Mon, May 28, 2007 page9

• Religious persecutors making advances around the world

  • By Doug Bandow
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  Religious liberty is under siege around the globe. The newly released annual report of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom describes pervasive persecution.

  For instance, the commission found in Russia a "rise in xenophobia and ethnic and religious intolerance," including "violent attacks and other hate crimes." In the name of anti-terrorism the Russian government has harassed "individual Muslims and Muslim communities."

  Legislation has targeted human-rights groups and "non-commercial organizations, including religious groups." Moreover, the commission pointed to "continued restrictions ... on the exercise of freedom of religion or belief."

  As for Turkey, the commission cited restrictions on the display of Islamic beliefs in the public square. Moreover, it highlighted "state actions that effectively prevent religious minority communities from maintaining themselves, denying them full property rights, including the right to own and maintain property, and to train religious clergy."

  Violence is of particular concern in Turkey. Muslim extremists recently tortured and murdered three Christian workers at publishing house. Far worse, however, is the situation in Iraq.

  Notes the commission: "in the past year, there has been a dramatic increase in sectarian violence between Arab Sunni and Shi'a [sic] factions, combined with religiously-motivated human rights abuses targeting non-Muslims, secular Arabs, women, homosexuals, and other vulnerable groups."

  Religious minorities suffer badly in a score of other nations. The commission designated 11 states as "Countries of Particular Concern." The title may sound goofy, but it represents brutal repression in Myanmar, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Turkemenistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

  Many of those resisting the military in Myanmar are Christians.

  Jim Jacobson of Christian Freedom International decries "genocidal persecution at the hands of the Burmese military."

  In Sudan another long-running civil war primarily targeted Christians and animists.

  The 2005 peace agreement has improved religious freedom in the south, but elsewhere, warns the commission, the regime "has pursued coercive policies of Arabization and Islamization resulting in genocide" and "severely restricts the religious freedom and other universal human rights of an ethnically and religiously diverse population."

  North Korea is a totalitarian states, crushing everyone underfoot. Saudi Arabia allows more personal autonomy in general, but demands total religious obedience.

  The ever-tightening grip of Iran's Islamist rulers has reduced religious as well as political liberty. The situation is deteriorating sharply "for religious minorities and for Bahais, Sufi Muslims and evangelical Christians in particular. All minority groups faced arrests, imprisonment, other forms of detention, and harassment," the commission said.

  "Sectarian and religiously motivated violence" bedevil Pakistan. Legislation, including against blasphemy, "frequently result in imprisonment on account of religion or belief and/or vigilante violence against the accused," the commission said.

  China has become an economic behemoth and is counting on increased prestige as a result of next year's Olympic Games. Yet the communist regime runs scared in the face of growing religious faith.

  Believers are arrested, jailed and tortured. Reports the commission: "Every religious community in China continues to be subject to serious restrictions, state control, and repression."

  Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan are two generally thuggish states which register religious groups and harass believers. Eritrea also punishes all believers, banning public activities, closing places of worship, and arresting and sometimes torturing believers.

  Finally, the commission points to Vietnam, upgraded last fall by the US State Department. The commission points to "continued arrests and detentions of individuals in part because of their religious activities and continued severe religious freedom restrictions targeting some ethnic minority" believers.

  The group International Christian Concern warns that Vietnam "remains one of the most difficult places to live as a Christian."

  As if there weren't enough religious oppressors, the commission also maintains a watch list. Eight nations reside there: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Cuba, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq and Nigeria.

  In all but Belarus and Cuba Islamic fundamentalism is the problem. Belarus and Cuba are authoritarian former communist and continuing communist states.

  Obviously, there is much work to be done to promote freedom of religious conscience around the globe. Alas, the commission doesn't have much good to say about the US government's response. There is widespread suspicion that the State Department raised Vietnam's rating and toned down criticism of Saudi Arabia for political reasons.

  Even if policymakers were more concerned, the US government's options would be limited. Iraq demonstrates how even the best-intentioned military intervention can backfire.

  The real work will have to be done by average people. We must educate the public about countries that oppress. We must protest, embarrass and punish the worst offenders. We must aid the persecuted and offer sanctuary to the oppressed. We must remember, and fight for, those around the globe who can only dream of the liberties that the rest of us take for granted.

  Doug Bandow is vice president for policy of Citizen Outreach and a former special assistant to former US president Ronald Reagan.
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