FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 4, 2003

Contact:
Anne Johnson, Director of Communications, (202) 523-3240, ext. 27

WASHINGTON - Congressional leaders have reappointed three currently serving Commissioners and appointed two new Commissioners to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent and bipartisan federal agency. The Commissioners are Preeta Bansal, Felice D. Gaer, Bishop Ricardo Ramirez, Nina Shea, and Michael K. Young. The Commission consists of nine voting Commissioners and the Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, who is a non-voting member. Three Commissioners are selected by the President, two by the leaders of the President's party in Congress, and four by the congressional leaders of the political party that is not in the White House. Commissioners serve for one- or two-year terms and are eligible for reappointment.

Senate Minority leader Thomas Daschle appointed Preeta Bansal of Lincoln, Nebraska, to the USCIRF. Preeta Bansal is a Visiting Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Nebraska College of Law. Until 2001, she served as the Solicitor General of the State of New York. Ms. Bansal is a graduate of Harvard-Radcliffe College and Harvard Law School, where she was supervising editor of the Harvard Law Review. She served as a law clerk to Justice John Paul Stevens of the United Stated Supreme Court (1990-1991) and to Chief Judge James L. Oakes of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (1989-1990). Prior to her appointment as New York Solicitor General, Ms. Bansal practiced law with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in New York City (1996-1999), and previously with Arnold & Porter in Washington, D.C. She also served in the Clinton Administration (1993-1996) as counselor to Assistant Attorney General Joel Klein in the United States Department of Justice (Antitrust Division), and as Special Counsel in the Office of the White House Counsel.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi reappointed Felice D. Gaer, who is the Commission's current Chair. Ms. Gaer served on the Commission's Executive Committee from September 2001 to June 2002. She is the Director of the Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights of the American Jewish Committee. She is a member of the Committee Against Torture, a 10-person United Nations expert body that reviews reports by governments on their compliance with the Convention Against Torture, a treaty ratified by over 130 countries. Nominated by the United States and elected in 1999, she is the first American to serve on the Committee. Ms. Gaer was appointed as a public member of nine U.S. delegations to UN human rights negotiations between 1993 and 1999, including the UN Commission on Human Rights, the World Conference on Women, and the World Conference on Human Rights. She is also a member of the steering committee of Human Rights Watch/Eurasia, and is a member of the International Human Rights Council of the Carter Center. Ms. Gaer is the author of more than 25 articles on international human right topics. In 1995, she was awarded the Alumnae Achievement Award from Wellesley College.

Senator Daschle has also appointed The Most Reverend Ricardo Ramirez of Las Cruces, New Mexico. Bishop Ramirez is currently Bishop of Las Cruces, New Mexico. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1966. Bishop Ramirez was named Titular Bishop of Vatarba and Auxiliary Bishop of San Antonio in 1981. In 1982 he became the first Bishop of the Diocese of Las Cruces, New Mexico. He holds a B.A. from the University of St. Thomas, an M.A. from the University of Detroit, a Doctor of Laws honoris causa from Neumann College, a Doctor of Divinity honoris causa from the University of St. Michael's College, and a Doctor of Humane Letters honoris causa from Siena Heights University. Bishop Ramirez attended St. Basil's Seminary in Toronto, Canada, and Seminario Conciliar in Mexico City, Mexico.

House Majority leader Dennis Hastert reappointed Nina Shea, who is the Director of the Center for Religious Freedom of Freedom House in Washington, D.C. She has been an international human rights lawyer for 25 years and has for 18 years focused specifically on the issue of religious persecution. Before her appointment to this Commission, on which she has served from the beginning, Ms. Shea served on the Advisory Committee on Religious Freedom to the U.S. Secretary of State. Ms. Shea has organized and sponsored numerous fact-finding missions to Sudan, China, Egypt, and elsewhere and has testified regularly before Congress about the governments of these countries. She is the author of In the Lion's Den, a book on anti-Christian persecution around the world. She was appointed as a public delegate on the U.S. delegation to the UN Commission on Human Rights in 2001.

Senate Majority leader William Frist reappointed Michael K. Young, who is the Commission's current Vice Chair. He served as the Commission's Chair from September 2001 to June 2002 and as its Vice Chair from June 1999 to June 2000. Dean Young joined the George Washington University Law School in the summer of 1998. Prior to that, he was the Fuyo Professor of Japanese Law and Legal Institutions at the Columbia University School of Law. At Columbia, he also served as Director of the Center for Japanese Legal Studies, the Center for Korean Legal Studies, and the Project on Religion, Rights and Religious Freedom. Dean Young has been a Visiting Professor and Scholar at the Law Faculties of the University of Tokyo, Waseda University and Nihon University. He has also been a Japan Foundation Fellow at Columbia University. During the Administration of President George H. W. Bush, he served as Ambassador for Trade and Environmental Affairs, Deputy Under Secretary for Economic and Agricultural Affairs, and Deputy Legal Advisor to the U.S. Department of State. He currently serves as a member of the Brown v. Board of Education 50th Anniversary Commission and the Trade and Environmental Policy Committee, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Executive Office of the President.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom was created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to monitor the status of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief abroad, as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related international instruments, and to give independent policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and the Congress.

Embargoed until 10:30 a.m.
May 30, 2003

Contact:
Anne Johnson, Director of Communications, (202) 523-3240, ext. 27

WASHINGTON - The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent and bipartisan federal agency, wrote to President George Bush urging him to raise U.S. concerns about threats to religious freedom and democracy in Russia during his June 1 meeting with President Vladimir Putin. In its new report on Russia, the USCIRF has found there is a real threat to religious freedom and democracy in Russia, and highlights how intolerant forces have used Russia's religious policy to attempt to label Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, and others as threats to Russia's national security. The Commission is particularly concerned that many of the religious freedom problems in Russia appear to be directly related to the increasing influence of authoritarian strains in the Russian government.

USCIRF Chair Felice D. Gaer remarked, "Because freedom of religion in Russia is fragile, we must be concerned about the increasing influence of authoritarian strains in the Russian government." In her letter to President Bush, she cautioned, "As the United States and Russia continue to develop a partnership on many important issues, concerns about democracy and human rights should remain an integral aspect of that relationship. Now is not the time to reduce U.S. vigilance on democratic progress in Russia."

Because of concerns about worsening religious freedom in Russia, the Commission traveled there in January 2003. The Commission concluded that the handling of religious freedom problems in Russia is an important benchmark of progress on human rights overall.

The text of the letter follows:

Dear President Bush:

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom respectfully urges you to raise the issue of the fragile state of religious freedom in Russia during your upcoming meeting with President Putin. In its newly issued report, the Commission has found that there is a real threat to religious freedom and democracy in the country. The Commission's report highlights how intolerant forces have used Russia's religious policy to attempt to label several religious groups, including Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, and others, as threats to national security. We respectfully request that you urge the Russian government to take an active role in protecting religious minorities from violations by local and regional officials, as well as from violent attacks by extremist groups. Our visit to the country convinced us that the handling of religious freedom problems in Russia is an important benchmark of progress on human rights overall.

Other disquieting events include a recent conspicuous increase in the number of clergy and other religious workers denied visas or residency permits, even in cases of previous long-term residency in Russia; evidence of government meddling in the internal affairs of certain religious communities; the continued occurrence of anti-Semitic attacks; a recent increase in violence against Muslims; and indications that the Russian Orthodox Church is gaining influence as the favored church, resulting in various discriminatory practices against members of other religions.

Many of the religious freedom problems in Russia appear to be directly related to the increasing influence of authoritarian strains within the Russian government. Despite the progress made since the fall of the Soviet state, democracy is still relatively new to Russia, and continued progress toward democratic reform based on rule of law and the protection of human rights, including religious freedom, remains uncertain.

Because of concerns about worsening religious freedom in Russia, the Commission traveled there in January 2003 to examine the situation first hand by meeting with key Russian government officials, religious leaders, and human rights organizations. The Commission's findings and recommendations can be found in the attached report. In it, the Commission recommends that the U.S. government should:

-- raise concern about the growing influence of undemocratic forces on Russian government policies and oppose any attempts to rollback religious freedom; ensure in particular that the views expressed in the leaked December 2002 "Zorin report" - about the threat to national security posed by Catholics, Protestants, new religions, and Islam - are not adopted as Russian government policy;

• urge protection of religious minorities in Russia, including Jews and Muslims, against violent attacks and intolerance;

• ensure that any special role for the Orthodox Church or any other community does not result in violations of the rights of or discrimination against members of other religious groups;

• urge the Russian government to cease the practice of unfairly denying visas or residency permits to foreign clergy and other religious workers;

• monitor the actions of regional and local officials who interfere with freedom of religion and belief, and bring local laws and regulations on religious activities into conformity with the Russian Constitution and international human rights standards; and

• remain vigilant on the progress of democratic reform and protections for human rights in Russia and make greater efforts to support those who advance democracy, religious freedom, and other human rights in Russia.

Mr. President, given Russia's importance in the community of nations, now is clearly not the time to reduce U.S. vigilance on democratic progress in Russia. As the United States and Russia continue to develop a partnership on many important issues, concerns about democracy and human rights should remain an integral aspect of that relationship. On behalf of the Commission, I therefore urge you to continue to press President Putin on the importance of maintaining his government's stated commitment to international norms with respect to human rights, including religious freedom.

Sincerely,

Felice D. Gaer

Chair

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom was created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to monitor the status of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief abroad, as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related international instruments, and to give independent policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and the Congress.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 2003

Contact:
Anne Johnson, Director of Communications, (202) 523-3240, ext. 27

WASHINGTON - In recent testimony to Congress, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom called on the President and Congress to hold Khartoum to its word that a just peace will be reached by June. The Commission submitted testimony to the House Committee on International Relations, Subcommittee on Africa, on "Reviewing the Sudan Peace Act Report." If an agreement is not reached by the end of June, as asserted by the government of Sudan and the SPLM/A, the President and Congress should re-evaluate if the government of Sudan has engaged in good faith negotiations to achieve a permanent peace agreement. If it is determined that the government of Sudan has not negotiated in good faith, then the President should consider initiating those measures laid out in Section 6 (b)(2) of the Sudan Peace Act. The Commission will continue to monitor closely the progress of peace negotiations.

USCIRF Chair Felice D. Gaer said, "While U.S. officials are characterizing the impending agreement as a ‘diplomatic touchdown,' the Commission is perplexed at this level of optimism when so many significant issues remain to be negotiated between the parties. Moreover, there is a misleading tendency throughout the Sudan Peace Act report to present an equivalency between the actions of the government of Sudan and the SPLM/A, especially the sections on ground offensives and on slavery/abductions. For example, the report refers to an investigation of the International Eminent Persons Group in May 2002 that concluded that both the Sudanese government and the SPLM/A were guilty of forced abductions. However, it does not go into any detail about the extent to which each party was guilty."

Because religious freedom has been a major issue in Sudan's civil war, the Commission urges the United States to oppose the application of Sharia law to non-Muslims wherever they may reside in the country. The USCIRF also urges that, because Sudan is to continue in the near future as a unified State, national institutions such as the military, law enforcement, and the highest level of the judiciary be secular.

The testimony also assessed the State Department's reports to Congress pursuant to the Sudan Peace Act, finding them deficient in several areas. The Commission credits the Administration for becoming engaged on the issue of bringing peace to the people of Sudan, for working toward a peace agreement, and for other salutary aspects of its policies on Sudan. Nevertheless, the State Department's reporting is deficient in several important respects under the requirements of the Sudan Peace Act. While the reports note government of Sudan violations of ceasefire commitments and state that these violations must stop, they do not give an accurate picture of the situation, nor do they articulate consequences for further violations. In particular, the reporting does not adequately address the fear that the government of Sudan is delaying progress in peace talks in order to advance its military might and strategic position vis-à-vis the SPLM/A, thereby seeking a military victory over the south rather than a negotiated peace.

The Commission continued to make several additional recommendations for U.S. policy, including:

• oppose the application of Sharia law to non-Muslims wherever they may reside in the country;

• urge that, because Sudan is to continue in the near future as a unified State, national institutions such as the military, law enforcement, and the highest level of the judiciary, be secular;

• insist that the capital of a reunited north and south Sudan, most likely Khartoum, be a place where people of all faiths can worship freely and where the laws are reflective and respectful of all religions and legal traditions in Sudan;

• disperse funding quickly for humanitarian purposes that will be supportive of the peace process and immediately release funding to build civil society and to promote economic development in southern Sudan; Congress should appropriate immediately the $100 million in aid this year for southern Sudan, as well as in FY 2004 and 2005, as authorized in the Sudan Peace Act "to prepare the population for peace and democratic governance;"

• continue to keep in place existing sanctions on Sudan and refrain from upgrading diplomatic relations with the government in Khartoum;

• continue to push for access for delivery of humanitarian assistance and expand humanitarian relief where it is most needed; and

• build upon the work of the International Eminent Persons Group (IEPG) to combat and end the terrible practice of abduction and enslavement by government-sponsored militias, such as establishing a permanent monitoring mechanism.

The full testimony can be found on the Commission's Web site at www.uscirf.gov.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom was created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to monitor the status of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief abroad, as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related international instruments, and to give independent policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and the Congress.