Dirksen Senate Office Building

September 19, 2007

Summary

Agenda

Opening Remarks - Michael Cromartie, Commission Chair

Remarks - Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA)

Remarks - Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR)

Remarks - Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY)

Panel

• Dr. Kenneth Katzman, Specialist in Middle East Affairs, Congressional Research Service
  Prepared Testimony
• Dr. Judith Yaphe, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for National Strategic Studies
  Prepared Testimony
• Hon. Ellen R. Sauerbrey, Assistant Secretary of State
  Prepared Testimony
• Ms. Judy Cheng-Hopkins,, UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner for Operations
  Prepared Testimony
• Dana Graber Ladek, Iraq Displacement Specialist, International Organization for Migration
  Prepared Testimony

Multimedia

VIDEO FILE: Panel 1: Causes and Consequences of Sectarian Violence
Dr. Kenneth Katzman
Dr. Judith Yaphe

VIDEO FILE: Panel II: U.S. Refugee Policy
Hon. Ellen Sauerbrey
Hon. Anne Convery

VIDEO FILE: Panel III: Iraq's Burgeoning Refugee Crisis
Ms. Judy Cheng-Hopkins
Ms. Dana Graber Ladek

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 17, 2007

Contact:
Judith Ingram, Communications Director,
(202) 523-3240 (202) 523-3240, ext. 127

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) will hold the second of two hearings on Iraq on Sept. 19 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room 138. The hearing will bring together State Department, United Nations and NGO experts on refugees and possible U.S. policy responses, as well as two prominent academic specialists addressing the impact of sectarian violence. Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR) is expected to participate.

Specific questions to be addressed include:

• What steps should the U.S. government consider when addressing the human rights and religious freedom challenges posed by intra-Muslim sectarian violence?
• To what extent is the government of Iraq tolerating sectarian violence and other religious freedom violations?
• What are the current conditions for Iraqi refugees and internally displaced persons and what policies should the United States consider in addressing the crisis?

Witnesses are:

Assistant Secretary of State Ellen R. Sauerbrey, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration

Ms. Judy Cheng-Hopkins, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees'Assistant High Commissioner for Operations

Dr. Judith Yaphe, a specialist in Middle Eastern political analysis at the National Defense University's Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS)

Dr. Kenneth Katzman, a specialist in Middle East affairs for the Congressional Research Service, with special emphasis on Iran and Iraq

Dana Graber, Iraq Specialist, International Organization for Migration (IOM)

RSVP:  [email protected]  or (202) 523-3240

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
Sept. 7, 2007

Contact:
Judith Ingram, Communications Director,
(202) 523-3240

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) will hold the second of two hearings on Iraq on Sept. 19 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.at RussellSenate Office Building, Room 485.* The hearing will examine the causes and patterns of intra-Muslim sectarian violence, including what role, if any, the Iraqi government currently plays in that violence. It will address the extent to which individual Muslims are being targeted for killings and other violence on account of their religious identity, and examine U.S. policy regarding Iraq's refugee crisis. Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR) is expected to participate.

Witnesses include:

Assistant Secretary of State Ellen Sauerbrey, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (invited)

Dr. Judith Yaphe, a specialist in Middle Eastern political analysis at the National Defense University's Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS) (confirmed)

Dr. Kenneth Katzman, a specialist in Middle East affairs for the Congressional Research Service, with special emphasis on Iran and Iraq(confirmed)

Mr. Bakhtiar Amin, a former Iraqi Minister of Human Rights with two decades' experience in the field of international human rights. (invited)

Ms. Judy Cheng-Hopkins, theUN High Commissioner for Refugees'Assistant High Commissioner for Operations (confirmed)

Ms. Niurka Piñeiro, Regional Coordinator with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) (confirmed)

RSVP: [email protected]  or (202) 523-3240

________

*Tentative location; please check  www.uscirf.gov  closer to the date to confirm.

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.