CHINA INTENSIFIES CRACKDOWN ON RELIGION

by Glen on 2001-05-09 00:10:51

Reuters reports: ‘China’s violation of religious freedom has intensified, a U.S. panel said on Monday in a sharply worded report urging the United States to
prod Beijing to ease its restrictions. ‘The situation in China has grown worse in the past year,? said Elliott Abrams, chairman of the U.S. Commission on
International Religious Freedom as it issued its second annual report.

The 188-page report also accused India, Indonesia, Russia, Pakistan, Nigeria, Iran, Sudan, Vietnam and North Korea of either directly violating religious
freedoms, permitting local or regional governments to restrict freedoms or ignoring intercommunity violence. Three of the nine panel members are
appointed by the president and six by the congressional leadership.

The commission report, presented to President Bush, Secretary of State Colin Powell, and congressional leaders, had a list of nonbinding
recommendations, including censuring China over human rights and opposing its bid to host the Olympics. In China, the report said, the government has
expanded its crackdown on unregistered religious groups, tightened control on official religious organizations, intensified its campaign against the Falun
Gong spiritual movement and increased control over official Protestant and Catholic churches. China, the report said, interferes in the training and
selection of religious leaders and maintains tight control over Uighur Muslims and Tibetan Buddhists”