U.S. Should Lead the Defense of Global Religious Freedom, Says Commission Chairman
	WASHINGTON, D.C. (EP) - The U.S. should lead other nations in condemning governments who abuse religious freedom rights, said Elliott Abrams, chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.     In a Feb. 16 letter to U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, Abrams urged the secretary to support "resolutions condemning...countries for violations of religious freedom" at the upcoming United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) meeting on March 19. The UNCHR examines the status of human rights in countries around the globe and recommends action against human rights abusers through resolutions.     Writing on behalf of the commission, Abrams implored Powell to undertake "vigorous efforts - including bilateral and multilateral efforts to build coalitions and gain support - to ensure passage of resolutions condemning such violations in China, Sudan, Iran, and other countries." According to the commission, these countries and several others actively restrict religious rights and persecute religious segments of the population.     The status of China was of particular concern to Abrams. In the last two years, the UNCHR has not even debated the issue of human rights in China - the only nation on the U.S. Commission's list of "countries of particular concern" to receive such little attention for its abuses. According to Abrams, China's religious freedom record "has substantially deteriorated and become even more deplorable" during this time. A U.S. backed UNCHR resolution condemning China's record would "send the message that it cannot violently, systematically violate the right to freedom of religion or other human rights with impunity as far as its relations with the international community is concerned."     Abrams also urged Powell to address the issue of Sudan's abuses at the March meeting. The chairman referred to his commission's report on global religious freedom, released last May, which determined that "the government of Sudan is the world's most violent abuser of religious freedom." Since the release of that report, conditions have gotten even worse, said Abrams. Sudan is still in the throes of a decades old civil war between the northern, predominantly Muslim government and southern rebels. Human rights and relief organizations in the south report that the northern government habitually attacks civilian settlements, enslaves women and children, and forces starvation on the southern population.     In response to Sudan's atrocities, the U.S. should "push vigorously for a resolution at this year's UNCHR session that clearly articulates the gross violations of human rights and humanitarian law committed by the Sudanese government - including bombings of civilian targets, slavery, persecution of religious minorities, and interference with humanitarian assistance," recommended Abrams.     Several problem countries in Asia were also brought to Secretary Powell's attention by Abrams, including Indonesia. A religious conflict in the Maluka Islands of Indonesia has left over 8,000 people dead since the beginning of 1999. "While we do not believe that the government of Indonesia is promoting violations of religious freedom, there is evidence that the Indonesian government has not controlled its armed forces or the influx of armed groups from other islands, reportedly resulting in murder, forced mass resettlement, forced conversion to Islam, and torture," said Abrams. He recommended that the U.S. open debate on the issue.     Powell will travel to Geneva, Switzerland to attend the UNCHR meeting on March 19.
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