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Note #9016 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

05605
Nov. 10, 2005

China, North Korea among nations
blamed for religious persecution

State Department report commends
India, Vietnam for improvements

by Chris Herlinger
Ecumenical News International  

NEW YORK - Eight nations, among them China, North Korea, Saudi Arabia and
Sudan, have been re-designated "countries of particular concern" in the U.S.
State Department's annual report on religious freedom around the globe.

	The other countries mentioned in the report are Burma, Eritrea, Iran
and Vietnam.

	After the Nov. 8 release of the report, Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice told reporters that some governments "have modified laws and
policies, improved enforcement or taken other concrete steps to increase and
demonstrate respect for religious freedom" over the past year.	

	As an example, she cited India, which she said demonstrated a
commitment to religious inclusion and took steps to address the failure of
the Gujarat state government to halt riots in 2002 in which Hindus attacked
Muslims.  

	Rice added, however: "Across the globe, people are still persecuted
or killed for practicing their religion, or even for just being believers." 

	She said Vietnam had made improvements, noting that the United States
and Vietnam signed an agreement on religious freedom in May. If such
improvements continue, she said, Vietnam eventually will probably be removed
from the list.	 

	The report said China's respect for freedom of religion and freedom
of conscience "remained poor," citing the government's policies of
restricting religious practice to government-sanctioned organizations and
registered places of worship.	 

	Even worse, the report said, was North Korea, where repression
continues and "religious freedom does not exist." 

	The northeast African nation of Eritrea was cited for harassment of
religious minorities, as was Iran. Saudi Arabia, a U.S. ally, was criticized
for its lack of basic protections for those who do not adhere to the
state-sanctioned version of Sunni Islam.  

	Discrimination against non-Muslims continued to be a major problem in
Sudan, the report said, while Burma engaged in "broad government
restrictions" of freedom of expression and association.  

	The report, which covers the period from July 2004 to June 2005, is
available on-line at www.state.gov.

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