Mr. BARNES. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As the chairman indicated, this resolution condemns the Iranian persecution of the Baha'i community. This bill was also considered and passed by the Subcommittee on Human Rights and International Organizations. The resolution before us is identical to Senate Concurrent Resolution 73, which passed the Senate on June 3. It notes the persecution, harassment, and execution of Baha'i religious leaders at the hands of the Iranian authorities and calls upon the Government of Iran to end this campaign against the Baha'is. The Subcommittee on Human Rights and International Organizations held a hearing on the issue of the persecution of the Baha'is in Iran on May 25 of this year, during which time we received testimony from American Baha'i leaders, as well as a young Iranian woman whose parents were both killed because of their faith. The subcommittee passed the resolution unanimously on July 27 because of our desire to join with the Senate in condemning the persecution of the Baha'is. On behalf of the chairman of the Subcommittee on Human Rights and International Organizations, I want to thank the ranking minority member of the subcommittee, Mr. Leach, as well as Representatives Derwinski and Hyde, for their special interest in human rights in Iran and for their support of this legislation, which, as I indicated, passed the subcommittee unanimously. I urge my colleagues to support the legislation before us. Chairman ZABLOCKI. Is there any futher discussion? Mr. LEACH. Mr. Chairman. Chairman ZABLOCKI. Mr. Leach. Mr. LEACH. I would simply like to register my full support for this resolution as well. The problem has been brought before this subcommittee largely at the instigation of the gentleman from Illinois, Mr. Derwinski. What is happening to the Baha'is is one of the most extraordinary instances of persecution in world history, comparable only to the situation of the Polish Jews during World War II and that of the Hmong people in Laos today. I think the resolution underscores the concern that we all have not only for religious persecution, but for tolerance. I am personally a little disappointed that the resolution doesn't go farther than it does, but the fact is, it is a very positive resolution. It has been passed by the Senate, and I think if we stay with the Senate language, it can be easily adopted by the full Congress without further ado. I would again stress, however, that we could definitely go further in this resolution. It is very weak in relation to the profundity of the problem at stake, but I urge its adoption. Chairman ZABLOCKI. Any further discussion? The gentleman from Illinois? Mr. DERWINSKI. I would like to draw to the attention of the members that the tragedy the Baha'is are suffering is probably, to use a geographic point of comparison, as tragic as the World War I Turkish effort to wipe out the Armenians. The further problem is that given the absence of any coverage out of Iran, with the few Western reporters who are there restricted to the capital, and the Baha'is a special target of the religious fanatics that now run that government, you have an awful tragedy going on without anyone in the world paying much attention to it. This resolution, therefore, has special significance. Certainly it is not going to change the direction of the Iranian Government. But perhaps it will alert the sleeping conscience of the world to the terrible tragedy that the Baha'is are suffering through. I, like Mr. Leach, would have preferred the language of the resolution which we introduced. It spells out in much more detail the history, the background, the U.N. Human Rights Commission report, and a number of other things. The principal point here is that we are taking proper notice, that we do recognize this ongoing tragedy, and perhaps if we could start to awaken the people throughout the world to this problem-granted that the Middle East and a few other trouble spots are getting all of the headlines-someday the world will recognize the awesome tragedy the Baha'is have suffered for their religious beliefs. They are not a threat to the government there, they are peace loving, and they are suffering merely because of their religious beliefs. In that spirit, I urge support of the resolution. Mr. LAGOMARSINO. Will the gentleman yield? Mr. DERWINSKI. Yes. Mr. LAGOMARSINO. I thank the gentleman. I have a number of Baha'is in my district. Many of them, of course, have relatives and friends in Iran. The stories they tell certainly are tragic. I hope the committee will unanimously adopt this resolution. I, too, wish it were stronger. Mr. FASCELL. Will the gentleman from Illinois yield to me? Mr. FASCELL. Mr. Chairman, the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, otherwise known as the Helsinki Commission, which I chair, has reported on this problem and made a report on it. We are of course delighted to see this resolution being adopted as expressing the sense of Congress, the outrage of Congress at what is going on here. We even have to say in the name of religion this kind of atrocity that takes place is almost unbelievable. It is one thing to say it might take place in the Soviet Union or some other place, but to say that it takes place in the name of those who believe in a supreme being and who wish to exterminate people who have a different belief is almost incredulous in this day and age. I guess it simply points out, along with the penchant for the desire to solve all disputes by pointing a gun at somebody or pulling the trigger, that mankind has a long way to go yet. Mr. DYMALLY. Mr. Chairman, I simply want to add my voice in support of this resolution. I was present when the hearings were conducted by Mr. Bonker on this issue. It is truly a worldwide tragedy that these people are being exterminated by the gun and it is a sad reflection on the state of affairs in Iran today. I urge that we pass this out unanimously. Chairman ZABLOCKI. If there is no further discussion, the Chair will call upon the chief of staff to read House Concurrent Resolution 378. Mr. FASCELL. I ask unanimous consent the bill be considered as read and open for amendment. Chairman ZABLOCKI. Is there objection? If there are no amendments, the Chair will put the question. All those in favor of House Concurrent Resolution 378 will signify by saying "aye"; and opposed, "no." The "ayes" have it. House Concurrent Resolution 378 is favorably reported.1 [Whereupon, the committee proceeded in consideration of other business.] 1H. Con. Res. 378 passed the House of Representatives by voice vote under unanimous consent on Sept. 30, 1982. Subsequently, this passage was vacated and S. Con. Res. 73, a similar Senate-passed resolution, was agreed to in lieu. RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION AS A VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS The Presbyterian Church of Asia THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1982 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SUBCOMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND The subcommittee met at 2:15 p.m., in room 2200, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Don Bonker (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. Mr. BONKER. The subcommittee will come to order. This is the Subcommittee on Human Rights and International Organizations. Today we are convening for the purpose of hearing further cases of religious persecution as an aspect of human rights violations. This is the seventh hearing of the series, and today we will be considering the case of the Presbyterian Church in Asia. For the benefit of those in the audience, our previous hearings have included two sessions on general overview of religious persecution. We have looked at the problems of the Baha'is in Iran, the problems experienced by the Falashas in Ethiopia, the Coptic Church in Egypt, and the persecution of the Jews and Christians within the Soviet Union and in certain Eastern bloc countries. We are now continuing to focus on religious sects which are victims of religious persecution. It does not matter if you are Father Ed de la Torre, who many Members helped, the last time he was detained in the Philippines, to have him released, or Reverend Kao, the head of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan-both are languishing in jail, or missionaries in South Korea, or members of "House Churches" in China, the problem always seems to be the same. They experience some form of persecution or are the victims of governmental repression. The church suffers because there is a reciprocal relationship between religion and other rights. In most instances, the church is the one institution that is capable of challenging the power and the authority of the state. As governments deny their citizens basic fundamental freedoms and human rights, the church is strong enough to protest and, of course, speak for a very broad constituency. When the church speaks out against injustice, it experiences some sort of oppression by the state. It is difficult to have religious freedom without the protection and promotion of human rights. We see the two inextricably linked and that is why religious persecution is the subject of this subcommittee's attention. [Mr. Bonker's prepared opening statement follows:] PREPARED OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. DON BONKER, CHAIRMAN, SUBCOMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS This is the seventh hearing of the series on Religious Persecution as a Violation of Human Rights. Today we continue our study of specific examples of violations by considering the case of the Presbyterian Church in Asia. At a previous session of these hearings, a witness testified that the real issue faced by the church everywhere is the "struggle to maintain the freedom of people to think for themselves, to witness to God and obey Him, and to act morally according to the dictates of their conscience." On numerous occasions members of the church from Asia have visited me and they have described this problem. They point out that one cannot exercise the right of religious liberty if other human rights are not guaranteed. It does not matter if you are Father Ed de la Torre, who many members helped the last time he was detained in the Philippines, or Reverend Kao, the head of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan-both languishing in jail or missionaries in South Korea or members of "House Churches" in China, the problem is always the same. The church suffers because there is a reciprocal relationship between religion and other rights. In most instances, the church is the one institution that is capable of challenging the power of the state. As governments deny their citizens basic fundamental freedoms and human rights, the church is strong enough to protest. Inevitably, when the church speaks out against injustice, it is suppressed by the state. You cannot have religious freedom without the protection and promotion of human rights. Mr. BONKER. We are fortunate to have three distinguished witnesses: Dr. Arie Brouwer, who is general secretary of the Reformed Church in America; Dr. Coe, who is former director of the Theological Education World Council of Churches; and Pastor Moon, who, I gather, is not associated with the other Pastor Moon who has received celebrated attention in this county. He is pastor of Capitol Union Presbyterian Church. Gentlemen, we welcome you to the subcommittee. We are pleased that you are here and are prepared to testify before the subcommittee. I might ask at this time if the ranking minority member, Mr. Leach of Iowa, has an opening statement or any comments to make. Mr. LEACH. Mr. Chairman, I would just like to express my appreciation for your holding this hearing and welcome our three witnesses. I want to particularly welcome Dr. Coe, who symbolizes the Taiwanese Presbyterian Church, whose leader, Reverend Kao, is currently in jail, as are other Presbyterian ministers, all for, in essence, standing up for their interpretation of what is right and proper under their religious convictions. Therefore, I think it is very timely to hear from our witnesses about the situation, particularly in Taiwan, but also Korea and other parts of Asia. Thank you. Mr. BONKER. Are there further comments before we proceed with the witnesses? |