose Islamic law on non-Muslim Sudanese has been a major factor in the conflict, African leaders should urge the Government of Sudan to accept the right to freedom of religion and belief of all Sudanese.

We earnestly hope that your trip to Africa is successful.

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
July 1, 2003

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

WASHINGTON - This week marks the sixth anniversary of Hong Kong's handover to Chinese rule. Hong Kong and Chinese leaders who will celebrate this occasion in Hong Kong will be joined by tens of thousands of people who are concerned about the proposed legislation to implement Article 23 of the constitution. The freedoms of the citizens of Hong Kong should not be eroded by implementing new repressive legislation. "Hong Kong has been the beacon of freedom and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region for many decades. Let us keep the light on for future generations," said Commission Chair Felice D. Gaer.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) joins the White House, the Congress, and many others in calling for the Hong Kong government to halt the implementation of Article 23 of its constitution, the Basic Law. The Commission commends the White House and the State Department for their statements opposing the implementation of Article 23, the U.S. House of Representatives for passing House Resolution 277, and welcomes the introduction in the Senate of Joint Resolution 14, both of which urge the governments of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the People's Republic of China to withdraw the proposed implementation of Article 23.

The Basic Law stipulates that the concept of "one country, two systems" would apply to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for 50 years after it became a Chinese territory in 1997. According to this concept, Hong Kong would enjoy autonomy in legislative, executive, and judicial matters vis-à-vis the government of the People's Republic of China. The implementation of Article 23, however, would undermine that autonomy by forcing Hong Kong laws to gradually conform to those on Mainland China, where the legal system has permitted the casual and systematic misuse of concerns regarding "national security" to suppress political dissent and religious activities. The implementation of Article 23 not only contravenes international understandings regarding the principle of "one country, two systems," but also signals a regression in Hong Kong's overall political development and respect for human rights.

Article 23 of the Basic Law would threaten the human rights, including religious freedom, of all residents of Hong Kong. It stipulates that the Hong Kong government shall enact laws to prohibit "any act of treason, secession, sedition, or subversion against" the Chinese government, the "theft of state secrets," the operation of "foreign political organizations" in Hong Kong, and the establishment of ties between Hong Kong political organizations and foreign political organizations. To this end, the Hong Kong government has introduced a national security bill, which could be enacted by Hong Kong's Legislative Council on July 9.

Particularly troublesome is the draft bill's provision that would allow the Hong Kong government to bar or close down organizations that are banned by the Chinese government on national security grounds. This would have serious negative implications for religious organizations like the Catholic Church, other Christian communities, and others such as the Falun Gong, that the government has labeled "evil cults." Falun Gong practitioners, particularly those who reside outside China, have been accused by Chinese national security agents of acting as foreign agents.

Hong Kong officials have argued that many democratic societies around the world also have anti-subversion laws similar to the one that was proposed by the Hong Kong government. However, the Commission notes that in many of those societies, there are effective legislative and judicial institutions that protect the rights of their citizens as the laws are implemented. The Commission further notes that a majority of the current Hong Kong Legislative Council members were not elected by universal suffrage. The implementation of Article 23 should not precede the establishment of a legislature by the universal consent of the Hong Kong people.

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.

Felice D. Gaer, Chair

• Dean Michael K. Young, Vice Chair Preeta BansalRichard LandBishop William F. MurphyBishop Ricardo RamirezLeila Nadya SadatNina SheaAmbassador John V. Hanford III, Ex-Officio Joseph R. Crapa, Executive Director