RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION AS A VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS The Church in Latin America WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1982 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SUBCOMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND The subcommittee met in open markup session at 2:30 p.m., in room 2255, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Don Bonker (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. Mr. BONKER. The Subcommittee on Human Rights and International Organizations will come to order. President Wilson once noted that Congress in session was Congress in exposition while Congress in its committee rooms is Congress at work. There are two resolutions that are pending before the subcommittee, and which we will bring up at this time. The first is consideration and markup of House Concurrent Resolution 428, a resolution condemning all forms of religious persecution and discrimination as a violation of human rights. Without objection, a copy of House Concurrent Resolution 428 will be included in the record at this point. [The information follows:] (685) 97TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 428 Condemning all forms of religious persecution and discrimination as a violation of human rights. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NOVEMBER 29, 1982 Mr. BONKER submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Condemning all forms of religious persecution and discrimination as a violation of human rights. Whereas all member states of the United Nations have pledged themselves to take joint and separate action in cooperation with the United Nations to promote and encourage universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion; Whereas the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (the "Helsinki Final Act") proclaim the principles of nondiscrimination and equality before the law and the right to freedom of thought, conscience, association, and religion or belief; Whereas the United Nations on November 25, 1981, adopted a declaration against all forms of intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief, noting that religion or belief, for anyone professing it, is one of the fundamental elements in his or her conception of life and that freedom of religion or belief should be fully respected and guaranteed; Whereas the constitutions of most nations of the world specifi cally provide for the freedom of religion or belief and extend to the citizens of those nations the right to worship freely and the right not to be persecuted or discriminated against. on the basis of religion or belief; Whereas the disregard and infringement of human rights and fundamental freedoms, in particular the right to freedom of thought, conscience, association, and religion or belief have brought, directly or indirectly, wars and great suffering to mankind; Whereas freedom of religion or belief cannot be fully exercised without the right of freedom of thought, conscience, and association; Whereas the relationship between freedom of religion or belief and liberty and other rights is a reciprocal relationship; Whereas freedom of religion or belief is treasured and deeply rooted in the history and tradition of our own country and sanctified by the Bill of Rights; Whereas the Congress condemns and continues to condemn all forms of religious persecution and discrimination wherever practiced, encouraged, or tolerated by national governments; Whereas testimony before the Congress has established that there is continuing manifestation of all forms of religious persecution and discrimination in different parts of the world; Whereas in Iran, the Baha'i community has been singled out for extermination by the Islamic authorities solely because of their faith; more than one hundred Baha'is have been killed for either teaching or practicing their religion; Baha'i shrines and cemeteries have been desecrated, administrative centers have been seized, homes have been burned, and savings confiscated; and the barbaric attacks on these gentle people continue and their situation grows more desperate; Whereas in Egypt, the head of the Coptic Christians is under house arrest and many of his followers continue to languish in jails, and their religion is suppressed by the Egyptian authorities and believers are harassed and discriminated against; Whereas in Ethiopia, the Falasha Jews are relentlessly persecuted; Whereas in South Africa, antiapartheid religious believers-both black and white-are harassed, jailed, or banned; Whereas in the Philippines, the Muslim minority is subjected to government repression and the Catholic clergy are intimidated and jailed; Whereas in Taiwan, the Republic of Korea, and other countries, the Presbyterians and other Christians suffer harsh treatment because of their beliefs; Whereas in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Eastern European countries, both Christians and Jews are harshly persecuted for their beliefs and most of them are denied the right to immigrate to countries where their freedom of worship would be secure; Whereas in Albania and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea-officially atheistic states-religion of any kind is outlawed; and Whereas in many countries of Latin America, Jews, Catholic priests, nuns, and lay leaders, as well as those who work with Protestant mission groups, are tortured, jailed, or assassinated for their witness on behalf of the poor, the silenced, and the suffering: Now, therefore, be it 1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 2 concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that (1) anyone who engages in religious persecution and discrimination is committing an act of terrorism which cannot be justified under any circumstances; (2) the President and other official representatives of the United States should at every opportunity raise the issue of violations of freedom of religion or belief at any appropriate international forum; (3) the President should instruct our representatives at the thirty-ninth session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights to work for the establishment of a working group on the Elimination of All Forms of Religious Persecution and Discrimination; (4) the President should encourage the leaders of other countries to join with him in condemning all forms of religious persecution and discrimination when ever and wherever they occur, to support the establishment of a working group at the United Nations Human Rights Commission, and to call upon the United Na tions |