As of last week, Lidiya learned that she would hear at the end of the In conclusion, as we look around the world we see that the dreams of There is strong reason for alarm in the seemingly unrelated acts of violence, persecution and bigotry prevalent in Iran, Poland and the Soviet Union. The freedom from religious persecution has the deepest roots of all human rights. All others flow from the ultimate dignity of our own thoughts and conscience. We in the United States, who are so fortunate to have religious freedom quaranteed, must speak out and fight against religious persecution throughout the world. The American people have long cherished and represented the value of human liberty for all poople and we must work to prevent persecution and discrimination wherever it exists. America is a symbol of the principle of freedom for the oppressed. If the United States is silent in the face of the expressed instances of religious persecution it would be seen as acquiescence and would deal a final blow to those persecuted for their religious beliefs. A clear and firm policy utilizing all appropriate forums is required. I have asked my colleagues to support a resolution condemning religious persecution wherever it exists and asking the President to take every possible opportunity to oppose these reprehensible acts in the strongest possible terms. To date, 88 Members of Congress have cosponsored H. Con. Res. 249. I would like to take this opportunity to commend the Subcommittee for holding hearings on this crucial issue and to reiterate my thanks to my distinguished colleagues, Chairman Bonker, and Mr. Leach. 97TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 249 Condemning religious persecution and bigotry as an official policy or practice of national governments. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JANUARY 26, 1982 Mr. PORTER submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Condemning religious persecution and bigotry as an official policy or practice of national governments. Whereas groups associated with the Government of Poland are implementing a policy of disseminating anti-Semitic propaganda to the peoples of Poland which is designed to link Solidarity with Judaism; Whereas the Government of Iran has persecuted peoples of the Baha'i faith, has burned Baha'i homes, has destroyed and demolished Baha'i cemeteries, has dismissed Baha'is from public and private employment, has confiscated Baha'i property and companies, has jailed Baha'is unjustly, and has killed more than one hundred individuals of the Baha'i faith since 1978; Whereas the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics continues to discriminate on the basis of religion, such discrimination including consistently denying the rights of Jews and Pentecostals to practice their faith; subjecting Jews and Pentecostals to physical and psychological harassment, such as imprisonment, beatings, confinement in mental institutions, and separation of family members; and decreasing Jewish emigration significantly and nearly completely; and Whereas the right to freedom of religion is guaranteed by international law and custom, as acknowledged by nations adhering to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki, 1975): Now, therefore, be it 1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 2 concurring), That (a) the Congress, in accordance with our 3 own history and national traditions of opposition to religious 4 persecution and bigotry, as well as in full respect for interna5 tional law and custom, condemns and opposes religious per6 secution and bigotry wherever practiced, encouraged, or tol7 erated by national governments. 8 (b) It is the sense of the Congress that the President and 9 other official representatives of the United States should at 10 every opportunity before international and regional forums 11 reiterate and emphasize the opposition of the United States 12 to religious persecution and bigotry, in whatever form, as a 13 policy or practice of national governments. 14 (c) The appropriate committees in the Senate and the 15 House of Representatives should hold prompt hearings to de 1 termine United States policy and actions, including sanctions 3 ternational law guaranteeing freedom from religious persecu 4 tion and bigotry. Mr. BONKER. Thank you, Mr. Porter, both for your testimony and for offering a resolution. Be assured that the subcommittee will be taking up such legislation at a later date. I have a comment with respect to the Pentecostals who have taken refuge at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. The House today will be considering House Concurrent Resolution 100, which calls on the President to allow the "Siberian Seven" to reside at our Embassy until such time as the Government of the Soviet Union authorizes their emigration. It is an honor to have you here, Mr. Jack. Please proceed. STATEMENT OF HOMER A. JACK, SECRETARY-GENERAL, WORLD CONFERENCE ON RELIGION AND PEACE Mr. JACK. Thank you, Congressman. I think you have before you a much longer statement. I will adhere to the ground rules on time and give some oral excerpts from it, if that is agreeable. Mr. BONKER. That would be desirable. Mr. JACK. Perhaps I can begin with the first paragraph. Intolerance, prejudice, and discrimination based on religion or belief are, unfortunately, probably as old as the rise of organized religion. While all religions aim at bringing out the best in human nature, one byproduct of the development of almost all religions in almost all times is bigotry. Some people tend to use any means to advocate their own religion and, in a multireligious society, to downgrade that of the other person. In any final moral reckoning, organized religion has undoubtedly been useful to society and to individuals; but it has also been harmful and sometimes suicidal and even genocidal. I learned in theological school that "God has no special concern with the churches." That statement is a reflection of religious history. Religion can be ungodly sometimes toward other religions. Wars have been fought in the name of religion. Yet some of the progress in the evolution of secular democracy has been painfully achieved often over battles involving the freedom of religion. Certainly that is the history of the West. The occasion of this hearing is neither the time nor the place to give a seminar on the history of religious bigotry; in any case, I am not the person to give one. However, I do want to recall one hinge in modern history which made possible a higher degree of tolerance of all world religions. That was in 1893 when the World Columbian Exposition was held in Chicago. The sponsors decided to convene, in connection with that exposition, a World Parliament of Religions. |