sf9194"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 25, 2009

Contact: [email protected]

(202) 523-3240, ext. 114

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today expressed its serious concern about an agreement proposed last Monday that could enact a system of Taliban-influenced Islamic jurisprudence, or sharia law, in the Swat Valley of the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan. While the proposed agreement, described by some as a "peace plan," remains under negotiation and details are still not fully known, the Commission is concerned that such a pact could concede local control to Taliban-associated extremists who routinely use violence to enforce their political and theological agendas, resulting in systematic human rights abuses and severe limitations on religious freedom.

"This deal is being brokered with Taliban-associated extremists who consistently demonstrate utter disregard for human life and the essential freedoms sanctioned by international human rights mechanisms," said Commission Chair Felice D. Gaer. "Granting power to these individuals' interpretations of sharia could easily result in further human rights abuses and religious freedom restrictions. The Commission calls on the U.S. State Department to communicate that the protection of human rights in Swat Valley and throughout Pakistan is a top priority of the United States. "

The provincial government is negotiating the deal in an effort to end the fighting in the Swat Valley between government troops and Taliban-associated extremists. The latter have announced a ceasefire, and government forces have stated they will no longer pursue violent extremists in Swat; they will now fire only in self-defense. Any deal must be approved by Pakistan's central government.

If the proposed agreement enacts or otherwise strengthens sharia law under Taliban-associated extremists, human rights stand to suffer. As the Commission has previously documented, the Taliban's implementation of sharia law in Afghanistan led to serious human rights abuses, such as the forced implementation of their social and religious norms, the imposition of discriminatory evidentiary standards against women and non-Muslims, repression of religious minorities, and abuses targeting women and girls. "The women and girls of Swat have already endured egregious and abusive limitations on their mobility and right to education, and will be particularly vulnerable under a Taliban-influenced sharia legal code," said Gaer.

The Commission is concerned that the proposed agreement would represent a significant victory for Taliban-associated extremists fighting in the Swat Valley, and could embolden other violent extremists and Taliban militants who would seek to expand their influence and control elsewhere in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

State enforcement of sectarian laws is always problematic since by definition it is coercive, and the implementation of sharia law in extremist-controlled Swat Valley would make it impossible for Pakistan to guarantee the right to express oneself and worship freely, along with other basic human rights. Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights guarantees everyone the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.

Following an extraordinarily sharp rise in violence in the Swat Valley in 2003, thousands of civilians have endured unspeakable brutality and social tumult, as Taliban-linked groups summarily issue edicts restricting movement, education, and local customs in the name of their interpretation of Islam. According to news reports, by December 2008, approximately 60 per cent of 1.8 million Swat residents had fled heavy violence and over 150 schools were destroyed, the majority of which were providing education to girls. Women refusing to give up their jobs have been murdered, and police, political opponents and other critics of the Taliban have been beheaded in public. In December 2008, female education was wholly banned amidst widespread protest. The ban was eased in late January 2009 to allow for education up to the fifth grade. Nightly Taliban radio broadcasts in Swat have communicated edicts against so-called un-Islamic activities, including singing, dancing, watching television, and shaving beards.

"Protections for human rights should not be bartered away," noted Gaer. "We are concerned about the glaring lack of safeguards for the human rights and religious freedoms of Swat's residents. Pakistani officials should be redoubling their efforts to protect the human rights and the security of all its citizens."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 13, 2009

The letter urges Secretary Clinton to take a variety of actions, including meeting with Chinese human rights lawyers, publically urging the Chinese government to account for Tibetan Buddhists who are missing, calling for an end to the repression of Chinese Muslims, attending a worship service in an "unregistered" church, and pressing the Chinese to work with the U.S. to bring peace to Sudan.

The text of the letter follows:

February 12, 2009

As you embark on your first diplomatic mission to China, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom urges you to speak as eloquently about religious freedom and related human rights in China as you did about the human rights of women at the 1995 Beijing World Conference on Women. Many religious adherents and human rights defenders in China are subject to severe and ongoing repression. In addition to your meetings with Chinese officials, we encourage you to meet individuals who have experienced human rights abuses, including, among others, lawyers and members of unsanctioned religious groups. Given that these individuals are peacefully seeking rights and freedoms guaranteed by Chinese law and international human rights standards, the U.S. should be speaking out forcefully about protecting their freedoms.

As you know, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom is a bipartisan, independent federal agency with nine Commissioners drawn from the private sector; three appointed by the President, three by the House of Representatives and three by the Senate. The Commission encourages you to raise some of the following issues during your discussions:

The Release of Human Rights Defenders: Urge that lawyer Gao Zhisheng be released immediately, as well as all other human rights defenders currently detained. In addition, seek assurances from the Chinese government that human rights defenders will be allowed to freely defend vulnerable groups in accordance with Chinese law and China's Constitution, and international human rights standards. The Commission also urges you to meet with Chinese lawyers while you are in China, many whom have suffered arrests, beatings, disappearances, and the loss of legal licenses.

Expanding Religious Freedom in Tibet: Given that the status of religious freedom in Tibet may be worse now than at any time in the Commission's ten year existence, the Commission recommends that you urge the Chinese Government to end restrictions on Tibetan religious practice. We recommend that you urge the Chinese to take immediate measures to account for all monks and nuns taken into custody, killed or otherwise harmed during protests in 2008 and in 2009; abolish laws requiring government approval of Tibetan religious leaders; publicly state that public devotion to the Dalai Lama including the display and veneration of his picture is legal; release all detained monks and nuns; and permit a visit by independent and impartial experts to Geoden Choekyi Nyima, the Dalai Lama's chosen Panchen Lama.

Lift Restrictions on the Religious Activity of Protestants and Catholics and Stop their Arrests and Detentions: The Commission recommends that you urge the Chinese government to end the harassment and detention of "unregistered" Christian leaders, including the reported detention of 637 Protestants in 2008 and the continued detention and disappearance of a reported 40 Catholic bishops and priests. We urge you to consider attending a worship service at an "unregistered" Protestant or Catholic congregation in Beijing.

Stop the Repression of Peaceful Uyghur Muslim Religious Activities and End the Detentions of Religious Leaders: The Commission urges that you raise with the Chinese government the need to end the systematic repression of Uyghur Muslim religious activity, including longstanding campaigns to curb "illegal" scripture reading, political indoctrination of clergy, restricting observation of Ramadan and participation in the Hajj pilgrimage, denying minors the right to practice religion, and the arrest and detention of religious leaders.

Protect North Korean Asylum Seekers: It is important to highlight China's international obligations requiring the protection of asylum seekers, including allowing the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees to operate freely outside Beijing. Accordingly, the Commission urges China to stop the forced repatriation of North Korean asylum seekers and end the issuance of fines and the forced closings of Chinese-Korean Churches that assist North Korean refugees.

Become a Partner for Peace in Sudan: As the Sudanese government's major oil partner and arms supplier, urge the Chinese government to use its considerable leverage to end genocide and protect religious freedom in Sudan, including through implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

The U.S. bilateral relationship with China is of course very important. We urge you in your discussions to send the clear message that religious freedom is an essential part of America's strategic foreign policy endeavors.

Your longtime commitment to human rights throughout the world is well-known. We hope you will convey that commitment in China through some of the actions outlined above. We appreciate your attention to the Commission's concerns.

Sincerely yours,

Felice D. Gaer

Chair