Jul 11, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 10, 2013| By USCIRF
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) urges an end to all violence and restrictions on religious activity in China's Xinjiang Uighur [Muslim] Autonomous Region (XUAR).
Religious freedom conditions in the XUAR have deteriorated significantly since the ethnic violence of July 2009. The Chinese government has instituted sweeping security measures that include efforts to weaken religious adherence and stop "illegal religious gatherings”and "illegal religious activities.” Restrictions on Uighur Muslim religious activities have caused deep resentment of Beijing's oversight of the XUAR.
"Launched in the name of stability and security, Beijing's campaigns of repression against Uighur Muslims include the targeting of peaceful private gatherings for religious study and devotion,” said Katrina Lantos Swett, USCIRF Chair. "These abuses predictably have led to neither stability nor security, but rather instability and insecurity. Through its campaign of repression, the Chinese government has egregiously abused internationally recognized human rights, including the right of freedom of religion or belief. We urge the government to lift these restrictions, especially with the start of Ramadan.”
In its 2013 Annual Report , USCIRF chronicled religious freedom abuses that have resulted from Beijing's policies in the XUAR. Professors, university students, and government employees have been prohibited from observing Ramadan and engaging in daily religious activities such as reciting prayers, distributing religious materials, and wearing head coverings. Minors under the age of 18 continue to be denied access to some mosques and religious education.
During the past year, Chinese police and security forces have initiated raids against "illegal religious schools” in the city of Hotan during which over 60 people were arrested, 17 children injured, and one child died while in police custody. In the city of Kashgar, Uighur men were sentenced to between seven to 10 years on charges that included "harboring extremist religious thoughts” and holding "underground religious meetings.” In addition, over 30 people were killed during clashes between Uighur youth and police in Lukchun township (Turpan Prefecture) and Hotan. As many as 18 Uighurs recently were given sentences from 15 days to 6 years for engaging in various "illegal religious activities.”
"China's reliance on repression fuels resentment and increases the likelihood of the very extremism that China claims it seeks to quell. For the sake of security as well as religious freedom, China's government should lift its restrictions on all peaceful religious activities," said Lantos Swett.
Jul 9, 2013
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July 9, 2013 | By USCIRF
Washington, D.C. -Today, July 9, 2013, marks the second anniversary of South Sudan's independence from Sudan. It is a day of celebration for millions of Southerners who fought for human rights and religious freedom in Sudan's 20 year civil war. However, July 9 also is a reminder that for two years an estimated 500,000 Southerners in Sudan have been stateless and living a precarious existence.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is deeply concerned that the failure to resolve the status of stateless Southerners who are living in the north risks further undermining religious freedom in Sudan. With the independence of South Sudan, senior Sudanese government officials have called for a more comprehensive and rigid application of Sharia law in Sudan, where southerners who are Christian have been subject to a range of religious freedom violations. In particular, there have been credible reports of the destruction of churches, refusal to permit construction of new churches and other forms of intimidation and harassment. USCIRF strongly believes that that the independence of South Sudan must not be used as a justification for the denial of religious diversity and freedom in Sudan, or as a justification to delay progress on a resolution of the status of southerners in Sudan.
"It is a potential recipe for disaster that after more than two years of discussions, half a million Southerners in Sudan remain stateless and vulnerable to severe religious freedom violations. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) calls on the U.S. government and its allies to increase their efforts to help Sudan and South Sudan resolve the status of their nationals residing in the other's territory,” said USCIRF Chair Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett. "Southerners in Sudan are at a particularly grave risk. Furthermore, failure to finalize negotiations has left them vulnerable to expulsion.”
Since January 2011, the two countries have engaged in a series of negotiations over the citizenship and legal status of Southern Sudanese in Sudan and Sudanese in South Sudan. While South Sudan has offered citizenship to Sudanese residents, the Government of Sudan (GoS) has not reciprocated.
In September 2012, the two countries each agreed to establish a Joint High Level Committee that would negotiate the status and treatment of their nationals. Future negotiations were to focus on providing freedom of residence, movement, economic activity, and property. However, no progress has been made.
"It is imperative that the Joint High Level Committee not only fully resolves specific areas of concern from prior agreements, but also ensures that the final agreement includes an explicit protection from statelessness and respect for universal human rights, including religious freedom,” said Chair Lantos Swett.
Since South Sudan's independence, the GoS frequently has violated the rights of Southerners. In addition, South Sudanese humanitarian workers employed at Christian organizations were arrested, accused of illegal Christian proselytization, and deported to South Sudan in 2012 and 2013. The GoS also has fired all Southerners employed in government and stripped Sudanese citizenship from those who could access South Sudanese citizenship, and called on them to return to South Sudan.
Southerners living in Sudan were internally displaced from the North-South civil war. Some have chosen to remain in Sudan for reasons including that they grew up in Sudan, are married to a Sudanese individual, or have integrated into the country economically or in other ways. Others remained because South Sudan currently is unable to absorb returnees and provide them with services such as education or health care.
Jul 8, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 8, 2013 | By USCIRF
WASHINGTON, D.C. - As the annual U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue begins this week, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) urges President Obama, Secretary Kerry and other U.S. officials to raise during discussions with their Chinese counterparts the cases of prominent religious prisoners and human rights lawyers in China. The continued confinement of thousands of political and religious prisoners in China violates that nation's international obligations and its constitutional protections for human rights and religious freedom
"The Administration needs to be a strong voice for the voiceless and vulnerable in China,” said Katrina Lantos Swett, USCIRF's Chair."China's imprisoned dissidents stand peacefully for freedom and the rule of law, but Beijing views them as enemies of the state. These continuing human rights abuses fundamentally are at odds with international legal standards that China is obliged to respect. China's continued repression of dissent and restrictions on religious freedom cannot but affect our hopes of finding common ground between our two countries on other important global concerns.”
Dr. Swett concluded, "Because President Xi Jinping's idea of a ‘Chinese Dream' is a nightmare for those who dare to stand up for human rights, we urge Secretary Kerry to raise prominently the cases of prisoners of conscience.”
USCIRF's 2013 Annual Report found that poor religious freedom conditions in China have deteriorated significantly, particularly for Tibetan Buddhists and Uighur Muslims. To stem the growth of independent Catholic and Protestant groups, the government has detained and arrested leaders, forcibly closed churches, and selected Catholic bishops without the approval of the Vatican. The Falun Gong and other groups deemed "evil cults” face long-term imprisonments, forced renunciations of faith, and torture in detention.
CLICK HERE for the descriptions and photos of some of thosefeatured in USCIRF's 2013 Annual Report. They represent the many prisoners detained in Chinese jails because of their religious activities or religious freedom advocacy.