Displaying results 31 - 40 of 52

The Hill: Hopes and fears for religious freedom in Vietnam
August 20, 2020
Aug 20, 2020 This op-ed originally appeared in The Hill, on August 20, 2020. By USCIRF Commissioner James W. Carr and Congressman Glenn Grothman Around the world, nations want to emulate the West in general, and the United States in particular, with regard to material achievements. We in the United States enjoy housing, clothes, electronics, and diet of an affluent nation. However, we have not done a good enough job of explaining to nations around the world that the major attribute that makes life worth living in the West is the freedom to express ideas in general, and religious ideas in particular. Religious leaders provide spiritual nourishment and guidance to believers. They are also often called to speak out on issues that impact their community. One such leader is A Dao, a member of the Montagnard ethnic group and pastor of the Evangelical Church of Christ (ECC) in Gia Xieng village, Kontum Province of Vietnam. In 2016, A Dao attended a conference in East Timor about religious freedom. Unfortunately, in Vietnam, too much public advocacy around religious freedom can incur the wrath of state authorities. Shortly after his return, on August 18, 2016, Pastor A Dao was arrested and, on April 28, 2017, sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for allegedly “helping individuals to escape abroad illegally.” Through the Defending Freedoms Project of the congressional Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission and the Religious Prisoners of Conscience Project of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), we are advocating for A Dao’s release. Pastor A Dao’s arrest and imprisonment is just one example of the challenges that ethnic minorities in Vietnam face when attempting to exercise their freedom of belief. As USCIRF noted in its 2020 Annual Report, Hmong and Montagnard Christians in Vietnam’s mountainous Northern and Central Highlands are regularly harassed, detained, or even banished because of their religious affiliation. According to human rights advocates, thousands of Hmong and Montagnard Christians remain effectively stateless because local authorities have refused to issue identity cards and household registration, in many instances in retaliation against Christians who refuse to renounce their faith. Without this documentation, these individuals cannot access public services, such as state schools or hospitals. In addition, Vietnam’s Law on Belief and Religion requires all houses of worship to register with the government. Yet, the law does not account for the reality of religious practice in the area. When some Hmong and Montagnard pastors tried to register their house churches, Vietnamese bureaucrats rejected their applications, citing excuses such as occupancy limitations. This has dire implications because security personnel regularly raid or close down unregistered house churches in the Central Highlands. The law effectively places pastors in a catch-22. Fortunately, even amidst all of these problems, we see signs of progress. Local authorities in Subdivision 179 in Dam Rong District, Lam Dong Province, recently announced $3.3 million in funding to help 79 displaced Hmong Christian households to permanently resettle. These individuals currently lack household registration and identity cards. The regional government’s plans include roads, a medical clinic, a community center, and other facilities. The national government has supported these efforts. We urge the State Department to work with the Vietnamese government to expand this policy to all similarly situated Hmong and Montagnard communities across the country. With Vietnamese leadership and U.S. encouragement, Subdivision 179 could potentially serve as a model for ameliorating the plight of Christian minorities in the Central Highlands. The U.S. government could help by setting up a system for sharing information about affected communities and best practices for local government officials. We also request the U.S. Agency for International Development to support the ongoing efforts in Subdivision 179. Such a gesture would help demonstrate that the U.S. government recognizes the leadership of Dam Rong District officials on this issue and incentivize other local governments to take similar steps. Finally, we urge senior U.S. officials to raise the cases of Pastor A Dao and other prisoners of conscience with their Vietnamese counterparts. These individuals should never have been imprisoned and we must not cease our advocacy until they are free. During the 25 years since our two governments normalized diplomatic relations, the United States and Vietnam have developed close defense and economic ties. However, ongoing religious freedom and human rights violations prevent an even closer relationship. We look forward to the day when everyone in Vietnam can practice their faith without fear of harassment or retaliation.
2018 Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom
August 28, 2020
Jul 25 WHEN: Jul 25th 5:00pm - Jul 25th 7:00pm During the week of the Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) hosted the following events: 20th Anniversary of IRFA Reception United States Institute of Peace (USIP) 2301 Constitution Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20037 Wednesday, July 25 from 5:00-7:00 pm   U.S. Government Grant Workshop Government Publishing Office 732 North Capitol Street, N.W. Harding Hall Washington, DC, 20401  Thursday, July 26 from 2:00-5:00pm  
USCIRF Events During 2019 Ministerial
August 28, 2020
Jul 16 WHEN: Jul 16th 4:00pm - Jul 18th 2:00pm During the week of the 2019 Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, USCIRF participated through the following events:   Tuesday, July 16 The Mass Destruction and Desecration of Uyghur Mosques in China Sponsored by Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) and Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP) Speaking: Commissioner Tenzin Dorjee 4:00 - 5:00 pm George Washington University* Marvin Center A Conversation with U.S. Lawmakers on Religious Persecution Sponsored by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Congressional Caucus and Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission (TLHRC) Speaking: Commissioner Tenzin Dorjee 6:00 - 7:30 pm Capitol Visitor Center (HVC 201) First Street SE Washington, DC 20004 Will Religious Freedom Survive in Northeast Syria? Sponsored by Family Research Council (FRC) Speaking: Chair Tony Perkins 6:00 - 7:30 pm Family Research Council 801 G Street NW Washington, DC 20001   Wednesday, July 17 Best Practices in International Religious Freedom Advocacy (Breakout Session) Speaking: Commissioner Kristina Arriaga 10:45 - 12:15 pm State Department* Deep Dive — Challenges to Religious Freedom in the Middle East and North Africa (Breakout Session) Speaking: Director of Research & Policy Dwight Bashir 10:45 am - 12:15 pm State Department* Monitoring International Religious Freedom (Breakout Session) Speaking: Chair Tony Perkins and Vice Chair Gayle Manchin; Q&A with all Commissioners 1:15 - 2:45 pm State Department* Journalism and International Religious Freedom (Breakout Session) Speaking: Commissioner Johnnie Moore 1:15 - 2:45 pm State Department* Quantifying Religious Freedom: A 10-Year Global Analysis of Pew Research Sponsored by Christianity Today and Institute for Global Engagement (IGE) Speaking: Commissioner Kristina Arriaga 1:30 - 3:00 pm George Washington University* Marvin Center Deep Dive — Challenges to Religious Freedom in East Asia and Pacific (Breakout Session) Speaking: Deputy Director of Research & Policy Tina Mufford 1:45 - 3:15 pm State Department* Shining a Light on the Uyghur Crisis & Reflecting on Our Global Movement for Religious Freedom (Ministerial Reception) Sponsored by IRF Roundtable Speaking: Vice Chair Nadine Maenza 6:00 - 8:00 pm United States Institute of Peace 2301 Constitution Avenue NW Washington, DC 20037 The Role of International Religious Freedom in U.S. Foreign Policy Sponsored by the Loeb Institute for Religious Freedom, George Washington University Speaking: Commissioners Anurima Bhargava and Johnnie Moore The George Washington Textile Museum 701 21st Street, NW Washington, DC 20052 5:15 - 6:30 pm     Thursday, July 18 U.S. Government Grant Training (Hosted by USCIRF) Opening Remarks: Vice Chair Gayle Manchin 9:00 - 11:00 am Government Publishing Office Harding Hall 732 N. Capitol Street, NW Washington, DC 201401 The Impact of War on Religious Freedom Speaking: Vice Chair Nadine Maenza and Commissioner Kristina Arriaga 9:00 am to 12:00 pm Museum of the Bible 400 4th Street SW Washington, DC 20024 Falun Gong Rally Speaking: Vice Chair Gayle Manchin 11:30 am - 1:00 pm West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol Christian Holy Sites and Holy Places in the Middle East Sponsored by International Community of the Holy Sepulchre and Hudson Institute's Working Group on Christians and Religious Pluralism in the Middle East Speaking: Commissioner Kristina Arriaga 12:00 - 2:00 pm Washington School of International Affairs 1957 E Street NW Washington, DC 20052   For more information about the 2019 Ministerial, click here. For more information about side events taking place during the Ministerial, click here.
U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Hearing Protecting Houses of Worship and Holy Sites
August 28, 2020
Oct 23 WHEN: Oct 23rd 3:00pm   U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Hearing Protecting Houses of Worship and Holy Sites Wednesday, October 23, 2019 3:00 – 4:30 PM 106 Dirksen Senate Office Building Hearing Summary Hearing Transcript Please join the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) for a hearing about the global targeting of houses of worship and holy sites around the world and how to protect them. Houses of worship and other religious sites should be sanctuaries where worshippers feel safe to practice their faith. Tragically, as the 2019 incidents in New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Burkina Faso attest, attacks on houses of worship are increasingly occurring around the globe. These attacks aim to destroy the place of worship precisely for its religious significance, cause harm to a unique religious group, and instill fear in those that worship there. Alongside these horrific attacks, places of worship are often harmed more subtly through the misuse of registration procedures to prevent their construction or renovation, the malicious surveillance of holy sites to intimidate worshippers, or acts of vandalism that aim to send a threatening message and harm property. Different types of buildings and properties that are significant to religious communities, such as cemeteries, monasteries, or community centers, also have been targeted. While violent attacks on such places are typically committed by non-state actors, less overt forms of harms and restrictions are often imposed by state authorities as well. This includes the failure of states to ensure the preservation of sacred places, places of worship, and cultural property that constitutes the cultural or spiritual heritage of people. How can the international community better work together to stem the global violent targeting of houses of worship? Witnesses will highlight U.S. programs, intergovernmental initiatives, interfaith efforts, and other policy recommendations that aim to ensure that holy places remain safe havens and not sites of bloodshed. Opening Remarks Panel I
  • Honorable Sam Brownback, Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, U.S. Department of State Written Testimony  
Panel II
  • H.E. Miguel Moratinos, High Representative, U.N. Alliance of Civilizations Written Testimony  
Panel III
  • Hassan Abbas, Distinguished Professor of International Relations at Near East South Asia Strategic Studies Center, National Defense University Written Testimony  
  • Sharon Rosen, Global Director for Religious Engagement, Search for Common Ground Written Testimony
Bios This hearing is open to Members of Congress, congressional staff, the public, and the media. Members of the media can RSVP at media@uscirf.gov. The hearing will be livestreamed via the Commission website. For any questions please contact Jamie Staley at Jstaley@uscirf.gov or 202-786-0606.
Briefing on Freedom of Religion or Belief and Security: New Policy Guidance from the OSCE
February 11, 2020
Feb 11 WHEN: Feb 11th 10:30am U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Briefing Freedom of Religion or Belief and Security: New Policy Guidance from the OSCE Tuesday, February 11, 2020 10:30 am – 12:00 pm Senate Visitors Center (SVC) 203-02 Please join the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) for a briefing on the nexus of freedom of religion or belief and security, including findings from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights’ (ODIHR) recent publication, Freedom of Religion or Belief and Security: Policy Guidance. In the OSCE region, freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) is violated by some governments who use the pretext of national security to justify repression. For example, in Russia’s Tatarstan region, cameras are installed in mosques to transmit videos of worshippers during their prayers to state security services. In Uzbekistan, thousands of religious prisoners remain incarcerated for “extremism” or the possession of “extremist” religious literature. In Azerbaijan, authorities continue to deny legal registration to Baptists and Jehovah’s Witnesses residing outside the capital. Although these actions aim to improve security, failure to balance security with freedom of religion or belief can actually undermine it. Freedom of Religion or Belief: Policy Guidance clarifies the interrelationship between FoRB and security as mutually reinforcing objectives, in line with the OSCE’s comprehensive framework for peace and security. The document includes guiding principles, practical guidance, and recommendations to address pertinent issues at the intersection of the freedom of religion and security, including the registration of religious communities, religious literature deemed “extremist”, the monitoring of places of worship, and restrictions on conversion. Panelists will present the policy guidance document, discuss its findings and recommendations, further explore the intersection of security and FoRB, and consider tools and strategies for governments and other relevant stakeholders to advance both objectives simultaneously. There will be an interactive question and answer period with audience members after the panelist presentations. Remarks Panelists
  • Kishan Manocha, Senior Advisor on Freedom of Religion or Belief, OSCE/ODIHR
  • Douglas Padgett, U.S. Department of State, Office of International Religious Freedom
  • Elizabeth Clark, Professor of Law, Brigham Young University School of Law
              This briefing is open to Members of Congress, congressional staff, the public, and the media. RSVP is required. Please RSVP to events@uscirf.gov by Friday, February 7. For any questions please contact Jamie Staley at Jstaley@uscirf.gov or 202-786-0606. 732 NORTH CAPITOL STREET, NW SUITE A714 | WASHINGTON, DC 20401 | (202) 523-3240   Tony Perkins, Chair · Gayle Manchin, Vice Chair · Nadine Maenza, Vice Chair  Gary Bauer · Anurima Bhargava · James W. Carr · Tenzin Dorjee Sharon Kleinbaum · Johnnie Moore Erin D. Singshinsuk, Executive Director www.uscirf.gov The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on threats to religious freedom abroad.    
USCIRF Update with USAID: The President’s Executive Order on International Religious Freedom
August 31, 2020
Aug 05 WHEN: Aug 5th 10:30am   U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom USCIRF Update with USAID: The President’s Executive Order on International Religious Freedom Wednesday, August 5, 2020 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM ET Virtual Event Please join the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) for a virtual event about President Trump’s recent Executive Order to advance international religious freedom across the federal government and its implementation at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).  This discussion will highlight key aspects of this Executive Order, USAID’s current plans underway to implement it, and the impact it will have on USAID’s programming in the future. USCIRF Chair Gayle Manchin and Vice Chair Tony Perkins will discuss these issues with USAID Acting Administrator John Barsa. USCIRF Director of Outreach and Policy Dwight Bashir will moderate the discussion, which will be followed by questions and answers from attendees. Panelists Moderator
  • Dwight Bashir, Director of Outreach and Policy, USCIRF
This virtual event is open to the public and media. The video recording will be posted on the Commission website. For any additional questions, please contact media@uscirf.gov.   Gayle Manchin, Chair · Tony Perkins, Vice Chair · Anurima Bhargava, Vice Chair Gary Bauer · James Carr · Frederick Davie · Nadine Maenza · Johnnie Moore · Nury Turkel Erin D. Singshinsuk, Executive Director www.uscirf.gov The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on threats to religious freedom abroad.
Webinar #5: Freedom of Religion or Belief Victims List
August 28, 2020
Nov 06 WHEN: Nov 6th 2:00pm Host: Gayle Manchin, Vice Chair Subject Experts: Zack Udin and Kirsten Lavery     For more information, please contact Henry Young at hyoung@uscirf.gov.
USCIRF Encourages Religious Freedom Progress on Vietnam National Day
September 03, 2020
Sep 3, 2020 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE USCIRF Encourages Religious Freedom Progress on Vietnam National Day Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) congratulated the government of Vietnam on its National Day, and encouraged the government to take steps to improve religious freedom conditions in the country. “USCIRF commends both national and local authorities for working together to begin to help Hmong Christians in Dam Rong District, who have been rendered effectively stateless because of religious discrimination. However, this is only a first step,” USCIRF Commissioner James W. Carr stated. “We encourage the national government to work with authorities across the Central and Northern Highlands to assist other similarly situated groups. In addition, the Vietnamese government must address the religious discrimination that led to the displacement of these communities.” For decades, local authorities in the Northern and Central Highlands have harassed Hmong and Montagnard Christians. According to human rights advocates, local authorities retaliated against these groups by refusing to issue identity cards and household registration, forcing thousands to flee to other parts of Vietnam. In January 2020, the government of Dam Rong District in Lam Dong Province announced plans to resettle 79 Hmong Christian households—521 residents—in Subdivision 179 who had been evicted from their villages. The plans include $3.3 million in funding and infrastructure construction, including roads and a medical clinic. “USCIRF welcomes Vietnam’s progress, but we remain deeply concerned about the harassment of unregistered religious groups and religious freedom advocates,” noted USCIRF Vice Chair Anurima Bhargava. “We urge the government of Vietnam to release all individuals detained because of the peaceful expression of their beliefs, including Nguyen Bac Truyen and Pastor A Dao.” Commissioner Carr and Vice Chair Bhargava advocate for Pastor A Dao and Nguyen Bac Truyen, respectively, as part of USCIRF's Religious Prisoners of Conscience Project. In its 2020 Annual Report, USCIRF called upon the U.S. government to increase funding for religious freedom projects in Vietnam. In September 2019, a USCIRF delegation visited Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in order to assess the implementation of the Law on Belief and Religion. In June 2020, USCIRF released a country update about religious prisoners of conscience in Vietnam.   ### The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on threats to religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at media@uscirf.gov or Danielle Ashbahian at dashbahian@uscirf.gov.
Mingzhi Chen
October 07, 2020
Mingzhi Chen Policy Analyst Email Mingzhi Chen is a Policy Analyst at the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, focusing on China, North Korea, and Vietnam. Prior to joining USCIRF, Mr. Chen worked at the United States Air Force where he focused on military and defense issues related to China. Before that, he was a Professional Staff for nearly six years at the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC). In this role, Mr. Chen worked on a range of human rights issues, including Freedom of Religion and North Korean Refugees in China. In addition to his government service, Mr. Chen previously worked in the private sector, including in defense, legal, and financial industries.  Mr. Chen holds an M.S. with Distinction in Justice, Law, and Society from the School of Public Affairs at the American University and an M.A. in Religion from Westminster Theological Seminary. 
Issue Update: The Global Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses
November 10, 2020
Read the full Issue Update: The Global Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses   This update describes official discrimination against Jehovah’s Witnesses around the world, with a particular focus on countries where members have been imprisoned for their beliefs. These include countries that USCIRF recommended in its 2020 Annual Report for designation as countries of particular concern, such as Eritrea, Russia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan; countries USCIRF recommended for the Special Watch List, including Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan; as well as South Korea and Singapore. The report also makes recommendations for U.S. policy.