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the blacks in America would be a cause of the world's peace, and the Baha'is take this very seriously, and so I think that a number of blacks in this country find this very appealing.

Mr. DYMALLY. One final question.

Mrs. Nourani, I take it you plan to finish your Ph. D. work when things settle down somewhat?

Mrs. NOURANI. I was. I am not really sure at this point. I will have to see how things will go.

Mr. DYMALLY. Thank you very much. I do not have a form in front of me to sign yet, Mr. Chairman, but I'm pretty close to it. Mr. BONKER. You got to have the experience, too, Mr. Dymally. Mr. DYMALLY. Give me a little time.

Mr. BONKER. It seems to me that there are several threats to the clergy in Iran, and one is how you practice the faith. The Islamic faith is fairly rigid in social matters and something of a theocracy as it is now being translated into Government matters.

Whenever you depart from the rigid faith, you get into that sort of thing. Again, going back to the parallel with Jews and the Christians. Christ was preaching departure, a very dramatic departure from the law as it was being practiced such as the Sabbath and so on and so forth. But, of course, they tried to embrace the law insofar as possible so that they were not getting too much from it.

Yours may be a little more distinct, and, second, it seems like since the birth of the Baha'is that Iran, over the course of history, has needed scapegoats from time to time to distract attention from other problems. Professor, you state here that Mullahs needed a scapegoat that could be blamed for the decline of Islam and for all the evils of the rapidly changing society. The most recent example is with Iran being literally torn apart by various factions and the lack of central authority. They need a scapegoat, and however they can rationalize it, it is the Baha'is. I really feel this hearing has given us a good focus. We are attempting to identify religious persecution wherever it exists. We are trying to decide whether we should look at regions of the world or whether we should attempt to single out certain examples of religious persecution.

I gather from the testimony today that we are on the right track. If we are going to really focus attention, we have got to specify where that persecution is.

I want to thank each of you for your testimony. You have certainly contributed to our understanding, and you may have picked up a convert or two.

The subcommittee will be working on a resolution that will have some teeth in it. We will attempt to extend this concern beyond the Congress to the U.N. Commission on Human Rights. Through a resolution and our delegations efforts perhaps to set up a working group that would provide more consistent monitoring of the situation in Iran and in other places.

I wish to thank all of you for being here.

Mr. LEACH. Thank you.

Mr. BONKER. The subcommittee stands adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 4:50 p.m., the subcommittee adjourned.]

RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION AS A VIOLATION OF

HUMAN RIGHTS

Pentecostals and Other Christians in the Soviet
Union and Eastern Europe

TUESDAY, JULY 27, 1982

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS,

SUBCOMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS,

Washington, D.C.

The subcommittee met in open markup session at 2:45 p.m., in room 2255, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Don Bonker (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding.

Mr. BONKER. The subcommittee will come to order.

I apologize for the delay. Scheduling conflicts are a way of life around here. I appreciate your patience and the patience of my colleagues.

Before we commence with the hearing, I would like to take up Senate Concurrent Resolution 18, which expresses congressional concern about the repression of the Ukrainian Orthodox and Catholic Churches in the U.S.S.R. and calls upon the Soviet Government to permit the restoration of these churches.

This resolution is sponsored and has been brought to this subcommittee's attention by our colleague, Mr. Derwinski. I see that he is not here but we will keep the record open for his statement. The resolution is short, it is self-explanatory, and if I hear no objection, I would move either for unanimous consent or perhaps a motion from one of my colleagues to move this resolution out of subcommittee.

Mr. BARNES. So moved, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. BONKER. Moved by Mr. Barnes.

All those in favor?

[Chorus of "ayes."]

Mr. BONKER. Opposed?

[No response.]

Mr. BONKER. The resolution is passed and will be sent to the full committee.

[Mr. Derwinski's comments and the resolution follow:]

OPENING PREPared StatemeNT BY HON. EDWARD J. DERWINSKI, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE State of Illinois, on Senate CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 18 TO SEEK THE RESURRECTION OF THE NATIONAL CHURCHES OF THE UKRAINE

Mr. Chairman, I appreciate your taking up this resolution, S. Con. Res. 18, which is similar to the resolution, H. Con. Res. 123, which I introduced on May 1, 1981. The situation of religion in the Ukraine is a most serious problem. The national churches of the Ukraine-the Ukrainian Orthodox and Catholic Churches and other independent religions-have not merely been subjected to religious and civil repression but to physical extermination by the Soviet authorities.

The evidence that will be placed in the Committee record today will detail the extent of the repression of religion in the Ukraine; I will not repeat it. Suffice it to say that the attention of the Congress, the Administration and of national and international religious bodies should be brought to bear on these crimes and on possible redress.

Inasmuch as the resolution before the Subcommittee, S. Con. Res. 18, passed the Senate on June 19, 1981, I endorse it for action by the Subcommittee and referral to the Full Committee on Foreign Affairs.

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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Whereas the Charter of the United Nations, as well as its Declaration of Human Rights, sets forth the objective of international cooperation "in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion

."; and

Whereas in the so-called Brezhnev Constitution of the Union of

Soviet Socialist Republics, article 52 unequivocally provides that "Freedom of conscience, that is, the right to profess any religion and perform religious rites or not profess any religion... shall be recognized for all citizens of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Incitement of hostility and hatred on religious grounds shall be prohibited"; and Whereas not just religious or civil repression but the attempted genocide the absolute physical extermination-of both the Ukrainian Orthodox and Catholic Churches, and all other truly independent religions, in a nation of forty-five million persons brutally violates the basic civilized rights enunciated above: Now, therefore, be it

1

Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives

2 concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that the Presi

3 dent of the United States of America shall in the name of 4 human rights take immediate and determined steps to

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1981.

(1) call upon the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to permit the concrete resurrection of both the Ukrainian Orthodox and Catholic Churches and other independent religions in the largest

non-Russian nation both within the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and in Eastern Europe; and

(2) utilize formal and informal contacts with Union of Soviet Socialist Republics officials in an effort

to secure the freedom of religious worship in places of both churches and all other independent religions as their own constitution provides for; and

(3) bring to the attention of all national and international religious councils the nature of this Stalinist

crime and perpetuated violation of basic human rights, with an appropriate appeal to the commitment of their

resources toward achieving the objective of this resolution.

Passed the Senate June 19 (legislative day, June 1),

Attest:

WILLIAM F. HILDENBRAND,

Secretary.

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