United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has just released its 2009 annual report.
The report, which is the most comprehensive in the Commission’s decade-long life, recommends that President Obama designate Burma, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, People’s Republic of China, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam as ‘countries of particular concern’ for serious violations of religious freedom, and offers policy suggestions for each country.
Furthermore, the report puts Afghanistan, Belarus, Cuba, Egypt, Indonesia, Laos, Russia, Somalia, Tajikistan, Turkey, and Venezuela on its Watch List, and calls for their close monitoring. It also deals with some controversial issues such as the UN debate over the so-called ‘defamation of religions’ and the U.S. policy of expedited removal for asylum seekers.
Read full report at: http://www.uscirf.gov/images/AR2009/ar%202009%20final%20with%20cover.pdf
May 2, 2009 9:02 pm
It is time to raise the bar and establish a new class of “United Nations” for the “civilzed” countries that respect human rights. This is the only way to shame the dictators around the world who disregard the basic human rights of people and put the spot light on them. Otherwise these reports are only pieces of paper. What have all these reports done so far? Read the old ones and you see that things are only getting worse.
May be President Obama can write the charter of “We the People…” for it.
When every loser is allowed into the UN, there really isn’t any incentive for reform. But when losers are kept out of the “Upper House/Senate” of the United Nations, then you’ll see progress.
If this plan had been in existence, people like Aya Khamanie’s Ahamadinejad would not have been allowed to spew their regimes’ hatred at the UN sponsored events. Regimes like them would be shamed and kept out.
A wise man once said, eagles fly with eagles, crows with crows. It’s time, US Commission on International Religious Freedom starts pushing the White House to reform the UN if they want religious freedom to be established around the world as they recomend designations for the regimes.