U.S. Commission on International
Religious Freedom
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Lawrence J. Goodrich
February 4, 2002 Director of Communications
(202) 523-3240, ext. 27
Commission Urges President Bush
to Raise Religious-Freedom Issues With Pakistani Leader
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Commission
on International Religious Freedom, an independent federal agency advising
the Administration and Congress, wrote to President Bush January 31 to
urge him to raise religious-freedom issues with Pakistani President Musharraf
during the latter's upcoming visit to Washington.
The Commission noted the progress
Pakistan has made on issues the Commission drew attention to in its May
1, 2001 Annual Report ? including abolition of the discriminatory system
of separate electorates for religious minorities and President Musharraf's
efforts to foster an atmosphere of religious tolerance in Pakistan. "The
Commission also views with approval the Administration's decision to assist
Pakistan's efforts to improve its education system in order to ensure that
religious schools are not breeding grounds for the recruitment and training
of future terrorists," wrote Commission Chair Michael K. Young.
At the same time, the Commission
updated its recommendations regarding Pakistan, asking President Bush to
press the Pakistani leader to change the way the country's blasphemy law
is implemented, in order to "limit and eventually eliminate the numerous
instances of their wrongful use against members of minority religious communities
and Muslims alike," and to tackle persecution of the Ahmadi minority and
continued sectarian violence.
The text of the letter follows:
January 31, 2002
Dear Mr. President:
The U.S. Commission on International
Religious Freedom, pursuant to its advisory responsibilities under the
International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA), respectfully urges
you to raise religious-freedom concerns with Pakistan's President Pervez
Musharraf during his upcoming visit to Washington.
The Commission has examined carefully
religious freedom in Pakistan. In September 2000, the Commission held a
public hearing on religious freedom and U.S. policy in Pakistan.In December
2000, Commission staff visited Pakistan and met with government officials,
representatives of religious communities, human rights monitors, and U.S.
and third-country diplomats.
The Commission found that the government
of Pakistan was not doing enough to protect the religious freedom of its
citizens and that certain aspects of Pakistani law not only violate international
standards of religious freedom but contribute to an atmosphere antagonistic
to the full exercise of religious freedom by many of Pakistan's citizens.
Our consideration of religious freedom issues in Pakistan resulted in a
set of recommendations (attached) included in our May 1, 2001 annual
report. Although conditions in Pakistan have not warranted its designation
as a "country of particular concern" under IRFA, it remains on the Commission's
"watch list."
On January 17 of this year, the
Commission publicly welcomed the Musharraf government's action in abolishing
the discriminatory system of separate electorates for religious minorities
to which we had drawn attention previously because it effectively rendered
religious minority members second-class citizens. We have also been
encouraged by other actions taken by President Musharraf, both before and
after the events of September 11, to foster an atmosphere of religious
tolerance in Pakistan and to curb the malevolent influence of violent religious
extremists in Pakistani society. The Commission also views with approval
the Administration's decision to assist Pakistan's efforts to improve its
education system in order to ensure that religious schools are not breeding
grounds for the recruitment and training of future terrorists.
In view of these and other important
new developments in Pakistan and in U.S.-Pakistan relations, we would like
to update and summarize the Commission's recommendations to assist you
in preparing for the upcoming meeting.
The Commission respectfully recommends
that in your discussions with President Musharraf you commend him for his
efforts to:
- Overcome the reality of second-class
citizenship among Pakistan's non-Muslim citizens by abolishing the discriminatory
system of separate electorates;
- Encourage Islamic religious leaders
and scholars to promote religious tolerance in Pakistan;
- Reform Pakistan's education system
to improve the quality of secular education and to ensure that religious
schools are not used as training grounds for sectarian violence; and
- Disarm militant groups engaging
in criminal violence out of misguided religious motivations.
The Commission further recommends
that you urge President Musharraf to:
- Continue and intensify efforts
to prevent sectarian and religiously motivated violence and to punish its
perpetrators, including those responsible for the massacre of 15 Christians
during church services October 28 at Bahawalpur and for the bombing of
a church in Islamabad January 15;
- Rescind laws that effectively
criminalize the public practice of the Ahmadi faith, in violation of the
right to freedom of religion and belief guaranteed in the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights; and end official discrimination against Ahmadis;
- Implement procedural changes
to Pakistan's blasphemy laws in order to limit and eventually eliminate
the numerous instances of their wrongful use against members of minority
religious communities and Muslims alike (e.g., changes that would require
an investigation before arrest can be made and removal of blasphemy offenses
from the list of crimes tried by special anti-terrorist courts);
- Exercise his authority to
pardon those condemned to death under the blasphemy laws as a result of
miscarriages of justice; and
- Establish and support mechanisms
of interfaith dialogue encompassing all religious communities in Pakistan.
Thank you, Mr. President, for considering
the Commission's recommendations.
Respectfully,
Michael K. Young
Chair
The U.S. Commission on International
Religious Freedom was created by the International Religious Freedom Act
of 1998 to give independent recommendations to the executive
branch and the Congress on policies to promote international
religious freedom.
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Visit our Web site at www.uscirf.gov
Michael K. Young, Chair Felice
D. Gaer Firuz Kazemzadeh Richard Land Bishop William F. Murphy
Leila Nadya SadatNina Shea The Hon. Charles R. Stith The Hon.
Shirin R. Tahir-Kheli Steven T. McFarland, Executive Director
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