USCIRF Releases New Report on Burma

Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report:

Burma Policy Update – This report highlights religious freedom conditions in Burma and the situation for the Rohingya refugee community in Bangladesh. In November 2022, USCIRF met with refugees in Cox’s Bazar, members of intergovernmental organizations, and representatives of the Bangladeshi government to document conditions for Rohingya Muslims and repatriation opportunities to Burma. This policy update describes the continued violence spread throughout Burma as a result of the Tatmadaw-led coup in February 2021, leading to a severe deterioration in conditions for the country’s ethnic and religious minorities in particular. The report concludes with recommendations for further steps that the U.S. government should take to address the religious freedom implications of this devastating and ongoing crisis.

In its 2022 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended the U.S. Department of State redesignate Burma as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC). The State Department made the designation again on December 2, 2022. In May and July 2021, USCIRF held two hearings on ending genocide which touched upon the conditions of Rohingya in Burma and explored opportunities to hold the Tatmadaw accountable for the atrocities they committed. USCIRF has also highlighted the situation for the Rohingya community in Burma on an episode of the Spotlight Podcast immediately following the State Department’s genocide determination earlier this year. In May 2022, USCIRF released a factsheet titled Pursuing Justice and Accountability: Next Steps for Rohingya Community of Burma.

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected].

USCIRF Releases New Report on Religious Tolerance Promotion and Religious Freedom

Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report:

Tolerance, Religious Freedom, and Authoritarianism – This report details how authoritarian states promote religious tolerance without necessarily ensuring freedom of religion or belief. It distinguishes between these two concepts and explains the origins of religious tolerance promotion as a tool of statecraft. The report then presents case studies of countries engaged in religious tolerance promotion, such as Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Russia, and Uzbekistan. It provides suggestions for the U.S. government to encourage the promotion of religious tolerance by other states, while also holding those governments accountable for providing religious freedom as outlined in international legal instruments like the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as required under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.

An episode of USCIRF’s Spotlight Podcast also highlighted the potential pitfalls of promoting religious tolerance rather than freedom of religion or belief as defined in the international human rights standards, and how the U.S. government can support religious tolerance in a way that most effectively advances the national interest in promoting religious freedom.

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected].