U.S. body criticises lack of religious freedom
**As seen on www.copts.net and today's Coptic Daily Digest***
U.S. body criticises lack of religious freedom
By Alan Elsner (Reuters)
Washington - A US government commission warned on Wednesday of rising
religious persecution in Iraq and Afghanistan, two countries invaded by the
United States in the past five years to free their people from tyranny and
abuse.
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, in its
annual report to Congress and US President George Bush's administration,
also harshly criticized three key US allies - Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and
Egypt N for their poor performance on religious rights.
The commission designated 11 countries as being "of particular concern"
because of extreme religious persecution: Burma, North Korea, Eritrea, Iran,
Pakistan, China, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
Another seven states were placed on a watch
list because of serious violations: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Cuba,
Egypt, Indonesia and Nigeria.
Created by Congress in 1998 to ensure that religious freedom became a
central goal of US foreign policy, the commission raised the alarm about the
situation in Iran and Afghanistan.
"The situations in Afghanistan and Iraq serve to underscore the precarious
state of this fundamental freedom," commission chairperson Michael Cromartie
wrote to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in a letter accompanying the
report.
In sending troops to Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003, Bush stated that
one of his goals was to overthrow tyrannical governments and restore basic
human rights.
In Afghanistan, the report said, conditions for freedom of religion of
non-Muslims had become particularly problematic in the past year, compounded
by flaws in the new Afghan constitution, which does not contain clear
protections for religious minorities.
"Religious extremism, even in official circles,
is an increasing threat to democratic consolidation in Afghanistan," the
report said.
In Iraq, the commission was deeply concerned by sectarian violence between
Sunni and Shi'a Muslims and targeted attacks on secular Muslims, religious
minorities and women.
"There has been an ongoing stream of violence and extremism in Iraq driven
by religious intolerance," the report said.
The commission, an independent body appointed by the White House and
Congress, cannot mandate any specific action and its past calls for steps to
punish violators have been ignored.
However, last year the United States denied the export of some defense items
to Eritrea, the first action to be taken against another country as a result
of its designation by the commission as a "country of particular concern."
On Saudi Arabia, the commission concluded that "freedom of religion does not
exist" as the government banned all forms of religious expression except its
own interpretation of Sunni Islam and continued to finance "extreme
religious intolerance and hatred" around the world.
The commission criticised the Bush administration for failing to punish
Saudi Arabia for violations listed in last year's report and urged it to
take action this year.
China, a major US trade partner, conducted "severe and pervasive violations
of religious freedom and related religious rights," according to the report.
Iran's record deteriorated in the past year, the report said, citing Iran's
treatment of members of the Bahai faith and Jews.
The performance of Pakistan, an ally in the "war on terror," improved its
efforts to protect minorities but still fell short, the report said.
In Egypt, "discrimination, intolerance and other human rights violations
affect a broad spectrum of religious groups," including Coptic Christians,
Bahais, Jews and members of minority Muslim communities.
Reuters
Published on the Web by IOL on 2006-05-03 16:20:42
U.S. body criticises lack of religious freedom
By Alan Elsner (Reuters)
Washington - A US government commission warned on Wednesday of rising
religious persecution in Iraq and Afghanistan, two countries invaded by the
United States in the past five years to free their people from tyranny and
abuse.
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, in its
annual report to Congress and US President George Bush's administration,
also harshly criticized three key US allies - Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and
Egypt N for their poor performance on religious rights.
The commission designated 11 countries as being "of particular concern"
because of extreme religious persecution: Burma, North Korea, Eritrea, Iran,
Pakistan, China, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
Another seven states were placed on a watch
list because of serious violations: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Cuba,
Egypt, Indonesia and Nigeria.
Created by Congress in 1998 to ensure that religious freedom became a
central goal of US foreign policy, the commission raised the alarm about the
situation in Iran and Afghanistan.
"The situations in Afghanistan and Iraq serve to underscore the precarious
state of this fundamental freedom," commission chairperson Michael Cromartie
wrote to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in a letter accompanying the
report.
In sending troops to Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003, Bush stated that
one of his goals was to overthrow tyrannical governments and restore basic
human rights.
In Afghanistan, the report said, conditions for freedom of religion of
non-Muslims had become particularly problematic in the past year, compounded
by flaws in the new Afghan constitution, which does not contain clear
protections for religious minorities.
"Religious extremism, even in official circles,
is an increasing threat to democratic consolidation in Afghanistan," the
report said.
In Iraq, the commission was deeply concerned by sectarian violence between
Sunni and Shi'a Muslims and targeted attacks on secular Muslims, religious
minorities and women.
"There has been an ongoing stream of violence and extremism in Iraq driven
by religious intolerance," the report said.
The commission, an independent body appointed by the White House and
Congress, cannot mandate any specific action and its past calls for steps to
punish violators have been ignored.
However, last year the United States denied the export of some defense items
to Eritrea, the first action to be taken against another country as a result
of its designation by the commission as a "country of particular concern."
On Saudi Arabia, the commission concluded that "freedom of religion does not
exist" as the government banned all forms of religious expression except its
own interpretation of Sunni Islam and continued to finance "extreme
religious intolerance and hatred" around the world.
The commission criticised the Bush administration for failing to punish
Saudi Arabia for violations listed in last year's report and urged it to
take action this year.
China, a major US trade partner, conducted "severe and pervasive violations
of religious freedom and related religious rights," according to the report.
Iran's record deteriorated in the past year, the report said, citing Iran's
treatment of members of the Bahai faith and Jews.
The performance of Pakistan, an ally in the "war on terror," improved its
efforts to protect minorities but still fell short, the report said.
In Egypt, "discrimination, intolerance and other human rights violations
affect a broad spectrum of religious groups," including Coptic Christians,
Bahais, Jews and members of minority Muslim communities.
Reuters
Published on the Web by IOL on 2006-05-03 16:20:42
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