By Ariel Lin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia
The annual U.S. State Department report on religious freedom heavily criticizes Asian governments’ religion record. The report says that China’s repression of religious groups intensified during the last year, citing Beijing’s crackdown on Tibetan Buddhists, and its harassment of Christians and members of the Falun Gong as evidence. The Chinese government undertook a “patriotic education campaign,” which required monks and nuns to sign statements personally denouncing the Dalai Lama. The State Department also found that over the past year, Chinese officials detained and interrogated several foreigners about their religious activities. Officials alleged that the foreigners had engaged in “illegal religious activities,” forcing the cancellation of their visas.
In North Korea, the report said, “genuine religious freedom does not exist.” According to the report, North Korea government deals harshly with those who engage in religious practices considered unacceptable by the regime. Religious and human rights groups outside the country report that members of underground churches are beaten, arrested, tortured, or killed because of their religious beliefs. They estimate that 150,000 to 200,000 people are held in political prison camps in remote areas of North Korea, some for religious reasons. Refugees and defectors who have been in prison said that prisoners held because of their religious beliefs generally are treated worse than other inmates.
The report also condemned Myanmar’s military Junta for restricting spiritual activities and abusing its citizens’ rights. In Myanmar, “the government continued to infiltrate and monitor activities of virtually all organizations, including religious ones. Christians faced restrictions and Muslims suffered violence and close monitoring,” the report said. Recently, an independent US group is carrying out unprecedented studies to determine whether Myanmar’s military rulers, accused of rampant human rights abuses, have committed international crimes.
For more information, please see:
AFP – US group studies potential war crimes by Myanmar military – 1 October 2008
BBC – ‘China repression grows’, says US – 19 September 2008
CNN – U.S.: Chinese targeted religious groups before Olympics – 19 September 2008
International Herald Tribune – US criticizes Asian governments’ religion record – 20 September 2008
U.S. Department of State – 2008 Report on International Religious Freedom – 19 September 2008
Voice of America – North Korea Religious Persecution – 30 September 2008
Voice of America – US Religious Freedom Report Faults North Korea, Eritrea, Iran – 19 September 2008
