Religious freedom violators noted

Posted: 11/17/06

Religious freedom violators noted

By Keith Roshangar

Religion News Service

WASHINGTON (RNS)—The U.S. State Department has sent Congress its list of countries that are the worst violators of religious freedom—adding Uzbekistan but dropping Vietnam.

Seven “countries of particular concern” from last year’s list returned this year—Burma, China, North Korea, Eritrea, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Sudan. The eighth annual report on international religious freedom was released in September; its list of problem countries was issued Nov. 13.

Vietnam had been on the list the past two years. Its removal came just five days before an economic meeting in Hanoi, which President Bush was scheduled to attend.

“Our decision not to redesignate Vietnam is one of the most significant announcements that we’re making this year,” said Ambassador John Hanford of the State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom. “When Vietnam was first added to the list of countries of particular concern in 2004, conditions for many religious believers were dire.”

But removing Vietnam from the list does not mean total religious freedom has been achieved, Hanford said.

“While the remaining problems merit immediate attention, they are simply not on the scale of what we witnessed in Vietnam before we began this process,” he said.

Uzbekistan was added this year because violations of religious freedom have increased, especially against conservative Muslims who are perceived as terrorists, Hanford said.

“It is estimated that thousands of Muslims who have no ties to extremist organizations have been harassed or detained simply on the basis of their religious beliefs and practices,” Hanford said. “Further-more, authorities often resort to planting evidence.”

While applauding the addition of Uzbekistan, the independent U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom expressed disappointment about Vietnam’s removal from the list.

“Violations such as forced renunciation of faith and new arrests and detentions of religious leaders continue in Vietnam,” said commission Chair Felice Gaer. “The … designation of Vietnam has been a positive incentive for engagement on religious freedom concerns. Lifting the designation removes that incentive.”