[JPRT 106-61]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



106th Congress 
 2d Session              JOINT COMMITTEE PRINT                  S. Prt.
                                                                 106-61
_______________________________________________________________________

                                     

 
                            ANNUAL REPORT ON
                    INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
                                  2000

                               __________

                              R E P O R T

                            SUBMITTED TO THE

                     COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS

                              U.S. SENATE

                                AND THE

                  COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

                     U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                                 BY THE

                          DEPARTMENT OF STATE

                 IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 102 OF THE
              INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ACT OF 1998

                                     


                              NOVEMBER 2000

Printed for the use of the Committees on Foreign Relations of the U.S. 
     Senate and International Relations of the U.S. House of Representatives
     respectively


                     COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS

                 JESSE HELMS, North Carolina, Chairman

RICHARD G. LUGAR, Indiana            JOSEPH R. BIDEN, Jr., Delaware
CHUCK HAGEL, Nebraska                PAUL S. SARBANES, Maryland
GORDON H. SMITH, Oregon              CHRISTOPHER J. DODD, Connecticut
ROD GRAMS, Minnesota                 JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts
SAM BROWNBACK, Kansas                RUSSELL D. FEINGOLD, Wisconsin
CRAIG THOMAS, Wyoming                PAUL D. WELLSTONE, Minnesota
JOHN ASHCROFT, Missouri              BARBARA BOXER, California
BILL FRIST, Tennessee                ROBERT G. TORRICELLI, New Jersey
LINCOLN D. CHAFEE, Rhode Island

                   Stephen E. Biegun, Staff Director

                 Edwin K. Hall, Minority Staff Director

                                 ______

                  COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

                 BENJAMIN A. GILMAN, New York, Chairman

WILLIAM GOODLING, Pennsylvania       SAM GEJDENSON, Connecticut
JAMES A. LEACH, Iowa                 TOM LANTOS, California
HENRY J. HYDE, Illinois              HOWARD L. BERMAN, California
DOUG BEREUTER, Nebraska              GARY L. ACKERMAN, New York
CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey     ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American 
DAN BURTON, Indiana                  Samoa
ELTON GALLEGLY, California           DONALD M. PAYNE, New Jersey
ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida         ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey
CASS BALLENGER, North Carolina       SHERROD BROWN, Ohio
DANA ROHRABACHER, California         CYNTHIA A. McKINNEY, Georgia
DONALD A. MANZULLO, Illinois         ALCEE L. HASTINGS, Florida
EDWARD R. ROYCE, California          PAT DANNER, Missouri
PETER T. KING, New York              EARL F. HILLIARD, Alabama
STEVE CHABOT, Ohio                   BRAD SHERMAN, California
MARSHALL ``MARK'' SANFORD, South     ROBERT WEXLER, Florida
Carolina                             STEVEN R. ROTHMAN, New Jersey
MATT SALMON, Arizona                 JIM DAVIS, Florida
AMO HOUGHTON, New York               EARL POMEROY, North Dakota
TOM CAMPBELL, California             WILLIAM D. DELAHUNT, Massachusetts
JOHN M. McHUGH, New York             GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York
KEVIN BRADY, Texas                   BARBARA LEE, California
RICHARD BURR, North Carolina         JOSEPH CROWLEY, New York
PAUL E. GILLMOR, Ohio                JOSEPH M. HOEFFEL, Pennsylvania
GEORGE P. RADANOVICH, California     [VACANCY]
JOHN COOKSEY, Louisiana
THOMAS G. TANCREDO, Colorado

                    Richard J. Garon, Chief of Staff

          Kathleen Bertelsen Moazed, Democratic Chief of Staff

                                  (ii)

  


                            C O N T E N T S

                              ----------                              
                                                                   Page

Foreword.........................................................   vii

Letter of Transmittal............................................    ix

Preface..........................................................    xi

Introduction.....................................................  xiii

Executive Summary................................................   xix

               REPORT ON INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
                             COUNTRY INDEX

Africa:
    Angola.......................................................     1
    Benin........................................................     2
    Botswana.....................................................     3
    Burkina Faso.................................................     4
    Burundi......................................................     6
    Cameroon.....................................................     7
    Cape Verde...................................................     9
    Central African Republic.....................................    10
    Chad.........................................................    12
    Comoros......................................................    14
    Congo, Democratic Republic of................................    15
    Congo, Republic of...........................................    17
    Cote d'Ivoire................................................    18
    Djibouti.....................................................    23
    Equatorial Guinea............................................    24
    Eritrea......................................................    26
    Ethiopia.....................................................    29
    Gabon........................................................    32
    Gambia, The..................................................    33
    Ghana........................................................    34
    Guinea.......................................................    37
    Guinea-Bissau................................................    39
    Kenya........................................................    40
    Lesotho......................................................    44
    Liberia......................................................    46
    Madagascar...................................................    48
    Malawi.......................................................    48
    Mali.........................................................    50
    Mauritania...................................................    51
    Mauritius....................................................    52
    Mozambique...................................................    54
    Namibia......................................................    56
    Niger........................................................    57
    Nigeria......................................................    59
    Rwanda.......................................................    63
    Sao Tome and Principe........................................    65
    Senegal......................................................    65
    Seychelles...................................................    67
    Sierra Leone.................................................    68
    Somalia......................................................    69
    South Africa.................................................    71
    Sudan........................................................    73
    Swaziland....................................................    79
    Tanzania.....................................................    81
    Togo.........................................................    83
    Uganda.......................................................    85
    Zambia.......................................................    87
    Zimbabwe.....................................................    88

Latin America and the Caribbean:
    Antigua and Barbuda..........................................    95
    Argentina....................................................    96
    Bahamas......................................................    99
    Barbados.....................................................   100
    Belize.......................................................   101
    Bolivia......................................................   103
    Brazil.......................................................   104
    Chile........................................................   106
    Colombia.....................................................   109
    Costa Rica...................................................   112
    Cuba.........................................................   113
    Dominica.....................................................   117
    Dominican Republic...........................................   118
    Ecuador......................................................   120
    El Salvador..................................................   121
    Grenada......................................................   123
    Guatemala....................................................   124
    Guyana.......................................................   126
    Haiti........................................................   127
    Honduras.....................................................   129
    Jamaica......................................................   130
    Mexico.......................................................   131
    Nicaragua....................................................   135
    Panama.......................................................   137
    Paraguay.....................................................   139
    Peru.........................................................   140
    St. Kitts and Nevis..........................................   142
    Saint Lucia..................................................   142
    Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.............................   143
    Suriname.....................................................   144
    Trinidad and Tobago..........................................   145
    Uruguay......................................................   147
    Venezuela....................................................   148

East Asia and the Pacific:
    Australia....................................................   151
    Brunei.......................................................   152
    Burma........................................................   154
    Cambodia.....................................................   161
    China (includes Hong Kong and Macau).........................   163
    China (Taiwan only)..........................................   181
    Fiji.........................................................   183
    Indonesia....................................................   184
    Japan........................................................   192
    Kiribati.....................................................   194
    Korea, Democratic People's Republic of.......................   195
    Korea, Republic of...........................................   197
    Laos.........................................................   199
    Malaysia.....................................................   203
    Marshall Islands.............................................   205
    Micronesia, Federated States of..............................   206
    Mongolia.....................................................   207
    Nauru........................................................   209
    New Zealand..................................................   209
    Palau........................................................   211
    Papua New Guinea.............................................   212
    Philippines..................................................   214
    Samoa........................................................   218
    Singapore....................................................   219
    Solomon Islands..............................................   221
    Thailand.....................................................   222
    Tonga........................................................   226
    Tuvalu.......................................................   227
    Vanuatu......................................................   228
    Vietnam......................................................   229

Europe and Canada:
    Albania......................................................   241
    Andorra......................................................   243
    Armenia......................................................   244
    Austria......................................................   248
    Azerbaijan...................................................   253
    Belarus......................................................   257
    Belgium......................................................   263
    Bosnia and Herzegovina.......................................   266
    Bulgaria.....................................................   270
    Canada.......................................................   274
    Croatia......................................................   275
    Cyprus.......................................................   278
    Czech Republic...............................................   281
    Denmark......................................................   285
    Estonia......................................................   286
    Finland......................................................   288
    France.......................................................   290
    Georgia......................................................   296
    Germany......................................................   300
    Greece.......................................................   306
    Hungary......................................................   311
    Iceland......................................................   315
    Ireland......................................................   317
    Italy........................................................   318
    Kazakhstan...................................................   320
    Kyrgyz Republic..............................................   323
    Latvia.......................................................   325
    Liechtenstein................................................   328
    Lithuania....................................................   329
    Luxembourg...................................................   331
    Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia........................   333
    Malta........................................................   335
    Moldova......................................................   336
    Monaco.......................................................   338
    Netherlands, The.............................................   339
    Norway.......................................................   342
    Poland.......................................................   344
    Portugal.....................................................   349
    Romania......................................................   351
    Russia.......................................................   357
    San Marino...................................................   374
    Serbia-Montenegro............................................   375
    Slovak Republic..............................................   378
    Slovenia.....................................................   382
    Spain........................................................   383
    Sweden.......................................................   386
    Switzerland..................................................   388
    Tajikistan...................................................   391
    Turkey.......................................................   394
    Turkmenistan.................................................   399
    Ukraine......................................................   403
    United Kingdom...............................................   411
    Uzbekistan...................................................   415

Near East and North Africa:
    Algeria......................................................   425
    Bahrain......................................................   427
    Egypt........................................................   429
    Iran.........................................................   436
    Iraq.........................................................   442
    Israel and the occupied territories..........................   448
    Jordan.......................................................   456
    Kuwait.......................................................   460
    Lebanon......................................................   463
    Libya........................................................   466
    Morocco......................................................   467
    The Western Sahara...........................................   470
    Oman.........................................................   471
    Qatar........................................................   472
    Saudi Arabia.................................................   474
    Syria........................................................   479
    Tunisia......................................................   481
    United Arab Emirates.........................................   484
    Yemen........................................................   486

South Asia:
    Afghanistan..................................................   491
    Bangladesh...................................................   497
    Bhutan.......................................................   499
    India........................................................   501
    Maldives.....................................................   511
    Nepal........................................................   512
    Pakistan.....................................................   514
    Sri Lanka....................................................   527

Appendixes:
    A.  United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.....   533
    B.  International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.....   537
    C.  Training at the Foreign Service Institute................   551
    D.  INS and the International Religious Freedom Act..........   555
    E.  Overview of U.S. Refugee Policy..........................   563
  


                                FOREWORD

                              ----------                              

    The report on international religious freedom contained 
herein was prepared by the Department of State in accordance 
with Section 102 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 
1998.
    The report is printed to assist Members of Congress in the 
consideration of legislation, particularly foreign assistance 
legislation.
                                       Jesse Helms,
                          Chairman, Committee on Foreign Relations.

                                Benjamin A. Gilman,
                    Chairman, Committee on International Relations.

                                 (vii)

                                     


                         LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL

                              ----------                              

                                       Department of State,
                                 Washington, DC, September 5, 2000.
Hon. Jesse Helms,
Chairman, Committee on Foreign Relations,
U.S. Senate.
    Dear Mr. Chairman:
    On behalf of the Secretary of State, I am transmitting to 
you the Report on Religious Freedom, prepared in compliance 
with Section 102 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 
1998.
    We hope this report is helpful. Please let us know if we 
can provide any further information.
            Sincerely,
                                    Barbara Larkin,
                          Assistant Secretary, Legislative Affairs.
    Enclosure.

                                  (ix)

                                     
                                PREFACE

                              ----------                              


             2000 REPORT ON INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

                      Why The Reports Are Prepared

    This report is submitted to the Congress by the Department of State 
in compliance with Section 102(b) of the International Religious 
Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998. The law provides that the Secretary of 
State shall transmit to Congress by September 1 of each year, or the 
first day thereafter on which the appropriate House of Congress is in 
session, ``an Annual Report on International Religious Freedom 
supplementing the most recent Human Rights Reports by providing 
additional detailed information with respect to matters involving 
international religious freedom.'' This Annual Report includes 194 
reports on countries worldwide.

                      How The Reports Are Prepared

    In August 1993, the Secretary of State moved to further strengthen 
the human rights efforts of our embassies. All sections in each embassy 
were asked to contribute information and to corroborate reports of 
human rights violations, and new efforts were made to link mission 
programming to the advancement of human rights and democracy. In 1994 
the Bureau of Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs was reorganized and 
renamed as the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, reflecting 
both a broader sweep and a more focused approach to the interlocking 
issues of human rights, worker rights, and democracy. In 1998 the 
Secretary of State established the Office of International Religious 
Freedom; in May 1999, Robert A. Seiple was sworn in as the first 
Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom.
    The 2000 Report covers the period from July 1, 1999 to June 30, 
2000, and reflects a year of dedicated effort by hundreds of State 
Department, Foreign Service, and other U.S. Government employees. Our 
embassies, which prepared the initial drafts of the reports, gathered 
information throughout this period from a variety of sources, including 
government and religious officials, nongovernmental organizations, 
journalists, human rights monitors, religious groups, and academics. 
This information-gathering can be hazardous, and U.S. Foreign Service 
Officers regularly go to great lengths, under trying and sometimes 
dangerous conditions, to investigate reports of human rights abuse, 
monitor elections, and come to the aid of individuals at risk because 
of their religious beliefs.
    After the embassies completed their drafts, the texts were sent to 
Washington for careful review by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, 
and Labor and its Offices of International Religious Freedom, Country 
Reports and Asylum Affairs, and Bilateral Affairs, in cooperation with 
other State Department offices. As they worked to corroborate, analyze, 
and edit the reports, the Department officers drew on their own sources 
of information. These included reports provided by U.S. and other human 
rights groups, foreign government officials, representatives from the 
United Nations and other international and regional organizations and 
institutions, and experts from academia and the media. Officers also 
consulted with experts on issues of religious discrimination and 
persecution, religious leaders from all faiths, and experts on legal 
matters. The guiding principle was to ensure that all relevant 
information was assessed as objectively, thoroughly, and fairly as 
possible.
    The Report will be used as a resource for shaping policy, 
conducting diplomacy, and making assistance, training, and other 
resource allocations. As mandated by IRFA, it also will be used as a 
basis for decisions on determining countries that have engaged in or 
tolerated ``particularly severe violations'' of religious freedom. 
Countries involved in these and other violations according to IRFA are 
not identified as such in this report, but have been and will be 
engaged independently by the U.S. Government. The Report also will 
serve as a basis for the U.S. Government's cooperation with private 
groups to promote the observance of the internationally recognized 
right to religious freedom.
                              INTRODUCTION

                              ----------                              


   Part I: The American Experiment in International Religious Freedom

    Religious freedom has always been at the core of American life and 
public policy. It is the first of the freedoms enumerated in the Bill 
of Rights--a reflection of the founders' belief that freedom of 
religion and conscience is the cornerstone of liberty. They understood 
that no government was likely to protect the other core rights (e.g., 
freedom of speech or freedom from arbitrary arrest) if it did not honor 
the ``sanctum sanctorum'' of human conscience--the inherent and 
inviolable right of every human being to pursue ultimate truth and to 
believe and worship, or not, as part of that pursuit.
    This core precept of American democracy survived 2 centuries of 
vigorous challenge. Like other aspects of the American ideal, religious 
liberty has been imperfectly applied; some religious traditions 
(Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, Roman Catholicism, Judaism, Islam, and 
indigenous American religions, to name a few) have been resisted, and 
their adherents subject to discrimination and even persecution. But 
today, at the dawn of the third millenium, religions are flourishing in 
the United States, their respective traditions enriching not only their 
own adherents, but American public policy as well.

                          Grassroots Democracy

    During the 1980's and 1990's, more and more American religious 
organizations became involved in the development and articulation of 
U.S. human rights policies abroad. Much of this activism stemmed from a 
shared belief in the universal dignity of the human person--the 
conviction that every human being is endowed with an intrinsic and 
inviolable worth, from which flows inalienable rights (a conviction 
reflected both in the American Declaration of Independence and the 1948 
Universal Declaration of Human Rights). As American religious 
communities became more aware of human rights abuses abroad, they began 
to focus on the plight of coreligionists who were struggling to 
establish their own right to believe and to worship and who were 
encountering fierce resistance from those wielding political power.
    During the 1990's some individuals and religious organizations--in 
particular those from Christian, Buddhist, and Jewish traditions--began 
to lobby the Administration and Congress. Their goal was to sharpen the 
focus of American foreign policy on religious persecution abroad. The 
result was a textbook case of democratic activism. Partly in response 
to this impulse, the Department of State by the mid 1990's began to 
intensify its attention to religious freedom. In 1996 Secretary of 
State Warren Christopher announced the establishment of an Advisory 
Committee on Religious Freedom Abroad, composed of 20 American 
religious leaders and scholars. In an interim report issued in 1998 and 
a final report issued in 1999 the Committee recommended structural 
changes and foreign policy initiatives that would institutionalize the 
promotion of religious freedom as part of U.S. foreign policy. 
Throughout its tenure, the Committee was chaired and supported by the 
Department's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.
    During the same period, the Department of State responded to 
increased public and Congressional interest by preparing a report 
entitled ``U.S. Policies in Support of Religious Freedom: Focus on 
Christians'' (July 1997). The new Secretary of State, Madeline 
Albright, made it clear that promoting religious freedom was to be a 
priority during her tenure at the Department. In 1997 she issued 
instructions to all American Embassies and Consulates to increase U.S. 
advocacy, monitoring, and reporting on the issue. In multilateral 
venues such as the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva, 
U.S. delegations made religious freedom a high priority. In 1998, 
responding to a recommendation by the Advisory Committee, Secretary 
Albright announced that she would appoint a senior level coordinator 
for religious freedom.
    Meanwhile, Congress was engaging in an extended debate over a 
legislative approach to promoting religious liberty abroad. In May 
1997, Congressman Frank Wolf of Virginia and Senator Arlen Specter of 
Pennsylvania introduced the first version of what was to become--some 
18 months later--the International Religious Freedom Act. Their bill 
triggered a vigorous debate within the faith-based, nongovernmental 
organization (NGO), and human rights communities over the most 
appropriate and effective ways for the United States to confront 
religious persecution and discrimination abroad.
    During the next year and a half a national dialogue evolved--joined 
not only by those who had lobbied from the beginning, but by faith-
based, human rights, and foreign policy organizations from across the 
political and religious spectrums. Foreign governments, watching the 
debate with rising interest, expressed their concerns in capitals 
abroad and in Washington. The Department of State, led by Assistant 
Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor John Shattuck, made 
its views known through testimony before the House International 
Relations Committee and in other venues.
    The issues were important--and controversial: How can the United 
States influence governments (including U.S. allies) that persecute or 
discriminate against their citizens on the basis of religion? What 
religions should be covered? What regions? Should economic sanctions be 
included, and, if so, should they be automatic? Should there be a 
special category of religious refugees? Should the senior U.S. 
religious freedom official be located in the White House or the State 
Department? Should a new governmental body, such as an independent 
commission, be created to provide the President, the Secretary of 
State, and Congress a separate source of policy recommendations? Is it 
legitimate for the United States to identify one form of persecution 
for special treatment, or would doing so create a troubling ``hierarchy 
of rights'' that could marginalize other victims of persecution? Could 
victims of religious persecution actually be harmed by a new U.S. focus 
on their plight?
    These and other issues were debated intensely throughout 1997 and 
1998. In March 1998, Senator Don Nickles of Oklahoma introduced in the 
Senate an alternative bill which attempted to build on the commentary 
that Wolf-Specter had generated. In May 1998, the House passed a 
revised version of the latter bill. During the next 6 months, a few 
dedicated and passionate Congressional staff members, joined at times 
by State Department representatives and other key actors, met to hammer 
out a bill that would have broad bipartisan support. In October 1998, 
the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) was passed unanimously 
by both Houses of Congress and was signed immediately by the President.

                  A Legislative Mandate Comes to Life

    The various streams that led to the Act had their source in the 
American passion for religious liberty and the conviction that it was 
the birthright of every human being. Herein lay the greatest potential 
for an effective U.S. religious freedom policy abroad: While the Act 
paid homage to American history and the first Amendment, it drew 
heavily on international standards grounded in universal truths. It 
cited the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which notes that 
``all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They 
are endowed with reason and conscience.''
    In short, the IRFA made no attempt to impose ``the American way'' 
on foreign governments. Rather, it put the weight of American foreign 
policy behind the proposition that all nations must adhere to the 
standards of international behavior that they themselves have accepted, 
including the mandate to protect the universal right of religious 
freedom and freedom of conscience. The Act was universal in scope: it 
targeted no region and covered all religions. It provided sanctions for 
the worst violators of religious freedom, but sanctions were not 
automatic. Instead, the President was given wide latitude to choose the 
most effective response to severe violations.
    In order to carry out this policy, the Act created three core 
mechanisms: an Office of International Religious Freedom under an 
Ambassador at Large, located in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, 
and Labor; an Annual Report that covers every foreign country, coupled 
with an annual identification of severe violators; and a separate, 
bipartisan U.S. Commission to make independent recommendations.
    The Office of International Religious Freedom. In August 1998, 
Robert A. Seiple assumed the office of Special IRF Adviser to the 
President and Secretary of State. In May 1999, he was sworn in as the 
first Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom. During 
his 2-year tenure, Seiple built his office into a staff of 10, 
including foreign service, military, and civil service officers. Its 
mandate is to promote religious freedom as a core tenet of U.S. human 
rights policy by monitoring religious persecution and discrimination 
worldwide; meeting with foreign governments, faith-based groups, and 
NGO's; integrating the issue into the mainstream of U.S. foreign 
policy; and overseeing the production of the Annual Report on 
International Religious Freedom. The Office is also charged with 
advising the Secretary of State on the designation of ``countries of 
particular concern'' under the IRF Act.
    Seiple's methodology has been to ``promote, not punish.'' He and 
his staff have visited 26 countries-many of them among the world's 
worst abusers of religious freedom--in order to explain his emphasis, 
and that of the IRF Act, on international standards as the basis for 
U.S. actions. They have met with hundreds of foreign officials, 
religious leaders, NGO's, and human rights groups at home and abroad. 
They have heard the stories of people who fear for their well-being and 
safety because of their religious beliefs. They have told allies and 
adversaries alike that freedom of religion and conscience is not a 
western invention but flows from the traditions of universal and 
inviolable human dignity present in every world religion.
    The Office of International Religious Freedom also has articulated 
and advocated U.S. policy in academic and policy conferences and media 
events throughout the country and abroad. It has initiated a series of 
conferences, co-sponsored by the Department's Bureau of Intelligence 
and Research, on religious freedom and foreign policy. It has 
implemented a highly successful program of outreach to U.S. Muslim 
leaders and plans to expand this program to include other American 
religious traditions. It has provided funding--through the Department's 
Human Rights and Democracy Fund--for several NGO-led reconciliation 
programs in religion-based conflicts. Ambassador Seiple has testified 
before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the House International 
Relations Committee and its Subcommittee on International Operations 
and Human Rights, the Helsinki Commission, and the Congressional Human 
Rights Caucus.
    In all its endeavors, the Office of International Religious Freedom 
has sought (in the words of the Act) to ``stand with the persecuted,'' 
to provide hope to the millions throughout the world who suffer because 
they dare to believe in, and to worship, an authority beyond the state.
    The Annual Report. The first Annual Report on International 
Religious Freedom was issued by the Department of State in September 
1999. It contained chapters on the status of religious freedom in 194 
countries worldwide. Each chapter was initially drafted in an American 
Embassy or Consulate abroad and then compiled and edited by the Office 
of Country Reports and Asylum Affairs in the Bureau of Democracy, Human 
Rights, and Labor. Its introduction focused on the connection between 
concepts of universal human dignity and freedom of religion and 
explained some of the report's analytical methods. Its Executive 
Summary highlighted various categories of restrictions on religious 
liberty worldwide, while detailing U.S. efforts to address those 
restrictions.
    Religious organizations, NGO's, and human rights groups generally 
hailed the first report as an important first step in the battle 
against religious persecution. Foreign governments' responses varied 
widely, from outright hostility to private gratitude. Some insisted 
that the United States had no right to invoke international standards 
unilaterally and that such issues could only be addressed in 
international forums. Others (including some democratic allies) 
asserted a right of state-supported scrutiny of, and hostility toward, 
certain minority religions.
    Indeed, as elaborated elsewhere in this Report, the United States 
agrees that issues of religious freedom ought to be addressed in 
international forums. It does so regularly and vigorously. But the 
United States also believes that all nations have the right, and the 
obligation, to address on a bilateral basis with other nations those 
international standards that they themselves have accepted. Further, 
the international provison for freedom of religion and conscience is 
grounded in state acceptance of minority religions rather than in 
state-supported skepticism or hostility. Religious freedom is a good, 
not a danger from which citizens must be protected--a fact that even 
some mature democracies have not yet accepted.
    The U.S. Commission on IRF. The IRF Act also mandated the creation 
of an independent, bipartisan U.S. Commission on International 
Religious Freedom, consisting of nine eminent American leaders from a 
variety of faiths. Five were appointed by the President and Democratic 
Congressional leaders; four by Republican Congressional leaders. The 
Ambassador at Large also sits on the Commission as an ex officio, 
nonvoting member.
    The Commission was established for 4 years beginning in May 1999, 
and each Commissioner was given a 2-year term. The first Chairman was 
Rabbi David Saperstein, Director of the Religious Action Center of 
Reform Judaism and a Democratic appointee. The deputy chairman was 
Michael K. Young, Dean of the George Washington University Law Center 
and a Republican appointee. To emphasize its bipartisan nature, the 
Commission agreed that its chair and deputy would rotate annually 
between appointees of the two parties. Accordingly, in May 2000, the 
chair passed to Elliot Abrams, President of the Ethics and Public 
Policy Center (Republican appointee), and the deputy chair to Firuz 
Kazemzadeh, Secretary of External Affairs of the National Assembly of 
the Baha'is of the United States (Democratic appointee).
    Other Democratic appointees are Archbishop Theodore McCarrick of 
the Archdiocese of Newark; Dr. Laila al-Mariati, Past President of the 
Muslim Women's League; and Justice Charles Z. Smith of the Washington 
State Supreme Court. Other Republican appointees are Nina Shea, 
Director of the Center for Religious Freedom, Freedom House, and John 
Bolton of the American Enterprise Institute. The Commission's staff is 
headed by its Executive Director, Steven McFarland.
    As part of its mandate to recommend policies on religious freedom, 
the Commission prepares its own annual report, the first of which was 
issued in May 2000. This report focused on three countries of concern--
China, Sudan and Russia--and provided extensive recommendations for 
U.S. policymakers. It also contained a thorough review of the State 
Department's first Annual Report on International Religious Freedom, 
including a series of recommendations on how it might be improved.
    The Commission has begun to play an important role in the 
articulation and implementation of U.S. policy. Its members and staff 
have met with key Department of State officials, including the 
Secretary of State and the Under Secretary for Political Affairs. 
Commission members have traveled abroad to gather information and to 
advocate religious freedom. They have held public hearings and 
testified before the U.S. Congress on many occasions. Commission 
recommendations--communicated publicly or privately to the 
Administration--have already had an impact on key policy decisions, 
including the Secretary of State's designation of ``countries of 
particular concern'' under the IRF Act.
    The Scorecard. On balance the new U.S. strategy for promoting 
religious freedom has had a promising beginning. From its origins in 
the minds of a few committed individuals, to its implementation in the 
actions of Secretary Albright, President Clinton and the U.S. Congress, 
U.S. religious freedom policy has provided a case study--both of the 
American democratic process and of the universal applicability of 
America's founding precepts.
    Energized and formed by an American approach to freedom of 
religion, the policy has nevertheless been articulated as part of an 
international covenant, in which nations commit themselves to mutual 
accountability. There are risks in this approach--not least the 
exposure of the United States to criticism from others. But if it is 
sound, U.S. policy will withstand--and profit from--the scrutiny of 
other nations, human rights organizations, and religious groups.
    In his testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on 
May 16, 2000, Ambassador Robert Seiple articulated his sense of how far 
U.S. policy has come, and the enormous task that remains. ``Those of us 
who are charged with implementing the International Religious Freedom 
Act,'' he said, ``have had some modest but invigorating victories--some 
religious prisoners freed, some religious refugees assisted, a few bad 
laws repealed or altered. But we must take the long view: None of us 
can claim, nor should we expect, that the millions who suffer for their 
religious beliefs will have been loosed from their torments 18 months 
after the passage of the International Religious Freedom Act or because 
of the actions of my office or those of the independent U.S. 
Commission. But, I believe that we have made a start. Together, we have 
planted seeds--seeds of hope and of future action. With God's help, 
those seeds are taking root and will one day bear fruit.''

    Part II: Freedom of Religion and Conscience as a Cornerstone of 
                               Democracy

    One of the most encouraging developments of the past decade has 
been the dramatic increase in the number of nations aspiring to 
democratic governance. In Europe, central Asia, Africa, and Latin 
America, countries are struggling to develop and implement the norms of 
representative government. As noted in the 1999 Annual Report on 
International Religious Freedom, the number of democracies in the world 
almost doubled during the decade of the 1990's.
    That report also noted that freedom alone is no guarantee of human 
dignity. Adopting the forms of democracy does not always signify an 
acceptance of universal human rights, including the right of religious 
freedom. This is sometimes true because democratic majorities are tied 
to a particular religious tradition, or to a tradition of religious 
skepticism, and are resistant to new and unfamiliar religions. In some 
aspiring democracies, minority religions are associated with unpopular 
ethnic groups or with unwanted foreign influence. For these and other 
reasons, democracy alone is no guarantee of religious freedom.
    And yet it is empirically indisputable that representative 
governments protect fundamental human rights, including freedom of 
religion and conscience, far more effectively than other political 
systems. Several characteristics of democracy tend to bolster religious 
freedom, including the principles of equality before the law, 
protections for minorities, and a commitment to notions of universal 
human dignity and the protection of fundamental human rights. 
Democratic governments were the driving force in the promulgation of 
the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
    In addition, most democratic traditions recognize that fundamental 
rights are not ``grants'' from the state or society but exist prior to 
both. If they do not--if human rights are in fact created by 
governments--then they cannot be said to be ``universal'' as the world 
acknowledged them to be in the 1948 Universal Declaration. ``All human 
beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights,'' notes the 
Declaration, and are ``endowed with reason and conscience.'' If 
governments were the source of rights, governments could abolish them.
    Moreover, the incompatibility of authoritarianism and religious 
liberty is grounded in an empirical political reality: the state that 
honors and nourishes freedom of religion and conscience is one that 
acknowledges its own limits. It is a state that posits the priority of 
the individual and of society. It is, in short, a state that embraces 
the axiom of democracy--government exists to serve society and the 
individual, not the other way around.
    Thus, while democratic states are the most likely guarantors of 
religious freedom, so too is religious freedom an essential component 
of democracy. The right of religious liberty is an obstacle to 
``majoritarian tyranny''--the practices of democratic majorities who 
would coerce minorities in matters of fundamental conscientious 
conviction. Nations that are struggling to implement democracy, and in 
which one religion is historically dominant, will profit from this 
understanding of human freedom. Healthy and vigorous democracies do not 
attempt to control or manage the human quest for ultimate meaning and 
truth. They understand that this endeavor is essential to human freedom 
and dignity--and must be protected.
    Freedom of religion and conscience also contributes to democracy in 
that the free expression of religious conviction--guaranteed in 
international covenants--plays a key role in debates over public 
policy. Each religious tradition has a moral code, a way of 
understanding who we are and how we ought to order our lives together. 
The articulation of these understandings in the public square is not 
something to be feared by democracies. Rather it makes a vital 
contribution to the development of public policy.
    This is true because democracy is more than mere democratic 
procedure. Its vitality, and even its survival, can never be assumed. 
Democracy is an ever-continuing experiment, testing the capacity of 
human beings--often from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds--to 
govern themselves. The success of the experiment relies in part on the 
successful adoption of democratic procedures such as the universal 
franchise, separation of powers, or the secret ballot. But history 
teaches that the habit of democracy is grounded in and transmitted by 
the prior institutions of society, especially the family and religious 
institutions.
    Mature and aspiring democracies alike must revere the right to 
freedom of religion and conscience, even as they develop the forms of 
democratic governance. Governments that purport to represent all their 
citizens must guarantee and nurture this right, which lies at the core 
of every human life, as well as encourage mutual respect among their 
citizens. These governments must acknowledge a core reality, 
demonstrated by history: New and unfamiliar religions do not threaten 
democracy; they enrich it. It is a lesson that must be learned and 
relearned for the on-going, global democratic experiment to succeed.

            Part III. What Has Changed in the Annual Report

    As noted above, the response to the first Annual Report on 
International Religious Freedom from NGO's, human rights groups, and 
religious groups was overwhelmingly positive. Many provided 
constructive suggestions of fact, tone, and organization. We have made 
every effort to ensure that each report is factually accurate, 
balanced, and fair. Our intent is to articulate the status of religious 
freedom in each country chapter, permitting the reader to draw 
conclusions concerning the implications of the restrictions or abuses 
cited. In the Executive Summary, we categorize some of the restrictions 
and abuses, and discuss U.S. actions to alter them. In order to show 
that all the news is not bad, we also discuss some of the improvements 
in religious freedom worldwide.
    The country chapters have been reorganized to make them more 
``reader friendly.'' Each chapter will contain an Introduction, 
designed to provide the reader with a broad overview of the status of 
religious freedom during the 12 months covered by the report (July 1, 
1999 to June 30, 2000). Three major sections will follow: The first 
will cover ``Government Policies on Freedom of Religion'' and will 
contain a variety of subheadings to guide the reader, including 
subsections on the ``Legal/Policy Framework'' and ``Religious 
Demography.'' Subsections entitled ``Governmental Restrictions on 
Religious Freedom,'' and ``Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom'' 
will not only discuss restrictions and abuses but give the context in 
which those problems occurred.
    The second major section will discuss ``Societal Attitudes''; the 
third, ``U.S. Government Policy.''
    A Final Word on Respect. If there is a core assumption underlying 
this report, it is that religions, like human beings, are worthy of 
respect. Were that not the case, there would be no need for a U.S. 
policy on international religious freedom and no need for this report. 
It exists not as an indictment of religions but as a testimony to the 
value of religion and to respect for freedom of conscience. We have 
tried to demonstrate our respect for all religious traditions in this 
report, a respect that is genuine.
    Once again, we invite our readers to provide comments on the 
report. They can do so by writing the Office of International Religious 
Freedom (DRL/IRF), Room 4829, Department of State, Washington, D.C. 
20520.
                           EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

                              ----------                              

    There are no good reasons for any government to violate religious 
freedom or to tolerate those within its warrant who do. However, there 
are many good reasons to promote religious freedom. To that end, this 
Executive Summary identifies some of the barriers to religious freedom 
that exist and provides examples of countries where those barriers are 
in place. It also catalogs some of the improvements in religious 
freedom that occurred during the period of this report. Finally, it 
describes actions that the United States has taken, is taking, and will 
continue to take as a means of fulfilling its responsibilities under 
its own law and to the human family of which it is a part.
    This Executive Summary is divided into three sections:

   I.  Barriers to International Religious Freedom

   II.  Improvements in International Religious Freedom

   III.  U.S. Actions to Promote International Religious 
        Freedom

          Part I: Barriers to International Religious Freedom

    The vast majority of the world's governments have committed 
themselves to respect religious freedom. Indeed, most have accepted one 
or more of the international instruments that explicitly protect that 
right. For example, 144 countries are parties to the International 
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which acknowledges the right of 
every human being ``to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his 
choice'' and ``either individually or in community with others and in 
public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in worship, 
observance, practice and teaching.'' All have pledged ``not to 
discriminate on the basis of religion.''
    Notwithstanding the existence of this and other broadly accepted 
international instruments protecting religious freedom, there remains 
in some countries a substantial difference between promise and 
practice. Much of the world's population lives in countries in which 
the right to religious freedom is restricted or prohibited. This gap 
between word and deed has several causes and can be analyzed in various 
ways. While no analysis is perfect, a system of categorization follows 
that we believe is useful for understanding religious persecution and 
discrimination.
    Totalitarian and authoritarian regimes are characterized by a 
determination to control religious belief and practice. The result--
inevitably--is persecution. Other regimes are hostile to minority or 
unapproved religions. Some tolerate, and thereby encourage, persecution 
or discrimination. Although acts of violence against religious 
minorities may have several causes--for example, ethnicity, or a 
perceived security threat--multicausality does not diminish necessarily 
the significance of religion.
    Still other governments--often either democratic or aspirants to 
democracy--have adopted discriminatory legislation or policies that 
give preferences to favored religions while disadvantaging others, in 
contravention of international instruments. Some democratic states have 
undertaken policies resulting in the stigmatization of minority 
religions--the result of identifying them indiscriminately and 
inaccurately with dangerous ``sects'' or ``cults.''
    Occasionally a nation's policy on religious freedom can be 
understood better in the context of its history, culture, and 
tradition--a particular religion may have dominated the life of a 
nation for centuries, making more difficult the acceptance of new 
faiths that offer challenges in both cultural and theological terms. 
However, tradition and culture should not be used as a pretext for 
legislation or policies that restrict genuine religious belief or its 
legitimate manifestations. Legal restrictions on religious practice--
permitted under international covenants for the protection of public 
safety, order, health, morals, or the fundamental rights and freedoms 
of others--should be applied scrupulously and fairly, in as limited a 
way as possible, without discriminating among religions. The practice 
of requiring religious groups to register before they can engage in 
activities such as worship is, by its nature, subject to abuse by local 
jurisdictions, even in cases where it is designed by central 
authorities to be applied in a nondiscriminatory fashion. Nor should a 
legitimate concern over the destructive and unlawful behavior of a 
small number of groups be employed so indiscriminately that new or 
minority religions--perhaps poorly understood or controversial but 
nevertheless posing no danger to public safety, health, or morals, or 
the fundamental rights and freedoms of others--are wrongfully 
stigmatized.
    In the end, every nation should meet the standards on religious 
freedom established by the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and 
other international instruments and covenants that they have accepted. 
Each nation is accountable to the international community for its 
failure to meet these standards. The United States acknowledges and 
accepts its responsibility to meet these standards in the safeguarding 
and protection of religious liberty.

           Totalitarian or Authoritarian Attempts to Control
                      Religious Belief or Practice

    Totalitarian and authoritarian regimes are defined by the degree to 
which they seek to control thought and expression, especially dissent. 
It is not uncommon for such regimes to regard minority religious groups 
as enemies of the state because of the content of the religion, the 
fact that the very practice of religion threatens the dominant ideology 
(often by diverting loyalties of adherents toward something beyond the 
state), the ethnic character of the religious group, or a mixture of 
all three. When this association occurs, the result is often religious 
persecution directed by the regime.
    Afghanistan. Afghanistan still does not have a recognized 
government, and most of the country remains under the control of the 
Taliban, which has engaged in persecution and killing. The Afghan Shi'a 
minority has been the victim of Taliban abuses, in significant part 
because of their religious beliefs. As in previous years, the Taliban 
enforced its strict interpretation of Islamic Shari'a law and, 
according to reports, public executions, floggings, and amputations 
took place weekly against those who violated the law. In September 
1999, the Taliban issued decrees aimed at the small non-Muslim minority 
population, forbidding them from building places of worship, banning 
them from criticizing Muslims, ordering them to identify their houses, 
precluding them from living in the same residence as Muslims, and 
requiring non-Muslim women to wear special identifying clothing.
    Burma. The Government of Burma continued to repress systematically 
members of both minority faiths and the majority Buddhist population. 
Buddhist monks who promoted human and political rights were arrested, 
and some Buddhist monasteries were destroyed. Government security 
forces frequently employed coercion to induce Christian members of the 
Chin ethnic minority to convert to Buddhism. Chin Christians were 
conscripted for forced labor, required to desecrate their own churches 
and graveyards, and were subjected to government discrimination. 
Members of various faiths reported harassment of religious leaders by 
government authorities.
    China. Government respect for religious freedom in China 
deteriorated over the reporting period as the persecution of several 
religious minorities increased. While membership in many faiths grew 
rapidly and government supervision of religious activity was minimal in 
some regions, government officials in other regions imposed tight 
regulations, closed houses of worship, and actively persecuted members 
of some unregistered religious groups. Members of such groups were 
subject to harassment, extortion, prolonged detention, physical abuse, 
and incarceration in prison or in ``reeducation through labor'' camps. 
There were credible reports of religious detainees being beaten and 
tortured. The Government increased restrictions on members of many 
minority groups, including Tibetan Buddhists, Muslim Uyghurs, members 
of Falun Gong and other ``heretical cults,'' and Protestants and Roman 
Catholics not belonging to the official churches.
    Cuba. While some observers have noted a greater acceptance of 
religion in Cuba in recent years, the Government continued to engage in 
active efforts to monitor and control religious institutions, including 
the surveillance, infiltration, and harassment of clergy and church 
members. The Government has refused to register new denominations, 
thereby making them vulnerable to charges of illegal association.
    Laos. The Government attempted to supervise and limit religious 
freedom among the majority Buddhist population, imposing mandatory 
Marxist-Leninist training for monks. In some instances, local and 
provincial authorities used harsh, extraconstitutional measures against 
minority religious groups, including detentions without charge and, in 
the case of hundreds of Christians, forced renunciations of faith.
    North Korea. Religious adherents in North Korea deemed unacceptable 
to the regime are treated harshly; many were imprisoned and some 
reportedly executed. (However, these reports cannot be confirmed or 
disproved, given the tight control the regime exercises over 
information. Also, these reported executions appear to have involved 
Christians with links to missionary groups active along the Chinese 
border. The Government suspects such groups of attempting to overthrow 
the regime.) Unauthorized religious activity, especially when occurring 
near sensitive border areas, sometimes was subject to severe repression 
by North Korean officials. Credible reports indicate that some 
prisoners were beaten and treated as if they were insane because of 
their beliefs.
    Vietnam. The Government uses a registration process to control and 
monitor religious activity, severely restricting any practice by groups 
other than officially sanctioned organizations. The Government allows 
only one organization per religious denomination, and members of 
nonregistered organizations may face arbitrary harassment and arrest. 
Clergy from many religious groups, including Cao Dai, Buddhist, Hoa 
Hao, Protestant, and Roman Catholic organizations were detained 
arbitrarily without charge. According to credible reports, at least 20 
persons remain detained or imprisoned because of their religious 
beliefs.

        State Hostility Toward Minority or Nonapproved Religions

    Some governments, while not necessarily determined to implement a 
program of control over minority religions, nevertheless are hostile to 
certain religions or to elements of religious groups identified as 
``security threats.'' These governments implement policies designed to 
intimidate certain religious groups, cause their adherents to convert 
to another religion, or cause their members to flee.
    Iran. The Government continued to abuse the religious freedom of 
minority groups. The country's religious minorities, including Baha'is, 
Jews, Christians, and Sunni Muslims, reported intimidation, harassment, 
and imprisonment on account of their beliefs. Persecution remains a 
problem. Baha'is are singled out by the Government, and at least 11 
Baha'is were imprisoned. On July 1, 2000, 10 Jewish and 2 Muslim 
defendants were convicted and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 4 
to 13 years on charges of spying. The Revolutionary Court deprived the 
accused of almost all legitimate means of defense, and its conduct 
worsened societal attitudes toward the Jewish community.
    Iraq. The Government for decades has conducted a brutal campaign of 
murder, summary execution, and protracted arbitrary detention against 
the religious leaders and adherents of the majority Shi'a Muslim 
population. Security forces murdered senior Shi'a clerics, desecrated 
mosques and holy sites, arrested tens of thousands of Shi'a, and 
forcibly prevented Shi'a from practicing their religion. The Government 
also targeted the country's Christian Assyrians and Chaldeans by 
denying members their political rights and forcibly removing them from 
certain areas of the country.
    Pakistan. In spite of promised improvements following the October 
12, 1999, military coup, the Government continued to enforce 
discriminatory legislation. Some of the legislation directly targeted 
Ahmadis, who also face severe societal discrimination. Christians, 
Hindus, Zikris, and other religious minorities also are subject to 
widespread discrimination and harassment. The so-called blasphemy laws 
have been used by authorities and private citizens to threaten and 
intimidate both members of religious minorities and members of the 
Muslim majority. Sectarian violence, mostly between rival Sunni and 
Shi'a Muslim groups, frequently occurred. The Government did not 
encourage violence; however, there were instances in which the 
Government failed to intervene in cases of sectarian violence.
    Saudi Arabia. The Government supports the Sunni majority, and 
members of the Shi'a minority are subject to officially sanctioned 
political and economic discrimination. In some cases, they have 
experienced arbitrary detention and other more severe forms of 
discrimination. Religious freedom does not exist in the country, and 
non-Muslims may not worship publicly. However, they may engage in 
nonpublic worship if they do so discretely. Any attempt to convert 
Muslims to a non-Muslim religion is a criminal offense. In particular, 
Catholics and Protestants from Asia have been subject to discrimination 
and deportation for violating the Government's strict religious 
regulations.
    Serbia. Slobodan Milosevic continued to exploit ethnic, religious, 
and political divisions to maintain his rule. While religion and 
ethnicity in the Former Republic of Yugoslavia are intertwined closely, 
the Government continued to suppress religious minorities and provide 
preferential treatment to the Serbian Orthodox Church. In Serbia's 
sister republic, Montenegro, tensions between the ecclesiastically 
unofficial Montenegrin Orthodox Church and the officially recognized 
Serbian Orthodox Church worsened and were politicized by the opposing 
political factions.
    Sudan. Against the backdrop of an ongoing civil war, the Muslim-
dominated regime continued to persecute members of religious 
minorities. Christians, practitioners of traditional indigenous 
religious, and Muslims who deviate from the Government's interpretation 
of Islam were subject to arbitrary arrest and detention, threats, 
violence, and forced conversion to Islam. The Government's support of 
slavery and its continued military action in villages in the Nuba 
mountains, which resulted in numerous deaths, are due in part to the 
victims' religious beliefs.
    Turkmenistan. The Government places significant limits on freedom 
of religion and religious organizations by requiring that religious 
groups have 500 members before they may be registered with the 
Government. Only Sunni Muslims and Russian Orthodox Christians have 
enough members to be registered officially, and all other religious 
groups, including Baha'is, Baptists, Hare Krishnas, Seventh Day 
Adventists, some Muslims, and Pentecostals, face official harassment. 
Government interference in unregistered religious activity increased, 
as officials harassed group members, deported foreigners, denied visa 
renewals, confiscated religious materials, demolished a Hare Krisha 
temple and a Seventh Day Adventist church, and allegedly tortured some 
religious detainees.
    Uzbekistan. The Government continued a harsh campaign against 
unauthorized Islamic groups, often failing to distinguish between 
Islamacist terrorist groups that seek to overthrow the Government by 
force and other devout Islamic groups, often part of the political 
opposition. Labeling them a threat to national security, the Government 
indiscriminately arrested hundreds of members of such groups and 
sentenced them to lengthy jail terms. Officials frequently used 
registration requirements to restrict the activity of various religious 
groups, including some Christians and some Muslim groups. Law 
enforcement officials harassed and tortured prisoners, including 
members of unapproved religious organizations, and manufactured false 
evidence against them.

State Neglect of the Problem of Discrimination Against, or Persecution 
                 of, Minority or Nonapproved Religions

    In some countries, governments have laws or policies to discourage 
religious discrimination and persecution but fail to act with 
sufficient consistency and vigor against violations of religious 
freedom by nongovernmental entities or local law enforcement officials.
    Egypt. In Egypt members of the non-Muslim minority generally 
worship without interference, but there is some societal and 
governmental discrimination. Almost 100 persons, including members of 
the Faramawy religious group, were arrested and charged with heresy 
against Islam. Some were convicted and sentenced. Violent exchanges 
between Christians and Muslims in Al-Kush, culminating in early January 
2000, resulted in the death of 21 Christians and 1 Muslim; many more 
were wounded. The Government indicted 135 people for the violence and 
took steps to compensate the victims. Some members of the Christian 
community acknowledge that the Government has become somewhat more 
responsive but still argue that, despite improvements, the approval 
process for church construction remains slow and cumbersome.
    India. Attacks on religious minorities were less intense during the 
reporting period but more widespread. They included assaults on 
Christian clerics and pilgrims and bomb and arson attacks on churches. 
Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh villagers and Hindu pilgrims and laborers were 
killed in conjunction with the ongoing conflict in Kashmir. The central 
Government condemned the attacks and called for tolerance, but the 
response of local law enforcement officials often was inadequate.
    Indonesia. Religious intolerance contributed to intercommunal 
violence in several regions, particularly in the Maluku provinces (also 
known as the Moluccas) and Central Sulawesi. Official statistics record 
that over 2,470 persons were killed in the Moluccus strife since 
violence erupted in January 1999. The victims were divided about 
equally between Christians and Muslims. The Government responded slowly 
and ineffectively, and many accuse the military and police forces of 
bias (against both Christians and Muslims, respectively) and complicit 
in the violence in Maluku.
    Churches and other Christian facilities continued to be attacked in 
Java, where Muslims are a majority, although not to the extent 
experienced in 1996-97.
    Nigeria. The new civilian government's ability to enforce respect 
for religious freedom and to prevent violence between Muslims and non-
Muslims was tested in January 2000 when some northern states began 
formally adopting Islamic law, or Shari'a, as their legal system. The 
adoption of Shari'a triggered interreligious violence in February and 
March, during which hundreds of Christians and Muslims were killed. The 
central Government continued to work with the northern states and with 
the various factions to foster religious freedom, but the potential for 
further violence remains great.

Discriminatory Legislation or Policies Disadvantaging Certain Religions

    Some governments have implemented laws or regulations that favor 
certain religions and place others at a disadvantage. Often this 
circumstance is the result of the historical predominance of one 
religion in a country and may reflect broad social skepticism about new 
or minority religions. Sometimes it stems from the emergence of a 
country from a long period of Communist rule, in which all religion was 
prohibited or at best out of favor. In such countries, skepticism or 
even the fear of certain religions or all religions lingers within 
segments of society. This circumstance led in some cases to a 
curtailment of religious freedom.
    Armenia. The national church in Armenia--the Armenia Apostolic 
Church--is not subject to some of the restrictions on religious freedom 
that are imposed on other religious organizations that must register 
with the Government. Jehovah's Witnesses continue to have their 
application for legal recognition rejected because of their ``illegal 
proselytism.'' Members report individual acts of discrimination, 
although there is no discernable pattern of persecution.
    Belarus. The Government openly favors the Belarusian Orthodox 
Church (which was designated as an Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox 
Church in 1989) and has stepped up its harassment of all other 
religious groups. Some of these ``nontraditional'' religions, including 
many Protestant denominations, some Eastern religions, and the 
Belarusian Orthodox Autocephalous Church, repeatedly have been denied 
registration by the Government, effectively denying them the ability to 
obtain property on which to conduct religious services. The Government 
promulgates false accusations against some minority faiths through 
state-owned newspapers and places restrictions on and regularly 
intimidates domestic and foreign religious leaders.
    Bulgaria. The attitude of the Government generally has been 
positive in encouraging greater religious tolerance since early 1998. 
Although religious freedom improved for some nontraditional groups, 
others faced official disfavor and persistent government refusal to 
grant registration. Some groups also continue to face discrimination 
and antipathy from some local governments. The national government has 
not taken any action to dissuade local governments from such 
infringements of religious freedom. There also was concern about a new 
law on religion introduced into the National Assembly, which was in 
committee in the summer of 2000. Some religious groups and the U.S. 
Government have urged the Bulgarian government to revise those 
provisions that have the potential to give the Government excessive 
control over religious affairs.
    Eritrea. The Government singled out members of Jehovah's Witnesses 
for harsh treatment because of their refusal to participate in national 
service and other civic duties. Jehovah's Witnesses and others, 
including some Muslims, were subject to imprisonment for refusing to 
perform national service; however, only members of Jehovah's Witnesses 
are subject to dismissal from the civil service and often are denied 
identification cards, exit visas, trading licenses, and government 
housing.
    Israel. Most non-Jewish citizens are Arab Muslims, and they are 
subject to various forms of discrimination. The Government does not 
provide Israeli Arabs with the same quality of education, housing, 
employment opportunities, and social services as Jews. Government 
spending and financial support are proportionally far lower in 
predominatly non-Jewish areas than in Jewish areas. Evangelical 
Christians and other religious groups have complained in the past that 
the police have been slow to investigate incidents of harassment, 
threats, and vandalism directed against their meetings, churches, and 
other facilities by two ultra-Orthodox Jewish groups.
    Jordan. Government officials in Jordan still have not registered 
the Jordan Evangelical (Christian) Theological Seminary. Pending such 
registration, authorities suspended the renewal of the residence 
permits of all of the seminary's 36 foreign students (who come from 10 
foreign countries), and 2 members of the faculty.
    Malaysia. The Government significantly restricts the Shi'a minority 
from practicing its faith and places some restrictions on the 
activities of political opponents in mosques. It is very difficult for 
Muslims legally to change their religion. In April the state of Perlis 
passed a Shari'a law subjecting Islamic ``deviants'' and apostates to 1 
year of ``rehabilitation.''
    Romania. The Government generally does not impede the observance of 
religious beliefs. However, several religious groups allege that the 
Government delayed or impeded their attempts to acquire property, 
building permits, and other documents and to register as a religious 
group. According to Jehovah's Witnesses' organization, some local 
officials in Romania provided tacit support to Orthodox Christian 
clergy intent on barring Jehovah's Witnesses from practicing their 
faith.
    Russia. National and local officials are working to enforce a 
restrictive 1997 law on religion that replaced a more liberal 1990 law; 
however, there is some confusion regarding the new law, and its 
provisions have been applied inconsistently. The 1997 legislation 
distinguishes between religious organizations and groups, affording 
each a separate legal status that in effect created a hierarchy of 
religions and restricted the rights and privileges of newer and small 
religious communities. The required registration of religious groups 
and organizations at the local level is progressing slowly in some 
regions. Moreover, those that have not registered by December 31, 2000, 
are subject to organizational liquidation by the Government. Uneven 
implementation of the law and contradictory interpretations of the law 
and of other federal and local regulations permitted discriminatory 
practices by some regional and local governments. Many religious groups 
and organizations, both registered and unregistered, face 
discrimination and harassment by some government authorities. Federal 
officials, for the most part, have not taken sufficient action to 
address these concerns. For example, measures were taken to restrict 
the activities of a number of foreign missionaries and congregations 
associated with them. Four U.S. missionaries were refused visas to 
return to the country. Dan Pollard (formerly of the Vanino Baptist 
Church in the Khabarovsk region) was banned from receiving a visa on 
allegations that he violated customs regulations and evaded property 
taxes, a questionable charge given the role of local authorities in 
preventing him from complying with the law.
    Turkey. The Government continued to impose some restrictions on 
religious minorities and on religious expression in government offices 
and state-run institutions, including universities. A 50-year-old ban 
on the wearing of religious head garments in government offices and 
other state-run facilities continued to be enforced. Police detained or 
stopped Christians holding services in private apartments and those 
considered to be proselytizing. The Greek Orthodox Halki Seminary has 
remained closed since 1971, when the state nationalized all private 
institutions of higher learning.

Stigmatization of Certain Religions by Wrongfully Associating Them with 
                    Dangerous ``Cults'' or ``Sects''

    Austria. The Government of Austria intensified its ongoing 
information campaign against religious groups that it considers to be 
harmful to the interests of individuals and society. A brochure issued 
by the Government in September 1999 described several nonrecognized 
groups, as well as Jehovah's Witnesses, in decidedly negative terms 
that many found offensive.
    Belgium. In 1998 the Parliament adopted several recommendations 
from a Commission report on government policy toward ``sects,'' 
including the creation of a center that would report on ``Harmful 
Sectarian Organizations.'' Even though the word ``sect'' has assumed 
pejorative connotations in modern usage, the report noted that it 
employed the term in the traditional sense--a group of organized 
persons espousing the same doctrine within a religion.
    Czech Republic. In August 2000, the Government approved a proposal 
for a new bill on the registration and status of religious 
organizations that copies the restrictive Austrian model.
    France. A 1996 National Assembly report, as well as a followup 1999 
parliamentary report, labeled 173 groups as ``sects'' (a more precise 
English translation of the French in this instance would be ``cults''), 
actions which contributed to an atmosphere of intolerance toward 
minority religions. A few of the groups on the list are clearly 
dangerous, but most are merely unfamiliar or unpopular. Members of some 
groups that appear on the list continue to allege government and 
societal discrimination. Private legislation to update and toughen 
existing laws invoked to deal with cults, including a controversial 
provision defining the crime of ``mental manipulation,'' was introduced 
in the Senate in December 1999 and passed in amended form on a first 
reading by the National Assembly in June 2000. The competing versions 
of the bill have to be reconciled before final passage, although this 
action may not occur before mid-2001, given the current legislative 
calendar. The Minister of Justice further requested that the Senate, 
when it takes up the bill in the fall of 2000, consider a parallel 
reflection on how this legislation affects the constitutionally 
protected freedom of belief and the country's obligations under 
European and other international human rights conventions.
    Germany. Many officials in the Government believe that the Church 
of Scientology is a money-making scheme rather than a religion, and 
they have continued to investigate the Church and to warn of its 
``totalitarian tendencies.'' The continued official ``observation'' of 
the Church by the Government, without any resulting legal action, 
created an environment that encourages discrimination. Some employers 
refuse to hire Scientologists, and government procurement procedures 
sometimes include so-called sect filters designed to screen out members 
of the Church.

        Part II: Improvements in International Religious Freedom

    The International Religious Freedom Act prescribes a section of the 
Executive Summary that identifies foreign countries in which there has 
been a ``significant improvement in the protection and promotion of'' 
religious freedom and includes a description of the nature of the 
improvement as well as an analysis of the factors contributing to it. 
This report identifies two countries in which improvements during the 
reporting period have been significant and several others in which 
improvements have been noteworthy.
    It also should be noted that, as elaborated elsewhere in the 
Executive Summary and in the country report chapters, there remain 
significant problems of religious discrimination or abuse in some of 
the countries in which improvements have occurred. It is our hope that 
such countries will intensify the kinds of improvements cited in this 
section.
    Further information on actions by the U.S. Government in these 
countries also may be found in the respective country chapters.

       Significant Improvements in Respect for Religious Freedom

    Two countries have shown ``significant'' improvements in religious 
freedom. In neither of these countries do the improvements represent a 
fundamental alteration in what otherwise remains a poor human rights 
record. However, in both the improvement has been striking enough to 
raise the hope that it represents the first step in a more systematic 
change. The improvements for these two countries are highlighted in 
order to encourage additional positive steps.
    One country where religious freedom made significant improvement is 
Azerbaijan.
    Azerbaijan. Since the end of the Cold War, many countries of the 
former Soviet Union sought international integration, while 
simultaneously addressing problems of internal and external security. 
These countries understand that their goals of democratic and economic 
development necessitate not only ``membership-in-good-standing'' in 
such institutions as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in 
Europe (OSCE), the European Union, and the Council of Europe, but also 
adherence to international norms of human rights. These goals are 
threatened by government-sanctioned or tolerated abuses of human 
rights, including religious freedom. Moreover, in an age of global 
communications, where news of arrests, imprisonment, beatings, and 
torture are instantaneously communicated around the world, governments 
no longer control information. The misdeeds of officials are phoned, 
faxed, e-mailed, and sometimes broadcast to an interested foreign and 
domestic public.
    Unfortunately, such communications continue to be necessary. Some 
countries of the former Soviet Union have failed to cut their ties to 
antidemocratic institutions and practices inherited from the Soviet 
system. In these nations, many local and regional officials tend to be 
unimpressed with the value of membership in the international 
community. Sometimes real security problems have led to excesses 
against religious minorities. However, in some countries the national 
leadership increasingly sees the advantages of improvements in 
religious freedom. At least some of the elite realizes not only that 
religious persecution is incompatible with international norms, but 
that foreign companies will not invest where employees and families are 
at risk of abuse because of their religious practices. This realization 
has apparently led to improvements in some countries, although it has 
not necessarily been reflected in improvements in other areas of 
respect for human rights.
    Until the late fall of 1999, the Government of Azerbaijan and local 
law enforcement officials frequently used the Law on Religious Freedom 
and other laws to restrict religious activity by foreigners and 
nontraditional religious groups. For example, in the early fall of 
1999, police and security officials detained, imprisoned, and beat 
clergy, threatened to deport foreign religious workers, and used the 
forum of an assembly at a state factory publicly to humiliate and fire 
workers of a nontraditional religion.
    The Ambassador and other officials of the U.S. Government and the 
international community called this situation to the attention of 
President Aliyev and other high-level officials. Aliyev consulted his 
ministers and then publicly pledged to improve the status of religious 
minorities and to adhere to the country's own constitutional standards 
and international commitments. Since the President's announcement in 
November 1999, deportation orders and other charges against clergy and 
groups of religious minorities have been overturned, many religious 
groups have been allowed to register for the first time, the factory 
workers were reinstated in their jobs, and respect for religious 
freedom has improved. Further, a local law enforcement official was 
punished for his role in abuses against a religious minority. Although 
problems remain, Azerbaijan's willingness to adhere to its 
constitutional and international commitments to respect religious 
freedom represents a significant improvement in the status quo.
    Laos. After the end of the Vietnam War, the Communist authorities 
imposed a repressive regime that severely limited basic human rights. 
Because believers of a number of minority faiths historically had 
opposed the Communist takeover and sometimes continued to oppose the 
Government, such faiths were viewed with suspicion as security threats. 
This attitude was true particularly in the case of a number of minority 
ethnic groups living in strategically sensitive border areas. Members 
of these ethnic groups often belonged predominantly or significantly to 
minority religions. Furthermore, Christianity was viewed as a remnant 
of the former colonial power and Christians were considered to be 
agents of suspect ``Western'' influences. These attitudes, coupled with 
standard Communist ideological opposition to religion, contributed to 
widespread oppression of the religious faithful. Independent religious 
structures were suppressed as possible sources of organized opposition 
to the Government.
    More recently, economic stagnation and the fall of Communism in the 
Soviet Union encouraged economic liberalization. Longstanding hostility 
to the United States began to ebb, and there was increased interest in 
attracting economic assistance and private investment from the West in 
general and from the United States in particular. Economic 
liberalization led to better communications with the outside world, 
including via the Internet. Human rights abuses were more apt to be 
publicized abroad. Many abuses were committed by local and regional 
authorities with varying degrees of independence from the central 
Government. Increasingly, the central government was willing to engage 
in human rights dialogue with other countries on the basis of 
international standards and agreements. All of these forces--economic 
liberalization, better communications, human rights dialogue--fostered 
improvements in human rights and religious freedom.
    The Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom met 
during 1999 with high-ranking officials of the Government in Vientianne 
and with the Laotian Ambassador in Washington to express concern at the 
plight of Christians who were imprisoned because of their faith. 
Embassy officers in Laos also held discussions on the matter with their 
counterparts. In mid-2000 many of the prisoners were released. While 
serious impediments to religious freedom remain in Laos, their release 
constitutes a significant improvement and demonstrates a willingness on 
the part of the central Government to intervene with local and 
provincial authorities when the latter abridge the religious liberties 
of minorities.

        Noteworthy Improvements in Respect for Religious Freedom

    There have been other improvements in religious freedom worldwide 
which merit attention. They are as follows:
    Bulgaria. The Government officially approved registration of the 
Nazarene Church, which had been attempting to register for over 5 
years.
    Chile. On July 6, 1999, the Senate approved a new religious law 
(``ley de culto''). Among other provisions, it bestows the same legal 
status (``derecho publico'') on all other faiths that the Catholic 
Church previously enjoyed. The legislation entered into effect in March 
2000. The revision removed the legal possibility of other faiths having 
their status challenged administratively.
    Croatia. The Government enacted constitutional amendments in May 
that added Bosnian Muslims and Albanians to the list of officially 
recognized minorities. Muslims were removed from the list by the 
previous government in 1998. The newly elected Government has shown an 
interest in improving religious freedom, and, to date, religious 
leaders are cautiously optimistic.
    Czech Republic. A new draft bill on religion was pending in the 
legislature of the Czech Republic in mid-2000. The bill, which was 
drafted with the input of various church representatives, would 
facilitate the ability of religious groups to be recognized legally. It 
would lower the number of signatures required to grant a religious 
organization legal status from 10,000 to 300.
    Dominican Republic. Church leaders report that they have noticed 
increased political freedom for religious minorities. In particular the 
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and Jehovah's Witnesses 
report improved relations with the Government.
    Egypt. Egyptian Copts were appointed to senior political party 
positions during the reporting period, and some observers noted an 
increased representation of Christians in public and political life. A 
December 1999 decree by President Hosni Mubarak provided that all 
places of worship be subject to the same civil construction code. The 
decree has had the effect of facilitating church repairs. The 
Government's response to sectarian violence against Christians also 
improved. After an outbreak of sectarian violence in the village of Al-
Kush over the New Year, the Government responded quickly to restore 
order. A criminal court in Sohag city indicted 135 people for the 
violence, and the trials are ongoing.
    France. The highest administrative court in France, the Council of 
State, ruled in June 2000 that Jehovah's Witnesses qualify as a 
religion. The ruling exempted Jehovah's Witnesses from property taxes 
levied against their houses of worship. The Government also 
acknowledged Islam as a state-recognized religion, a status which is 
expected, among other things, to lead to the release of state funds for 
building mosques.
    The Gambia. In contrast to previous years, there were no reports of 
persecution against members of the Ahmadis or against any other 
religious group.
    Germany. The Government enacted a series of positive legal reforms. 
The Federal Administrative Court ruled that the public law corporation 
status of a religious community may not be used to deny it the right to 
provide religious instruction in public schools, nor religious 
chaplaincies in the military, in hospitals, or in prisons.
    Ghana. The Government was more active in addressing religious 
conflicts than in past years. In addition to outlawing religious 
slavery, the Government sponsored an interfaith forum to address 
religious conflicts and has taken a more active role in mediating 
interreligious disputes.
    Greece. In June 2000, the Parliament approved a bill allowing the 
construction of the first Islamic cultural center and mosque in modern 
times in the Athens area. In July 2000 the Government completed plans 
to eliminate references to religious affiliation on official 
identification cards, which may help to protect individuals from 
discrimination.
    Indonesia. In January 2000, President Wahid issued a decree lifting 
restrictions in effect since 1967 on the practice of Confucianism. For 
the first time in over 30 years, Confucianists--mainly Indonesians 
associated with the Chinese minority--were permitted to celebrate the 
Chinese New Year publicly and to practice openly their religious 
customs.
    Iran. The Government announced that couples may register their 
marriage without declaring their religious affiliation. This is the 
first major step made by the Government toward religious freedom since 
the 1979 revolution. Members of the Baha'i community are likely to 
benefit most from the change.
    Israel. The successful March 2000 visit of the Pope contributed to 
increased religious tolerance in Israel. In March the High Court of 
Justice ruled that the Government's use of the Jewish National Fund to 
develop public land was discriminatory; that organization's bylaws 
prohibit the sale or lease of land to non-Jews. In June 2000, the 
Government proposed a plan to redress spending for non-Jewish areas, 
which was substantially below that in predominantly Jewish areas. 
Finally, harassment of Jehovah's Witnesses declined in 2000.
    Kuwait. The Government agreed to allow the Vatican to establish a 
permanent mission in the country. The Catholic Church views the 
approval as a significant development and indicative of increased 
tolerance of Christianity by the government of Kuwait.
    Latvia. The government effectively has eased visa restrictions on 
foreign missionaries. New visa regulations came into effect in July 
1999, and the Government has cooperated to resolve several difficult 
visa cases in favor of missionary workers.
    Malaysia. Charges were dropped against Muslim women who were 
arrested for being on premises where liquor is served. While it is an 
offense for a Muslim to drink liquor, it is not an offense to be in a 
place that serves liquor. The central Government strongly criticized 
the arrests.
    Netherlands. The Equal Opportunities Committee took several steps 
to reduce employment discrimination on the basis of religion. The 
Committee ruled in July 1999 that wearing headscarves for religious 
reasons may be banned only on serious grounds, such as security 
considerations. The Committee also ruled that employers must take 
account of reasonable religious demands from their employees, such as 
requests by Muslims for leave on Fridays or by Christians for leave on 
Sundays.
    Philippines. There was enhanced cooperation between Christian and 
Muslim leaders in Mindanao. This cooperation gained more publicity 
because of the upswing in violent clashes between militant Muslim 
insurgent groups and government security forces. Religious leaders hope 
to contribute to a climate of peaceful resolution of the underlying 
economic and ethnic problems in Mindanao.
    Qatar. The construction of the first Christian church in Qatar was 
approved. Previously, the Qatar authorities prohibited the public 
practice of any religion except the Wahhabi interpretation of Islam.
    Romania. Foreign religious representatives experienced less 
discrimination in the processing of visa extensions. The State 
Secretary for Religious Denominations made it much easier for religious 
associations and foundations to receive building permits. A government 
decree effective May 2000 promises to reduce substantially bureaucratic 
hindrances to the registration of religious organizations by removing 
minimum requirements for numbers of members necessary to establish 
religious associations and foundations. A law was adopted entitling 
religious denominations to reclaim by legal means property seized 
during the Communist era. Three court rulings upheld the rights of 
Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh Day Adventists to build places of 
worship and practice their faith. The Government sent a new, 
restrictive Draft Law on Religions to Parliament in September 1999. 
Responding to concerns by the Department of State and the international 
community, the Government formally withdrew the legislation in January 
2000. The Government currently is engaged in discussions with a wide 
range of religious representatives to formulate a new law based on 
democratic principles.
    Russia. Responding to concerns by the Department of State, one of 
Russia's regional governments decided in November 1999 to allow the 
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to take part in the 
official registration process. This action followed repeated denials of 
the church's petition for registration by the regional government. 
Several weeks later the Government announced that it would register all 
religious groups under their present charters, including the local 
Roman Catholic parish.
    Saudi Arabia. Government officials reaffirmed publicly, in domestic 
and international forums, e.g., at the 56th session of the U.N. 
Committee on Human Rights in April 2000, the right of non-Muslims to 
worship privately. These statements, published in the local press, 
created a greater societal awareness of the Government's decision to 
allow non-Islamic private worship. Observers note that, in spite of 
several recent actions by the Government against Christians engaged in 
private worship, non-Islamic freedom to worship privately received more 
attention and greater respect than in the past.
    Slovakia. The Government took modest steps to improve religious 
freedom through changes in primary and secondary educational 
curriculums designed to combat anti-Semitism and through a national 
conference on racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, and intolerance.
    Sudan. Some religious prisoners and detainees were released, 
including Faki Koko, who allegedly was held for apostasy, Father 
Hillary Boma, and Father Lino Sebit. The Public Order Courts were 
abolished, the enforcement of public order law was relaxed, and women 
imprisoned under that law were released. Restrictions on religious 
visitors and gatherings were eased. The Government's Committee for the 
Eradication of the Abduction of Women and Children identified hundreds 
of abductees (mostly Christians or practitioners of traditional 
indigenous religions) and returned many of them to their families.
    Taiwan. The Government no longer places restrictions on registering 
new religions if they meet the legal requirements for civic 
organizations. Under the new rules, three religions were registered in 
1999. A new law allows a civilian alternative to military service for 
those who are conscientious objectors. In the past, Jehovah's Witnesses 
and other minority religious adherents were imprisoned for failing to 
follow orders while in military service.
    Tajikistan. A national referendum amended the Constitution to allow 
for religiously oriented political parties. Two representatives of one 
such party were elected to the new parliament.
    Turkey. In June 2000, Ankara's Supreme Court approved the 
establishment of a Christian foundation for a Turkish Protestant 
church.
    Ukraine. The Government revised its visa policy in May 2000, 
announcing that invitations are no longer required for visa issuance to 
citizens of the United States, Canada, the European Union (EU), and 
Japan. While the change greatly simplifies religious tourist travel to 
Ukraine, religious workers still must obtain special visas that are 
issued only by invitation. The Government continued its plan to return 
properties that had been seized during the Communist era to religious 
groups. In addition some nontraditional religious organizations 
reported an increase in government cooperation, especially in regards 
to registration. President Kuchma made a number of symbolic gestures 
promoting religious freedom. He spoke frequently and publicly about the 
need for ethnic and religious tolerance, spoke out against anti-
Semitism, and attended several high-profile religious services.
    Uzbekistan. Until August of 1999, six Christians--in cases 
receiving a high profile in the international religious press--were 
imprisoned on fabricated narcotics charges because of their religious 
activities. Also, some 20 congregations of religious believers were 
unable to register because of obstruction by local officials. Moreover, 
throughout the reporting period, the Government arrested hundreds of 
alleged members of unauthorized Islamic groups. Beginning in August 
1999, the Government responded to international diplomatic engagement 
and began to make a concerted effort to improve respect for the 
religious freedom of Christians and members of other minority religious 
groups. However, respect for unauthorized Muslim groups worsened, as 
the Government intensified its harsh campaign against such groups, 
which it perceived as a continuing security threat. There is little 
question that some devout Muslims, identified as dangerous solely 
because of their religion, were adversely affected.
    In contrast to the government's treatment of unauthorized Muslim 
groups, members of most Christian communities reported a significant 
increase in government cooperation and tolerance, although there were 
still reports of harassment by local officials against some Christian 
communities. The President pardoned the six imprisoned Christians. The 
Government also registered over 25 non-Muslim religious groups whose 
applications were blocked by local officials, including several that 
were technically below the required membership level to qualify under 
the restrictive religious freedom law. In the latter case, the groups 
were sought out and ``invited'' to register, an unprecedented show of 
goodwill.
    Finally, the Government held an international conference of experts 
to examine the shortcomings of the law on religion, indicating its 
intention to use this as a basis for corrective legislation based on 
the recommendations of the conference. On May 25, the day after the 
Ambassador at Large met with Uzbek officials, President Karimov 
suggested that the Parliament consider improvement of the religion law.
    Vietnam. Most of the serious restrictions of religious freedom in 
Vietnam remained in place. However, there was a decrease in official 
interference with religious practice, especially for officially 
recognized groups, such as Catholics and Buddhists. Most of the 
imprisoned 25 Christian Hmong church leaders were released, as were 3 
Catholic priests. Officials of the central Government demonstrated some 
willingness to investigate reports of abuses by local and provincial 
authorities and to take action against those authorities.

   Part III: U.S. Actions to Promote International Religious Freedom

    As noted in the 1998-99 report, the promotion of religious freedom 
involves far more than public airing of violations. The most productive 
work often is done behind the scenes, for a very simple reason: no 
government or nation is likely to respond positively when publicly 
rebuked.
    However, it is sometimes necessary for the United States, and the 
international community, to denounce particularly abhorrent behavior by 
another nation openly. The 1998 International Religious Freedom Act 
mandates certain actions in cases of particularly severe violations of 
religious freedom. In October 1999, the Secretary of State (acting 
under the authority of the President) designated five countries as 
``countries of particular concern'' under the Act for having engaged in 
or tolerated particularly severe violations. They are Burma, China, 
Iran, Iraq, and Sudan. In addition the Secretary identified Serbia and 
the Taliban regime of Afghanistan (not ``countries under the Act) as 
having committed particularly severe violations.
    Religious freedom is one of the fundamental human rights provided 
for in international covenants. In general the best public method of 
promoting religious freedom is to advocate the universal principles--in 
particular the inviolable dignity of the human person--that are 
nourished when religious freedom is valued and protected. This approach 
continues to be integrated into public U.S. foreign policy channels, 
through international exchanges, Worldnet and Voice of America 
broadcasts, a religious freedom web site in the home page of the 
Department of State, conferences, public opinion polling, Congressional 
hearings, and speeches and press conferences by senior U.S. foreign 
policy officials. While U.S. public diplomacy efforts will continue to 
develop, the following pages indicate some of the progress that has 
been made.
    Central to the integration of religious freedom into the fabric of 
U.S. policy is the training of U.S. officials most likely to encounter 
those persecuted because of their religious beliefs: The consular 
officer in a U.S. Embassy who interviews a refugee applicant; the U.S. 
political officer seeking information on a prisoner; the asylum 
official at a U.S. airport hearing the plea of a woman fleeing 
religious persecution, and the interpreter who must render her foreign 
tongue into English with precision and sympathy; and the U.S. 
immigration judge who must hear the case of the alien in danger of 
being returned to his country, and into harm's way, because of his 
religious beliefs.
    It is, in part, with these U.S. officials that the success or 
failure of our religious freedom policy lies. Some of their efforts are 
highlighted in the following pages; others can be found in the 
Appendices to this report, which detail efforts of the Departments of 
State and Justice to institutionalize training for their personnel in 
areas critical to promoting religious freedom abroad.
    Finally, it bears repeating that the United States seeks to promote 
religious freedom abroad, not simply to criticize, or to make 
headlines. There are many paths to this end, some of them involving the 
difficult work of scrutinizing legal documents and draft legislation, 
mastering the history and culture of diverse societies, and 
understanding religious beliefs and practices alien to our own. Some 
paths involve risk, particularly when the objective is to liberate the 
prisoner, to stop the torture, or to stay the execution. Such vital 
work usually is done out of the limelight, often without 
acknowledgement, and occasionally without knowing its result.
    But the work must, and does, take place. It happens when a Foreign 
Service Officer, sometimes at the risk of safety, presses authorities 
to know where the priest has been taken and why. It happens when an 
ambassador, while discussing with a senior official his country's 
important strategic relationship with the United States, seeks access 
to the imprisoned mufti or information on the missionary who has 
disappeared. It happens when senior U.S. officials, responsible for 
balancing and pursuing all of America's vital national interests, make 
it clear that a single persecuted human being, perhaps obscure and 
insignificant in the grand affairs of state, matters to the world's 
most powerful nation.

                           The Year in Review

    During the period covered by this report--July 1999 through June 
2000--the United States has engaged in a variety of efforts to promote 
the right of religious freedom and to oppose violations of that right. 
Its front line in pursuing these goals has been our overseas Missions--
the embassies, consulates general, and consulates of the United States. 
Frequently the Chief of Mission has led the way, as have other members 
of the country team.
    U.S. Mission efforts inevitably are centered on human rights 
officers, as well as consular officers, who serve as the eyes and ears 
of the mission in its search for information and its voice in the 
advocacy of religious freedom. Their work is facilitated by the wisdom 
and practical knowledge of local national embassy staff colleagues, 
whose contributions to international religious freedom frequently 
advance the interests of the United States. Public affairs officers 
coordinate the vital work of public diplomacy in order to present U.S. 
policy with accuracy and thoroughness. This work requires clear 
explanations both of the ``American approach'' (when asked or when 
useful) to religious freedom in the United States and of the U.S. 
practice of applying only international standards in its assessment of 
foreign governments.
    No less important is the tone and context set by senior U.S. 
officials when they speak publicly on the subject of religious freedom, 
or privately with foreign heads of government and other policy makers. 
The President, the Secretary of State, and many of her senior staff 
have addressed the issue in venues throughout the world. Within the 
United States, the Department of Justice and the Immigration and 
Naturalization Service play a critical role as the agencies responsible 
for dealing with refugees and asylum seekers who are fleeing religious 
persecution. The Department of State is responsible for training some 
officials who interview refugee applicants; the Department of Justice 
is responsible for training officials who interview both refugee and 
asylum applicants and those who adjudicate their cases (see 
Appendices).
    The fulcrum of the effort to promote religious freedom lies in a 
State Department office established in the summer of 1998 and further 
mandated by the International Religious Freedom Act--the Office of 
International Religious Freedom in the Bureau of Democracy, Human 
Rights, and Labor. The office is headed by an Ambassador at Large, 
Robert Seiple, who serves as the principal advisor to the President and 
the Secretary of State on religious freedom. As such the Ambassador at 
Large recommends U.S. policies on religious freedom abroad and oversees 
the implementation of those policies. The Ambassador has begun the task 
of integrating U.S. policy on religious freedom into the mainstream of 
U.S. foreign policy, and--at the same time--into the structure of the 
Foreign Service and the Department of State.
    The Secretary of State, through the Offices of International 
Religious Freedom and Country Reports and Asylum Affairs (both in the 
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor), is responsible for 
preparing the annual report to Congress on the status of religious 
freedom worldwide. In carrying out this task, the Bureau draws on U.S. 
mission reporting, visits by the Ambassador at Large and his staff to 
individual countries, participation in multilateral meetings and 
conferences, and on evidence provided by religious and human rights 
nongovernmental organizations (NGO's), religious organizations and 
individuals. Monitoring and reporting are also guided by the 
recommendations and annual report of the U.S. Commission on 
International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) established in the 1998 Act.
    The following section summarizes some of the many efforts 
undertaken by various elements of the U.S. Government's foreign policy 
community to promote religious freedom. It is by no means exhaustive, 
but it endeavors to provide by way of example a realistic portrait of 
U.S. actions. Further details may be found in the individual country 
reports.
    The following acronyms are used in the text: IRF, International 
Religious Freedom, and USCIRF, U.S. Commission on International 
Religious Freedom.
    Armenia. In September 1999, embassy officials met with the Military 
Prosecutor to discuss, among other topics, hazing of minority 
conscripts and the status of Jehovah's Witnesses. The Embassy also 
maintains regular contact with traveling regional representatives of 
foreign-based religious groups like the Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses 
and raises their concerns with Armenian officials.
    Austria. The Ambassador and other members of the Embassy met 
regularly with religious and political leaders to reinforce the U.S. 
Government's commitment to religious freedom and tolerance. They have 
met repeatedly with the leader of the Jewish community in Austria and 
the head of the Lutheran church in Burgenland regarding the threats 
against them and their concerns about the new Government. Following 
these threats, the Ambassador met with Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel to 
convey the concerns of the U.S. Government. The Ambassador also raised 
concerns about a government Minister's intentions to enhance the role 
of the office on sects. In May 2000, the Ambassador participated in the 
annual commemoration of the victims of the Holocaust at Matthausen 
concentration camp. She followed this with a speech on diversity and 
tolerance at a program for second-generation immigrants. In April the 
Ambassador hosted an event at the residence featuring Congressman Tom 
Lantos, a Holocaust survivor. This included members of the government, 
religious leaders, and other opinion makers. It focused on religious 
and racial tolerance, including a screening of a documentary on 
holocaust survivors. In February the Ambassador hosted a benefit 
conference to raise money for the renovation of St. Stephen's 
cathedral, at which she focused on ecumenical partnerships to combat 
intolerance. Following a December 1999 unveiling of a statue 
symbolizing tolerance, the Ambassador hosted a reception for government 
officials and representatives from NGO's concerned with minorities, 
tolerance, and issues of genocide prevention.
    In addition, in June 2000, Ambassador Seiple testified before House 
International Relations Committee about religious freedom issues in 
Austria, including concerns about the Government's information campaign 
against religious groups that it considers harmful to the interests of 
individuals and society.
    Afghanistan. In October 1999, the Secretary of State designated the 
Taliban regime, which controls most of Afghanistan as a ``country of 
particular concern'' under the International Religious Freedom Act for 
particularly severe violations of religious freedom.
    Azerbaijan. U.S. engagement was significant in the fall of 1999 in 
response to a crackdown on religious activity by government officials. 
After police broke up a Baptist service in Baku and detained 60 
congregants, on September 5, embassy officials were called by local 
worshipers to meet with detainees, police, and security officials at 
the police station. Throughout the ensuing week, embassy officers 
attended court hearings for two Azerbaijani pastors and eight 
foreigners arrested as a result of the police action. Other religious 
groups quickly reported similar incidents of harassment, and the 
Embassy carefully pursued each report with those groups and with the 
central Government. Throughout the fall, the Embassy maintained regular 
contact with government officials and local religious groups to monitor 
the situation and promote a resolution consistent with the country's 
constitutional standards of religious freedom. In addition, in October 
1999, an IRF office staff member visited the country to express U.S. 
concern to the Government and to the local groups affected by the 
arrests and harassment.
    The U.S. Ambassador met with the Ministers of Interior, Justice, 
and National Security, as well as the Prosecutor General, to express 
U.S. Government concerns over this pattern of incidents, characterizing 
them as violations of standards of religious freedom of the 
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) as well as 
of the Azerbaijani constitution. On November 3, Ambassador Escudero 
personally delivered a letter from several Congressmen to President 
Aliyev expressing concern over the incidents. On November 8, President 
Aliyev publicly reiterated his country's full commitment to 
constitutional and OSCE standards of religious freedom and ordered his 
government to resolve immediately all reported problems.
    Belarus. On April 13, the Ambassador sent a letter to the governor 
of the Brest Oblast and the Ministry of Foreign affairs urging a 
resolution of the conflict concerning Catholic priest Zbeigniew 
Karoljak, following a meeting in Brest with Karoljak's parishioners.
    Belgium. Embassy officers met with high-level government officials 
and conducted active measures to assist in resolving outstanding 
complaints of religious discrimination. In June 2000, Ambassador Seiple 
testified before the House International Relations Committee about 
religious freedom issues, including the Belgian Government's policy 
towards ``sects'' and the creation of a ``Center for Information and 
Advice on Harmful Sectarian Organizations.''
    Bosnia and Herzegovina. In March 2000, Ambassador Seiple visited 
Bosnia and Herzegovina and met with Government officials, NGO's, and 
religious leaders to discuss religious freedom issues.
    Bulgaria. The Ambassador, embassy officers, and visiting State 
Department officials met with a diverse cross-section of relevant 
government officials and Members of Parliament to advocate a liberal 
approach to religious freedom under a new law on religion. In March an 
IRF officer visited Sofia to meet with NGO's and with embassy officers 
regarding the draft law. Embassy officers have kept in close touch with 
human rights and religious groups to remain attuned to their concerns 
about the proposed law. The U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE raised this 
point with Bulgaria's OSCE ambassador, and the State Department also 
raised this issue in the context of the Stability Pact. Embassy 
officers have met with Orthodox clergy from both sides of the schism, 
with the chief mufti of the Muslim community, with religious and lay 
leaders of the Jewish community, as well as with the leaders of 
numerous Protestant denominations.
    Burma. In October 1999, the Secretary of State designated Burma a 
country of particular concern under the International Religious Freedom 
Act for particularly severe violations of religious freedom.
    Since 1988 a primary objective of U.S. Government policy has been 
to promote increased respect for human rights, including the right to 
freedom of religion. The United States discontinued bilateral aid to 
the Government, suspended the issuance of licenses to export arms to 
Burma, suspended the Generalized System of Preferences for Burma, 
suspended tariff preference for imports of Burmese origin, and 
suspended Export-Import Bank financial services in support of U.S. 
exports to Burma. The U.S. Government also has not provided any 
Overseas Private Investment Corporation financial services in support 
of U.S. investment in Burma, suspended active promotion of trade with 
Burma, suspended issuance of visas to high government officials and 
their immediate family members, banned new investment by U.S. firms, 
opposed all assistance to the Government by international financial 
institutions, and urged the governments of other countries to take 
similar actions.
    The U.S. Government actively supported the decision of the 
International Labor Organization (ILO), in June 1999, to suspend the 
Government of Burma from participation in ILO programs, based in part 
on an August 1998 ILO Commission of Inquiry report that the Government 
systematically used forced labor for a wide range of civilian and 
military purposes.
    The U.S. Embassy has promoted religious freedom in the overall 
context of its promotion of human rights generally in numerous contacts 
with government officials (both informally and through repeated formal 
demarches), as well as to the public, to representatives of the 
governments of other countries and of international organizations, to 
international media representatives, to scholars, and to 
representatives of U.S. and international businesses. Embassy staff 
members met repeatedly with leaders of Buddhist, Christian, and Islamic 
religious groups, members of the faculties of schools of theology, and 
other religious-affiliated organizations and NGO's as part of their 
reporting and public diplomacy activities.
    China. In October 1999, the Secretary of State designated China as 
a country of particular concern under the International Religious 
Freedom Act for particularly severe violations of religious freedom.
    The U.S. Embassy and consulates collected information about abuses 
and maintained contacts in China's religious communities with a wide 
spectrum of religious leaders including bishops, priests, ministers of 
the official Christian churches, and Taoist and Buddhist leaders. 
Embassy officials continued, for example, to seek clarification about 
the status of Roman Catholic Bishop Su Zhimin. On numerous occasions, 
senior U.S. Government officials in Washington and in China protested 
government actions taken against Falun Gong followers, including the 
temporary detention of thousands of adherents in July 1999 and the 
sentencing of four group leaders later in that year. In May 2000, 
senior embassy officers urged the Chinese to release Pastor Xu Yongze, 
whose ``reeducation through labor'' sentence expired in March 2000. 
Consulate Guangzhou officers also protested to local officials the 
detention and harassment of Pastor Li Dexian. State Department 
officials met with senior Chinese Embassy officers in Washington to 
protest the January detention of Roman Catholic Bishop Yang Shudao. 
Diplomatic personnel also traveled to Tibet to monitor conditions, 
including the status of religious freedom. Cases raised by the Embassy 
include those of Gendun Choekyi Nyima, the boy recognized by the Dalai 
Lama as the 11th Panchen Lama; Abbot Chadrel Rinpoche; Ngawang 
Sangdrol; and other Tibetan monks and nuns. Other embassy officers 
raised specific cases in meetings with officials from the Religious 
Affairs Bureau and the United Front Work Department.
    The Department of State sent Chinese religious leaders and scholars 
to the United States on international visitor programs to see first 
hand the role that religion plays in the United States.
    The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom took a 
number of actions during the reporting period to express its concerns 
about religious freedom in China. These included: A press release 
noting increasing religious persecution in China--including cases of 
persecution of Muslim Uighurs; public calls on the Chinese Government 
to end persecution of Falun Gong adherents; urging Chinese cooperation 
with the Vatican in naming Catholic bishops; and testimony before the 
Congressional Human Rights Caucus, the House Ways and Means Committee, 
the House International Relations Committee, and the Senate Foreign 
Relations Committee.
    In October 1999, Ambassador Seiple testified before the House 
International Relations Committee and in May 2000 before the Senate 
Foreign Relations Committee concerning the religious freedom of Tibetan 
Buddhists and the Christian and Muslim communities in China. In March 
2000, Ambassador Seiple, accompanied by Rabbi David Saperstein, 
Chairman of the Commission on International Religious Freedom, held 
bilateral meetings at the U.N. Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, 
seeking support for the U.S.-proposed resolution criticizing China's 
human rights record, including its religious freedom practices.
    Cuba. The U.S. Interests Section supported various religious 
leaders and communities in the country and supported NGO initiatives 
that aid religious groups. The U.S. Government regularly sought to 
facilitate the issuance of licenses for travel by religious persons and 
for donated goods and materials. The U.S. Interests Section raised 
issues of human rights, including religious discrimination and 
harassment, with government officials. However, the government 
dismissed these concerns. The Interests Section reported on cases of 
religious discrimination and harassment, and the U.S. government 
continuously urged international pressure on the Cuban government to 
cease its repressive practices.
    Czech Republic. The Embassy, the Department of State, and the U.S. 
Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad devoted 
considerable efforts beginning in December 1999 to facilitate a 
mutually acceptable settlement of the longstanding dispute over a 
medieval Jewish cemetery (believed to be the oldest in the Czech 
Republic) in downtown Prague.
    Egypt. The U.S. Embassy maintained an active dialog with the 
leaders of the Christian and Muslim religious communities, human rights 
groups, and other activists and has investigated every complaint of 
religious discrimination brought to its attention. The Embassy 
discussed religious freedom issues with other groups, including 
academics, businessmen, and lower-income citizens. The Embassy worked 
to strengthen civil society, including training for nongovernmental 
groups that promote religious tolerance and provided training to 
Egyptian police in human rights practices and community policing 
techniques.
    In March 2000, an NGO service center funded by the U.S. Agency for 
International Development (USAID) began operating to provide training 
and technical assistance to local NGO's. The Embassy nominated 
participants interested in advocacy for the International Visitor 
Program and invited U.S. specialists in this subject as part of the 
State Department's speakers program. Other embassy initiatives included 
activities designed to strengthen the rule of law and promote civic 
education. The public affairs section of the Embassy supported the 
development of materials that encourage tolerance, diversity, and 
understanding of others, in both Arabic-language and English-language 
curriculums.
    USAID, in collaboration with the Children's Television Workshop, 
developed an Egyptian version of the television program Sesame Street, 
which is designed to reach isolated households and to promote 
tolerance. The show was scheduled for airing beginning in the summer of 
2000. USAID also supported private voluntary organizations that are 
implementing innovative curriculums in private schools. The public 
affairs section of the Embassy spearheaded an effort to increase the 
professionalism of the press, with an emphasis on balanced and 
responsible coverage. Finally, USAID worked with the Supreme Council of 
Antiquities to promote the conservation of cultural antiquities, 
including Islamic, Christian, and Jewish historical sites.
    Eritrea. The Ambassador and other embassy officers raised the 
special case of Jehovah's Witnesses with government officials in the 
President's office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the High Court, 
the Ministry of Justice, in media interviews, and in the State 
Department's human rights report. The Assistant Secretary of State for 
Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor also raised the issue with the 
Eritrean Ambassador.
    France. In October 1999, Ambassador Seiple and an IRF officer 
visited France and met with government officials, NGO's, and religious 
leaders to discuss religious freedom issues. In addition, in June 2000, 
Ambassador Seiple testified before the House International Relations 
Committee regarding religious freedom issues in France, including 
concerns about the creation of the ``sect lists.''
    Germany. The U.S. Government has expressed its concerns over 
allegations of infringement of individual rights because of religious 
affiliation and over the potential for discrimination in international 
trade posed by the screening of foreign firms for possible Scientology 
affiliation. U.S. government officials discussed with state and federal 
German authorities U.S. concerns about the violation of individual 
rights posed by the use of declarations of Scientology affiliation. 
U.S. officials frequently made the point that the use of such 
``filters'' to prevent persons from practicing their professions, 
solely based on their beliefs, is an abuse of their rights, as well as 
a discriminatory business practice. In June 2000, Ambassador Seiple 
testified before the House International Relations Committee about the 
treatment of German Scientologists and the use of ``filters.''
    India. The U.S. Embassy continued to promote religious freedom 
through contact with the country's senior leadership, as well as with 
state and local officials. The Embassy and consulates regularly report 
on events and trends that affect religious freedom.
    During his state visit, President Clinton spoke about the massacre 
of Sikhs in Kashmir on March 20, 2000, and called for an end to the 
violence. In August and September 1999, the U.S. Consul in Chennai 
expressed concern to Kerala state government officials about the status 
of Father Anthony Raymond Ceresko's visa application to the chief 
secretary of Karnataka and about the the cancellation of the conference 
of the Anglican Church (see Section I). In January 2000, Senator Tom 
Daschle and his delegation raised the issue of religious minorities 
with Home Minister L.K. Advani during a visit to New Delhi. In February 
a representative of the State Department discussed minority issues with 
the National Human Rights Commission in New Delhi. On June 23, 2000, 
the U.S. Ambassador noted to the press that attacks against Christians 
are a serious concern.
    Embassy officers meet with religious officials to monitor religious 
freedom on a regular basis. U.S. embassy officers traveled to Gujarat 
and Uttar Pradesh to assess the situation of religious minorities in 
those states. Embassy and consulate officials maintained contact with 
senior leaders of all minority communities. The Embassy also maintains 
contacts with U.S. residents, including those in the NGO and missionary 
communities. The NGO community is extremely active with regard to 
religious freedom, and embassy officers meet with local NGO's to obtain 
information on religious freedom developments.
    Indonesia. The U.S. Government publicly expressed concern regarding 
the intercommunal violence that occurred in various parts of the 
country. U.S. statements urged the Government to take all necessary 
measures to prevent bloodshed; to take action against those who 
initiate violence, while adhering to international standards for the 
protection of human rights; and to resolve their differences through 
dialog and negotiation.
    With respect to the violence between Christian and Muslim 
communities in the Moluccas and elsewhere, President Clinton and other 
senior government officials raised their concerns with their Indonesian 
counterparts on numerous occasions.
    The Ambassador and embassy officers routinely conveyed to 
government officials at all levels the U.S. view that religious freedom 
must be respected and fostered. In addition the Ambassador and embassy 
officers regularly met with leaders of religious communities and 
traveled widely throughout the country to keep abreast of developments 
affecting religious freedom.
    The public affairs section of the Embassy funded the travel of 
several persons under the International Visitor Program, as well as 
exchange visitors, who studied human rights and religion in the United 
States, among other topics. They included religious and student leaders 
and legal activists from Aceh, Papua, East Timor, and other locations. 
The Fulbright Commission in Indonesia funded one senior U.S. scholar to 
teach comparative religion at the State Islamic Institute (IAIN) in 
Jakarta and a senior U.S. scholar-researcher who studied and taught the 
role of women in Koranic verse at the same institution.
    The U.S. Government also provided significant funding for NGO's 
that implement projects to promote religious tolerance in various parts 
of the country.
    The Commission on International Religious Freedom took a number of 
actions during the reporting period to express its concern about 
religious freedom in the country. These included publicly calling on 
the Government in January 2000 to restore order in the Malukus after 
outbreaks of Muslim-Christian strife; Commissioner Archbishop Theodre 
McCarrick's visit to East Timor and Jakarta in February; and the 
Commission's July public expression of ``deep concerns'' about 
religious violence.
    Iran. In October 1999, the Secretary of State designated Iran as a 
country of particular concern under the International Religious Freedom 
Act for particularly severe violations of religious freedom.
    President Clinton made a number of statements regarding the 
treatment of Iranian religious minorities. The statements included one 
criticizing the execution of Ruhollah Rowhani, a member of the Baha'i 
Faith, in June 1998 and a statement calling on the Government to 
exonerate 13 members of the Jewish community arrested in June 1999. The 
Secretary of State also called on the Government to release and drop 
charges against the 13 Jews, 10 of whom were still in prison as of June 
2000. In February the USCIRF publicly called for the nullification of 
death sentences for three Baha'is in Mashdad.
    Iraq. In October 1999, the Secretary of State designated Iraq as a 
country of particular concern under the International Religious Freedom 
Act for particularly severe violations of religious freedom.
    Israel. In December 1999, Ambassador Seiple visited Israel and met 
with Government officials, NGO's, religious leaders, and others to 
discuss a number of religious freedom issues including allegations of 
persecution of Christians, intrareligious conflicts in the Jewish 
community, and the concerns of the Islamic community.
    Jordan. In February 2000, Congressman Charles Canady forwarded a 
letter signed by 63 Members of Congress to King Abdullah, encouraging 
the Government to grant Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary's 
(JETS) request for registration with the Ministry of Education. In 
April 2000, Ambassador Seiple and members of the IRF office traveled to 
Jordan and met with religious leaders and officials regarding 
government delays in the registration of JETS. Ambassador Seiple also 
met with Queen Rania, who heads a new royal Human Rights Commission, 
and with Prince Hassan to promote interfaith dialog.
    Kazakhstan. In May 2000, Ambassador Seiple visited Kazakhstan and 
met with government officials, NGO's and religious leaders. Government 
officials were receptive to Ambassador Seiple's offers of assistance in 
drafting the drafting of new religious legislation.
    Laos. During his second visit in February 2000, Ambassador Seiple 
presided at a group meeting of religious leaders and officials where he 
emphasized the importance of religious freedom. Although the presence 
of government officials did not encourage frank dialog, the meeting was 
unprecedented and produced demarches to the Government. Ambassador 
Seiple met on several occasions with the Laotian Ambassador.
    Lebanon. In April 2000, Ambassador Seiple visited Lebanon and 
discussed Islamic-Christian dialog with local lawyers and activists.
    Nigeria. In July 2000, the USCIRF expressed publicly its ``deep 
concerns'' about religious violence in the country.
    Pakistan. On an informal basis, the Embassy has assisted some 
Christian-affiliated relief organizations in guiding paperwork through 
government channels. The Embassy also assisted local and international 
human rights organizations in following up on specific cases involving 
religious minorities. In meetings with cabinet officials and National 
Security Council members, the Ambassador raised the issues of the 
blasphemy laws, separate electorates for minorities, and the seeming 
impunity with which sectarian groups operated. The Embassy assisted 
with other high-level visits--including that of four senators led by 
Senator Thomas Daschle, a delegation led by Senator Sam Brownback, and 
a congressional staff delegation--which raised religious freedom issues 
with senior officials.
    The Embassy also conducted a number of public diplomacy programs on 
religious issues (e.g. ``Islam in America'' on Worldnet) designed to 
promote interfaith harmony and understanding. Expressions of concern 
over the blasphemy laws by the Embassy, together with the human rights 
community and other U.S. agencies, contributed to government efforts to 
implement administrative changes in application of the laws.
    Ambassador Seiple and an IRF office staff member visited Pakistan 
during the reporting period. They met with government officials, NGO's, 
and religious leaders to discuss religious freedom issues.
    Poland. One embassy officer devotes the vast majority of his time 
to questions of Polish/Jewish relations. The Embassy and Consulate 
General worked to facilitate the protection and return of former Jewish 
cemeteries throughout the country and to play a continuing role in 
ongoing efforts to establish an international foundation to oversee 
restitution of Jewish communal property.
    The public affairs sections of the Embassy and the Consulate in 
Krakow provided continuing support for activities designed to promote 
cultural and religious tolerance. Such activities included a digital 
videoconference linking young Poles with U.S. participants in the March 
of the Living; a 2-week voluntary visitor program for senior 
administrators at the Auschwitz-Birkenau state museum; and ongoing 
press and public affairs support for the Auschwitz Jewish Center 
Foundation and its project to renovate the last remaining synagogue in 
Oswiecim.
    Romania. U.S. embassy officials have lobbied consistently with 
government officials for fair treatment on property restitution issues, 
including religious and communal properties. The Embassy has a core 
group of officers who focus on fostering good ethnic relations, 
including relations between religious groups. The Embassy lobbied 
against a draft religion bill and encouraged other Western embassies 
and religious groups in Romania to do likewise. Secretary Albright also 
raised the issue with the Foreign Minister. The bill eventually was 
withdrawn in February 2000, following which Ambassador Seiple and 
USCIRF Chairman Saperstein visited Bucharest in March 2000 to confirm 
the Government's position and discourage attempts to resurrect the law.
    Russia. The Ambassador publicly and strongly criticized the attack 
on Jewish leader Leopold Kaymovskiy and the attempted bombing of the 
Bolshaya Bronnaya Synagogue, calling on the Government to investigate 
these crimes vigorously.
    The Embassy in Moscow and the Consulates General in Yekaterinburg, 
St. Petersburg, and Vladivostok actively investigated reports of 
violations of religious freedom, including anti-Semitic incidents. 
Embassy officials at the Chief of Mission level discussed religious 
freedom with high-ranking officials in the presidential administration, 
Government, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs approximately every 6 
weeks, raising specific cases of concern. Federal officials have 
responded by investigating those cases and keeping embassy staff 
informed on issues they have raised.
    Embassy representatives maintained close contact with Jewish 
leaders throughout the aftermath of two crises. After the attempted 
bombing of a synagogue, the Embassy's regional security officer also 
visited two other Lubavitcher synagogues to advise them on physical 
security. The Embassy closely followed and reported on the progress of 
the amendment to the 1997 religion law and related Constitutional Court 
rulings. The Embassy played a role in resolving registration problems 
of two religious groups in Samara and in Tatarstan and maintains 
contact with Tatarstan authorities in an effort to resolve a third 
case. As implementation of the 1997 religion law continues, the Embassy 
maintains semiweekly contact with working-level officials at the 
Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In May 2000, an 
embassy official attended a 4-day religion law seminar hosted by the 
Russian State Academy for Public Service, consulted with Russian and 
foreign religion law experts on the seminar results, and also met with 
representatives of religious groups at a subsequent briefing organized 
by the Esther Legal Information Center.
    The 1997 law on religious freedom was the subject of numerous high-
level communications between members of the U.S. executive branch and 
the Russian Government, involving the President, the Vice President, 
the Secretary of State, and other senior U.S. officials. For example, 
at the U.S.-Russia Summit held in Moscow on June 10-11, 2000, President 
Clinton discussed religious freedom in his meetings with President 
Putin and other government officials. On September 14, 1999, the 
Special Advisor to the Secretary of State for the New Independent 
States, Ambassador at Large Stephen Sestanovich, cochaired a roundtable 
meeting with representatives of religious communities at the State 
Department together with Senator Gordon Smith, Ambassador Seiple, and 
an National Security Council (NSC) Senior Director. On April 13, 2000, 
Ambassador Sestanovich cochaired another roundtable discussion on 
religious freedom in Russia with Senator Smith, Ambassador Seiple, and 
an NSC Senior Director.
    In February 2000, Ambassador Seiple testified before the Helsinki 
Commission about the 1997 law. In addition he addressed the harassment 
of Muslims stemming from the Caucasus conflict and the case of Reverend 
Dan Pollard in Khabarovsk Krai. In May 2000, Ambassador Seiple 
testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee expressing 
concerns about the 1997 law and other religious freedom issues in 
Russia.
    The USCIRF took a number of actions during the reporting period to 
express publicly its concern about religious freedom in Russia. These 
included: In December 1999, the Commission noted that the war in 
Chechnya was fed by religious bigotry; in May 2000, the Commission 
testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House 
International Relations Committee.
    Saudi Arabia. An embassy officer held meetings during October, 
November, December, February, and March with Philippine embassy 
staffers during the period of detention and deportation of persons 
suspected of involvement with Christian proselytizing groups. On March 
5 embassy officers conducted a meeting with and delivered a demarche on 
religious freedom to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs official in charge 
of human rights, including freedom of religion. In May 2000, senior 
embassy officers and the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for 
International Organizations, David Welch, held a meeting with the 
Assistant Deputy Foreign Minister regarding religious freedom and human 
rights issues. Also in May, a meeting was held with Foreign Minister 
Saud al-Faisal that included Assistant Secretary Welch and an embassy 
officer regarding religious freedom and human rights issues. The 
Embassy held another meeting in May with the Saudi Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs official in charge of human rights, which included discussions 
of freedom of religion. Ambassador Seiple also visited Saudi Arabia 
during the reporting period to discuss a range of religious freedom 
issues with government officials.
    Serbia-Montenegro. In October 1999, the Secretary of State 
designated the Milosevic Government of Serbia as a ``country of 
particular concern'' under the International Religious Freedom Act for 
particularly severe violations of religious freedom.
    In the summer of 1999 and again in February 2000, Secretary of 
State Albright met with Bishop Artemije, head of the Serbian Orthodox 
Church in Kosovo, who expressed concern about the safety of the Serbs 
still living in Kosovo. During visits to Kosovo in July and November 
1999, the Secretary delivered strong messages of ethnic tolerance in 
Kosovo. President Clinton also appealed for tolerance in the region on 
his visit in November 1999. U.S. Kosovo Force peacekeeping troops have 
worked to prevent ethnic and religious violence and have guarded some 
religious sites. The U.S. is involved actively in the U.N. Mission in 
Kosovo, the interim administration, which is aimed at securing peace, 
facilitating refugee return and reconstruction, laying the foundations 
for democratic selfgovernment in the province, and fostering respect 
for human rights regardless of ethnicity or religion. In Montenegro the 
U.S. Government has provided significant support and assistance to the 
reform-oriented republic government, which also seeks to ensure respect 
for human rights, including religious freedom.
    In May 2000, an IRF office staff member visited Kosovo to address 
religious freedom issues, including protection of minority populations 
and places of worship.
    Sudan. In October 1999, the Secretary of State designated Sudan as 
a country of particular concern under the International Religious 
Freedom Act for particularly severe violations of religious freedom.
    In May 2000, Ambassador Seiple testified before the Senate Foreign 
Relations Committee and expressed concern about the significant 
religious dimension of government forces targeting the mostly 
indigenous and Christian southern population. The USCIRF took a number 
of actions during the reporting period to express publicly its concern 
about religious freedom in Sudan. These included: In January 2000, 
Commission member Elliot Abrams visited Sudan; in February the 
Commission held hearings in Washington; in May the Commission testified 
before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House 
International Relations Committee; and in July the Commission noted 
ongoing severe religious freedom violations in Sudan.
    Turkey. In December 1999, Ambassador Seiple visited Turkey and met 
with Government officials, NGO's, and religious leaders to discuss 
religious freedom issues.
    Turkmenistan. In May 2000 the Ambassador raised the issue of the 
onerous registration requirements with the Deputy Chairman of the 
Council on Religious Affairs. In November 1999, the Ambassador and 
other embassy officials went to the site of the destruction of the 
SeventhDay Adventist Church to condemn the decision of the Government 
to tear down the church. Embassy officials assisted the congregation in 
removing some of its religious materials from the church for storage 
elsewhere. In July 1999, an embassy officer attempted to attend the 
trial of Shageldy Atakov but was not allowed into the courtroom. In 
September and December 1999, embassy officers met with the head of 
President Niyazov's Institute for Democracy and Human Rights and 
members of the Council on Religious Affairs to press for reducing the 
onerous registration requirements for minority religions. In the course 
of a discussion with the Foreign Minister on U.S.-Turkmen relations in 
December 1999, the Charge raised the issue of religious freedom and 
prisoners of conscience and urged that the latter be included in an 
upcoming presidential amnesty. In October 1999, a USCIRF Commissioner 
visited Turkmenistan and in March 2000 testified before the U.S. 
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe. In May 2000, 
Ambassador Seiple and an IRF office staff member met with government 
officials and religious leaders to discuss how to make progress in the 
registration of religious groups.
    Ukraine. Since most religious freedom problems in the country stem 
from the relationship between foreign missionaries of nonnative 
religions and local authorities, and most of the foreign missionaries--
approximately 55 percent--working in the country today are U.S. 
citizens, the Embassy has intervened as necessary to defend their 
interests. Responding to complaints by the missionaries that Ukrainian 
embassies and consulates were not issuing religious worker visas, the 
consular section raised the importance of honoring visa reciprocity in 
several 1999-2000 meetings with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These 
meetings did not result in tangible improvements in the Government's 
visa practices toward prospective religious workers; however, the 
Embassy plans to continue to stress the issue with the Ministry of 
Foreign affairs. During meetings with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 
the Embassy repeatedly recommended eliminating the Soviet-era 
requirement for an invitation to receive a Ukrainian visa. As of May 
2000, invitations were no longer required for citizens of the U.S., 
Canada, the EU, and Japan, a change that will benefit religious 
workers.
    The U.S. Government also has been active in advocating just 
restitution of religious property confiscated by the Nazi and Communist 
regimes. Embassy officers raised the issue in a February 2000 meeting 
at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Ambassador stressed the 
importance of a transparent and nondiscriminatory process for property 
restitution at the May 2000 meeting of the joint U.S.-Ukraine Cultural 
Heritage Commission in Kiev. A U.S. Commissioner and the Deputy 
Minister of Culture agreed to cooperate on drafting legislation that 
would prohibit construction and privatization on previous and current 
cemeteries of all religious denominations. The Embassy assisted in the 
April 2000 renewal of the Ukraine-Israel student exchange agreement 
which governs the actions of the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAI) in the 
country. An embassy officer met with the Director General of the JAI, 
Aaron Abramovich, in August 1999. The Ambassador raised the issue in a 
September 1999 meeting with presidential foreign policy advisor 
Anatoliy Orel and Deputy Foreign Minister Oleksandr Chaliy. The 
Ambassador also discussed the issue with Abramovich in a January 2000 
meeting. The Ambassador and his deputy raised the issue during meetings 
with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Embassy officers discussed the 
issue several times with the Israeli Embassy: a meeting was held with 
the Israeli Embassy in February 2000 to discuss renewal of the 
Agreement. The Embassy places a high priority on monitoring anti-
Semitism and maintaining close relations with local Jewish 
organizations. In August 1999, the Embassy hosted a meeting of Jewish 
community leaders with Senator Arlen Specter. Two embassy officers and 
a representative of the State Department's Office of Religious Freedom 
attended the October 1999 induction ceremony of Rabbi Alexander 
Dukhovny as the progressive rabbi of all Ukraine. Embassy officers also 
attended the March 2000 rededication of the Kiev grand synagogue. An 
embassy officer held regular meetings with a variety of Jewish 
community representatives.
    In October 1999, the NSC Director for Russian, Ukrainian, and 
Eurasian Affairs met with representatives of religious organizations in 
Kiev to discuss religious freedom and property restitution. An IRF 
office staff member also visited Ukraine to address religious freedom 
issues.
    Uzbekistan. The Ambassador delivered a speech calling for improved 
respect for religious freedom at the Ombudsman's February 29 roundtable 
on amending the religion law. The Ambassador and other embassy officers 
raised issues of religious freedom on at least 10 occasions in meetings 
with the Foreign Minister and other government officials, as well as in 
the context of the U.S.-Uzbek human rights working group. An embassy 
officer regularly discussed religious freedom with the deputy director 
of the Committee on Religious Affairs in the Cabinet of Ministers. 
There are no registered nongovernmental organizations in the country 
that deal specifically with issues of religious freedom. An embassy 
officer maintains regular contact with religious leaders and 
unregistered human rights activists on these and other issues.
    The U.S. congressional chief of staff of the Commission for 
Security and cooperation in Europe, along with several staff members, 
held a series of meetings in Tashkent with Uzbek officials in December 
1999. Issues of religious freedom were a prominent part of the agenda. 
In February 2000, the Assistant to the Special Adviser to the Secretary 
of State for the Newly Independent States gave a major address on 
religious freedom at the Tashkent University for World Economy and 
Diplomacy. Together with the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for 
Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, he discussed the religion law and 
issues of religious freedom with Uzbek officials, religious leaders, 
and human rights activists. The Deputy Assistant Secretary held 
additional separate meetings on these topics with both officials and 
activists. The Secretary of State met with President Karimov in 
Tashkent in April 2000, and raised U.S. concerns on these issues, 
particularly calling for amendments to the religion law. During her 
visit, the Secretary also visited Muslim and Jewish places of worship. 
The Deputy Assistant Secretary returned with the Secretary's party in 
April 2000 to follow up on his previous meetings with a separate series 
of discussions with Uzbek officials. He also met with the families of 
victims of the repression of independent Muslims as well as with human 
rights activists.
    Ambassador Seiple and IRF office staff met with the Uzbek 
ambassador in July and August 1999 to encourage improvement in the 
Government's respect for religious freedom. Ambassador Seiple and staff 
members visited the country and met with foreign ministry and other 
officials in May 2000 to press for progress in amending the religion 
law, improved treatment of imprisoned Muslims, and tolerance with 
regard to proselytism. He also met with religious leaders of minority 
faiths, including the Russian Orthodox Church, with the families of 
victims of the repression of independent Muslims, and with human rights 
activists.
    Vietnam. The Ambassador raised religious freedom issues with senior 
cabinet ministers including the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, 
senior government and communist party advisors, the head of the 
Government's office on religion, deputy ministers of foreign affairs 
and public security, and the chairperson of provincial people's 
committees around the country.
    Embassy officers informed government officials that progress on 
religious issues and human rights has an effect on the degree of full 
normalization of bilateral relations. The Embassy's public affairs 
officer distributed information about U.S. concerns about religious 
freedom to Communist Party and government officials. In their 
representations to the Government, the Ambassador and other embassy 
officers urged that recognition of religious groups be spread more 
broadly to other groups of peaceful religious believers, such as 
members of the United Buddhist Church of Vietnam and the Protestant 
house churches.
    In general, representations by the Embassy and Consulate have 
focused on specific restrictions of religious freedom. These issues 
include detention and arrest of religious figures and restrictions on 
church organizational activities, such as training religious leaders, 
ordination, church building, and the foreign travel of religious 
figures. In several cases, the Embassy's and the Consulate's 
interventions on issues of religious freedom have resulted in 
improvements. The release of several religious prisoners during 
amnesties in 1999 and 2000 followed long-term and direct advocacy on 
their behalf by the Embassy. Releases of some 20 Hmong Protestants 
detained in 1999 by authorities in Lai Chau province followed advocacy 
by the Embassy. One foreign NGO told the U.S. Embassy that officials in 
Lai Chau had complained that, following the visit of the Ambassador to 
the province in the spring of 1999, during which he had presented a 
list of Hmong religious prisoners, the provincial officials had been 
told by Hanoi authorities to ease up on their treatment of the Hmong. 
An embassy officer visited Unified Bhuddist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) 
Supreme Patriarch Thich Huyen Guang in Guang Ngai province in December 
1999, his first visit from a Westerner in 18 years. Following the 
visit, Thich Huyen Guang was featured on national television for the 
first time in years, was moved from his pagoda during flooding (unlike 
the previous year), and received improved medical care. On several 
occasions, embassy and consulate officers met with prominent religious 
prisoners after their release from prison. Consulate General Ho Chi 
Minh City officers maintained an ongoing dialog with Thich Guang Do and 
other UBCV monks, with officially recognized Buddhists, and also 
maintained wide contacts within the Catholic, Protestant, Hoa Hao, Cao 
Dai, and Muslim communities. In March the USCIRF publicly condemned the 
Government of Vietnam for its interference in a Hoa Hao commemoration. 
A Consulate General officer attended the first officially recognized 
Hoa Hao festival in Giang in July. Consulate General and embassy 
officials worked closely with Assemblies of God Pastor Tran Dinh 
``Paul'' Ai to obtain a passport and then a religious worker's visa to 
go to the United States, following months of ongoing harassment by the 
police.
    In July 1999, Ambassador Seiple visited Vietnam for discussions 
with officials and leaders of several religious bodies. He raised U.S. 
concerns about expanding conditions of religious freedom with officials 
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Government Committee on 
Religion, and other government offices.
    Other Actions: U.S. Government efforts included actions that were 
not specific to individual countries. Selected examples include: The 
Secretary of State's speech on May 4, 2000, in Washington to the 
American Jewish Committee; the Secretary's hosting of a December 21, 
1999 ``Iftaar'' Dinner with American Muslim groups at the State 
Department; and President Clinton's frequent remarks on the status of 
religious freedom, especially in such countries as Vietnam, Russia, 
China, India, Pakistan, and other countries.
    The Office of International Religious Freedom hosted in May 1999 a 
conference in Washington on ``Religion and Foreign Policy;'' attended a 
U.S. Catholic Conference Bishops' International Policy Meeting to 
explain the administration's concerns about religious freedom issues; 
participated in a review of the USCIRF's first report by the Institute 
on Religion and Public Policy; and met with dozens of religious groups 
from many different countries who were concerned about persecution or 
discrimination. In October 1999 and March 2000, Ambassador Seiple and 
members of his staff visited the Vatican to discuss religious freedom 
issues. The Office continued its program of outreach to the U.S. Muslim 
community and has plans to expand the program to other religious 
communities. It also continued its support of NGO-managed 
reconciliation programs in Lebanon and Indonesia.
                                 AFRICA

                              ----------                              


                                 ANGOLA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
    The Government does not require religious groups to register. 
Colonial era statutes banned all non-Christian religious groups from 
Angola; while those statutes still exist, they are no longer in effect.
Religious Demography
    Christianity is the religion of the vast majority of the country's 
population of 10 to 12 million, with Roman Catholicism the country's 
largest single denomination. The Roman Catholic Church claims 5 million 
adherents, but such figures could not be verified. A Luanda Catholic FM 
radio station, Radio Ecclesia, airs weekly several hours of church 
services and overtly religious programming. The major Protestant 
denominations also are present, along with a number of indigenous 
African and Brazilian Christian denominations. The largest Protestant 
denominations include the Methodists, Baptists, United Church of 
Christ, and Congregationalists. The largest syncretic religious group 
is the Kimbanguist Church, whose followers believe that a mid-20th 
century Congolese pastor named Joseph Kimbangu was a prophet. A small 
portion of the country's rural population practices animism or 
traditional indigenous religions. There is a small Islamic community 
based around migrants from West Africa.
    In colonial times, the country's coastal populations were primarily 
Catholic while the Protestant mission groups were active in the 
interior. With the massive social displacement caused by 25 years of 
civil war, this rough division is no longer valid.
    Foreign missionaries were very active prior to independence in 
1975, although the Portuguese colonial authorities expelled many 
Protestant missionaries and closed mission stations based on the belief 
that the missionaries were inciting pro-independence sentiments. The 
post-independence Government was a one-party state until 1991 and 
nationalized all church schools and clinics. Missionaries have been 
able to return to the country since the early 1990's although security 
conditions due to the civil war have made it impossible for them to 
return to most parts of the interior.
    Members of the clergy in government-held areas regularly use their 
pulpits to criticize government policies. In 1996 a German clergyman 
was charged with subversive activities for speaking out on social 
issues, but there were no reported cases of such charges during the 
period covered by this report.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.
    While in general the rebel group UNITA permitted freedom of 
religion, interviews with persons who left UNITA-controlled areas 
revealed that the clergy did not enjoy the right to criticize UNITA 
policies.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are amicable relations between the country's religious 
denominations, and there is a functioning ecumenical movement, 
particularly in support of peace.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
    Embassy officials and official visitors from Washington routinely 
meet with the country's religious leaders in the context of 
peacekeeping, democratization, development, and humanitarian relief 
efforts. Church groups are key members of the country's civil society 
movement and are consulted regularly. Embassy officials, including the 
Ambassador, the Director of the Agency for International Development, 
and others, maintain an ongoing dialog with the leaderships of all of 
the country's religious denominations.
                               __________

                                 BENIN

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors. There is no state 
religion.
    Persons who wish to form a religious group must register with the 
Ministry of the Interior. Registration requirements are identical for 
all religious groups. There were no reports that any group had been 
refused permission to register or had been subjected to untoward delays 
or obstacles in the registration process. Religious groups are free 
from taxation. The Government accords respect to prominent religious 
leaders and different faiths. For example, Christian, Muslim, and 
traditional indigenous religious holidays are recognized officially and 
state-run television features coverage of the celebration of religious 
holidays and funerals of prominent religious leaders.
Religious Demography
    Reliable statistics on religious affiliation are not available. 
However, according to most estimates, some 25 percent of the population 
are nominally Christian, and about 15 percent are nominally Muslim. At 
least 60 percent of the population adheres to one form or another of 
traditional indigenous beliefs. Many persons who nominally identify 
themselves as Christian or Muslim also practice traditional indigenous 
beliefs. Among the most commonly practiced traditional indigenous faith 
is the animist ``vodoun'' system of belief, which originated in this 
part of Africa. Almost all citizens appear to be believers in a 
supernatural order. There are practically no atheists.
    There are Christians, Muslims, and adherents to traditional 
indigenous religions throughout the country. However, most adherents of 
the traditional Yoruba religion are in the south, while other 
traditional indigenous faiths are followed in the north. Muslims are 
represented most heavily in the north and in the southeast. Christians 
are prevalent in the south, particularly in Cotonou, the economic 
capital. It is not unusual for members of the same family to practice 
Christianity, Islam, traditional indigenous religions, or several 
combinations of all of these.
    Over half of all Christians are Roman Catholics. Other groups 
include Baptists, Methodists, Assembly of God, Pentecostals, Latter-Day 
Saints, Jehovah's Witnesses, Celestial Christians, Rosicrucians, the 
Unification Church, Eckankar, Seventh-Day Adventists, and the Baha'i 
Faith. Nearly all Muslims adhere to the Sunni branch of Islam. The few 
Shi'a Muslims are primarily Middle Eastern expatriates.
    The Reconciliation and Development Conference, held in Cotonou and 
sponsored by the Government in December 1999, focused on the legacy of 
the triangular Atlantic slave trade and sought to reconcile Africans 
and the African Diaspora using evangelical Protestant principles. The 
conference was open to persons of all faiths (or no faith) and all 
nationalities. Participants offered numerous religious and secular 
perspectives.
    Missionary groups operate freely throughout the country.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Due possibly to the diversity of religious affiliations within 
families and communities, religious tolerance is widespread at all 
levels of society and in all geographic regions. Relations are 
generally amicable between the many religious groups. Inter-faith 
dialog occurs regularly, and citizens respect different religious 
traditions and practices, including syncretistic beliefs.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. A 
U.S. senator, two congressmen, and embassy representatives attended the 
December 1999 Reconciliation and Development Conference in Cotonou (see 
Section I).
                               __________

                                BOTSWANA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    The Constitution provides for the suspension of religious freedom 
in the interests of national defense, public safety, public order, 
public morality, or public health. However, any suspension of religious 
freedom by the Government must be deemed ``reasonably justifiable in a 
democratic society.''
    The Constitution also provides for the protection of the rights and 
freedoms of other persons, including the right to observe and practice 
any religion without the unsolicited intervention of members of any 
other religion.
    All religious organizations must register with the Government. To 
register, a group submits its constitution to the Ministry of Home 
Affairs. After a generally simple bureaucratic process, the 
organization is registered. There are no legal benefits for registered 
organizations. Unregistered groups are potentially liable to penalties 
including fines up to $192 (1,000 Pula), up to 7 years in jail, or 
both. Except for the case of the Unification Church, there is no 
indication that any religious organization has ever been denied 
registration.
    The Unification Church was denied registration (but not suspended) 
in 1984 by the Ministry of Home Affairs on the public order grounds 
stipulated in the Constitution. The Government also perceived the 
Unification Church as anti-Semitic and denied registration because of 
another constitutional provision, which protects the rights and 
freedoms of individuals to practice their religion without 
intervention. In the intervening 16 years, although it has petitioned 
unsuccessfully the offices of the President and Vice President, the 
Unification Church has made no move to challenge the Ministry's 
decision in the courts.
Religious Demography
    About half of the country's citizens identify themselves as 
Christians. Anglicans, Methodists, and the United Congregational Church 
of Southern Africa--formerly the London Missionary Society--claim the 
majority of Christian adherents. There are also congregations of 
Lutherans, Roman Catholics, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day 
Saints, Seventh-Day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Baptists, the 
Dutch Reformed Church, and other Christian denominations.
    In recent years, a number of churches of West African origin have 
begun holding services, drawing good-sized crowds with a charismatic 
blend of Christianity and traditional indigenous religions.
    Most other citizens adhere to traditional indigenous religions, or 
to a mixture of religions. There is a small Muslim community--about 2 
to 3 percent of the population--primarily of South Asian origin, and a 
very small Baha'i community as well.
    The Constitution provides that every religious community may 
establish places for religious instruction at the community's expense. 
The Constitution prohibits forced religious instruction, forced 
participation in religious ceremonies, or taking oaths that run counter 
to an individual's religious beliefs.
    There are no laws against proselytizing.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of forced religious conversion of minor U.S. 
citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the United 
States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to be 
returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the country's religious communities are amicable. 
An independent effort to establish an inter-faith committee between the 
Christian and Muslim communities in the early 1990's failed due to lack 
of identifiable mutual interests.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                              BURKINA FASO

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the amicable relationship among 
religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. There is no official state 
religion. Islam, Christianity, and traditional indigenous religions are 
practiced freely without government interference. The Government 
neither subsidizes nor favors any particular religion.
    The Government requires that religious groups register with the 
Ministry of Territorial Administration. Registration establishes a 
group's legal presence in the country but entails no specific controls 
or benefits. Religious groups only are taxed if they carry on lucrative 
activities, i.e., farming. Registration only confers legal status. 
There are no penalties for failure to register. All groups are given 
equal access to licenses, and the Government does not approve 
registrations in an arbitrary manner.
Religious Demography
    There is no single dominant religion. Approximately 52 percent of 
the population practice Islam, about 17 percent practice Roman 
Catholicism, about 4 percent are members of various Protestant 
denominations, 26 percent practice traditional indigenous religions, 
and approximately 1 percent practices either Buddhism or no religion. 
There are no reliable data on the number of atheists or persons not 
practicing any religion. The majority of the country's Muslims belong 
to the Sunni branch of Islam, while small minorities adhere to the 
Shi'a or Tidjania branches.
    Muslims are largely concentrated around the northern, eastern, and 
western borders, while Christians are concentrated in the center of the 
country. Traditional indigenous religions are practiced widely 
throughout the country, especially in rural communities. Ouagadougou, 
the capital, is mostly Christian, and Bobo-Diaoulasso, the country's 
second largest city, is largely Muslim. The country has a small Muslim 
Lebanese immigrant community.
    Members of the dominant ethnic group, the Mossi, belong to all 
three major religions. Fulani and Jula groups are overwhelmingly 
Muslim. There is little correlation between religious differences and 
political differences. Religious affiliation appears unrelated to 
membership in the ruling party, the Congress for Democracy and Progress 
(CDP). Government officials belong to all of the major religions, and 
the practice of a particular faith is not known to entail any advantage 
or disadvantage in the political arena, the civil service, the 
military, or the private sector.
    Foreign missionary groups, including Protestants, operate freely 
and face no special restrictions. The denominations and organizations 
represented include the Assemblies of God, Campus Crusade for Christ, 
the Christian Missionary Alliance, Baptists, Wycliffe Bible 
Translators, the Mennonite Central Committee, Jehovah's Witnesses, the 
Mormon Church, the Pentecostal Church of Canada, the World Evangelical 
Crusade, and the Society for International Missions (SIM). The 
Government neither forbids missionaries from entering the country nor 
restricts their activities.
    Religious instruction is not offered in public schools; it is 
limited to private schools and to the home. The Muslim and Catholic 
faiths operate general schools at the primary and secondary levels. The 
State monitors both the nonreligious curriculum and the qualifications 
of teachers employed at these schools. Although school officials must 
submit the names of their directors to the Government, the State has 
never been involved in appointing or approving these officials. The 
Government does not fund any religious school. Unlike other private 
schools, religious schools pay no taxes if they do not conduct any 
lucrative activities.
    The Attorney General and the Superior Council of Information (CSI) 
have the authority to grant publishing and broadcasting licenses to 
religious groups. No religious group has ever been denied a license. 
Before granting a license, the Attorney General and the CSI must 
examine samples of proposed publications to assure that they are in 
accordance with the stated nature of the religious group and be 
informed of the name of the proposed publication or broadcasting 
director. Religious groups are free to say what they want in their 
publications and broadcasts unless the judicial system determines that 
they are harming public order or committing slander, which to date has 
never occurred.
    There are nine radio stations operated by religious groups, of 
which five are run by the Catholic Church and four by Protestant 
denominations. Five of the stations were created before the CSI was 
established in 1995. All nine have signed agreements with the CSI, 
which means that they have complied successfully with the regulations 
governing the operation of all radio stations in the country, including 
those that are commercial and state-run.
    There is one religious television station operated by a Protestant 
denomination in Ouagadougou. It broadcasts 2 hours in the evening in 
both French and the local language, More. The Catholic Church and 
several Protestant denominations publish periodicals.
    The Government has never denied a publishing or broadcasting 
license to any religious group that has requested one. There are no 
special tax preferences granted to religious organizations operating 
print or broadcast media.
    The procedures for applying for publishing and broadcasting 
licenses are the same for both religious groups and commercial 
entities. Applications are first sent for review to the Ministry of 
Communication and Culture and then forwarded to the Ministry of 
Territorial Administration and Security (MATS). If the Government does 
not respond to the application for a publishing license within the 
required timeframe, the applicant can automatically begin publishing. 
For radio licenses, before beginning broadcasts the applicant must wait 
until the National Office of Telecommunications (ONATEL) assigns a 
frequency and determines that the group's broadcasting equipment is of 
a professional quality. Once the broadcast license is granted, the 
Government regulates the operation of religious radio stations in 
accordance with the same rules that apply to commercial and state-run 
stations. Stations must show that their workers are employed full-time, 
that ONATEL has been paid for the use of assigned frequencies, and that 
employee social security taxes and intellectual property fees have been 
paid.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations among the various religious communities have been 
amicable. Religious tolerance is widespread, and members of the same 
family often practice different religions. There have been no 
significant ecumenical movements.
    There have been no official reports of religious conflict or ritual 
murders involving practitioners of traditional religions during the 
period covered by this report. However, there have been allegations of 
witchcraft. The Ministry of Social Action and the Family maintains a 
shelter in Ouagadougou for women forced to flee their villages because 
they were suspected of being sorceresses.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses issues of religious freedom with the 
Government in context of its overall promotion of human rights.
    The Embassy also maintains contacts with leaders of all major 
organized religious denominations and groups in the country.
                               __________

                                BURUNDI

    The Transitional Constitutional Act provides for freedom of 
religion, and the Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of religious freedom during the 
period covered by the report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Transitional Constitutional Act provides for freedom of 
religion, and the Government respects this right in practice. The 
Government at all levels generally protects this right in full, and 
does not tolerate its abuse, either by governmental or private actors. 
There is no state religion.
    The Government requires religious groups to register with the 
Ministry of Internal Affairs, which keeps track of their leadership and 
activities. The Government requires that religious groups have a 
headquarters in the country. Once registered, religious organizations 
enjoy tax-free status, and clergy theoretically do not have to pay duty 
on purchased goods. However, one religious group reported that it was 
required to pay duty on all imported goods, except books and other 
publications.
Religious Demography
    Many citizens regularly attend religious services. Although 
reliable statistics on the number of followers of various religions are 
not available, a Roman Catholic official estimated that 60 percent of 
the population are Catholic, with the largest concentration of 
adherents located in the center and south of the country. A Muslim 
leader estimated that up to 10 percent of the population are Muslim, 
mostly in urban areas. The remainder of the population belongs to other 
Christian churches, practices traditional indigenous religions, or has 
no religious affiliation.
    The heads of major religious organizations are accorded diplomatic 
status. Foreign missionary groups of many faiths are active in the 
country and openly promote their religious beliefs. The Government has 
welcomed their development assistance.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    In their practice of religion, citizens generally tolerate other 
religions. Disputes between religious groups are rare, apart from minor 
disagreements over competition for followers.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. 
Embassy officials also maintain regular contact with leaders and 
members of the various religious communities.
                               __________

                                CAMEROON

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Relations among different religious groups are generally amicable; 
however, some religious groups face societal pressure and 
discrimination within their regions, although this may reflect ethnic 
as much as religious differences.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    In general, the Law on Religious Congregations governs relations 
between the State and religious groups. Religious groups must be 
approved and registered with the Ministry of Territorial Administration 
in order to function legally; there were no reports that the Government 
refused to register any group. It is illegal for a religious group to 
operate without official recognition, but the law prescribes no 
specific penalties for doing so. Although official recognition confers 
no general tax benefits, it does allow religious groups to receive real 
estate as gifts and legacies for the conduct of their activities. In 
order to register, a religious denomination must fulfill the legal 
requirement to qualify as a religious congregation. This definition 
includes ``any group of natural persons or corporate bodies whose 
vocation is divine worship'' or ``any group of persons living in 
community in accordance with a religious doctrine.'' The denomination 
then submits a file to the Minister of Territorial Administration. The 
file must include a request for authorization, a copy of the charter of 
the group which describes planned activities, and the names and 
respective functions of the officials of the group. The Minister 
studies the file and sends it to the presidency with a recommendation 
for a positive or negative decision. The President generally follows 
the recommendation of the Minister, and authorization is granted by a 
presidential decree. The approval process usually takes several years, 
due primarily to administrative delays. The only religious groups known 
to be registered are Christian and Muslim groups and the Baha'i Faith, 
but other groups may be registered. The Ministry has not disclosed the 
number of registered denominations, but the number of registered 
religious groups is estimated to be in the dozens. The Government does 
not register traditional religious groups on the grounds that the 
practice of traditional religions is not public but rather private to 
members of a particular ethnic or kinship group, or to the residents of 
a particular locality.
Religious Demography
    Muslim centers and Christian churches of various denominations 
operate freely throughout the country. Approximately 40 percent of the 
population are at least nominally Christian, about 20 percent are at 
least nominally Islamic, and about 40 percent practice traditional 
indigenous religions or no religion. Of the Christians, approximately 
half are Catholics and about half are affiliated with Protestant 
denominations. Christians are concentrated mainly in the southern and 
western provinces. The two Anglophone provinces of the western region 
are largely Protestant; the Francophone provinces of the southern and 
western regions are largely Catholic. Muslims are concentrated mainly 
in the northern provinces, where the locally dominant Fulani (or Peuhl) 
ethnic group is overwhelmingly Muslim, and other ethnic groups, known 
collectively as the Kirdi, are generally partly Islamicized. The Bamoun 
ethnic group of the western provinces is also largely Muslim. 
Traditional indigenous religions are practiced in rural areas 
throughout the country but rarely are practiced publicly in cities, in 
part because many such religions are intrinsically local in character.
    Religious missionaries are present throughout the country and 
operate without impediment, including 100 American missionaries and 
their dependents. Several religious denominations also operate diverse 
private schools. A Catholic-affiliated private radio station also 
continues to broadcast in Yaounde while its official authorization 
remains pending. The Catholic Church, the largest religious 
denomination in the country, also operates a private institution of 
general postsecondary education, one of the country's very few modern 
private printing presses, and a weekly newspaper, which until the 
1990's was one of the only private newspapers in the country.
    The Government does not have a program to promote inter-faith 
understanding.
    Although post-secondary education continues to be dominated by 
state institutions, private schools affiliated with religious 
denominations, including Catholic, Protestant, and Koranic schools, 
long have been among the country's best schools at the primary and 
secondary levels. The Ministry of Education is charged by law with 
ensuring that private schools run by religious groups meet the same 
standards as state-operated schools in terms of curriculum, building 
quality, and teacher training. For schools affiliated with religious 
groups, this oversight function is performed by the Sub-Department of 
Confessional Education of the Ministry's Department of Private 
Education.
    Disputes within registered religious groups about control of places 
of worship, schools, real estate, or financial assets are resolved in 
the first instance by the executive branch rather than by the 
judiciary.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    On April 24, the Ministry of National Education announced the 
suspension of two teachers of the Bertoua technical high school. The 
two teachers were accused of having ``enticed'' some of their students 
into their religious group. On April 20, 2000, government security 
forces reportedly stormed Notre Dame de Sept Douleurs parish in Douala 
during the ceremony of Mass. Security forces reportedly arrested some 
parishioners and beat others.
    The sites and personnel of religious institutions were not exempt 
from the widespread human rights abuses committed by government 
security forces. In January 1998, an undisclosed number of personnel of 
the 21st Navy Battalion, allegedly broke into a church in Douala, beat 
and stabbed the priest and several youths, raped young women, and stole 
funds. On February 22, 2000, the Douala Military Tribunal convicted the 
personnel of breach of orders causing bodily harm and destruction. The 
tribunal sentenced them to 1-year imprisonment with no possibility of 
remission.
    In the past, government officials have criticized and questioned 
any criticisms of the Government by religious institutions and leaders; 
however, there were no reports that government officials during the 
period covered by this report used force or other means to suppress 
such criticism.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations among different religious groups are generally amicable; 
however, some religious groups face societal pressures within their 
regions. In the northern provinces, especially in rural areas, societal 
discrimination by Muslims against persons who practice traditional 
indigenous religions is strong and widespread, and some Christians in 
rural areas of the north complain of discrimination by Muslims. 
However, no specific incidents or violence stemming from religious 
discrimination were reported, and the reported discrimination may 
reflect ethnic as much as religious differences. The northern region 
suffers from ethnic tensions between the Fulani, a Muslim group that 
conquered most of the region 200 years ago, and the Kirdi, the 
descendents of groups that practiced traditional indigenous religions 
and whom the Fulani conquered or displaced, justifying their conquest 
on religious grounds. Although some Kirdi subsequently have adopted 
Islam, the Kirdi remain socially, educationally, and economically 
disadvantaged relative to the Fulani in the three northern provinces. 
(The slavery still practiced in parts of the north is reported to be 
largely enslavement of Kirdi by Fulani.)
    There were no reports of religiously motivated violence by 
practitioners of a traditional indigenous religion against persons who 
did not practice that religion.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. The 
Embassy maintained regular contact with religious groups in the country 
and monitored religious freedom.
                               __________

                               CAPE VERDE

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors. The Constitution also 
provides for the separation of church and state and prohibits the State 
from imposing any religious beliefs and practices.
    To be recognized officially by the Government, religious groups (as 
well as other organized groups of citizens) must register with the 
Ministry of Justice to be recognized as legal entities. However, 
failure to do so does not result in any restriction on religious belief 
or practice.
Religious Demography
    The overwhelming majority (over 90 percent) of citizens is at least 
nominally Roman Catholic. The largest Protestant denomination is the 
Church of the Nazarene. Other Christian churches include the Seventh-
Day Adventist Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 
the Assembly of God, and various other Pentecostal and evangelical 
groups. There are also small Muslim and Baha'i communities.
    It generally is recognized that the Catholic majority enjoys a 
privileged status in national life--for example, the Government 
provides it with free television broadcast time for religious services 
and observes its holy days as official holidays.
    There is no association between religious differences and ethnic or 
political differences, although it generally is recognized that the 
Roman Catholic hierarchy in the country is sympathetic to the governing 
Movement for Democracy (MPD) party and generally hostile to the 
opposition Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV).
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are amicable relations between the various religious 
communities.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                        CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion but establishes 
fixed legal conditions and prohibits what the Government considers 
religious fundamentalism or intolerance. Although the constitutional 
provision prohibiting religious fundamentalism is widely understood to 
be aimed at Muslims, in practice, the Government permits adherents of 
all religions to worship without interference.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Generally there are amicable relations between the various 
religious communities; however, there have been occasional reports that 
persons believed to be witches were harassed, beaten, or sometimes 
killed.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall dialog and policy of promoting human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion but establishes 
fixed legal conditions and prohibits what the Government considers 
religious fundamentalism or intolerance. The constitutional provision 
prohibiting religious fundamentalism is widely understood to be aimed 
at Muslims. In practice, the Government permits adherents of all 
religions to worship without interference.
    Religious groups (except for traditional indigenous religious 
groups) are required by law to register with the Ministry of Interior. 
This registration is free and confers official recognition and certain 
limited benefits, such as customs duty exemption for the importation of 
vehicles or equipment, but does not confer a general tax exemption. The 
administrative police of the Ministry of Interior keep track of groups 
that have failed to register but the police have not attempted to 
impose any penalty on such groups. During the period covered by this 
report, the Government continued to refuse to reregister the previously 
registered and subsequently banned Unification Church. The Government 
does not register traditional indigenous religious groups.
Religious Demography
    A variety of religious communities are active. The population is 
believed to be about 50 percent Christian, 15 percent Muslim, and 35 
percent practitioners of traditional indigenous religions, or non-
religious. Most Christians also practice some aspects of their 
traditional indigenous religions.
    Religious organizations and missionary groups are free to 
proselytize, worship, and construct places of worship.
    The Government has taken positive steps to promote inter-faith 
dialog.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Any religious or nonreligious group that the Government considers 
subversive is subject to sanctions. The Ministry of Interior may 
decline to register, suspend the operations of, or ban any organization 
that it deems offensive to public morals or likely to disturb the 
peace. The Government has banned the Unification Church since the mid-
1980's as a subversive organization likely to disturb the peace, 
specifically in connection with alleged paramilitary training of young 
church members. However, the Government imposed no new sanctions on any 
religious group during the period covered by this report. The Ministry 
of Interior also may intervene to resolve internal conflicts about 
property, finances, or leadership within religious groups.
    Muslims, particularly Mbororo (also known as Peulh or Fulani) 
herders, claim to be singled out for harassment by authorities, 
including extortion by police, due to popular resentment of their 
presumed affluence. Muslims play a preponderant role in the economy.
    The practice of witchcraft is a criminal offense under the Penal 
Code; however, persons are generally prosecuted for this offense only 
in conjunction with some other offense, such as murder. Witchcraft 
traditionally has been a common explanation for diseases of which the 
causes were unknown. Although many traditional indigenous religions 
include or accommodate belief in the efficacy of witchcraft, they 
generally approve of harmful witchcraft only for defensive or 
retaliatory purposes and purport to offer protection against it. The 
practice of witchcraft is widely understood to encompass attempts to 
harm others not only by magic, but also by covert means of established 
efficacy such as poisons.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Although religious tolerance among members of different religious 
groups is the norm, there have been occasional reports that some 
villagers who were believed to be witches were harassed, beaten or 
sometimes killed by neighbors. Courts have tried, convicted, and 
sentenced some persons for crimes of violence against suspected 
witches.
    During the period covered by this report, traveling in the northern 
central region of the country became unsafe. Religious groups, 
particularly Catholic priests and nuns, were victims of organized armed 
highway bandits on the road to Bambari, near Grimari village, 180 miles 
northeast of Bangui. On February 5, 2000, armed bandits attacked a 
vehicle transporting priests, and an hour later attacked another one in 
which they killed one nun and wounded another. A week later the funeral 
procession of the nun was attacked near the same place.
    Archbishop Joachim Ndayen protested this assault against Catholic 
clergy by accusing the Government of silence, and of not stopping 
highway banditry or prosecuting the perpetrators.
    When serious social or political conflicts have arisen, 
simultaneous prayer ceremonies have been held in churches, temples, and 
mosques to ask for divine assistance. The Catholic Commission for 
Justice and Peace often conducts developmental and educational programs 
and seminars throughout the country. The members work closely with 
other church groups and social organizations on social issues. On April 
15, 2000, this commission organized a large rally at the national 
stadium to promote dialog on peace and tolerance. President Ange Felix 
Patasse and many government officials attended. National radio and 
television covered the event.
    There was some popular resentment of the presumed affluence of 
Muslims (see Section I).

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. The 
Embassy maintains contact with religious groups, especially American 
missionaries in the country, and monitors human rights developments.
                               __________

                                  CHAD

    The Constitution provides for religious freedom, and the Government 
generally respects this right in practice; however, at times it has 
limited this right.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Generally there are amicable relations between the various 
religious communities; however, there are indications of increasing 
tension between Christians and Muslims due to the proselytizing by 
evangelical Christians.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for religious freedom, and the Government 
generally respects this right in practice. The Constitution also 
provides that the country shall be a secular state. However, despite 
the secular nature of the State, a large proportion of senior 
government officials are Muslims, and some policies favor Islam in 
practice. For example, the Government sponsors annual Hajj trips to 
Mecca for certain government officials.
    The Government requires religious groups, including both foreign 
missionary groups and domestic religious groups, to register with the 
Ministry of the Interior's Department for Religious Affairs. 
Registration confers official recognition but does not confer any tax 
preferences or other benefits. There are no specific legal penalties 
for failure to register, and there were no reports that any group had 
failed to apply for registration or that the registration process is 
unduly burdensome. The Government reportedly has denied official 
recognition to some groups of Arab Muslims in Ati, near the eastern 
border with Sudan, on the grounds that they have incorporated elements 
of traditional African religion, such as dancing and singing, into 
their worship. For example, the Minister of Interior banned the Islamic 
group Faydal Djaria in January 1998.
    Non-Islamic religious leaders claim that Islamic officials and 
organizations receive greater tax exemptions and unofficial financial 
support from the Government. State lands reportedly are accorded to 
Islamic leaders for the purpose of building mosques, while other 
religious denominations must purchase land at market rates to build 
churches.
    On May 31, 2000, the Supreme Court handed down a decision rejecting 
a request from one branch of a Christian evangelical church to deny 
government recognition to its independent sister branch. In 1998 the 
Eglise Evangelique des Freres (EEF) split into moderate and 
fundamentalist groups. The moderate branch of the EEF retained the 
legal registration for the Church, but on April 7, 1999, the Ministry 
of Interior awarded recognition to the fundamentalist branch under a 
new name (Eglise des Freres Independentes au Tchad (EFIT). Since 1999 
the EEF branch has sought to bar the EFIT church legally from practice, 
and ultimately the case went before the Supreme Court, which upheld the 
rights of the EFIT to continue its religious work and its right to 
function.
Religious Demography
    Of the total population, 54 percent are Islamic. About one-third 
are Christian, and the remainder practice traditional indigenous 
religions or no religion at all. Most northerners practice Islam; most 
southerners practice Christianity or a traditional indigenous religion. 
Many citizens, despite stated religious affiliation, do not regularly 
practice their religion.
    The vast majority of Muslims practice a moderate form of Islam 
known locally as Tidjani, which originated in 1727 under Sheik Ahmat 
Tidjani in what is now Morocco and Algeria. Tidjani Islam, as practiced 
in the country, incorporates some local African religious elements. A 
small minority of the country's Muslims (5 to 10 percent) is considered 
fundamentalist.
    Roman Catholics make up the largest Christian denomination in the 
country; most Protestants are affiliated with various evangelical 
Christian groups.
    Adherents of two other religions, the Baha'i Faith and Jehovah's 
Witnesses, also are present in the country. Both faiths were introduced 
after independence in 1960 and therefore are considered to be ``new'' 
religions. Because of their relatively recent origin and their 
affiliation with foreign practitioners, both are perceived as foreign.
    There are foreign missionaries representing both Christian and 
Islamic groups. Catholic and Protestant (primarily evangelical 
Christian) missionaries proselytize in the country. Itinerant Muslim 
imams also visit, primarily from Sudan, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan. 
Foreign missionaries do not face restrictions but must register and 
receive authorization from the Ministry of Interior.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    Within the Islamic community, the Government has intervened to 
imprison and sanction fundamentalist Islamic imams believed to be 
promoting conflict among Muslims. A fundamentalist imam in N'Djdamena, 
Sheikh Faki Suzuki (named after the Suzuki car equipped with 
loudspeakers that he uses for broadcasting his sermons around town) was 
restricted from preaching Islam for 6 months, from October 1998 to 
March 1999, and the authorities also placed him under house arrest. He 
is no longer under house arrest. However, since the beginning of 2000, 
he has experienced problems with the Islamic Committee in Ndjamena for 
painting their name and logo on his car. He was warned twice not to try 
to represent the committee, and he responded by removing the committee 
name from his car.
    In January 1999, the Government arbitrarily arrested and detained 
imam Sheikh Mahamat Marouf, the fundamentalist Islamic leader of the 
northeastern town of Abeche, and refused to allow his followers to meet 
and pray openly in their mosque. Sheik Marouf was released from prison 
in November 1999 after nearly 1 year in jail. Sheikh Marouf may pray 
but is not permitted to lead prayers. His followers are allowed to pray 
in their mosques, but are forbidden from debating religious beliefs in 
any way that might be considered proselytizing--although the Tidjani 
followers are allowed to proselytize.
    In both instances, the Government claims that the men were 
responsible for inciting religious violence; their followers reject the 
Government's claim and cite religious differences with the Government.
    On May 25, 2000, the Sultan of Kanem arrested a large number of 
adherents of an Islamic group, Faydal Djaria. The group arrived in the 
country from Nigeria and Senegal, and incorporates singing and dancing 
into its religious ceremonies and activities. Male and female members 
of the group freely interact with one another during religious 
gatherings. The group is found from the Kanem region around Lake Chad 
into neighboring Chari Baguirmi. The Chadian Superior Council of 
Islamic Affairs considers that the Faydal Djaria group does not conform 
to Islamic tenets, and requested the Ministry of Interior to arrest the 
group's spiritual leader, Ahmat Abdallah. In January 1998, the Minister 
of Interior banned the group. However, since the beginning of 2000, the 
group has been increasingly active, resulting in the recent arrests in 
the Kanem. The new Director of Religious Affairs at the Ministry of 
Interior has requested that the Superior Council of Islamic Affairs to 
provide the specific sections of the Koran that support the ban of the 
group.
    There is an undetermined number of Faydal Djaria followers who are 
prisoners in Kanem.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Most inter-faith dialog happens on an individual level and not 
through the intervention of the Government. Although the different 
religious communities generally coexist without problems, some citizens 
have noted increasing tension between Christians and Muslims due to the 
proselytizing by evangelical Christians. In addition, tensions and 
conflicts between government supporters from the politically dominant 
northern region and rebels from the politically subordinate southern 
region occasionally have religious overtones.
    However, representatives of civil society and religious leaders met 
under the Ministry of Social Affairs' auspices to develop a new Family 
Code during the period covered by this report. Although the working 
group was not able to resolve certain differences between religious 
groups, the Government still seeks to formulate a Family Code that 
takes all religious and ethnic groups' social practices into 
consideration. At issue were traditional Islamic attitudes regarding 
inheritance, marriage, and other social customs that Islamic leaders 
consider as fundamental to their religion and not open to compromise.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                                COMOROS

    The new Constitution decreed in May 1999 does not prohibit 
specifically discrimination based on religion or religious belief, and 
the Government restricted this right.
    There was no change in the status of what is at times limited 
respect for religious freedom during the period of the report.
    An overwhelming majority of the population is Sunni Muslim. 
Government authorities and the local population restricted the right of 
Christians to practice their faith. Police regularly threatened and 
sometimes detained practicing Christians. Usually the authorities hold 
those detained for a few days and often attempt to convert them to 
Islam forcibly. In October 1999, two citizens were arrested, tried, and 
convicted of ``anti-Islamic activity'' in part because they possessed 
Christian books and audiovisual material. One of the citizens was 
sentenced to 18 months in prison, while the other was sentenced to 4 
months. The first was released after 4 months, while the second was 
released after 2 months. There is widespread societal discrimination 
against Christians.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution promulgated in May by the head of the military 
after the April 20, 1999, coup provides that the National Army of 
Development upholds individual and collective liberties; however, it 
does not provide specifically for freedom of religion, and the 
Government restricted this right. The Government discouraged the 
practice of religions other than Islam. Christians, in particular, 
faced restrictions on their ability to practice their faith. The Ulamas 
council, which had advised the President, Prime Minister, President of 
the Federal Assembly, the Council of Isles, and the island governors on 
whether bills, ordinances, decrees, and laws are in conformity with the 
principles of Islam, no longer exists. The Constitution written by the 
separatist leadership of the island of Anjouan provides for freedom of 
religion; however, the separatist leadership has discouraged the 
practice of religions other than Islam. However, there were no reports 
of official persecution initiated by civil authorities during the 
period covered by this report. In one instance on Anjouan, a judge 
intervened to protect Christians from harassment.
Religious Demography
    An overwhelming majority--almost 99 percent--of the population is 
Sunni Muslim. Fewer than 300 persons--less than 1 percent of the 
population--are Christian; all of who reportedly converted to 
Christianity within the last 5 years. There is a very small population 
(less than five families) of Indian descent, of which two or three 
families are Hindu.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Government continues to restrict the use of the country's three 
churches to noncitizens. There are two Roman Catholic churches, one in 
Moroni on the island of Grande Comore and one in Mutsamudu on the 
island of Anjouan. There is one Protestant church in Moroni. Many 
Christians practice their faith in private residences. Christian 
missionaries work in local hospitals and schools, but they are not 
allowed to proselytize.
    Some community authorities on Anjouan have banned Christians from 
attending any community events and banned Christian burials in a local 
cemetery, but there were no reports of such incidents during the period 
covered by this report.
    Bans on alcohol and immodest dress are enforced sporadically, 
usually during religious months, like Ramadan. Alcohol can be imported 
and sold with a permit from the Government.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    Police regularly threatened and sometimes detained practicing 
Christians. In December 1999, Bibles were found in the possession of 
three young men from the village of Chomoni on Grande Comore. A mob 
burned two of their huts, and they were turned over to local police. 
The police reportedly beat them, doused them with water, and then 
imprisoned them for 3 days before they were released. In the past, 
there have been accounts of police and quasi-police authorities, known 
as embargoes, arresting, beating, and detaining Christians on the 
island of Anjouan; however, there were no such incidents reported 
during the period covered by this report.
    The Government has arrested and convicted individuals with 
Christian affiliations on charges of ``anti-Islamic activity.'' In 
October 1999, two citizens were arrested, tried, and convicted on 
charges of disturbing the peace and anti-Islamic activity. They were 
apprehended following a protest by Islamic religious leaders against 
the airing of a Christian video on a local, private television station. 
One was sentenced to 18 months for allegedly selling or giving away the 
videotapes; he was released after serving 4 months in jail. The other 
was sentenced to 4 months for having a meeting in his home where the 
same videos were shown; he was released after serving 2 months in jail 
and since has left the country. Police confiscated videos, Bibles, and 
books from the homes of the individuals and arrested one of them while 
he was trying to flee the country. The police declared the videos 
illegal and ordered that all copies be turned in to authorities; in 
making this declaration, the police announced in that ``freedom of 
worship is not recognized in Comoros;'' however, it is not clear 
whether this announcement was a statement made by an individual 
policeman or a statement of official policy.
    There is Islamic instruction in public schools for students at the 
middle school level that coincides with Arabic instruction. Almost all 
children between 4 and 7 years of age go to koranic schools outside of 
normal school hours in order to learn to read the Koran.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There is widespread societal discrimination against Christians in 
all sectors of life. Attempts have been made to isolate Christians from 
village life. In September and October 1999, on Anjouan, a religious 
leader started an unofficial campaign against Christians. Committees 
were formed in many villages to harass Christians, and lists of names 
of suspected Christians were circulated. Anti-Christian rhetoric was 
broadcast on the radio. This campaign resulted in threats, but there 
were no reports of violence. Christians face insults and threats of 
violence from members of their communities. Christians have been 
harassed by mobs in front of mosques and called in for questioning by 
religious authorities. In some instances, families have forced 
Christian family members out of their homes or threatened them with a 
loss of financial support. Some Christians have had their Bibles taken 
by family members. In the past, local government officials, religious 
authorities, and family members have attempted to force Christians to 
attend services at mosques against their will, but there were no 
reports of such incidents during the period covered by this report.
    Islamic fundamentalism is growing in popularity as more students 
return to the country after studying Islamic subjects in foreign 
countries.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                    DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

    Although there is no constitution currently in effect, the 
Government generally respected freedom of religion in practice, 
provided that worshipers neither disturb public order nor contradict 
commonly held morals; however, government forces committed some abuses.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
in government-controlled areas. However, in areas of the country under 
the military occupation of Rwanda, Uganda, and their respective rebel 
clients, respect for religious freedom deteriorated. Credible reports 
indicate that occupying troops and their rebel allies deliberately 
targeted Catholic churches as a means of both intimidating the local 
population and in revenge for the Church's perceived role in the 1994 
Tutsi genocide in Rwanda. Credible sources report that these attacks 
resulted in priests being killed, nuns raped, and churches burned. 
Rebel and Rwandan authorities also exiled the Bishop of Bukavu, whom 
they suspected of inciting resistance. However, these actions 
apparently resulted largely from political, rather than religious, 
motives.
    Relations between the major religions were amicable, with the 
National Consultations serving as a catalyst in promoting greater 
cooperation.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights. The U.S. Government protested the forced internal exile 
of the Bishop of Bukavu, and repeatedly called for an end to the war 
and the withdrawal of foreign troops from the country.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Policy/Legal Framework
    Although there is no constitution currently in effect, the 
Government generally respects freedom of religion in practice, provided 
that worshipers neither disturb public order nor contradict commonly 
held morals; however, government forces committed some abuses. There is 
no state religion.
    The establishment and operation of religious institutions is 
provided for and regulated through a statutory order on Regulation of 
Non-profit Associations and Public Utility Institutions. Requirements 
for the establishment of a religious organization are simple and 
generally not subject to abuse. Exemption from taxation is among the 
benefits granted to religious organizations. A 1971 law regulating 
religious organizations grants civil servants the power to recognize, 
suspend recognition of, or dissolve religious groups. There have been 
no reports of the Government suspending or dissolving a religious group 
since 1990, when the Government suspended its recognition of the 
Jehovah's Witnesses; that suspension subsequently was reversed by a 
court. Although this law restricts the process of recognition, 
officially recognized religions are free to establish places of worship 
and to train clergy. In practice, religious groups that are not 
recognized also worship freely.
    The Government promoted inter-faith understanding by supporting the 
country's five major churches (Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Orthodox, 
and Kimbanguist) in establishing the National Consultations, an open 
forum to explore ways to end the war.
Religious Demography
    Approximately 50 percent of the population are Roman Catholic, 20 
percent are Protestant, and 10 percent are Muslim. The remainder 
largely practice traditional indigenous religions. There are no 
statistics available on the percentage of atheists. Minority religious 
groups include, among others, Jehovah's Witnesses and the Church of 
Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon).
    There are no reliable data on active participation in religious 
services. Ethnic and political differences generally are not linked to 
religious differences.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    On January 29, 1999, President Kabila promulgated a decree that 
restricts the activities of nongovernmental organizations (NGO's), 
including religious organizations, by establishing requirements for 
them; however, existing religious organizations were exempt, and the 
decree subsequently was not enforced.
    Although the Government required foreign religious groups to obtain 
the approval of the President, through the Minister of Justice, foreign 
religious groups generally operate without restriction once they 
receive approval from the Government. Many recognized churches have 
external ties, and foreign missionaries are allowed to proselytize. The 
Government generally did not interfere with foreign missionaries. 
However, foreign missionaries have not been exempt from general human 
rights abuses by security forces, such as restrictions on freedom of 
movement imposed on all persons by security force members who erect and 
man roadblocks where they solicit bribes.
    In areas under government control, there has been no known 
persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses or any other groups for practicing 
their faith in recent years. The Government does not prohibit or punish 
assembly for peaceful religious services, regardless of faith. The 
Government does not influence religious teachings to children and 
places no restriction on the distribution of religious literature.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
in government-controlled areas during the period covered by this 
report.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    While the Government is tolerant in matters of religion, some 
abuses occurred in government-controlled areas as a result of the war. 
These abuses, usually the ransacking of churches and the pilfering of 
church property, generally were the result of a lack of discipline 
among government troops.
    A government order in July 1999 prohibiting private radio stations 
from transmitting foreign radio broadcasts effectively targeted a 
Catholic radio station that was compelled to cease broadcasting 
programs of foreign origin. The target was not religious broadcasts; 
rather it was foreign programs critical of the Government.
    On September 14, 1999, security forces arrested Catherine Nzuzi, 
president of the major faction of the Mouvement Populaire de la 
Revolution (MPR) party, after she organized a Mass in memory of former 
President Mobutu on the second anniversary of his death. She was 
detained for 5 hours on charges of violating a decree on political 
activity.
    In September 1999, government security forces arrested Reverend 
Fernando Kuthino after his actions sparked street demonstrations by 
Muslims. The Reverend had converted a Muslim on television, then 
publicly burned notes that the convert had taken while studying the 
Koran. Muslims claimed that the burned verses were from the Koran. The 
Reverend never was tried, and he was released in March 2000.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who were abducted or illegally removed from the United 
States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to be 
returned to the United States.
    Due to advances made in the east by military units of Rwanda and 
Uganda in support of various rebel factions, the Government lost 
control of more than half the country. It exercises little authority in 
areas east of the current battlefront. Numerous human rights groups 
reported significant abuses in these areas by the occupying troops of 
Rwanda and Uganda, as well as various rebel factions, which targeted 
Catholic clergy. These reports were confirmed by a number of 
independent sources, including the Catholic Church. Abuses reportedly 
took the form of attacks on missions, killings of priests, the rape of 
nuns, and the burning of churches. Human rights groups claimed that 
occupying troops and rebels targeted the Catholic Church as a result of 
its perceived collusion in the 1994 Tutsi genocide in Rwanda. According 
to one human rights publication, Tutsis ``show great hostility'' 
towards the Catholic Church. In the province of South Kivu, rebels of 
the RCD-Goma faction acting with Rwandan support refused to allow the 
Bishop of Bukavu to return to his diocese following a trip outside the 
province. Rebels and their Rwandan supporters forced the Bishop into 
internal exile as a result of his alleged hostility towards the 
military occupation of the province.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the major religions were amicable, with the 
National Consultations serving as a catalyst in promoting greater 
cooperation.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
    The U.S. Government criticized the forced internal exile of the 
Bishop of Bukavu, in both private discussions and public statements. On 
numerous occasions, the U.S. Government also has voiced its opposition 
to the presence of hostile foreign troops in the country. The U.S. 
Government also publicly criticized the war, and launched a number of 
diplomatic initiatives, in concert with the United Nations, to bring 
the conflict to an end.
                               __________

                         REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

    The Constitution (Fundamental Act) provides for freedom of 
religion, and the Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    While government policy and the generally amicable relations among 
religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion, the 
close link between certain messianic groups and opposition political 
movements at times has been a source of tension.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution (Fundamental Act) provides for freedom of 
religion, and the Government respects this right in practice. There is 
no official state religion.
Religious Demography
    Approximately half of the country's 2.6 million citizens are 
Christian; of these about 90 percent are Roman Catholic.
    There is a small Muslim community estimated at 25,000 to 50,000 
persons, most of who are immigrants from North and West Africa who work 
in commerce in urban centers.
    The remainder of the population is made up of practitioners of 
traditional indigenous religions, those who belong to various messianic 
groups, and those who practice no religion at all. A small minority of 
the Christian community practices Kimbanguism, a syncretist movement 
that originated in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo. 
While retaining many elements of Christianity, Kimbanguism also 
recognizes its founder (Simon Kimbangu) as a prophet and incorporates 
African traditional beliefs, such as ancestor worship.
    Mystical or messianic practices (especially among the ethnic Lari 
population in the Pool region) have been associated with opposition 
political movements, including some elements of the armed insurrection 
in the south during 1998-1999.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are generally amicable relations among the various religious 
communities. All organized religious groups are represented in a joint 
ecumenical council, which meets regularly.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses issues of religious freedom with a broad 
cross-section of society (including church leaders, government 
officials, and members of civil society) in the context of its overall 
promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                             COTE D'IVOIRE

    The Constitution was suspended following the December 24, 1999 coup 
d'etat. The Constitution provided for freedom of religion, as does the 
proposed new constitution, which is to be voted on in a July 
referendum; the Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally tolerant relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion; 
however, followers of traditional indigenous religions are subject to 
societal discrimination. The Government monitors minority religions for 
signs of political activity it considers subversive or dangerous.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution that was suspended following the December 24, 1999 
coup d'etat provided for freedom of religion, and the Government 
generally protected this right. The post-coup military government 
continued to respect this right and is proposing a constitution that 
provides for protection of religious freedom, which is to be voted on 
in a referendum scheduled for July 23. There is no state religion, but 
for historical and ethnic reasons the Government informally favored 
Christianity, particularly the Roman Catholic Church. Catholic Church 
leaders had a much stronger voice in government affairs than their 
Islamic counterparts, which led to feelings of disenfranchisement among 
the Muslim population. After assuming power following the coup, General 
Robert Guei indicated that one of the goals of the transition 
government was to end this favoritism and put all of the major 
religious faiths on an equal footing. In practice, the Government has 
not taken any steps to bring this about.
    In 1987-90, then-President Felix Hophuet-Boigny sponsored the 
construction in his hometown, Yamoussoukro, of the world's largest 
Catholic church, the ``Our Lady of Peace'' Basilica, which was modeled 
on St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and consecrated by the Pope. Although 
the basilica's construction was financed ostensibly by private funds, 
allegations persist that funds of the National Cocoa and Coffee Board, 
a state-owned export monopoly, were diverted for this purpose. The 
Government also paid for the construction of the Catholic cathedral in 
Abidjan, which was completed in 1985; part of the cost of building it 
also was paid by contributions that the Government required of all 
salaried workers in the country, regardless of their religious 
affiliation. The Government sponsors or finances the construction of 
shrines for groups other than the Catholic Church. It currently is 
directing the construction of the Plateau Mosque in central Abidjan and 
financing it with the help of governments or government-affiliated 
religious organizations of some largely Islamic Arab countries. A high 
government official has indicated that the Government plans soon to 
sponsor the construction of a temple for all of the country's 
Protestant denominations when resources permit.
    The Government establishes requirements for religious groups under 
a 1939 French law. All religious groups wishing to operate in the 
country must submit to the Ministry of the Interior a file including 
the group's by-laws, the names of the founding members, the date of 
founding (or date on which the founder received the revelation of his 
or her calling), the minutes of the general assembly, the names of 
members of the administrative board, and other information. The 
Interior Ministry investigates the backgrounds of the founding members 
to ascertain that the group has no politically subversive purpose. 
However, in practice, the Government's regulation of religious groups 
generally has not been unduly restrictive since 1990, when the 
Government legalized opposition political parties.
    Although nontraditional religious groups, like all public secular 
associations, are required to register with the Government, no 
penalties are imposed on a group that fails to register. In practice, 
registration can bring advantages of public recognition, invitation to 
official ceremonies and events, publicity, gifts, and school subsidies. 
No religious group has ever complained of arbitrary registration 
procedures or recognition. The Government does not register traditional 
indigenous religious groups.
    The Government grants no tax or other benefits to religious groups. 
However, some religious groups have gained some favors after individual 
negotiations. Examples include reductions in the cost of resident alien 
registration, customs exemptions on certain religious items, and, in 
some cases, privileges similar to those of diplomats. No particular 
religion is favored consistently in this manner. Occasionally, a state-
owned company grants favors to religious leaders, such as a reduction 
in airplane fare.
Religious Demography
    The published results of the most recent national census, conducted 
in 1998, indicate that Muslims make up about 38.6 percent of the 
country's population; Catholics make up 19.4 percent; Protestants, 6.6 
percent; Harrists, 1.3 percent; other Christians, 3.1 percent; 
practitioners of traditional indigenous religions, 11.9 percent; 
practitioners of other religions, 1.7 percent; and persons without 
religious preference or affiliation, 16.7 percent. Among citizens, 27.4 
percent are Muslim, 20.8 percent are Catholic, 8.2 percent are 
Protestant, 1.6 percent are Harrist, 3.4 percent are of other Christian 
affiliations, 15.4 percent practice traditional indigenous religions, 
1.9 percent practice other religions, and 20.7 percent are without 
religious affiliation. Foreigners living in the country are 70.5 
percent Muslim and 15.4 percent Catholic with small percentages 
practicing other religions.
    Muslims are found in greatest numbers in the northern half of the 
country, although due to immigration they also are becoming 
increasingly numerous in the cities of the south. In 1998 Muslims 
composed 45.5 percent of the total urban population and 33.5 percent of 
the total rural population. Catholics are found mostly in the southern, 
central, and eastern portions of the country. Practitioners of 
traditional indigenous religions are concentrated in rural areas of the 
north, west, center, and east. Protestants are concentrated in the 
central, eastern, and southwest regions. Members of the Harrist Church, 
an African Protestant denomination founded in the country in 1913 by a 
Liberian preacher named William Wade Harris, are concentrated in the 
south.
    Both political and religious affiliation tends to follow ethnic 
lines. As population growth and movement have accentuated ethnic 
distinctions between the groups of the Sahel and those of the forest 
zone, those distinctions have been sometimes expressed in terms of 
religion (e.g., northern Muslims vs. southern Christians and 
traditionalists).
    Religious groups in the country include the Adventist Church, the 
Assemblies of God, the Southern Baptist Church, Bossonism (the 
traditional religious practices of the Akan ethnic group), the 
Autonomous Church of Celestial Christianity of Oschoffa, Islam, Roman 
Catholicism, the Union of the Evangelical Church of Services and Works 
of Cote d'Ivoire, the Harrist Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of 
Latter-Day Saints, the Protestant Methodist Church of Cote d'Ivoire, 
the Yoruba First Church, the Church of God International Missions, the 
Baptist Church Missions, the Church of the Prophet Papa Nouveau (a 
syncretistic religion founded in the country in 1937, which combines 
Christian doctrine, traditional African rituals, and practical concern 
for social, political, and economic progress for Africans), the 
Pentecostal Church of Cote d'Ivoire, the Messianic Church, the Limoudim 
of Rabbi Jesus (a small Christian group, the origins of which are not 
known), the Unification Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, and the 
Interdenominational Church. Many religious groups in the country are 
associated with American religious groups.
    Most of the country's many syncretistic religions are forms of 
Christianity that contain some traditional African practices and 
rituals. Many of these have been founded by Ivoirian or other African 
prophets and are organized around and dependent upon the founder's 
personality. Some emphasize faith healing or sale of sacred objects 
imbued with supernatural powers to bring health and good luck. Many 
nominal Christians and Muslims practice some aspects of traditional 
indigenous religions, especially in difficult times.
    Traditional indigenous religions, which are not registered 
officially as religions, rarely are included in official or unofficial 
lists of the country's religions. There is no generally accepted system 
of classifying the country's diverse traditional religious practices, 
which vary not only by ethnic group, but also by region, village, and 
family, as well as by gender and age group. In addition, members of the 
country's largely Christianized or Islamicized urban elites, which 
effectively control the State, generally seem disinclined to accord to 
traditional indigenous religions the social status accorded to 
Christianity and Islam. No traditional indigenous religious leader 
(except for traditional rulers, who also may perform some traditional 
religious functions) is known ever to have been invited to present New 
Year's greetings to the President or to take part in a government 
advisory council.
    Generally there has been a trend towards conversion by 
practitioners of traditional religions to Christianity and Islam. 
Missionary work, urbanization, immigration, and greater education 
levels have led to a decline in the percentage of practitioners of 
traditional religion from 37 percent in 1975 to 11.9 percent in 1998.
    Immigrants from other parts of Africa are generally at least 
nominally Muslim or Christian. The majority of foreign missionaries are 
European or American representatives of established religions, but some 
Nigerians and Congolese have set up churches. Foreign missionaries must 
meet the same requirements as any foreigner, including resident alien 
registration and identification card requirements.
    Until recently, Catholic priests tended to be better educated than 
leaders of other religions. Numerous Catholic schools were founded in 
the country in the early 1900's, during French colonial rule, and 
citizens who attended these schools generally received good educations 
and came to make up a disproportionately large part of the country's 
elites. Many senior government officials, including all three heads of 
state since independence, have been Catholics.
    The Baoule ethnic minority, which has dominated the State and the 
ruling Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire (PDCI) from independence in 
1960 until 1999, is largely Catholic, although some Baoules continue to 
practice traditional indigenous religion and a few practice Islam.
    The Government has taken steps to improve the situation of Muslims. 
However, Muslims often have had to struggle for state benefits that 
came more easily to practitioners of other religions. For example, 
Catholic and Protestant schools are regarded as official schools 
supervised by the Ministry of Education and subsidized by the 
Government. However, until 1994 Islamic schools were regarded as 
religious schools, were supervised by the Ministry of the Interior, and 
were unsubsidized even if they followed official school curriculums. 
Since 1994 Islamic schools that follow official curriculums have been 
subsidized by the Government. The Government recognized no Muslim 
religious holidays until 1974 and did not recognize all major Muslim 
religious holidays until 1994. Churches always have organized Christian 
pilgrimages without formal government supervision, but until 1993 the 
Ministry of the Interior supervised Islamic pilgrimages to Mecca (the 
Hajj).
    During 1991 the Catholic Church began to operate community radio 
stations, first in Man and later in Abidjan and Yamoussoukro, but 
Muslim efforts to gain authorization to operate similar stations were 
unsuccessful until 1999, and Muslim organizations, unlike the Catholic 
Church, did not venture to operate unlicensed radio stations. Catholic 
and Protestant radio stations were given formal approval on March 30, 
1999, after operating for months without official permission, and the 
Government granted authorization for an Islamic radio station on April 
21, 1999.
    The Government has taken positive steps to promote inter-faith 
understanding. Catholics, Muslims, and Protestants have had their own 
religious programs on national television and radio for over 20 years. 
On significant Christian and Islamic holy days, national television 
often broadcasts films on the life of the founders of those religions. 
Government officials, including the President and his religious 
advisers, make a point of appearing at major religious celebrations and 
events organized by a wide variety of faiths and groups. There is no 
government-sponsored forum for inter-faith dialog, but the Government 
often invites leaders of various religious communities (but not of 
traditional indigenous religious groups) to attend official ceremonies 
and to sit on deliberative and advisory committees.
    Religious instruction is permitted in public schools and usually 
offered after normal class hours. Most such instruction is offered by 
established Islamic, Catholic, and Protestant groups.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Government monitors minority religions, to the extent of 
registering them, but does not control them closely. However, some 
citizens are alarmed by the explosive proliferation of new groups. In 
his 1999 New Year's greetings, then-President Henri Konan Bedie advised 
the public to be wary of new groups that are not clearly identified and 
warned such groups against taking advantage of the country's tradition 
of tolerance to commit acts of fraud or manipulation. In general, the 
Government closely watches some religious groups, including Islamic 
associations and minority groups, for signs of political activity that 
it considers subversive but otherwise does not monitor them.
    The Government does not prohibit links to foreign coreligionists 
but informally discourages connections with politically radical 
fundamentalist movements, such as Islamic groups based in Iran and 
Libya.
    While not a direct restriction on religious freedom, some Muslims 
believe that they are discriminated against when applying for national 
identity cards. Due to the tense political situation in the country and 
the ethnic divisions along which political party lines are drawn, 
northern Muslims sometimes are scrutinized more closely in the identity 
card application process. As these northern Muslims share names, style 
of dress, and customs with several of the country's predominantly 
Muslim neighboring countries, they sometimes are accused wrongly of 
attempting to obtain illegally nationality cards in order to vote. 
Although this is not directly a result of their religious belief, this 
treatment creates a hardship for a disproportionate number of Muslims.
    In December 1999, the new military regime requested that the 
Islamic Superior Council, an organization of imams that was seen as 
politically active and supportive of the previous regime, disband. The 
president of the council, Moustapha Diaby, did not oppose this demand, 
and the council ceased its operations. In March 2000, the Government 
allowed the council to resume its activities.
    In May 2000, the military government warned the imam leaders of the 
Muslim community to refrain from political discourse in their sermons. 
The Government claimed the imams had been jeopardizing security with 
sermons that were too politically charged. In May and June 2000, during 
travels to various regions in the country, General Guei continually 
asked imams and other Muslim leaders to stay out of politics.
    In March 2000, local governments closed Harrist churches to prevent 
an escalation of intrareligious violence (see Section II).
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the various religious communities are generally 
amicable. Once a year, on New Year's Eve, members of all Christian 
religious groups gather in the National Stadium in Abidjan to keep a 
nightlong vigil and pray. When serious social problems have arisen, 
simultaneous prayer ceremonies have been held in churches, temples, and 
mosques to ask for divine assistance. Kouassi-Datekro, a town in the 
Akan region in the eastern part of the country, is famous for 
ecumenical events involving simultaneous prayer services of all faiths. 
Since 1990 religious leaders from diverse groups have assembled on 
their own initiative to mediate in times of political conflict; 
however, no leaders of traditional indigenous religious groups have 
been included.
    The religious group that feels most discriminated against is the 
largest group, the country's Islamic community. Societal attitudes are 
responsible for at least some of that feeling. Since the Islamic duty 
to give alms daily may attract beggars to neighborhoods containing 
mosques, some non-Muslims have opposed construction of mosques, such as 
the new mosque in Abidjan's plateau district. Some non-Muslims also 
find the muezzins' calls to prayer annoying. A few group all Muslims in 
a common category as foreigners, fundamentalists, or terrorists. Muslim 
citizens often are treated as foreigners by their fellow citizens, 
sometimes including government officials, because most Muslims are 
members of northern ethnic groups also found in other African countries 
from which there has been substantial immigration into the country.
    Followers of traditional indigenous religions also are subject to 
societal discrimination. Many leaders of nontraditional religions, such 
as Christianity or Islam, look down on practitioners of traditional 
indigenous religions as pagans, practitioners of black magic, and 
practitioners of human sacrifice. Some Christians or Muslims refuse to 
associate with practitioners of traditional indigenous religions. The 
contents of traditional indigenous religions often are shrouded by 
secrecy mechanisms, such as exclusive initiation rites, oaths of 
silence, and taboos against writing down orally transmitted lore. 
However, there have been no reports of human sacrifice in the country 
since well before independence. Although the purported practice of 
black magic or witchcraft continues to be widely feared, it generally 
is discouraged by traditional indigenous religions, aspects of which 
commonly purport to offer protection from witchcraft. Traditional 
indigenous religions commonly involve belief in one supreme deity as 
well as lesser deities or spirits that are to be praised or appeased, 
some of whom may in some religions be believed to inhabit or otherwise 
be associated with particular places, natural objects, or man-made 
images.
    However, many practitioners of traditional indigenous religions are 
unaware of societal discrimination and have not complained. The 
foremost proponent of ``Bossonism,'' Jean Marie Adiaffi, died in 1999. 
He was organizing practitioners of traditional indigenous religions and 
demanding equal treatment for its religious leaders. No leader stepped 
forward to continue his work.
    Conflicts between and within religious groups have surfaced 
occasionally. Members of the Limoudim of Rabbi Jesus, a small Christian 
group of unknown origin, have criticized and sometimes attacked other 
Christian groups for allegedly failing to follow the teachings of 
Jesus. In 1992 a few members of the Limoudim group destroyed several 
Christian churches and tortured ministers in the Abobo district of 
Abidjan. They were tried and sentenced to 7 years' imprisonment but 
released in 1995 after receiving a presidential pardon. In January 
1998, a conflict over land erupted between Catholics and Assembly of 
God members in the Yopougon district of Abidjan. The same area was the 
scene of a land conflict between Baptists and their neighbors in August 
1998.
    The Celestial Christians are divided because of a leadership 
struggle, as are the Harrists, who have come to blows on occasion.
    In March 2000, due to the internal struggle in the Harrist Church, 
clergy leader Barthelemy Akre Yasse struck Harrist National Committee 
president Tchotche Mel Felix from the church rolls for insubordination. 
This battle for church leadership at the national level led to violent 
confrontations between church members at the local level. Local 
governments, in order to prevent an escalation in the violence, closed 
Harrist churches in which the confrontations took place.
    Prior to the coup, the Islamic leadership was fractured by 
disagreement between factions, two of which (the Superior Islamic 
Council and the Ouamma Islamic Front) were allied with the former 
ruling party, and two of which (the National Islamic Council and the 
Islamic Confederation for the Development of Cote d'Ivoire) were 
unaligned politically and had sought to create Islamic organizations 
that enjoy the same freedom from unofficial state oversight and 
guidance that Catholic organizations have long enjoyed. Following the 
overthrow of the Bedie government in December 1999, the organizations 
began to work together.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy has monitored and reported on the status of 
religious freedom, developed and maintained contacts with leaders of 
diverse religious groups, and discussed religious freedom issues with 
government officials in the overall context of the promotion of human 
rights.
    In 1997 with financial assistance from the Embassy, the Research 
Group in Democracy and Social and Economic Development of Cote d'Ivoire 
(GERDDES-CI) helped religious groups in the country to establish a 
Forum of Religious Confessions. All the main religious groups 
participated in the forum: Catholics, Muslims, various Protestant 
groups, several syncretist religious groups, and the Association of 
Traditional Priests. The Forum continued to meet throughout the period 
covered by this report.
                               __________

                                DJIBOUTI

    The Constitution, while declaring Islam to be the state religion, 
provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects 
this right in practice; however, proselytizing is discouraged.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Citizens generally are very tolerant of one another in the practice 
of their religion. However, recent converts to other religions have 
faced some discrimination in the past; there were no reports of such 
discrimination during the period covered by this report.
    U.S. embassy officials engage in a regular human rights dialog with 
government officials, which includes religious freedom issues. Embassy 
officers also meet with leaders of the religious communities.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution, while declaring Islam to be the state religion, 
provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects 
this right in practice; however, proselytizing is discouraged.
    Although Islam is the state religion, the Government imposes no 
sanctions on those who choose to ignore Islamic teachings or practice 
other faiths. The Qadi is the country's senior judge of Islamic law and 
is appointed by the Minister of Justice. The current Qadi was appointed 
in June 1999. His predecessor was named Minister of State for 
Charitable and Religious Affairs under the Ministry of Justice. This 
position was created in May 1999, when newly elected President Ismail 
Omar Guelleh formed his Cabinet and declared that Islam would be a 
central tenet of his government.
    The Government requires that religious groups be registered. There 
were no reports that the Government refused to register any religious 
groups.
Religious Demography
    Over 99 percent of the population is Sunni Muslim. There are a 
small number of Catholics, Protestants, and followers of the Baha'i 
Faith, together accounting for less than 1 percent of the population. 
The sizable foreign community supports the Roman Catholic, Protestant, 
Greek Orthodox, and Ethiopian Orthodox Churches. There are no known 
practitioners of traditional indigenous religions. Because all citizens 
officially are considered Muslims if they do not adhere to another 
faith, there are no figures available on the number of atheists in the 
country.
    Religion is not taught in public schools.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    There is no legal prohibition against proselytizing; however, 
proselytizing is discouraged. There were a few occasions when members 
of the Baha'i Faith were questioned by the police regarding possible 
proselytizing activities; however, there were no arrests.
    Foreign clergy and missionaries are permitted to perform charitable 
works and to sell religious books. A small number of foreign Christian 
missionary groups operate in the country. These groups, which focus on 
humanitarian services in the education and health sectors, reportedly 
faced no harassment during the period covered by this report. Foreign 
missionary groups are licensed by the Government to run schools.
    Islamic law based on the Koran is used only with regard to family 
matters, and is administered by the Qadi. Civil marriage is permitted 
only for non-Muslim foreigners. Muslims are required to marry in a 
religious ceremony, and non-Muslim men may only marry a Muslim woman 
after converting to Islam.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners. Although 
groups of Ethiopian Pentecostal Christians were arrested and detained 
for short periods of time in the past, there were no reports of such 
detentions during the period covered by this report. The past arrests 
reportedly were due to loud singing that disturbed neighbors, or to a 
general crackdown on illegal residents, rather than to the Ethiopians' 
religious faith.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    The large presence of French Catholics and Ethiopian Orthodox 
Christians for almost a century has led to considerable familiarity and 
tolerance of other faiths by the Muslim majority. The Government 
established diplomatic relations with the Vatican in May 2000. A group 
of the late Mother Teresa of Calcutta's Missionaries of Charity was 
expected to arrive soon thereafter to work among the poor, but had not 
arrived as of June 30, 2000.
    Persons born as Catholics face no discrimination from Muslim 
relatives. In many cases, these Catholics are children or grandchildren 
of persons raised in French Catholic orphanages during the colonial 
period. In the past, recent converts to other religions have faced some 
discrimination; however, there were no reports of such discrimination 
during the period covered by this report.
    In Djiboutian Somali society, clan membership has more influence 
over a person's life than religion. Djiboutian Somalis who are 
Christians often are buried according to Islamic traditions by 
relatives who do not recognize their non-Muslim faith.
    There is no formal inter-faith dialog. The Catholic Church 
organizes an annual celebration with all the other Christian churches. 
The Qadi receives Ramadan greetings from Pope John Paul II. He only 
meets with the heads of other faiths at government-organized 
ceremonies.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    U.S. Embassy officials engage in a regular humans rights dialog 
with government officials, which includes religious freedom issues.
    Embassy representatives meet with leaders and members of religious 
communities and with U.S. nongovernmental organizations (NGO's) with a 
missionary component. In addition, during the period covered by this 
report an embassy representative participated in a conference for 
Muslim religious leaders organized by the Qadi.
                               __________

                           EQUATORIAL GUINEA

    The Fundamental Law of 1995 provides for freedom of religion; 
however the Government limited this right in practice in some respects.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report despite some restrictions on 
the right of assembly; however, the Government discourages criticism by 
religious groups, restricts activities outside church premises, and one 
priest remains in detention.
    There generally are amicable relations between the various 
religious groups in the country.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government during periodic visits to Equatorial Guinea in the context 
of its overall dialog and policy of promoting human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The 1995 Fundamental Law provides for freedom of religion; however, 
the Government limited this right in practice by its restrictions, for 
example, on the right of assembly.
    A religious organization must be formally registered with the 
Ministry of Justice and Religion before its religious activities are 
allowed. While religious groups must be approved and registered in 
order to function legally, there were no reports during the period 
covered by this report that the Government had refused to register any 
group. However, information regarding the exact procedure for 
registering a religious denomination was not available. The Assemblies 
of God, for example, received official recognition in 1993. From 1987 
until 1993, the group was able to operate but was not recognized 
officially. The approval process usually takes several years, but such 
delay apparently is due primarily to general bureaucratic slowness and 
not the result of a clear policy designed to impede the operation of 
any religious group. The exact number of registered denominations is 
not available.
Religious Demography
    The population is approximately 93 percent Christian, 5 percent 
animist, and less than 1 percent each for Muslim, Baha'i, other 
religions, and those who are nonreligious. The principal religion is 
Roman Catholicism, dating from the Spanish colonial period, when almost 
the entire population was baptized into this faith. Of the Christian 
population, approximately 87 percent are at least nominally Catholic, 
and approximately 4.5 percent belong to Protestant denominations. In 
practice the actual figure for tribal religions is likely much higher; 
moreover, many baptized Catholics reportedly still follow traditional 
beliefs. There is no known organized worship in large parts of the 
country, in particular in the center and north of the mainland and on 
the smaller islands. The ethnic minorities, such as the Ngumba, Yaka, 
Puku, and Benga have no known organized religious congregations.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Government and President Teodoro Obiang Nguema's ruling 
Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE) have reacted defensively 
to any criticism. They prefer that religious groups stay out of 
politics and refrain from criticism of the Government and its 
leadership. The Government requires permission for any activities 
outside church walls, but in practice this nominal requirement does not 
appear to be a hindrance to organized religious groups. After the 
January 1998 coup attempt, all religious groups were summoned by the 
authorities to assemble in an ecumenical meeting in February 1998 at 
the stadium in the capital to endorse a public profession against 
violence. Reportedly, no signed agreement resulted, and there was no 
communique issued from the meeting.
    Religious study is required in schools and is usually, but not 
exclusively, Catholic. The Government generally allows preaching, 
religious teaching, education, and practice by believers. Missionaries 
work throughout the country, generally without impediment, including 
several dozen American missionaries and their dependents. However, the 
Government restricted the activities of the Catholic Church.
    In July 1998, the Archbishop of Malabo, Laureano Ekua Obama, stated 
publicly that the Government now requires Catholic priests to obtain 
government permission before celebrating Mass, and commented that the 
Government does this because the Church repeatedly has denounced human 
rights violations, social injustice, and corruption in the country. The 
Archbishop also stated that government harassment made it very 
difficult to be a Catholic priest in the country. Nonetheless, a 1992 
law includes a stated official preference towards the Catholic Church 
and the Reform Church of Equatorial Guinea due to their traditional 
roots and well-known influence in the social and cultural life of the 
populace. For example, a Roman Catholic mass is normally part of any 
major ceremonial function such as the October 12 national day.
    The Government relaxed some restrictions on religious activities by 
foreign missionaries in 1996. Missionaries in Bata and Malabo reported 
little government interference in their work. However, in January 1998 
in Bata, the largest town on the mainland, security forces broke up a 
religious revival conducted by a popular European evangelist and 
expelled him from the country. According to several sources, the 
governor of Bata and the police chief expelled the evangelist and his 
group the following day in order to take possession of the evangelist's 
vehicles, sound system, and other equipment. Diplomatic intervention by 
a number of foreign governments allowed the evangelist to depart with 
his vehicles.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    In February 1998, security forces arrested a priest, Father Eduardo 
Losoha Belope--a member of the Bubi ethnic group and president of the 
Malabo chapter of the Catholic nongovernmental organization, Caritas--
in connection with the January 21, 1998 revolt. Father Belope still is 
being held and was one of the Bubi prisoners transferred in March 2000 
from Bioko Island to Evinayong on the mainland.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There generally are amicable relations between the various 
religious groups in the country. Some religious groups believe that 
they face societal pressures within their regions. However, no specific 
incidents or violence stemming from religious discrimination have been 
reported, and such concerns may reflect ethnic or individual as much as 
religious differences.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy in Yaounde, Cameroon maintains contact with 
religious groups, especially American missionaries in the country, and 
monitors any religious initiatives during periodic visits. During the 
period covered by this report, embassy staff met with various religious 
leaders, including members of the Catholic hierarchy, Protestant 
missionaries, and religiously affiliated nongovernmental organizations.
                               __________

                                ERITREA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion; however, the 
Government restricts this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    The Government bans religious organizations from involvement in 
politics and restricts the right of religious media to comment on 
political matters. The Government discourages proselytizing by members 
of one faith among adherents of another and also discourages foreign 
religious groups and nongovernmental organizations (NGO's) from 
proselytizing, as it believes that this could create unnecessary 
friction in the delicate balance between the Muslim and Christian 
populations. The Government continued to harass, arrest, detain, and 
discriminate against members of the small community of Jehovah's 
Witnesses. Citizens generally are very tolerant of one another in the 
practice of their religion; however, societal attitudes toward 
Jehovah's Witnesses are the exception to this widespread tolerance.
    The U.S. Embassy meets regularly with leaders of the religious 
community and the Government's director of religious affairs. Embassy 
officers have raised the case of Jehovah's Witnesses with government 
officials.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion; however, the 
Government restricts this right in practice. The Constitution provides 
for the freedom to practice any religion and to ``manifest such 
practice,'' and Islam and Christianity are practiced widely and 
tolerated throughout the country with persons free to worship at the 
mosque or church of their choice; however, the Government continued to 
harass, arrest, detain, and discriminate against members of the small 
community of Jehovah's Witnesses.
    The Government does not require religious groups to register. 
However, because the Government owns all land, any religious 
organization that seeks facilities for worship other than private homes 
must seek government approval to build such facilities. There were no 
reports that the Government refused to approve the use or construction 
of facilities by any religious organization. Religious organizations, 
including religious NGO's, do not receive duty free privileges, 
although they sometimes are allowed to import items under the reduced 
duty structure used for corporations. The Government prohibits 
political activity by religious groups, and the Government's 
Directorate of Religious Affairs in the Ministry of Local Government 
monitors religious compliance with this proscription against political 
activity.
Religious Demography
    Although reliable statistics are not available, approximately 50 
percent of the population are Sunni Muslim and approximately 40 percent 
are Orthodox Christian. The population also includes a small number of 
Eastern Rite and Roman Catholics (5 percent), Protestants (2 percent), 
smaller numbers of Seventh-Day Adventists, and less than 1,500 members 
of Jehovah's Witnesses. A small minority, perhaps 2 percent, practices 
traditional indigenous religions. Also present in very small numbers 
are practicing Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, and Baha'is. Generally, the 
eastern and western lowlands are predominantly Muslims, and the 
highlands are predominantly Christian. There are very few atheists.
    Some foreign missionaries operate in the country, including 
representatives of Catholic, Protestant, and Muslim faiths. There also 
are several international religious NGO's that provide humanitarian 
aid, including Caritas, Dutch Interchurch Aid, Lutheran Church Aid, and 
the Mufti's Relief Organization, the relief arm of the Muslim religion.
    The Government's Directorate of Religious Affairs in the Ministry 
of Local Government encourages cooperation and inter-faith dialog. The 
Directorate helps coordinate interdenominational relations among the 
four major religious groups (Muslim, Orthodox Christian, Catholic, and 
Protestant).
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Government discourages proselytizing by members of one faith 
among adherents of another and also discourages foreign religious 
groups and NGO's from proselytizing, as it believes that this could 
create unnecessary friction in the delicate balance between the Muslim 
and Christian populations.
    In a 1995 proclamation, the Government described specific 
guidelines on the role of religion and religion-affiliated NGO's in 
development and government, stating that development, politics, and 
public administration are the sole responsibility of the Government and 
citizens.
    The 1995 Proclamation bans religious organizations from involvement 
in politics and restricts the right of religious media to comment on 
political matters. Pursuant to the 1995 proclamation, religious 
organizations are permitted to fund, but not initiate or implement, 
development projects; however, this proclamation was not enforced in 
practice--several religious organizations executed small-scale 
development projects without government interference. The proclamation 
also set out rules governing relations between religious organizations 
and foreign sponsors.
    Authorities informed all religious organizations in April 1998 that 
all schools run by religious denominations would be incorporated into 
the public school system. At the time it was not made clear whether the 
clerical authorities would continue to administer the curriculum with 
government oversight or whether the school faculty would be absorbed 
into the Ministry of Education. However, no action was taken to 
implement this initiative because of the outbreak of the border 
conflict with Ethiopia. In January 1998, the Government decreed that 
religiously affiliated organizations were prohibited from running 
kindergartens; however, this decree was never carried out. According to 
officials in the Religious Affairs Office, the Government is expected 
to allow religious schools to operate independently as long as they 
adhere to a standard curriculum.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    Jehovah's Witnesses have several churches and members are not 
barred from meeting in private homes; however, the Government continued 
to harass, arrest, detain, and discriminate against members of the 
small community of Jehovah's Witnesses. In 1994 the Government revoked 
the trading licenses of some members of Jehovah's Witnesses and 
dismissed most of those who worked in the civil service. This 
governmental action resulted in economic, employment, and travel 
difficulties for many members of Jehovah's Witnesses, especially former 
civil servants and businessmen. In April 1997, the Government labor 
office issued a form to all employers in Asmara and the surrounding 
area requesting information on any government personnel who were 
members of Jehovah's Witnesses. In addition to these measures, members 
of Jehovah's Witnesses also often are denied identification cards, exit 
visas, trading licenses, and government housing unless they hide their 
religion.
    Members of Jehovah's Witnesses have refused universally on 
religious grounds to participate in national service or to vote. This 
has spurred widespread criticism that members of Jehovah's Witnesses 
collectively were shirking their civic duty. Some Muslims also have 
objected to universal national service because of the requirement that 
women perform military duty. Although persons from other religious 
groups, including Muslims, reportedly have been imprisoned for failure 
to participate in national service, only members of Jehovah's Witnesses 
have been subject to dismissal from the civil service, had their 
trading licenses revoked, and been denied passports for this reason.
    In 1998 several members of Jehovah's Witnesses were arrested for 
failure to comply with national service laws and some were tried, 
although there is no information available regarding the verdicts or 
sentences in these cases. In March 1999, representatives of Jehovah's 
Witnesses reported that three members of Jehovah's Witnesses had been 
detained without trial or charge for more than 4 years, allegedly for 
failing to participate in national service. The maximum penalty for 
refusing to do national service is only 3 years.
    Ministry of Justice officials deny that any members of Jehovah's 
Witnesses were held without charges, although they acknowledge that 
some members of Jehovah's Witnesses and a number of Muslims are in jail 
serving sentences for convictions on charges of evading national 
service. The Government does not excuse individuals who object to 
national service for reasons of conscience, nor does the Government 
allow alternative service. There is no indication that any persons are 
detained or imprisoned solely because of their religious beliefs or 
practices; however, the Government has singled out members of Jehovah's 
Witnesses for harsher treatment than that received by members of other 
faiths for similar actions.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Citizens generally are very tolerant of one another in the practice 
of their religion. Mosques and Christian churches of all orders coexist 
throughout the country, although Islam tends to predominate in the 
lowlands and Christianity in the highlands.
    In Asmara Christians and Muslim holidays are respected by all 
religions. Some holidays are celebrated jointly.
    In 1999 leaders of the Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, and Muslim 
faiths created Good Deeds in Unity, an organization to help ethnic 
Eritrean expellees in Eritrea, Eritreans displaced by the war, and 
other needy persons in Eritrea. This organization works with the 
government relief agency, the Eritrean Relief and Refugee Affairs 
Commission.
    Societal attitudes toward Jehovah's Witnesses are the exception to 
widespread religious tolerance. Members of Jehovah's Witnesses 
generally are disliked because of their refusal to participate in the 
independence referendum in 1993 and to perform national service, a 
refusal that is widely seen as unpatriotic.
    Church leaders of most denominations, in particular, leaders of the 
Orthodox Christian, Catholic, Islamic, and Protestant denominations, 
meet routinely and engage in ongoing efforts to foster cooperation and 
understanding between religions, with the major exception of Jehovah's 
Witnesses. Leaders of the four major religious organizations meet 
routinely and enjoy excellent inter-faith relations. In July 2000, in 
Oslo, Norway, leaders, these leaders met with their Ethiopian 
counterparts for the fourth time in an ecumenical peace effort to 
resolve the Eritrea-Ethiopia conflict.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy meets regularly with leaders of the religious 
community and the Government's Director of Religious Affairs.
    The U.S. Ambassador and other embassy officers have raised the 
special case of Jehovah's Witnesses with government officials in the 
President's Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the High Court, 
the Ministry of Justice, and in media interviews.
                               __________

                                ETHIOPIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, on 
occasion local authorities infringed on this right.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    In general government policy contributes to the free practice of 
religion. However, Muslim leaders complained that public school 
authorities sometimes interfered with their free practice of Islam. 
Protestant groups occasionally complain that local officials 
discriminate against them when seeking land for churches and 
cemeteries. While the relationship among religions in society is 
generally amicable, there continued to be pockets of interreligious 
tension and criticism between followers of evangelical and Pentecostal 
churches, on the one hand, and Ethiopian Orthodox Christians, on the 
other.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom with the Government 
in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting human 
rights. The U.S. Embassy meets regularly with the leaders of all of the 
religious communities.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, on 
occasion local authorities infringed on this right. The Constitution 
requires the separation of church and state.
    The Government requires that religious groups be registered. 
Religious institutions, like nongovernmental organizations (NGO's), are 
registered with the Ministry of Justice, and must renew their 
registration every year. Unlike NGO's, religious groups are not subject 
to a rigorous registration process. Under current law, a religious 
organization that undertakes development activities must register its 
development wing separately as an NGO.
    Religious groups are not accorded duty-free status. Most religious 
groups, with the exception of Jehovah's Witnesses, are given free 
government land for churches, schools, hospitals, and cemeteries; 
however, the title to the land remains with the Government, and the 
land, other than that used for prayer houses or cemeteries, can be 
taken back at any time. Religious groups, like private individuals or 
businesses, must apply to regional and local governments for land 
allocation. An inter-faith effort is underway to promote revision of 
the law since it affects the duty-free status of religious groups.
Religious Demography
    Over 40 percent of the population adhere to the Ethiopian Orthodox 
Church (EOC), the single largest religious group. The EOC claims 50 
percent of the country's total population of 61.7 million, or more than 
31 million adherents, and 110,405 churches. The EOC is predominant in 
the northern regions of Tigray and Amhara. Approximately 40 percent of 
the population are Muslim, although many Muslims claim that the actual 
percentage is higher. Islam is most prevalent in the Somali and Afar 
regions, as well as in parts of Oromia. Evangelical and Pentecostal 
Protestantism are the fastest growing faiths and now constitute more 
than 10 percent of the population. According to the Evangelical Church 
Fellowship, there are 7.4 million Protestants, although this figure may 
be on the high side. Established Protestant churches such as Mekane 
Yesus and Kale Hiwot are strongest in the Southern Nations, 
Nationalities, and People's Region (SNNPR), western and central Oromia, 
and in urban areas around the country. Roman Catholics, animists, and 
other traditional indigenous religions make up most of the remaining 
population. There are very few atheists.
    In Addis Ababa and western Gondar in the Amhara region there are 
very small concentrations of Ethiopian Jews (Falashas) and those who 
claim that their ancestors were forced to convert from Judaism to 
Ethiopian Orthodoxy (Feles Mora). Approximately 3,000 Feles Mora 
migrated voluntarily from the western Amhara region to Addis Ababa in 
1991 at the time of ``Operation Solomon,'' when a large number of 
Falashas were airlifted to Israel. The Feles Mora also seek immigration 
to Israel. The number of Feles Mora in the country has grown to 
approximately 9,000. Israeli officials evaluate the Feles Mora 
immigration claims on a case-by-case basis and estimate that 
approximately 20 percent of the Feles Mora eventually may be able to 
immigrate under Israel's law of return. In June 1999, the Israeli 
Government announced that 3,500 Falashas requesting citizenship would 
be airlifted from Quara, Ethiopia to Israel. All of the eligible 
Falashas in Quara left for Israel by December 31, 1999.
    There are more than 6,000 Jehovah's Witnesses in the country. When 
the Government began deporting Eritreans and Ethiopians of Eritrean 
origin in 1998, it decided that Jehovah's Witnesses of Eritrean origin, 
who might face religious persecution in Eritrea, were not to be subject 
to deportation.
    Although precise data are not available, active participation in 
religious services is high throughout the country.
    A large number of foreign missionary groups operate in the country, 
including Catholic and American Protestant missionaries. Protestant 
organizations, operating under the umbrella of the 12-member 
Evangelical Church Fellowship of Ethiopia, sponsor or support 
missionary work: the Baptist Bible Fellowship, the New Covenant Baptist 
Church, the Baptist Evangelical Association, Mekane Yesus Church 
(associated with the Lutheran Church), Kale Hiwot Church (associated 
with Sim-Service in Mission), Hiwot Berhan Church (associated with the 
Swedish Philadelphia Church), Genet Church (associated with the Finnish 
Mission), Lutheran-Presbyterian Church of Ethiopia, Emnet Christos, 
Muluwongel (Full Gospel) Church, and Messerete Kristos (associated with 
the Mennonite Mission). There is also missionary activity among 
Pentecostals and Jehovah's Witnesses, and the Church of Jesus Christ of 
Latter-Day Saints.
    The Government officially recognizes both Christian and Muslim 
holidays, and has mandated a 2-hour lunch break on Fridays to allow 
Muslims to go to a mosque to pray. The Government also agreed to a 
request from Muslim students at Addis Ababa Commercial College to delay 
the start of afternoon classes until 1:30 p.m. to permit them to 
perform afternoon prayers at a nearby mosque.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Government does not issue work visas to foreign religious 
workers unless they are attached to the development wing of a religious 
organization.
    Evangelical leaders have complained of strict regulations on the 
importation of Bibles, as well as heavy customs duty on Bibles and 
other religious articles; however, Bibles and religious articles are 
subject to the same customs duty as all imported books and most 
imported items.
    Muslim leaders complained that public school authorities sometimes 
interfered with their free practice of Islam. Certain public school 
teachers in the SNNPR, Addis Ababa, and in the Amhara region objected 
to Muslim schoolgirls covering their heads with scarves while at 
school. In September 1999, Muslim girls who had boycotted classes in 
Woldea in the Amhara region over the issue of wearing headscarves to 
class, returned to classes with their scarves.
    The Government has interpreted the constitutional provision for 
separation of church and state to mean that religious instruction is 
not permitted in schools, whether they are public or private schools. 
Catholic, Orthodox, evangelical, and Muslim-owned and operated schools 
are not permitted to teach religion as a course of study. Most private 
schools teach a morals course as part of the school's curriculum, and 
the Government Education Bureau in Addis Ababa has complained that such 
courses are not free of religious influence. Churches are permitted to 
have Sunday schools, the Koran is taught at mosques, and public schools 
permit the formation of clubs, including those of a religious nature.
    Protestant groups occasionally complain that local officials 
discriminate against them when seeking land for churches and 
cemeteries. Evangelical leaders complain that because they are 
perceived as ``newcomers'' they remain at a disadvantage compared with 
the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and the Supreme Islamic Council when it 
comes to the allocation of land. In January 1998, the Government 
returned evangelical church property that was seized under the Mengistu 
regime (including the Mekane Yesus Church headquarters, which served as 
Federal Police headquarters until 1997); however, the Government still 
has not returned other properties to the Mekane Yesus Church, including 
three student hostels and two schools. The Government also has not 
returned to the Seventh-Day Adventists properties taken by the prior 
regime, including two hospitals.
    In past years there were instances of conflict among religious 
groups, most noticeably between Orthodox Christians, on the one hand, 
and evangelicals and Pentecostals, on the other. While in past years 
some Pentecostals and evangelicals complained that the police failed to 
protect them adequately during instances of interreligious conflict, 
there were no complaints of inadequate police protection during the 
period covered by this report. In most interreligious disputes, the 
Government maintains neutrality and tries to be an impartial 
arbitrator.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Despite the country's broad level of religious freedom and 
tolerance for established faiths, there were instances of open conflict 
among religious groups before 1998, most noticeably between Ethiopian 
Orthodox Christians on the one hand, and Pentecostals and evangelicals 
on the other, and there continued to be pockets of interreligious 
tension and criticism during the period covered by this report. Newer 
faiths such as Jehovah's Witnesses and Pentecostals have encountered 
overt opposition from the public. Muslims and Orthodox Christians 
complain about proselytization by Pentecostals and Jehovah's Witnesses. 
Ethiopian Orthodox leaders complain that sometimes Protestants fail to 
respect Orthodox holy days and Orthodox customs. Muslims complain that 
some Pentecostal preachers disparage Islam in their services. There 
were complaints by Muslim leaders that the Ethiopian Orthodox Church's 
desire to ``show supremacy'' sometimes caused irritation in the 
regions. There are credible reports that the bodies of non-Orthodox 
Christians have been disinterred from Orthodox cemeteries and left 
exposed outside the cemetery grounds. In past years, Protestant and 
Pentecostal leaders have complained that, on occasion, Orthodox or 
evangelical adherents interrupted Protestant and Pentecostal religious 
meetings; however, there were no such reports during the period covered 
by this report. Orthodox and evangelical adherents attempted on a few 
occasions to prevent the construction of Protestant and Pentecostal 
churches in predominately Orthodox or evangelical areas.
    Nevertheless in most sections of the country Orthodox Christians 
and Muslims participate in each other's religious observances, and 
there is tolerance for intermarriage and conversion in certain areas, 
most notably in Welo, as well as in urban areas throughout the country. 
In the capital, Addis Ababa, persons of different faiths often live 
side-by-side. Most urban areas reflect a mixture of all religious 
denominations. Longstanding evangelical Protestant denominations, 
particularly the Mekane Yesus Church and Kale Hiwot Churches, provide 
social services such as health care and education to nonmembers as well 
as to members.
    In April 2000, the Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, the 
chairman of the Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council, the 
Archbishop of the Ethiopian Church and the president of the Ethiopian 
Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus issued a joint statement appealing to 
the international community for immediate humanitarian assistance to 
victims of drought in the country.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom with the Government 
in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting human 
rights. The U.S. Embassy meets regularly with the leaders of all of the 
religious communities. Embassy officers made an active effort to visit 
all of the religious groups and religious NGO's during the period 
covered by this report. Embassy officers met with the Supreme Islamic 
Council, Sim-Serving in Mission, Mekane Yesus, Jehovah's Witnesses, the 
Catholic Church, the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, and the Ethiopian 
Orthodox Church during the period covered by this report.
    The U.S. Ambassador held a series of meetings with religious 
leaders, including the Ethiopian Orthodox Patriarch and the president 
of the Supreme Islamic Council to discuss their responses to the HIV/
AIDS epidemic. The Ambassador also met with the Vatican Papel Nuncio, 
the executive director of the Mekane Yesus Church, the director of Sim-
Serving in Mission, and the president of the Seventh-Day Adventist 
Church to discuss the status of religious freedom and development 
issues. The U.S. Ambassador remains in regular contact with the 
American Joint Distribution Committee to discuss the situation of the 
country's Jewish population.
    In 1998 the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) 
entered into a 5-year agreement with the Ethiopian Orthodox Development 
Assistance Authority to provide food commodities and grants to support 
food security programs in four areas. The value of the program during 
the period covered by this report was approximately $4,700,000.
    In August 1999, USAID awarded the Ethiopian Orthodox Church a 
$350,000 grant to support programs to contain the spread of HIV/AIDS. 
The development arm of Mekane Yesus Church has been a USAID contractor 
since 1996. In December 1999, USAID renewed the contract with Mekane 
Yesus and increased the amount to $258,000 annually. In May 2000, USAID 
awarded the Supreme Islamic Council a $145,000 grant to support 
programs to contain the spread of HIV/AIDS.
                               __________

                                 GABON

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice. A 1983 decree 
banning Jehovah's Witnesses, which the Government promulgated on the 
grounds that Jehovah's Witnesses allegedly do not adequately protect 
individuals who might dissent from the group's views, remained in 
effect; however, the Government did not enforce the ban.
    The Ministry of the Interior maintains an official registry of some 
religious groups; however, it does not register traditional religious 
groups. The Government does not require religious groups to register 
but recommends that they do so in order to assemble with full 
constitutional protection. No financial or tax benefit is conferred by 
registration. The Government has refused to register approximately 10 
religious groups, including Jehovah's Witnesses. In practice, the 
Government allows Jehovah's Witnesses to assemble and practice their 
religion. In addition, the Government has made uncorroborated claims 
that it permits Jehovah's Witnesses to proselytize.
Religious Demography
    Major religions practiced in the country include Christianity 
(Catholicism and Protestantism), Islam, and traditional indigenous 
religions. Government statistics indicate that about 60 percent of the 
country's citizens practice Christianity, almost 40 percent practice 
traditional indigenous religions, and only 1 percent practice Islam. 
However, Muslims make up a much larger proportion of the total 
population, especially among noncitizens. Moreover, many persons 
practice both elements of Christianity and elements of traditional 
indigenous religions. It is estimated that approximately 73 percent of 
the population practice at least some elements of Christianity, about 
12 percent practice Islam, about 10 percent practice traditional 
indigenous religions exclusively, and about 5 percent practice no 
religion.
    Noncitizens constitute approximately 20 percent of the population. 
A significant portion of these noncitizens come from countries in West 
Africa with large Muslim populations. Approximately 80 to 90 percent of 
the 12 percent of the total population who practice Islam are 
foreigners. However, the country's President is a member of the Muslim 
minority.
    Islamic, Catholic, and Protestant denominations operate primary and 
secondary schools in the country. These schools are required to 
register with the Ministry of Education, which is charged with ensuring 
that these religious schools meet the same standards required for 
public schools. The Government does not contribute funds to private 
schools, whether religious or secular.
    There are no media operated by religious denominations, although 
several radio and television stations apportion some airtime for 
religious programming.
    The Government promotes inter-faith relations by facilitating 
meetings of leaders of the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy and the 
Islamic Council. Such meetings are held periodically, usually once 
every year or two.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the refusal to allow such citizens to be returned 
to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the different religions are very amicable. There 
were no reports of interreligious violence or intrareligious incidents 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were occasional incidents of violence in which practitioners 
of some traditional indigenous religions inflicted bodily harm on other 
persons. However, the details of these incidents are uncertain. The 
Ministry of the Interior maintained that violence and bodily harm to 
others in the practice of a traditional religion is a criminal offense 
and is prosecuted vigorously. Media reports suggested that this was 
true; however, little information about such prosecutions or their 
results is available.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of its overall dialog and policy of 
promoting human rights. Embassy officials have met with leaders of the 
Catholic Church, as well as the Islamic Superior Council. Contacts are 
maintained with the Ministry of Interior to discuss the general state 
of religion in the country. The Embassy also maintains close contacts 
with various Christian missionary groups in the country.
                               __________

                               THE GAMBIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    The Government does not require religious groups to register. 
Religiously based nongovernmental organizations (NGO's) are subject to 
the same registration and licensing requirements as other NGO's.
Religious Demography
    Muslims constitute over 90 percent of the population. The main 
Muslim branches are Tijaniyah, Qadiriyah, Muridiyah, and Ahmadiyah. 
Except for the Ahmadiyah, all branches pray together at common mosques. 
An estimated 9 percent of the population practice Christianity and 1 
percent practice animism. The Christian community is predominantly 
Roman Catholic; there also are several Protestant denominations, 
including Anglicans, Methodists, Baptists, Seventh-Day Adventists, 
Jehovah's Witnesses, and various small Protestant evangelical 
denominations.
    The Government permits and does not limit religious instruction in 
schools. Bible and Koranic studies are provided in both public and 
private schools throughout the country without government restriction 
or interference. Religious instruction in public schools is provided at 
government expense, but is not mandatory.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Government still refuses to allow the imam of the largest 
mosque in Brikama to lead prayers at the mosque, both as a result of a 
1998 dispute over construction work at a mosque and due to pressure 
from his opponents in the community. The High Court ruled in favor of 
the imam in February 1999 and acquitted him of charges of destruction 
of property. However, the Government has appealed to the Supreme Court; 
the appeal remained pending at mid-2000.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are amicable relations between the various religious 
communities. Intermarriage between members of different religious 
groups is legal and socially acceptable.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom with the Government in 
the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                                 GHANA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, on at 
least one occasion local government officials restricted this right. 
The Government does not always prosecute those responsible for 
religious violence.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report. In an effort to improve 
societal respect for religious freedom during the period covered by 
this report, the Government was more proactive in addressing the 
management of religious conflicts than in previous years.
    The Government assisted in mediating interreligious disputes. While 
tension persists between the Christian community and traditional 
authorities over the annual ban on drumming in the ethnic Ga 
traditional area, both groups agreed to exercise restraint; there were 
no reports of violence during the spring 2000 annual ban. Despite laws 
banning the practice, a form of religious slavery at trokosi shrines 
exists on a limited scale. Government officials supported the forced 
polio vaccination of children in a local church. Police prevented 
worshipers from attending a church service conducted by a Catholic 
priest who was performing unorthodox ``healing.'' Isolated incidents of 
violent conflict between different religious groups led to injuries and 
property damage. There were no reports of intra-Muslim clashes during 
the period covered by this report.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights. The U.S. Embassy has supported civil society efforts to 
address religious freedom issues.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice. However, the 
Government does not always prosecute those responsible for religiously 
motivated attacks. For example, none of those who attacked churches 
during the 1999 annual ban on drumming (see Section II) were arrested 
or charged with an offense. Police authorities said that pursuing the 
cases only would exacerbate tensions. No suspects were charged in the 
firebombing of a Christian charismatic church in December 1996 and 
March 1998. The cases of those arrested following intra-Muslim clashes 
in Wenchi and Kumasi in 1998 are pending with the attorney general.
    Religious institutions that wish formal recognition are required to 
register with the Registrar General's Department. This is a formality 
only. Most traditional religions, with the exception of the Afrikania 
Mission, do not register. Formally recognized religions receive some 
tax relief. However, beyond a certain point the institutions are 
required to pay tax. In 1989 during the Provisional National Defense 
Council (PNDC) regime, which ruled the country from 1981 to 1992, a law 
requiring the registration of religious bodies was passed in an effort 
to regulate churches. The Ghana Council of Churches interpreted this 
law as contradicting the concept of religious freedom in the country. 
The PNDC repealed the law in 1992.
Religious Demography
    About 40 percent of the country's estimated population of 18 
million are at least nominally Christian. Christian denominations 
include Roman Catholic, Methodist, Anglican, Mennonite, Evangelical 
Presbyterian, Presbyterian, African Methodist Episcopal Zionist, 
Christian Methodist, Evangelical Lutheran, F'eden, numerous charismatic 
faiths, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), 
Seventh-Day Adventist, Pentecostal, Baptist, and the Society of 
Friends. Christianity often includes an overlay of traditional beliefs.
    About 30 percent of the population adhere to traditional indigenous 
religions or other religions. These religions include a belief in a 
supreme being, referred to by the Akan ethnic group as Nyame or by the 
Ewe ethnic group as Mawu, and lesser gods who act as intermediaries 
between the supreme being and man on earth. Veneration of ancestors 
also is a characteristic, as they too provide a link between the 
supreme being and the living and even may be reincarnated at times. The 
religious leaders of those sharing these diverse beliefs commonly are 
referred to as priests and are trained in the arts of healing and 
divination. These priests typically operate shrines to the supreme 
deity or to one of the lesser gods, relying upon the donations of the 
public to maintain the shrine and for their own maintenance.
    About 25 percent of the population are Muslim. Three principal 
branches of Islam are represented in the country: the orthodox Sunnis 
and Tijanis, and the less orthodox Ahmadis. The Shi'a branch virtually 
is absent from the country's Islamic community.
    Other religions include the Baha'i Faith, Buddhism, Judaism, 
Hinduism, Shintoism, Ninchiren Shoshu Soka Gakkai, Sri Sathya Sai Baba 
Sera, Sat Sang, Eckanker, the Divine Light Mission, Hare Krishna, 
Rastafarianism, and other international faiths, as well as some 
separatist or spiritual churches or cults, which include elements of 
Christianity and traditional beliefs such as magic and divination. A 
new practice has emerged called ``Zetahil,'' which combines elements of 
Christianity and Islam. Some consider the ethnic Ga tradition to be a 
religion (see Section II).
    There are no statistics for the percentage of atheists. Atheism, as 
such, does not have a strong presence, as most persons have some 
spiritual and traditional beliefs.
    The majority of the Muslim population is concentrated in the urban 
centers of Accra, Kumasi, Sekondi-Takoradi, Tamale, and Wa. The 
followers of the more traditional religions mainly dwell in the rural 
areas of the country. Christians live throughout the country.
    Reportedly, only 1.9 million of those persons who profess the 
Christian faith actually attend church. However, this figure appears to 
be lower than the actual number of persons who attend services.
    Religions considered to be ``foreign'' include the Baha'i Faith, 
Buddhism, Hinduism, Shintoism, Ninchiren Shoshu Soka Gakkai, Sri Sathya 
Sai Baba Sera, Sat Sang, Eckanker, the Divine Light Mission, Hare 
Krishna, and Rastafarianism. The Government neither monitors nor 
advises these organizations.
    Foreign missionary groups, including Catholic, Methodist, 
Presbyterian, Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, and Mormon groups, 
operated throughout the country with a minimum of formal requirements 
or restrictions.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    On February 20, 2000, the Ho district (Volta region) chief 
executive led a joint operation with police and health personnel to 
immunize the children at an Apostolic Faith of Kpalexose (``Well-Rooted 
Faith'' in the Ewe language) church, a local church founded in 1931, 
against poliomyelitis. Church members consistently have refused 
immunizations on the grounds that their faith forbids the use of 
orthodox medicine. Police surrounded the church during worship services 
and health personnel administered the vaccine. It was reported that 155 
children up to age 5 received the vaccine. The community reportedly 
supported the overriding of individual religious convictions as being 
in the greater national interest of eradicating polio.
    The Catholic Church in the archdiocese of Accra officially 
suspended a priest for conducting unorthodox ``healing'' services. His 
superiors called his actions a failure to comply with his vows of 
obedience and a lack of responsibility and respect toward his 
superiors--especially the Bishop. When the accused priest was 
conducting one of these healing services, the gates to the cathedral 
were locked, and police personnel prevented worshipers from entering 
the church premises.
    The Government requires that all students in public schools up to 
the equivalent of senior secondary school level attend a daily 
``assembly'' or devotional service; however, in practice this 
regulation is not always enforced. This is a Christian service and 
includes the recital of The Lord's Prayer, a Bible reading, and a 
blessing. Students at the senior secondary school level are required to 
attend a similar assembly three times a week. Students attending 
boarding school are required to attend a nondenominational service on 
Sundays.
    Government employees, including the President, are required to take 
an oath on taking office. However, this oath can be either religious or 
secular, depending on the wishes of the person taking the oath.
    The Government took some steps to promote inter-faith 
understanding. At government meetings and receptions there usually is a 
multidenominational invocation. Often religious leaders from various 
faiths are present.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    Although the Constitution prohibits slavery, religious slavery--
trokosi--exists on a limited scale. In June 1998, Parliament passed and 
the President signed legislation to ban the practice of trokosi in 
comprehensive legislation to protect women and children's rights. Human 
rights activists believe that the goal of eradicating the trokosi 
practice is attainable with the new law; however, the practice persists 
(see Section II).
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.
Improvements in Respect for Religious Freedom
    The Government was more proactive in addressing the management of 
religious conflicts. The Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council 
conducted a workshop on managing religious conflicts in April 2000, 
several weeks before the annual ban on drumming (May 8 to June 8), 
which resulted in a workable compromise between religious and 
traditional leaders. The participants agreed that in 2000, drumming 
should be subdued and confined inside churches, in order for the 
traditionalists and Christians each to practice their beliefs 
unhindered and preclude a repeat of the spring 1999 violence. Also in 
April 2000, the National Commission for Civic Education held an inter-
faith forum to address religious conflict. Discussion centered on the 
idea that freedom of worship must be preserved, and religious groups 
therefore should respect each other's religious beliefs and practices. 
There were no reports of violence during spring 2000. In May 2000, the 
Upper West Regional Coordinating Council resolved a dispute between 
five Pentecostal churches and landowners in Jirapa (see Section II). 
During a Muslim celebration, a deputy minister of education appealed to 
citizens not to use religion and mode of dress to define citizenship.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There generally are amicable relations between the various 
religious communities, and spokesmen for these communities often 
advocate tolerance toward different religions. Debate continued over 
religious worship versus traditional practices and respect for the 
rights and customs of others in a diverse society.
    During the period covered by this report, there was tension between 
practitioners of the ethnic Ga (the Ga are the original inhabitants of 
Accra) tradition (which some consider to be a religion) and members of 
some charismatic churches over the annual ban by Ga traditional leaders 
on drumming and noise-making prior to the Ga ``Homowo'' (harvest) 
festival. Traditionalists believed that their time-honored beliefs 
should be accorded due respect, while some Christians resented the 
imposition of bans, which they believed infringed on their right to 
worship as they pleased.
    Three incidents of violence were reported during the 1999 ban on 
drumming (see Section I). On May 15, May 29, and May 30, 1999, groups 
of men attacked churches that were not observing the drumming ban. Some 
church equipment and money was stolen, and a church facility was 
vandalized. There were some minor injuries but no fatalities. There 
were no reports of violence during the May 8 to June 8, 2000 ban. One 
chieftancy dispute in the La district of the Ga traditional area was 
resolved through the intervention of President Rawlings, before 
violence erupted.
    Although the Constitution prohibits slavery, religious slavery 
exists on a limited scale. Trokosi, a traditional practice found among 
the Ewe ethnic group and primarily in the Volta region, is an 
especially severe human rights abuse and a flagrant violation of 
women's and children's rights. It is a system in which a young girl, 
usually under the age of 10 years, is given by her family as a slave to 
a fetish shrine for offenses allegedly committed by a member of the 
girl's family. The belief is that, if someone in the family has 
committed a crime, such as stealing, members of the family may begin to 
die in large numbers unless a young girl is given to the local fetish 
shrine to atone for the offense. The girl becomes the property of the 
fetish priest, must work on the priest's farm, and perform other labors 
for him. Because they are the sexual property of the priests, most 
trokosi slaves have children by them. Although the girls' families must 
provide for their needs, such as food, most are unable to do so. There 
are an estimated 2,000 women and girls bound to various shrines in the 
trokosi system, a figure that does not include the slaves' children. 
Even when freed by her fetish priest from the more onerous aspects of 
her bondage, whether voluntarily or as a result of intervention by 
activists, a trokosi woman generally has few marketable skills and 
little hope of marriage and typically remains bound to the shrine for 
life by psychological and social pressure arising from a traditional 
belief that misfortune may befall a trokosi woman's family or village 
if she abandons her obligations to the shrine. When a fetish slave 
dies, her family is expected to replace her with another young girl, 
thus perpetuating the bondage to the fetish shrine from generation to 
generation.
    In June 1998, Parliament passed and the President signed 
legislation to ban the practice of trokosi in comprehensive legislation 
to protect women and children's rights. Human rights activists believe 
that the goal of eradicating the trokosi practice is attainable with 
the new law. Nongovernmental organizations, such as International 
Needs, and government agencies, like the Commission for Human Rights 
and Administrative Justice(CHRAJ), have been campaigning against 
trokosi for several years and are familiar with the locations of the 
fetish shrines and the numbers of women and children enslaved. 
Activists know the community leaders and fetish priests and thus know 
with whom to negotiate. CHRAJ and International Needs have had some 
success in approaching village authorities and fetish priests at over 
316 shrines, winning the release of nearly 1,000 trokosi slaves as of 
mid-2000 and retraining them for new professions. The followers of 
Trokosi claim this to be a religion, but the Government does not 
recognize it as such.
    There have been occasional reports of interreligious and 
intrareligious incidents, but no violent incidents based on religious 
affiliation. There were no reports of intra-Muslim violence during the 
period covered by this report.
    In November 1999, in Agona Nyakrom, central region, a dispute 
during a soccer game between an Islamic middle school and a Methodist 
middle school led to arson and other destruction of property (corn 
mills, livestock, approximately 100 houses, and 3 mosques). A group of 
youths also attacked Muslims in the area, including the headmaster of 
the Islamic school, who was beaten severely. Five persons suffered 
gunshot wounds. Police detained 30 men, including a chief. Newspapers 
reported that as a result of the conflict, large numbers of Muslims 
moved out of the area.
    Members of the Christo Asafo Christian church clashed with members 
of the Boade Baaka traditional shrine on January 25, 2000, at Taifa, 
greater Accra region. The dispute arose days earlier after shrine 
members accused a Christian woman of witchcraft. In the process, the 
woman was injured slightly and a crowd formed. Christo Asafo members 
attacked the shrine in retaliation. There were some minor injuries. 
Police did not arrest or prosecute any of the participants, but 
continue to investigate the incident.
    In March 2000, a dispute between five Pentecostal churches and 
landowners (tendaabas) created tension in Jirapa, Upper West region. 
After a member of the Kingdom of God ministries allegedly burned down a 
local shrine, the tendaabas banned religious activities of all churches 
except the Roman Catholic Church, until May 2000, when the regional 
coordinating council brokered a resolution (see Section I).
    The clergy and other religious leaders actively discourage 
religiously motivated violence, discrimination, or harassment.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy monitors religious freedom in the country and 
discusses religious freedom issues with the Government in the overall 
context of the promotion of human rights.
    Embassy officers meet with various leaders of religious communities 
in the country from time to time. The Embassy supported dialog between 
religious leaders and civil society. Embassy officers attended the 
opening ceremony of the greater Accra workshop on managing religious 
conflict (see Section I).
                               __________

                                 GUINEA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Relations between the various religions are generally amicable; 
however, in some areas, strong social pressure discourages non-Muslims 
from practicing their religion openly, and the Government tends to 
defer to local Muslim sensibilities. While the Government has been 
accused of favoring Muslims in positions of power, some non-Muslims 
hold relatively important positions. There have been no recent reports 
of government interference with missionary activity.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion and permits 
religious communities to govern themselves without state interference; 
the Government generally respects this right in practice.
    A government-sponsored organization, the National Islamic League 
(NIL), represents the country's Sunni Muslim majority, which comprises 
some 85 percent of the population. The Government requires that all 
recognized Christian churches join the Association of Churches and 
Missions in order to benefit from certain government privileges such as 
tax benefits and energy subsidies. Missionary groups are required to 
make a declaration of their aims and activities to the Ministry of 
Interior or to the National Islamic League.
Religious Demography
    Islam is demographically, socially, and culturally the dominant 
religion. According to credible estimates, some 85 percent of the 
population profess Islam, while 10 percent follow various Christian 
faiths, and 5 percent hold traditional indigenous beliefs. Muslims in 
the country generally adhere to the Sunni branch of Islam; adherents of 
the Shi'a branch remain relatively few, although they are increasing in 
number. Among the Christian groups, there are Roman Catholic, Anglican, 
Baptist, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-Day Adventist, and other 
Christian evangelical churches active in the country and recognized by 
the Government. The small Baha'i community practices its faith openly 
and freely, although it is not officially recognized. There are small 
numbers of Hindus, Buddhists, and practitioners of traditional Chinese 
religions among the expatriate community. Few, if any, citizens profess 
atheism.
    Geographically, Muslims are a majority in all four major regions. 
Christians are most numerous in the capital, in lower Guinea, and in 
the forest region. Christians are found in all large towns throughout 
the country, with the exception of the Fouta Jallon region of middle 
Guinea, where the Puhlar (or Fulani or Peuhl) ethnic group fiercely 
opposes the establishment of religious communities other than Islamic 
ones. Traditional indigenous religions are most prevalent in the forest 
region.
    No data is available on active participation in formal religious 
services or rituals, but the National Islamic League estimates that 70 
percent of Muslims practice their faith regularly.
    Although there are no known organized heterogeneous or syncretistic 
religious communities, both Islam and Christianity have developed 
syncretistic tendencies, which reflect the continuing influence and 
acceptability of traditional indigenous beliefs and rituals.
    The country's large immigrant and refugee populations generally 
practice the same faiths as citizens, although those from neighboring 
Liberia and Sierra Leone have higher percentages of Christians and 
adherents of traditional indigenous religions.
    The National Islamic League's stated policy is to promote better 
relations with other religious denominations and dialog aimed at 
ameliorating interethnic and interreligious tensions. Although the 
Government and the NIL have spoken out against the proliferation of 
Shi'a fundamentalist groups on the grounds that they ``generate 
confusion and deviation'' within the country's Islamic family, they 
have not restricted the religious activities of these groups.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    With rare exceptions, foreign missionary groups and church-
affiliated relief agencies operate freely in the country. These include 
Roman Catholic, Philafricaine, Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, and 
many American missionary societies. There have been no recent reports 
that government officials obstructed or limited missionary activities 
by Jehovah's Witnesses.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    Government support of the powerful, semi-official National Islamic 
League has led some non-Muslims to complain that the Government uses 
its influence to favor Muslims over non-Muslims, although non-Muslims 
are represented in the Cabinet, administrative bureaucracy, and the 
armed forces. Conversions of senior officials to Islam, such as the 
Defense Minister, are ascribed to the NIL's efforts to influence the 
religious beliefs of senior government leaders. The Government refrains 
from appointing non-Muslims to important administrative positions in 
certain parts of the country, in deference to the particularly strong 
social dominance of Islam in these regions.
    There were no reports that the Government required government 
ministers to take an oath on either the Koran or the Bible, a 
requirement that provoked criticism when it was imposed--apparently for 
the only time--in April 1999.
    The Government utilizes all religious groups in its civic education 
efforts and national prayers for peace. The Government does not have a 
specific program to promote inter-faith understanding.
    Both Muslim and Christian holidays are recognized by the Government 
and celebrated by the population.
    The government-controlled official press reports on religious 
events involving both Islamic and Christian groups.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the various religions are generally amicable; 
however, in some parts of the country, Islam's dominance is such that 
there is strong social pressure that discourages non-Muslims from 
practicing their religion openly.
    In January 2000, violent clashes between Christian and Muslim 
villages in the forest region left 30 people dead. According to both 
the Secretary General of the Islamic League and the Archbishop of 
Conakry, the violence was due primarily to a long-running conflict over 
rights to land, and were not based on religion. The Minister of 
Territorial Administration and Decentralization visited the area to 
investigate the dispute. Although the dispute calmed down after the 
Minister's visit, the region remains tense.
    There are no significant ecumenical movements or activities to 
promote greater mutual understanding and tolerance among adherents of 
different faiths.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy maintains contact with clergy and religious 
leaders from all major religious communities, monitors developments 
affecting religious freedom, and discusses religious freedom issues 
with government officials in the overall context of the promotion of 
human rights.
                               __________

                             GUINEA-BISSAU

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors. There is no state 
religion.
    The Government requires that religious groups be licensed; however, 
no applications have been refused. There were no reports that new 
applications were made during the period covered by this report.
Religious Demography
    About half the population follows traditional indigenous religious 
practices. Approximately 45 percent of the population are Muslim and 
about 5 percent are Christian. There are few atheists. The Muslim 
population is concentrated in the Fula and Mandinka ethnic groups, and 
Muslims generally live in the north and northeast. Christians are 
concentrated in Bissau and other large towns. Practitioners of 
traditional religions inhabit the rest of the country.
    Christians belong to a number of groups, including the Roman 
Catholic Church and various Protestant denominations. Missionaries from 
numerous Christian denominations have long been active. Muslims 
generally adhere to a tolerant ``African-style'' Islam.
    All religions were tolerated prior to the outbreak of civil 
conflict in June 1998, and there have been no reports of discrimination 
based on religious belief since that time. Historically, political 
affiliation has not been related directly to ethnic or religious 
affiliation. Members of all major faiths are represented in the Interim 
Government that was inaugurated in February 1999, in the National 
Assembly, and in the military junta that led the rebellion against 
President Joao Vieira in 1998.
    Numerous foreign missionary groups have long operated in the 
country without restriction. While many missionaries left following the 
June 1998 conflict, others stayed and continue to operate unmolested.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the various religious communities are generally 
amicable. Society is tolerant on religious matters.
    There have been no reports of significant ecumenical movements or 
activities to promote greater mutual understanding and tolerance.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    There has been no official U.S. presence in country since June 
1998.( Note: The U.S. Embassy remains closed following suspension of 
operations on June 14, 1998 at the outset of civil conflict that ended 
in May 1999. The U.S. Embassy in Dakar is responsible for U.S. 
interests in Guinea-Bissau. Sources of information about the situation 
of religious believers and other circumstances inside Guinea-Bissau are 
very limited./( The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues 
with the Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of 
promoting human rights during periodic visits to the country by U.S. 
officials.
                               __________

                                 KENYA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, while 
groups generally were allowed to worship freely, the Government at 
times interfered with other activities by religious groups.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    The Government at times restricted or disrupted public meetings 
that religious groups organized or participated in, sometimes for 
political reasons. Muslim leaders charge that the Government is hostile 
towards Muslims. On August 13, 1999, police shot and killed five 
unarmed worshipers at a mosque near Mombasa. Police periodically 
arrested and detained members of the unregistered Mungiki religious 
group, and on a few occasions used force, including live ammunition in 
at least one instance, to disrupt Mungiki prayer meetings and 
politically motivated gatherings. Some members of the Mungiki accuse 
the Government of harassment, while the Government claims members of 
the group are involved in illegal practices. There is generally a great 
level of tolerance among religious groups; however, there were a few 
instances of violence between Muslim and Christian groups. There are 
some inter-faith movements and political alliances.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal Policy and Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, while 
groups generally were allowed to worship freely, the Government at 
times interfered with other activities by religious groups.
    The Government requires new religious organizations to register 
with the Registrar of Societies, which reports to the Office of the 
Attorney General. The Government allows traditional indigenous 
religious organizations to register, although many choose not to do so. 
Once registered, religious organizations enjoy tax-free status and 
clergy are not subject to duty on purchased goods. Religious 
organizations generally receive equal treatment from the Government; 
however, some small splinter groups have found it difficult to register 
due to their inability to define their status as more than an offshoot 
of a larger religious organization. The Government has not granted 
registration to the Tent of the Living God, a small Kikuyu religious 
order banned during the single-party era (pre-1992). However, with the 
arrival of a multiparty system in 1992, the Tent of the Living God has 
virtually disappeared.
Religious Demography
    According to rough estimates, Protestants are the largest religious 
group representing approximately 38 percent of the population. 
Approximately 28 percent of the population are Roman Catholic, while an 
estimated 10 to 20 percent are Muslim. Hinduism is practiced by 1 
percent of the population and the remainder follows various traditional 
indigenous religions or offshoots of Christian religions. There are 
very few atheists.
    Members of most religious groups are active throughout the country. 
Muslims are concentrated chiefly in the coastal areas and the north and 
northeastern parts of the country. Muslims are also present in 
significant numbers in urban centers throughout the country.
    Foreign missionary groups of nearly every faith operate in the 
country. The Government generally has permitted their assistance to the 
poor and their founding of schools and hospitals. The missionaries 
openly promote their religious beliefs and have encountered little 
resistance; however, some missionary groups expressed concern following 
the release of the report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry 
into Devil Worship, in which they were identified as ``doorways'' into 
satanism (see following subsection).
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    On July 25, 1999, according to a press report, authorities in Ruaka 
town ordered members of the small church group, the Word of Mercy 
Church, to disband, citing ``odd practices.''
    On June 25, 2000, local authorities in Nairobi blocked entry to the 
Buru Buru Church of God in Nairobi, in an apparent effort to prevent 
renewed fighting between rival factions in the Church. Fighting between 
rival factions in the Church 2 weeks earlier led to numerous injuries 
among worshipers. It is unclear for how long the Church will remain 
closed.
    On April 3, 2000, William Ruto, Assistant Minister in the Office of 
the President, speaking after the discovery of ``cult'' killings in 
Uganda, was quoted as saying that the Government would crack down on 
religious groups that endanger the safety of their adherents.
    Political parties must register with the Government. Despite 1997 
reforms and the subsequent registration of a large number of political 
parties, the Government refused to reverse its 1994 denial of 
registration of the Islamic Party of Kenya (IPK) on the grounds that 
the IPK had been involved in a number of violent confrontations with 
police in 1992.
    Muslim leaders have charged that the Government is hostile towards 
Muslims. Muslims complain that non-Muslims receive better treatment 
when applying for proof of citizenship. According to Muslim leaders, 
government authorities more rigorously scrutinize the identification 
cards of persons with Muslim surnames and require them to present 
additional documentation of their citizenship (i.e., birth certificates 
of parents and, sometimes, grandparents). The Government has singled 
out the overwhelmingly Muslim ethnic-Somalis as the only group whose 
members are required to carry an additional form of identification to 
prove that they are citizens. They must produce upon demand their 
Kenyan identification card and a second identification card verifying 
screening. Both cards also are required in order to apply for a 
passport. This heightened scrutiny appears to be due to an attempt to 
deter illegal immigration, rather than to the religious affiliation of 
the ethnic Somalis. Muslim leaders state that since the August 1998 
bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, government discrimination 
against them has worsened.
    Purporting to practice witchcraft reportedly is a criminal offense 
under colonial-era laws; however, persons generally are prosecuted for 
this offense only in conjunction with some other offense, such as 
murder. Although many traditional indigenous religions include or 
accommodate belief in the efficacy of witchcraft, they generally 
approve of harmful witchcraft only for defensive or retaliatory 
purposes and purport to offer protection against it.
    In August 1999, the Government presented to Parliament and thereby 
effectively published the 1994 report of the Presidential Commission of 
Inquiry into Devil Worship. President Moi appointed the Commission in 
1994 in response to public concern, articulated chiefly by Christian 
clergy, about a perceived resurgence of witchcraft, ritual murders, and 
other ostensibly ``Satanic'' practices associated with aspects of 
traditional indigenous religions. The Commission's widely-publicized 
report included numerous reports of ritual murder, human sacrifice, and 
cannibalism, and feats of magic allegedly done by using powers acquired 
through such acts. It also reported that ``Satanists'' had infiltrated 
nonindigenous religious groups including Jehovah's Witnesses, the 
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), and the Church 
of Christ Scientist (Christian Scientists), as well as other 
organizations, including the Masonic Order (Freemasons) and the 
Theosophical Society, making them ``doorways'' to Satanism. Most 
members of the Commission were senior members of mainline Christian 
churches; a deputy director of the Criminal Investigations Department 
(CID) also served on the Commission.
    In 1998 the Ministry approved radio and television broadcast 
licenses for a Muslim group and for a Christian group. In March 1999, 
the Ministry of Information, Transport, and Communication licensed four 
religious stations: one Islamic station and three Christian stations in 
the coastal, central, and western regions. These stations have been 
assigned broadcasting frequencies, and the station of The Supreme 
Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) began undergoing transmission tests 
in 2000; however, none of the stations had begun to broadcast by mid-
2000.
    In December 1999, a group of Christian, Muslim, and Hindu leaders 
formed an alternative process to reform the Constitution, the 
Ufungamano Initiative, which opposes the Parliament-led process. The 
Government, although critical of the Ufungamano group, has permitted it 
to proceed with its constitutional review process. However, a Minister 
in the Office of the President, Shariff Nassir, and other ruling party 
politicians, warned of possible confrontation if the Ufungamano 
Commission attempted to collect citizen views in their constituencies.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    On August 13, 1999, police killed five Muslim worshipers in the 
Anas Bin Malik mosque in Chai village, near Mombasa. A dozen policemen 
went to the mosque during a religious ceremony to arrest a man accused 
of assault. One policeman, Peter Ndirangu, entered the mosque to make 
the arrest. An altercation ensued and other police officers shot 
indiscriminately through the windows, killing five persons: imam 
Mohamed Ali Mwatakucha, Said Ali Mwajefwa, Ali Mohamed Mwadida, Neru 
Bakari Marika, and Alfan Matano Mwagoga. As the worshipers fled, an 
unknown person slashed Ndirangu with a farm tool, killing him. The 
sequence of events remains unclear. Muslim leaders accused police 
officials of taking two of the victims, whom they believe survived the 
mosque shooting, to a remote location and killing them. Postmortem 
studies indicate that at least two of the worshipers died from gunshot 
wounds to the head, fired from a distance of less than 6 feet. The 
Government charged two police officers, Julius Mugambi M'Nabere and 
Stephan Musau Kilonzo, with murder. The case was pending before the 
court in mid-2000.
    Although the Constitution provides for freedom of assembly, the 
Government at times used sections of the Public Order Act and the Penal 
Code to restrict or disrupt public meetings that religious groups 
organized or participated in, sometimes for political reasons. On April 
3, 2000, police in Laikipia broke up a gathering in a Catholic church 
hall, on the grounds that the participants were former freedom fighters 
holding a secret meeting. The police arrested four men and charged them 
with holding an illegal meeting.
    On September 25, 1999, President Moi was quoted as saying that, for 
political reasons, he would not allow the exiled Tibetan leader, the 
Dalai Lama, to enter the country.
    The Government historically has been unsympathetic to tribal 
religious groups that have engendered protest movements. The Government 
frequently harassed, and periodically arrested and detained members of 
the Mungiki, a small, controversial, predominately Kikuyu traditional 
religious group with strong political motivations. On at least one 
occasion, police fired upon members of the Mungiki while attempting to 
disrupt their prayer meeting. Members of the Mungiki most commonly are 
charged with holding illegal assemblies and possessing offensive 
weapons. On October 10, 1999, a Murang'a court in central Kenya charged 
eight Mungiki members with taking part in an illegal assembly. The 
Mungiki had gathered ostensibly to pray at an outdoor shrine. On 
December 12, 1999, police in Ng'arua, Laikipia district, broke up a 
meeting of Mungiki members, arrested dozens of persons, and reportedly 
confiscated two videotapes from a Reuters film crew covering the event. 
On April 23, 2000, a few hundred members of the Mungiki approached the 
Nyahururu police station in central Kenya, demanding the release of 
three members of the group. Police responded with force, including the 
use of rubber bullets and live ammunition, injuring dozens of persons 
and sending eight persons to the hospital with gunshot wounds. Police 
later removed two of the wounded from their hospital beds and detained 
them, an act that hospital authorities strongly criticized. On May 14, 
2000, police in a slum near Nairobi forcibly dispersed a prayer 
gathering of hundreds of Mungiki members. This police action came 1 
week after President Moi criticized the Mungiki and ordered a crackdown 
on the group during a public speech. On June 25, police shot and 
injured 5 members of the Mungiki and arrested 23 others while 
attempting to disrupt a prayer meeting. The members of the Mungiki had 
responded to the police attempts to disrupt their meeting by throwing 
stones at the police. The Mungiki group allegedly promotes female 
genital mutilation (FGM) and the taking of illegal oaths against the 
Government. The debate over the rights of the Mungiki to practice their 
traditional religion and advance their political agenda is ongoing. It 
remains unclear to what extent the Mungiki may have broken the law in 
practicing their religion.
    The Government dropped cattle-rustling charges that it had brought 
against Francis Tulel, the secretary of the Catholic Peace and Justice 
Commission for Eldoret Diocese, shortly after arresting him in 1998.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no other reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversions of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There is generally a great level of tolerance among religious 
groups; however, there were a few instances of violence between 
adherents of different religions, and Muslims increasingly perceive 
themselves to be treated as second-class citizens in a predominantly 
Christian country. Intermarriage between members of Christian 
denominations is common and inter-faith prayer services occur 
frequently. Intermarriage between Muslims and Christians, although less 
frequent, is also socially acceptable, and mosques and Christian 
churches can be found on the same city blocks.
    For years Muslims and Christians have held an open debate over 
their respective places in society. Each group claims to have a larger 
number of adherents than is plausible, and some Muslim groups believe 
that the Government and business communities deliberately have impeded 
development in predominantly Muslim areas. The debate at times has 
undermined mutual trust. The misuse of authority by mainly Christian 
security forces in the northeast, which is largely Muslim and in which 
banditry is widespread, has long contributed to Muslim mistrust. In 
recent years, the absence of an effective government in southern 
Somalia, and the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) insurgency in southern 
Ethiopia, have strained Christian-Muslim relations further by causing 
the Government to increase security force operations in the north and 
northeast. In these areas, many security force members reportedly find 
it difficult to distinguish Kenyan Muslims from members of Somali 
militias or the OLF, who are ethnically and culturally similar.
    There were a few instances of violence between adherents of 
different religions. On April 21, 2000, a group of Muslims allegedly 
threw stones and attacked a group of Catholic worshipers who had 
stopped in front of the Majengo mosque in Nyeri to pray during a Good 
Friday ceremony. The Muslim worshipers were in the middle of their 
Friday prayers and believed that the Catholics were provoking them. A 
few of the Catholics received minor cuts and bruises. Top leaders of 
the two faiths met in Nyeri a few days later to reconcile their 
differences and apologize before the fight escalated. On April 23, 
2000, Muslim youths in Kitui reportedly charged and dispersed a group 
of Christians who were making noise outside a mosque during evening 
prayers.
    During the period covered by this report, there were reports of 
ritual murders associated with aspects of traditional indigenous 
religious rites. The victims, generally teenage children, reportedly 
were killed and parts of their bodies removed for use in traditional 
rituals by persons seeking renewed youth or health. The Report of the 
1994 Presidential Commission of Inquiry into Devil Worship, presented 
to the Parliament in August 1999, contained similar reports from recent 
years.
    Occasionally mobs killed members of their communities on suspicion 
that they practiced witchcraft.
    There have been societal efforts to bridge religious divides. The 
Inter-Faith Peace Movement represents a broad religious spectrum, and 
its members include the Anglican Church of Kenya, the Supreme Council 
of Kenyan Muslims, the Muslim Consultative Council, the Methodist 
Church, the Catholic Church, the National Council of Churches of Kenya, 
the Inland African Church, the Presbyterian Church of East Africa, and 
the Hindu Council.
    In December 1999, a group of Christian, Muslim, and Hindu leaders 
formed an alternative process to reform the Constitution, the 
Ufungamano Initiative, which opposes the Parliament-led process. The 
Ufungamano Initiative actively seeks input from civil society and 
others into the reform process.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy made a concerted effort to bridge the gaps that 
exist between Muslims and Christians. Embassy officials maintain 
regular contact with leaders and members of all religious communities. 
The Ambassador and other embassy officers met with Catholic, 
Protestant, and Muslim leaders while traveling. The Ambassador 
regularly hosts meetings with religious leaders to discuss issues 
affecting their communities. In February 2000, the Ambassador and 
embassy officers traveled to Mombasa to host a public forum at which 
members of the predominantly Muslim coastal community could meet 
embassy officials and gain a better understanding of U.S. policy and 
activities.
                               __________

                                LESOTHO

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
    There is no state religion, and no evidence that the government 
favors any particular religion. However, the majority, if not all, 
members of the Government are Christians.
    The Government does not establish requirements for religious 
recognition. Generally, there are no benefits from the Government to 
any religious groups; however, Christians enjoy a waiver of taxes on 
donations from outside the country. These donations (in the form of 
clothes, medicines, food, etc) are not subjected to import tax.
Religious Demography
    Christianity, specifically Roman Catholicism, is the dominant 
religion. Approximately 90 percent of the population are Christian, and 
70 percent of the Christians are Catholic. Muslims, members of other 
non-Christian religions, and atheists constitute the remaining 10 
percent. Christians are scattered throughout the country, while Muslims 
are found mainly in the northeastern part of the country.
    Many devout Christians still practice their traditional cultural 
beliefs and rituals along with Christianity. The Catholic Church has 
fused some aspects of local culture into its services. For example, the 
singing of hymns during services has taken on a local and traditional 
way of singing (a repetitive call and response style) in Sesotho--the 
indigenous language--as well as English. In addition, priests are seen 
dressed in local dress during services.
    There are three main missionary groups, all Christian, active in 
the country: Catholics, Protestants, and Anglicans. They do not face 
any special requirements or restrictions.
    Catholic predominance in Lesotho derives from the successful 
establishment of schools in the last century and their influence over 
education policy. The Catholic Church owns about 75 percent of all 
primary and secondary schools in the country as well as having been 
instrumental in establishing the National University.
    The Catholic Church helped found the Basotholand National Party 
(BNP) in 1959 and sponsored it in the independence elections in 1966. 
Most members of the BNP are practicing Catholics. The BNP ruled the 
country from independence in 1966 until 1985 when it was overthrown in 
a military coup. The then-opposition Basotholand Congress Party (BCP) 
always has been aligned with the Protestants, e.g., evangelicals. 
Politically persecuted and segregated through the years, the members of 
the BCP remained Protestant. They were forced into exile in 1973 after 
being denied their victory in the 1970 elections.
    There is no government program aimed at promoting inter-faith 
understanding.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There is generally mutual understanding and cooperation between 
Christians and Muslims. There are efforts within the ecumenical 
community to promote tolerance and cooperation on social issues.
    However, the dominance of Christians in the population at times 
adversely affected other religions. For example, a Catholic-based local 
newspaper ran an editorial campaign against Islam in mid-1998. The 
steady increase of Muslim schools, which threatened Catholic dominance 
in the education sector, prompted this anti-Islamic feeling.
    In addition, most practitioners of Islam are of Asian origin, while 
the majority of Christians are the indigenous Basotho. Conservative and 
xenophobic tendencies often surface when there is a conflict between 
the two groups. For example, civil unrest and riots normally target 
persons of Asian descent but generally not for religious motives. 
During the August to September 1998 civil unrest, opposing political 
parties, which are divided along religious lines as well, clashed, and 
there were accusations of involvement by religious groups in the 
crisis.
    There are serious theological and doctrinal differences among the 
Christians. The main feud is between the Catholics and the Protestants, 
especially evangelical, charismatic, and Mormon groups. However, there 
have been no specific incidents or confrontations during the period of 
this report.
    Catholics form the largest group in the major political party and 
tend to be more affluent. Their influence is strong because of their 
easy access to resources. On the other hand, Protestants are in the 
minority and generally poor despite the fact that they were the 
pioneers of Christianity in Lesotho.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                                LIBERIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, there 
were some exceptions.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Societal discrimination against Muslims is a problem. In addition, 
there continues to be ethnic tension along religious lines between 
Muslim and non-Muslim groups, particularly between the Lormas and the 
Mandingos. This tension was exacerbated by government inaction. This 
inaction is motivated primarily by the fact that most Muslims were 
allied with factions that opposed President Charles Taylor during the 
recent civil war and still belong to opposition parties, rather than by 
religious discrimination. In March 2000, the Government temporarily 
suspended broadcasting by a Catholic radio station to ensure that it 
confined itself to ``purely religious matters.''
    The U.S Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, there 
were some exceptions.
    There is no established state religion. However, government 
ceremonies invariably open and close with prayer and may include hymn 
singing. The prayers and hymns are usually Christian but occasionally 
are Muslim.
    All organizations, including religious groups, must register their 
articles of incorporation with the Government, along with a statement 
of the purpose of the organization. However, traditional indigenous 
religious groups generally need not and do not register. The 
registration is routine, and there have been no reports that the 
registration process is either burdensome or discriminatory in its 
administration.
Religious Demography
    Although Islam is gaining adherents, as much as 40 percent of the 
population practice either Christianity or elements of both 
Christianity and traditional indigenous religions. About 20 percent of 
the population practice Islam. The remaining 40 percent practice 
traditional indigenous religions exclusively. The Lutheran, Baptist, 
Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, United Methodist, African 
Methodist Episcopal (AME), and AME Zion denominations, as well as 
several Pentecostal churches are represented in the Christian 
community. Some of the Pentecostal movements are independent, while 
others are affiliated with churches in the United States and elsewhere. 
There is also a small Baha'i community.
    Christianity, traditional indigenous religions, and syncretistic 
religions combining elements of both Christianity and traditional 
indigenous religions are found throughout the country. Islam is 
prevalent only among members of the Mandingo ethnic group, who are 
concentrated in the northern and eastern counties, and among the Vai 
ethnic group in the northwest.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    Although the law prohibits religious discrimination, Islamic 
leaders complained of discrimination against Muslims. Although there 
are some Muslims in senior government positions, many Muslims believe 
that they are bypassed for desirable jobs. Many Muslim business 
proprietors believe that the Taylor Government's decision to enforce an 
old statute prohibiting business on Sunday discriminates against them. 
Most Mandingos and hence most Muslims were allied with factions that 
opposed Taylor during the recent civil war and still belong to 
opposition parties.
    Two FM radio stations, one operated by the Roman Catholic 
archdiocese, the other an evangelical station, broadcast Christian-
oriented religious programming from Monrovia to the capital and the 
surrounding area. There are no Islamic-oriented radio stations in the 
country, and little radio broadcasting of any kind in the northern and 
eastern counties where the Islamic population is concentrated. In March 
2000, the Government suspended the Catholic radio station's broadcasts 
pending assurances that the station would confine itself to ``purely 
religious matters.'' The station was reopened a short time later, 
resuming its previous broadcast programming. The closure was believed 
to be politically motivated and not a case of religious discrimination.
    In February 2000, a Muslim activist was ordered arrested on charges 
of treason after he called on Muslims to quit their government jobs in 
protest of the Government's inaction since the burning of five mosques 
in Lofa County in January 2000 (see Section II). The activist went into 
hiding and his whereabouts are unknown. While the Government has not 
taken actions openly against Muslims, its inaction over reports of 
abuses in Lofa County contributed to ethnic tension between Muslim and 
non-Muslim ethnic groups in that area of the country.
    There was no report released by the Government following its 
November 1999 investigation of the reported killing of as many as 30 
Muslim Mandingos in Lofa County in August 1999. Although the 
authorities subsequently arrested 19 persons, they did not charge 
anyone with a crime. Mandingo residents of Lofa County continued to be 
afraid to return to their homes.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Some tensions exist between the major religious communities. The 
law prohibits religious discrimination; however, Islamic leaders 
complained of societal discrimination against Muslims. The private 
sector in urban areas, particularly in the capital, gives preference to 
Christianity in civic ceremonies and observances, and discrimination 
against followers of other organized religions spills over into areas 
of individual opportunity and employment. There is an inter-faith 
council that brings together leaders of the Christian and Islamic 
faiths.
    Ethnic tensions continued in Lofa County between the predominantly 
Muslim Mandingo ethnic group and the Lorma ethnic group. In January 
2000, five mosques were burned down. There was no report of a 
governmental investigation or action taken against the arsonists (see 
Section I).
    Ritual killings, in which body parts used in traditional indigenous 
rituals are removed from the victim, continue to occur. The number of 
such killings is difficult to ascertain, since police often describe 
deaths as accidents even when body parts have been removed. Deaths that 
appear to be natural or accidental sometimes are rumored to be the work 
of ritual killers. Little reliable information appears to be readily 
available about traditions associated with ritual killings. It is 
believed that practitioners of traditional indigenous religions among 
the Grebo and Krahn ethnic groups concentrated in the southeastern 
counties most commonly engage in ritual killings. The victims are 
usually members of the religious group performing the ritual. Body 
parts of a member whom the group believes to be powerful are believed 
to be the most effective ritually. Body parts most frequently removed 
include the heart, liver, and genitals. The rituals involved have been 
reported in some cases to entail eating body parts, and the underlying 
religious beliefs may be related to incidents during the civil war in 
which faction leaders sometimes ate (and in which one faction leader 
had himself filmed eating) body parts of former leaders of rival 
factions. Removal of body parts for use in traditional rituals is 
believed to be the motive for ritual killings, rather than an abuse 
incidental to killings committed for other motives. Ritual murders for 
the purpose of obtaining body parts traditionally were committed by 
religious group members called ``heart men,'' but since the civil war, 
common criminals inured to killing also may sell body parts.
    In August 1999, the Government sent a high-level delegation of the 
National Police to the southeastern counties to investigate reports of 
ritual killings. There were no reports released from this 
investigation.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy monitors developments affecting religious freedom, 
maintains contact with clergy and other leaders of major religious 
communities, and discusses religious freedom issues with the Government 
in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. Embassy 
officers have met on various occasions with the Roman Catholic 
Archbishop, the United Methodist Bishop, the AME Bishop, the AME Zion 
Bishop, the Inter-faith Council, the National Repentant Muslims, and 
other religious leaders during the period covered by this report.
                               __________

                               MADAGASCAR

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors. There is no state 
religion.
    Religious groups must register and obtain authorization from the 
Ministry of Interior. In January 1998, an organization widely perceived 
to be affiliated with the Reverend Sun Myung Moon was refused 
registration, apparently due to concerns about its use of mind-control 
practices. There is no indication that the organization has reapplied 
for registration, nor that the Government has changed its decision.
Religious Demography
    Most of the population of roughly 15 million persons is nominally 
Christian, of which an estimated 4.5 million are Roman Catholics, 3.5 
million are Protestants belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ in 
Madagascar (mostly from Fianarantsoa North), 2 million are Lutherans 
(mostly from Fianarantsoa South), and less than 1 million are Anglicans 
(mostly in Antananarivo and Toamasina). Most other citizens are 
followers of traditional indigenous beliefs centered on ancestor 
worship. Muslims constitute probably slightly less than an estimated 10 
percent of the population (concentrated in the north and northwest); 
they include ethnic Malagasy as well as most of the ethnic Indians who 
immigrated within the past hundred years. There are a few Hindus among 
the Indians.
    Foreign missionary groups operate freely, including Catholics, 
Protestants of various denominations, and Mormons.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations among religious communities are generally amicable. Some 
ethnic Malagasy voice resentment against the ethnic Indian community, 
but this is primarily due to perceptions that the relative prosperity 
of the ethnic Indian community is due to the corruption of government 
officials and the economic exploitation of ethnic Malagasy customers. 
There were no reports of violence or looting directed against members 
of the ethnic Indian community during the period covered by this 
report.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                                 MALAWI

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There are no separate requirements for recognition of different 
religions, but religious groups must register with the Government. 
There were no reports that the Government refused to register any 
religious groups.
Religious Demography
    More than 70 percent of the population are Christian. Among the 
Christian denominations, the largest are the Roman Catholic and 
Presbyterian (Church of Central Africa Presbyterian--CCAP) Churches, 
with smaller numbers of Anglicans, Baptists, evangelicals, and Seventh-
Day Adventists. There is a substantial Muslim minority totaling 
approximately 20 percent of the population. Most Muslims are Sunni. 
There are also Hindus, Baha'is, and followers of traditional indigenous 
religions. Atheism is negligible.
    Foreign missionaries experienced occasional delays in renewing 
employment permits, despite the Government's revision of its policy and 
procedures on temporary employment permits in 1997; however, this 
appeared to be the result of bureaucratic inefficiency rather than a 
deliberate government policy against foreign missionaries. Missionaries 
and charitable workers pay lower fees for employment permits than do 
other professionals.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are generally amicable relations between the various 
religious communities. There is no societal discrimination against 
members of religious minorities.
    There have been active efforts to foster cooperation between 
religious groups. For example, the Public Affairs Committee, which is 
involved prominently in promoting civic education and human rights, 
includes representatives of various churches and mosques.
    Some opposition politicians and clerics have raised Islam as a 
political issue. Citing the President's adherence to Islam, his contact 
with Islamic countries such as Libya and Sudan, and the building of new 
mosques, some opposition politicians and clerics have accused the 
ruling party of attempting to ``Islamicize'' the country. An attempt by 
the Government in early 2000 to replace ``bible knowledge'' in the 
school curriculum with the more universal ``moral and religious 
education'' course has met with widespread criticism from Christian 
leaders. When the President suspended the introduction of the new 
curriculum and returned ``bible knowledge'' to the curriculum, Muslim 
leaders rebuked him. In an isolated incident in April 2000, Muslims and 
Christians clashed over the efforts of an evangelical preacher to 
promote an audiotape comparing the Bible and the Koran. Muslims find 
the tape provocative and blasphemous, and the issue remains an open 
point of contention between followers of the two religions.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. 
Representatives of the Embassy have frequent contact with leaders and 
members of all religious communities in the country.
                               __________

                                  MALI

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Relations between the Muslim majority and Christian and other 
religious minorities are generally amicable.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice. The law allows 
for religious practices that do not pose a threat to social stability 
and peace. The Constitution declares the country a secular state. 
Family law, including laws surrounding divorce, marriage, and 
inheritance, are based on a mixture of local tradition and Islamic law 
and practice.
    The Government requires that all public associations, including 
religious associations, register with the Government. However, 
registration confers no tax preference and no other legal benefits, and 
failure to register is not penalized in practice. The registration 
process is routine and is not burdensome. Traditional indigenous 
religious are not required to register.
    The Minister of Territorial Administration and Collectives can 
prohibit religious publications that he concludes defame another 
religion, but there were no reports of instances in which publications 
were prohibited.
Religious Demography
    Muslims make up about 90 percent of the population, and the vast 
majority of Muslims are Sunni. About 5 percent of the population are 
Christian, and the Christian community is about evenly split between 
Catholic and Protestant denominations. Most of the remainder of the 
population practice traditional indigenous religions or no religion. 
Atheism or agnosticism is rare. Most immigrants are from neighboring 
countries and either practice the majority Muslim faith or belong to a 
Christian group.
    There are no geographic concentrations or segregation of religious 
groups. Christian communities tend to be located in and around urban 
areas, because of the work of urban based missionaries. However, 
Christians are found throughout the country. Animists also practice 
throughout the country, but are most active in rural areas. The vast 
majority of citizens practice their religion daily. Islam is tolerant 
and adapted to local conditions. Women participate in economic and 
political activity, engage in social interaction, and do not wear 
veils.
    Persons are free to change their religion. Foreign missionary 
groups operate in the country, and Muslims and non-Muslims may 
proselytize freely. Most known foreign missionary groups are Christian 
groups, which are based in Europe and are engaged in development work. 
However, they do not link the benefits of their development activities 
to conversion. A number of U.S.-based Christian missionary groups also 
operate in the country.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the Muslim majority and the Christian and other 
religious minorities--including practitioners of traditional indigenous 
religions--are generally amicable. Adherents of a variety of faiths may 
be found within the same families. Many followers of one religion 
attend religious ceremonies of other religions, especially weddings and 
funerals. Non-Muslim missionary communities live and work in the 
country without difficulty. Christian missionaries, especially the 
rural-based development workers, enjoy good relations within their 
communities.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. 
Embassy officers meet regularly with religious authorities and 
government officials in ministries dealing with these issues. During a 
civil society meeting hosted by the Embassy, Catholic, Protestant, 
Sunni, and Shi'a leaders were invited to join secular leaders and 
traditional religious authorities in an open discussion on issues 
important to society. The Embassy maintains contacts with the foreign 
missionary community, and monitors the situation for indications that 
religious freedom may be threatened by the Government or societal 
pressures. Embassy officers have raised the issue of religious freedom 
through public diplomacy programs.
                               __________

                               MAURITANIA

    The Constitution establishes Mauritania as an Islamic republic and 
decrees that Islam is the religion of its citizens and the State; 
accordingly, the Government limits freedom of religion.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Relations between the Muslim community and the small Christian 
community are generally amicable.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution establishes Mauritania as an Islamic republic and 
decrees that Islam is the religion of its citizens and the State; 
accordingly, the Government limits freedom of religion.
    Both the Government and society generally consider Islam to be the 
essential cohesive element unifying the country's various ethnic groups 
and castes. There is a cabinet-level Ministry of Culture and Islamic 
Orientation and a High Council of Islam consisting of six imams which, 
at the Government's request, advises on the conformance of legislation 
to Islamic precepts.
    Although the Government provides a small stipend to the imam of the 
Central Mosque in the capital city of Nouakchott, mosques and Koranic 
schools normally are supported by their members and other donors.
    There is no religious oath required of government employees or 
members of the ruling political party, except for the President and the 
members of the 5-person Constitutional Council and the 10-person High 
Council of Magistrates presided over by the President. The 
Constitutional Council and the High Council of Magistrates advise the 
President in matters of law and the Constitution. The oath of office 
includes a promise to God to uphold the law of the land in conformity 
with Islamic precepts.
    The Government does not register religious groups. However, secular 
nongovernmental organizations (NGO's) must register with the Ministry 
of the Interior; this includes humanitarian and development NGO's 
affiliated with religious groups. Nonprofit organizations, including 
both religious groups and secular NGO's, generally are not subject to 
taxation.
Religious Demography
    Nearly 100 percent of the population are Sunni Muslims, who are 
prohibited by their religion from converting to another religion.
    There is a small number of Christians, and Christian churches have 
been established in Nouakchott, Atar, Zouerate, Nouadhibou, and Rosso.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Shari'a (Islamic law), proclaimed the law of the land under a 
previous government in 1983, includes the Koranic prohibition against 
apostasy; however, it has never been codified in civil law or enforced. 
The small number of known converts from Islam suffered no social 
ostracism, and there were no reports of societal or governmental 
attempts to punish them.
    Although there is no specific legal prohibition against 
proselytizing by non-Muslims, in practice the Government implements the 
prohibition against proselytizing by non-Muslims through the use of 
Article 11 of the Press Act, which bans the publication of any material 
that is against Islam or contradicts or otherwise threatens Islam. The 
Government views any attempts by Christians to convert Muslims as 
undermining society. Foreign Christian NGO's limit their activities to 
humanitarian and development assistance.
    Christians in the foreign community and the few Christian citizens 
practice their religion openly and freely. Under Article 11 of the 
Press Law, the Government may restrict the importation, printing, or 
public distribution of Bibles or other non-Islamic religious 
literature, and in practice Bibles are neither printed nor publicly 
sold in the country. However, the possession of Bibles and other 
Christian religious materials in private homes is not illegal, and 
there appears to be no shortage of Bibles and other religious 
publications among the small Christian community.
    A magistrate of Shari'a, who heads a separate government 
commission, decides the dates for observing religious holidays and 
addresses the nation on these holidays.
    Both privately run Koranic schools which, nearly all children 
attend, and the public schools include classes on religion. These 
classes teach both the history and principles of Islam and the 
classical Arabic of the Koran. Although attendance of these religion 
classes is ostensibly required, many students, the great majority of 
whom are Muslims, decline to attend these classes for diverse ethno-
linguistic and religious reasons. They are nevertheless able to advance 
in school and ultimately to graduate with diplomas, provided that they 
compensate for their failure to attend the required religion classes by 
their performance in other classes.
    There are several foreign, Christian NGO's active in humanitarian 
and developmental work in the country. They practice their religion 
openly, but respect the proscription against proselytizing.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the Muslim community and the small Christian 
community are generally amicable. There were no incidents of attacks or 
threats of attacks on the basis of religion. In previous years, the 
Government responded quickly and effectively to incidents involving an 
attack by an Islamic extremist on Catholic priests and a threat made 
against a Christian NGO.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy monitors developments affecting religious freedom, 
maintains contact with clergy and other leaders of major religious 
groups, and discusses religious freedom issues with the Government in 
the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
    The Ambassador discussed the importance of religious tolerance with 
the Minister of Interior on January 18 and 29, 2000.
    The Ambassador and the Deputy Chief of Mission have discussed 
issues of religious freedom with representatives of American Christian 
NGO's working in country.
                               __________

                               MAURITIUS

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Tensions between the Hindu majority and Christian Creole and Muslim 
minorities persist; however, members of each group worshipped without 
hindrance.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
    Religious organizations and faiths that were present in the country 
prior to independence, such as the Roman Catholic Church, the Church of 
England, the Presbyterian Church, the Seventh-Day Adventists, Hindus, 
and Muslims, are recognized in a parliamentary decree. These groups 
also receive a lump-sum payment every year from the Ministry of Finance 
based upon the number of adherents, as determined by a 10-year census. 
Newer religious organizations (which must have a minimum of 7 members) 
are registered by the Registrar of Associations and are recognized as a 
legal entity with tax-free privileges. No groups are known to have been 
refused registration.
Religious Demography
    In the 1990 census, out of a population of more than 1 million 
persons, approximately 50 percent claimed to be Hindu, 32 percent 
Christian, 16 percent Muslim, and less than 1 percent Baha'i, Jewish, 
or Buddhist. Also less than 1 percent claimed to be atheists or 
agnostics. There are no figures for those who actually practice their 
faith, but there are estimates that the figure is around 60 percent for 
all religious groups.
    Approximately 85 percent of Christians are Roman Catholic. The 
remaining 15 percent are members of the following churches: Adventist, 
Assembly of God, Christian Tamil, Church of England, Pentecostal, 
Presbyterian, Evangelical, Jehovah's Witnesses, and the Church of Jesus 
Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Sunni Muslims account for over 90 percent 
of the Muslims; however, there are some Shi'a Muslims.
    Many Buddhists are also practicing Catholics, since many citizens 
of Chinese ancestry have sent, and continue to send, their children to 
the Loreto Convent primary schools located in the major towns.
    The north tends to be more Hindu and the south is more Catholic. 
There are also large populations of Hindus and Catholics in the main 
cities from the capital of Port Louis to the central cities of Quatre 
Bornes and Curepipe, and most Muslims and Christian churches are 
concentrated in these areas. The offshore island of Rodrigues, with a 
population of 35,200, is predominantly Catholic.
    While the Government is secular in both name and practice, for 
political reasons it has in the past favored the Hindu majority of the 
population with greater access to government patronage.
    Foreign missionary groups are allowed to operate on a case-by-case 
basis. There are no government regulations detailing the conditions of 
their presence or limiting their proselytizing activities. Groups must 
obtain both a visa and a work permit for each missionary. Foreign 
missionaries sometimes are prohibited from residing in the contry 
beyond 5 years (which would permit them to seek Mauritian citizenship), 
but religious organizations are permitted to send new missionaries to 
replace them.
    While some Creole political groups alleged that Christian Creoles 
received unjust treatment from the police, there was no evidence that 
this was based in particular on religious differences. Such incidents 
likely were largely a result of the Creoles' position as the country's 
underclass, as well as ethnic differences, since the police force is 
predominantly Indo-Mauritian.
    In the wake of riots that broke out in February 1999 partly as a 
result of ethnic tensions, religious leaders called on the President to 
form an interreligious council. The President formed the Committee for 
the Promotion of National Unity, which consists of 20 members from a 
wide cross-section of the public and private sectors. The committee has 
sponsored a variety of activities to promote goodwill between ethnic 
groups.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow minor U.S. 
citizens who had been forced to convert their religion to be returned 
to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Tensions between the Hindu majority and Christian Creole and Muslim 
minorities persist; however, no violent confrontations resulted during 
the period covered by this report.
    Mauritius is a small island nation, and ethnic groups, known as 
``communities,'' are quite tightly knit. Intermarriage is relatively 
rare. An individual's name easily identifies his or her ethnic and 
religious background. There is a strong correlation between religious 
affiliation and ethnicity. Citizens of Indian ethnicity are usually 
Hindus or Muslims. Citizens of Chinese ancestry usually practice both 
Buddhism and Catholicism. Creoles and citizens of European-descent are 
usually Catholic. However, there is a growing number of Hindu converts 
to evangelical Christian churches, a fact that is of growing concern to 
Hindu organizations.
    In the wake of violent confrontations in early 1999 that were 
partially the result of ethnic tensions, the Mauritian Council of 
Social Service, which serves as an umbrella group for nongovernmental 
organizations (NGO's) in the country, created a conflict resolution 
working group to address ethnic tensions. A citizen based abroad 
established the Mauritius Peace Initiative to facilitate contact 
between domestic community leaders and international conflict 
resolution experts.
    Some minorities, usually Creoles and Muslims, allege that a glass 
ceiling exists within the upper echelons of the civil service that 
prevents them from reaching the highest levels.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. 
Support for some conflict resolution activities was provided under the 
U.S. Democracy and Human Rights Fund.
                               __________

                               MOZAMBIQUE

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion. 
However, the Constitution bans religious denomination-based political 
parties as threats to national unity.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides that all citizens have the freedom to 
practice or not to practice a religion and gives religious 
denominations the right to pursue their religious aims freely, and the 
Government generally respects these rights in practice.
    The 1989 Law on Religious Freedom requires religious institutions 
and missionary organizations to register with the Ministry of Justice, 
reveal their principal source of funds and provide the names of at 
least 500 followers in good standing. No particular benefits or 
privileges are associated with the registration process.
    In late 1998, there was disagreement in the National Assembly over 
declaring Muslim holy days as official holidays, an issue that surfaces 
periodically. Muslim holidays shift with lunar cycles, complicating 
their calendar placement. The issue was resolved in practice when the 
Government instructed employers to grant liberal leave to both 
Christian and Muslim employees to observe their respective religious 
holidays, in addition to scheduled national holidays.
Religious Demography
    According to the National Institute of Statistics, half of the 
population of 16 to 17 million does not profess to practice a religion 
or creed. However, scholars at local universities assert that virtually 
all persons recognize or practice some form of animism or traditional 
indigenous religions. Of the approximately 8 million persons who do 
profess a recognized religion, 24 percent are Roman Catholic, 22 
percent are Protestant, and 20 percent are Muslim. Many Muslim clerics 
disagree with this statistic, claiming that Islam is the country's 
majority religion. Religious communities are dispersed throughout the 
country. The northern provinces and the coastal strip are most strongly 
Muslim, Catholics predominate in the central provinces, and Protestants 
are most numerous in the southern region. Government sources note that 
evangelical Christians represent the fastest growing religious group, 
with the number of young adherents under age 35 increasing rapidly.
    There are 394 distinct denominations of religions registered with 
the Department of Religious Affairs of the Ministry of Justice. Among 
Muslims, only a generic ``Islamic'' community (Sunni) and the Ismaili 
community are registered. Among Christians, the Roman Catholic, 
Anglican, and Greek Orthodox Churches are registered along with 
Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, Congregational, Seventh-Day 
Adventist, Mormon, Nazarene, and Jehovah's Witnesses groups, as well as 
scores of evangelical, apostolic, and Pentecostal churches. Jewish, 
Hindu, and Baha'i communities also are registered, and constitute small 
minorities. Many citizens consider the Baha'i Faith to be a ``new 
religion.'' Many of these communities draw members from across ethnic, 
political, and racial lines.
    Traditional indigenous practices and rituals are present in most 
Christian churches, including Catholic churches, and in most Muslim 
worship. For example, members of these faiths commonly travel to the 
graves of ancestors to say special prayers for rain. Similarly, 
Christians and Muslims continue to practice a ritual of preparation or 
inauguration at the time of important events, e.g. a first job, a 
school examination, a swearing-in, etc., by offering prayers and 
spilling beverages on the ground to please ancestors. Some Christians 
and Muslims consult ``curandeiros,'' traditional healers or 
spiritualists--some of whom are themselves nominal Christians or 
Muslims--in search of good luck, healing, and solutions to problems.
    The Government routinely grants visas and residence permits to 
foreign missionaries. Dozens of foreign missionary and evangelical 
groups operate freely in the country, representing numerous Protestant 
denominations along with the Summer Institute of Languages Bible 
Translators and the Tabligh Islamic Call Mission. Muslim missionaries 
from South Africa have established Islamic schools (madrassas) in many 
cities and towns of the northern provinces.
    The Constitution gives religious groups the right to own and 
acquire assets, and these institutions are allowed by law to own and 
operate schools. Religious instruction in public schools is strictly 
prohibited.
    While virtually all places of worship nationalized by the State in 
1977 have been returned to the respective religious organizations, the 
Catholic Church and certain Muslim communities complained that some 
other properties such as schools, health centers, and residences 
unjustly remained in state hands, and continued to press for the return 
of such properties. Government sources stated that the majority of 
property was returned, with a few cases still being examined on an 
individual basis, including two properties in Maputo. In 1982 the 
Ministry of Justice founded the Directorate for Religious Affairs to 
address the issue of the return of church properties. Provincial 
governments have the final responsibility for establishing a process 
for property restoration. The return of church property is perhaps most 
problematic when the facility is currently in use as a public school, 
health clinic, or police station, as funds for construction of new 
facilities are in short supply.
    A conference of bishops, including Catholic and Anglican members, 
meets regularly and consults with the President of the Republic.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The law governing political parties specifically forbids religious 
parties from organizing, and any party from sponsoring religious 
propaganda. In late 1998, the Independent Party of Mozambique (PIMO), a 
predominantly Muslim group without representation in Parliament, began 
arguing for the right of political parties to base their activities on 
religious principles. The Government so far has tolerated PIMO's 
activities, although it has criticized the group. PIMO and some members 
of the legislature argued that the Movimento Islamico, a parliamentary 
caucus of Muslims from the ruling Frelimo party, was itself tantamount 
to a religious party.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
    In February 1999, police detained a Pakistani imam for questioning 
in connection with the criminal investigation of the murder and 
decapitation of a young black man. The imam was arrested, released, and 
later taken back into custody. The widely reported case went to the 
Supreme Court, which released the imam in January 2000, clearing him of 
the charges. He has since departed the country. Two men accused of 
perpetrating the murder remain in prison.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations among communities of different faiths are generally 
amicable, especially at the grassroots level. The black and Indian 
Islamic communities tend to remain separate; however, there were no 
reports of conflict.
    The 3-year-old Forum of Religions, an organization for social and 
disaster relief composed of members of the Christian Council of 
Mozambique, the Greek Orthodox Church, and the Muslim, Baha'i, and 
Jewish communities is an example of inter-faith cooperation. The goal 
of the forum is to offer collective assistance to the needy, without 
regard to creed. In response to disastrous flooding in February and 
March 2000, numerous religious communities jointly contributed to flood 
relief efforts. Religiously based charities were active in flood relief 
activities, providing monetary donations, food, and clothing.
    In early 2000, civil society and the media highlighted religious 
aspects of draft Family Law legislation. Debate focused on the need for 
legal recognition of religious and common law marriages, as only civil 
marriages are legal at present. Under the proposed law, polygamous 
marriages would not be recognized, although the law would offer 
protection to the widows and children of polygamous unions. Several 
leaders within the Islamic community oppose the proposal for not 
recognizing polygamy. On the other hand, approximately 50 Muslim women 
staged a public protest against polygamy in early May 2000. Some 
Islamic groups oppose a section of the law that would raise the legal 
age of marriage to 16 for both men and women. However, several 
Christian religious groups have proposed higher minimum ages for 
marriage, such as 18 or even 20 years of age.
    There have recently been allegations of misconduct within the 
Anglican Church. According to press reports in April 2000, the Bishop 
of the Anglican Diocese of Niassa was investigated by the Church for 
diverting roughly $30,000 (500 million Meticais). Detractors also have 
accused the Anglican Church of practicing tribal favoritism in 
appointing church leaders.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.
    Embassy staff seeks contact with religious groups of all faiths. 
During an embassy field mission to Beira, the second largest city, the 
Ambassador met with eight leaders of the Muslim community to discuss 
various issues. The Ambassador acted as mediator in a case where an 
American missionary distributed religious tracts inside a mosque during 
Ramadan. The imam of the mosque threatened a lawsuit against the 
missionary for trespassing; the Ambassador was able to intercede and 
defuse the situation. No charges were filed against the missionary, who 
was free to continue his distribution of religious materials outside of 
the mosque.
    During the period covered by this report, the Ambassador met 
periodically with Catholic, Protestant, and Islamic leaders. The 
Embassy also has frequent contact with National Assembly deputies of 
various religious faiths.
                               __________

                                NAMIBIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. There is no state religion, 
nor does the State subsidize any particular denomination.
    The Government does not formally recognize any religion. There are 
no registration requirements for religious organizations.
Religious Demography
    A vast majority of citizens--over 90 percent--identify themselves 
as Christian. The two largest denominations are the Lutheran and Roman 
Catholic Churches, although there are also smaller numbers of Baptists, 
Methodists, and Mormons. The Himba, an ethnic group that constitutes 
less than 1 percent of the population, practice a traditional religion 
oriented toward their natural environment in the desert northwest. 
Other non-Christian denominations include the Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, 
and Baha'i faiths. Practitioners of these religions are predominantly 
immigrants, descendents of immigrants, or converted after recent 
proselytizing. They reside primarily in urban areas.
    Some foreign missionaries have complained about the difficulty of 
obtaining work and residency permits. However, the difficulty that 
religious workers experience in obtaining work and residency permits is 
a bureaucratic impediment that faces all foreign nationals.
    The Government does not have specific programs to promote inter-
faith understanding.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the many religious communities are amicable.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. The 
Embassy has sought to convince the Government on a number of occasions 
to revise its policy on granting residence and work permits for foreign 
nationals, including both religious and lay workers. Embassy staff 
members have frequent contact with citizens and foreign visitors from a 
wide variety of religious faiths.
                               __________

                                 NIGER

    The July 1999 Constitution provides for ``the right of the free 
development of each individual in their spiritual, cultural, and 
religious dimensions,'' and the Government supports the freedom to 
practice one's religious beliefs, as long as persons respect public 
order, social peace, and national unity.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There are generally amicable relations between the various 
religious communities, but there have been instances when members of 
the majority religion (Islam) have not been tolerant of the rights of 
members of minority religions to practice their faith.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The July 1999 Constitution provides for ``the right of the free 
development of each individual in their spiritual, cultural, and 
religious dimensions,'' and the Government supports the freedom to 
practice one's religious beliefs, as long as persons respect public 
order, social peace, and national unity.
    Religious organizations must register with the Interior Ministry. 
This registration is a formality, and there is no evidence that it has 
ever been denied.
Religious Demography
    Islam is the dominant religion and is practiced by over 90 percent 
of the population. Christians (including Jehovah's Witnesses) and 
Baha'is practice freely. Islam is dominant throughout the country. The 
cities of Say, Kiota, Agadez, and Madarounfa are considered holy by the 
local Islamic communities, and the practice of other religions in those 
cities is not as well tolerated as in other areas. Christians, both 
Catholics and Protestants, account for less than 5 percent of the 
population and are particularly active in Niamey and other urban 
centers with expatriate populations. As Christianity was the religion 
of French colonial institutions, its followers include many local 
believers from the educated, the elite, and the colonial families, as 
well as Africans from neighboring coastal countries, particularly 
Benin, Togo, and Ghana. There is a Christian community in Galmi, in the 
Tahoua Department, which houses a hospital and health center run by 
Society for International Missions (SIM) missionaries and has been in 
operation for over 40 years. The Baha'is are very active and represent 
a small percentage of the population (in the thousands). They are 
located primarily in Niamey and in communities on the west side of the 
Niger River, bordering Burkina Faso. Followers of the Baha'i faith have 
sponsored religious tolerance campaigns and have had press coverage of 
some of their activities. A small percentage of the population practice 
traditional indigenous religions.
    Christmas and Easter, along with Muslim holy days, are recognized 
national holidays. No religious group is subsidized officially to 
conduct its activities, although the Islamic Association has a weekly 
broadcast on the government-owned (and the only) television station. 
Christian programming generally is broadcast only on special occasions 
like Christmas.
    The State must authorize construction of any place of worship.
    Foreign missionaries work freely, but their organizations must be 
registered officially as associations.
    Active Christian missionary organizations include Southern Baptist, 
Evangelical Baptist, Catholic, Assemblies of God, Seventh-Day 
Adventist, SIM, and Jehovah's Witnesses. Beyond proselytizing, most 
missionary groups generally offer development assistance as well.
    There were instances during the period covered by this report in 
which local police were not confident that they could ensure the safety 
of foreign missionaries, and local authorities ordered the closure of a 
church in Niamey but did not enforce it (see Section II).
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are generally amicable relations between the various 
religious communities, but there have been instances when members of 
the majority religion (Islam) have not been tolerant of the rights of 
members of minority religions to practice their faith.
    Starting in 1998, Southern Baptist missionaries in Say faced 
harassment by members of the majority Islamic community. When the 
missionaries notified the authorities, they were told that, while it 
was within their rights to be there, the local police could not ensure 
their safety.
    The harassment continued through September 1999, when the 
missionaries decided to leave the area for a new location. One family 
has relocated to Gotheye, and the other one continues its missionary 
activities in the region but no longer lives in Say. However, local 
Christians remain in Say.
    On May 14, 2000, the same members of the local Islamic community in 
Say threatened to burn down the meeting place of the local Christians 
who remained. Leaders of the same organization also threatened to beat 
or have arrested a local Christian man in the village of Ouro Sidi 
because he continued to work with the Southern Baptists. There were no 
reports that such threats were carried out.
    Just after the April 1999 coup, the Assemblies of God church in the 
capital, Niamey, was notified by the mayor's office that it had to 
close until the ``new order'' was established, (presumably until a 
democratically elected government is in place, in early 2000). The 
church has been in its location since 1996 and has had an ongoing 
problem with one of it neighbors, another Christian group who had been 
trying actively to have the church closed since its establishment. The 
Assemblies of God church remains open, and no further action was ever 
taken on the case.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. The 
Embassy regularly emphasizes the importance of a spirit of tolerance in 
its public statements and in meetings with government officials and 
members of civil society.
    The Embassy maintains good relationships with minority religious 
groups, most of which are long-term resident missionaries and well-
known members of the American community. Embassy personnel also have 
contact with the Catholic mission, the Baha'i community, and Islamic 
organizations.
    Embassy officers on August 31, 1999, met with the Interior Minister 
to discuss the situation of the missionaries in Say and on September 
15, 1999, met with the Secretary General of the Interior Ministry. 
Following the report of a new threat, an embassy officer on May 18, 
2000, met with the director of political and judicial affairs at the 
Interior Ministry and raised embassy concerns about the renewed threats 
to Christians in the Say region. The director replied that such 
incidents could not be tolerated in a secular state and promised to 
look into it.
                               __________

                                NIGERIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, including 
freedom to change one's religion or belief, and freedom to manifest and 
propagate one's religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice, and 
observance; however, the Government restricted these rights in practice 
in certain respects.
    The status of respect for religious freedom deteriorated during the 
year due to the implementation of an expanded version of Shari'a law in 
several northern states, which challenged constitutional protections 
for religious freedom and sparked interreligious violence. The 
Constitution prohibits state and local governments from adopting an 
official religion; however, it also provides that states may elect to 
use Islamic (Shari'a) customary law and courts.
    Government discrimination based on religion and societal tension 
between different religious groups continued. Although Christians were 
exempt from the law, the societal ramifications of expanded Shari'a law 
infringed upon the rights of non-Muslims in the north to live in a 
society governed by secular laws. Plans to implement expanded Shari'a 
laws in Kaduna state, which has a large Christian population, sparked 
violence in February 2000 that lasted for several days and resulted in 
an estimated 1,000 to 1,500 deaths. Reprisal attacks followed in the 
predominantly Christian southeastern towns of Aba, Owerri, and Onitsha, 
resulting in an additional 500 deaths. The violence, although initiated 
in a religious context, had strong ethnic undertones and was the worst 
the country had experienced since the civil war of 1967-1970. The 
violence led several state governments to restrict public preaching, 
religious processions, and meetings. The national turmoil surrounding 
the Shari'a issue abated by mid-2000, but the issue was not resolved 
completely by June 30, 2000.
    U.S. Embassy officials frequently discuss the political and social 
situation with various religious leaders, who play a prominent role in 
civil society and in the human rights community. Embassy officers 
raised religious freedom issues with government officials in the 
context of the embassy's overall efforts to promote respect for human 
rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, including 
freedom to change one's religion or belief, and freedom to manifest and 
propagate one's religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice, and 
observance; however, the Government restricted these rights in practice 
in certain respects.
    The Constitution prohibits state and local Governments from 
adopting an official religion; however, it also provides that states 
may elect to use Islamic (Shari'a) customary law and courts. There are 
36 states in the country; governors have autonomy in decision-making 
but derive their resources from the federal government. Since 
independence, the jurisdiction of Shari'a courts has been limited to 
family or personal law cases involving Muslims, or to civil disputes 
between Muslims who consent to the courts' jurisdiction. However, the 
Constitution states that a Shari'a court of appeal may exercise ``such 
other jurisdiction as may be conferred upon it by the law of the 
State.'' Some states have interpreted this language as granting them 
the right to expand the jurisdiction of existing Shari'a courts to 
include criminal matters. Several Christians have alleged that, with 
the adoption of an expanded Shari'a law in several states and the 
continued use of state funds to fund the construction of mosques, 
teaching of Alkalis (Muslim judges), and pilgrimages to Mecca (Hajj), 
Islam has been adopted as the de facto state religion of several 
northern states. However, state funds also are used to fund Christian 
pilgrimages to Jerusalem. In general states with a clear Christian or 
Muslim majority explicitly favor the majority faith. The Constitution 
also provides that the federal Government is to establish a Federal 
Shari'a Court of Appeal and Final Court of Appeal; however, the 
Government had not yet established such courts by the end of the period 
covered by this report.
    On October 8, 1999, the governor of Zamfara state, Ahmed Sani, 
signed a bill establishing Shari'a courts and courts of appeal in 
Zamfara state, and another bill that constitutes the Shari'a penal 
code; the bills took effect on January 27, 2000. Zamfara's law adopted 
traditional Shari'a in its entirety, with the exception that apostasy 
was not criminalized. Other Muslim communities, particularly from the 
states of Kano, Niger, Sokoto, Jigawa, Borno, Yobe, Kaduna, and Katsina 
states, began to echo the call for Shari'a in their states. At the end 
of the period covered by this report, four northern states had adopted 
variations of Shari'a law--Zamfara, Kano, Niger, and Sokoto. In May 
2000, an international human rights nongovernmental organization (NGO), 
Huri-Laws, took the Zamfara state government to court, challenging the 
constitutionality of Zamfara's expanded Shari'a penal code. The case 
was ongoing as of June 30, 2000.
    Following violence in relation to the expansion of Shari'a laws in 
Kaduna in February 2000, several northern state governments banned any 
type of proselytizing, in spite of the fact that it is permitted by the 
Constitution.
Religious Demography
    About half of the country's population practice Islam, about 40 
percent practice Christianity, and about 10 percent practice 
exclusively traditional indigenous religions or no religion; many 
persons practice both elements of Christianity or Islam and elements of 
a traditional indigenous religion. The predominant form of Islam in the 
country is Sunni. The Christian population includes Roman Catholics, 
Anglicans, Baptists, Methodists, and a growing number of followers of 
evangelical Pentecostal groups. Catholics constitute the largest 
Christian denomination. There is some correlation between religious 
differences and ethnic and regional differences. The north, which is 
dominated by the large Hausa and Fulani (Peuhl) ethnic groups, is 
predominantly Muslim, with significant populations of Christians in 
urban centers, particularly in Kaduna and Jos. In the southwest, where 
the large Yoruba ethnic group is dominant, there is no dominant 
religion; Islam is practiced in a plurality, but probably not a 
majority, of the largest cities of the region, due in part to Hausa and 
Fulani communities in those regions. Many Yorubas practice Islam, many 
practice Christianity, and many continue to practice the traditional 
Yoruba religion, which includes both a belief in a single supreme deity 
and the worship of lesser deities believed to serve as the agents of 
that supreme deity with respect to specific aspects of daily life. In 
the east, where the large Igbo ethnic group is dominant, Catholics are 
in the majority, although many Igbos continue to observe traditional 
rites and ceremonies.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The law prohibits religious discrimination. Nonetheless, reports 
were common that government officials discriminated against persons 
practicing a religion different from their own, notably in hiring or 
awarding contracts. Christians in the northern, predominantly Muslim 
part of the country accused local government officials of attempting to 
use zoning regulations to stop or slow the establishment of non-Muslim, 
usually Christian, churches. Typically, a small section of a city was 
designated for nonMuslims to build their places of worship. In several 
cases, citizens in these enclaves reported that they were discriminated 
against by not receiving police protection or waste removal services.
    On October 8, 1999, the governor of Zamfara state signed into law 
two bills aimed at instituting Islamic Shari'a law in his state. 
Implementation of the law began on January 22, 2000. Following 
Zamfara's lead, several northern states includint Sokoto, Niger, and 
Kano states began to implement varying forms of expanded Shari'a. 
Previously, Shari'a law had been practiced in the north in the areas of 
personal law, only if both litigants agreed to settle their disputes in 
Shari'a courts. Elements of Shari'a also had been present in the 
northern penal code, which had been applicable in the north since 
independence.
    As the result of nationwide violence in February and March 2000 
related to the expansion of Shari'a laws (see Section II), several 
northern state governments banned open air preaching and public 
religious processions. The Kogi state government enacted such a ban on 
March 1, 2000. The Kaduna state government followed shortly thereafter, 
enacting a ban on all forms of ``processions, rallies, demonstrations, 
and meetings in public places.'' On March 23, 2000, Gombe state 
officials arrested 19 reportedly peaceful persons for ``unlawful 
assembly capable of causing a breach of peace in the state.'' Such bans 
were viewed as necessary public safety measures after the death of 
approximately 1,500 persons. However, large outdoor religious 
gatherings continued to be quite common, especially in the southern 
part of the country.
    On February 29, 2000, in response to this nationwide violence, 
President Olusegun Obasanjo convened a meeting of the Nigerian Council 
of State, a consultative body consisting of the President and Vice 
President, all past heads of state and past chief justices, all 
governors, the Attorney General, and the President of the Senate and 
Speaker of the House. The result of the meeting was an agreement that 
northern governors would halt initiatives to expand Shari'a and return 
to the northern Nigerian Penal Code.
    Although the expanded Shari'a laws technically do not apply to 
Christians, the Christian minority, especially in Zamfara state, was 
subjected to many of the social provisions of the law, such as the 
separation of the sexes in public transportation vehicles (a law that 
was repealed after only 2 weeks) and bans on the selling of alcohol. 
Niger state also enforced a ban on selling alcohol. However, the 
federal Government has disregarded the ban on alcohol sales in military 
installations. All Muslims were subjected to the new Shari'a provisions 
in the states that enacted them, which, according to many legal 
scholars, constitute an abridgement of their freedom of religion and 
conscience.
    The Constitution states that ``no person attending any place of 
education shall be required to receive religious instruction or to take 
part in or attend any religious ceremony or observance if such 
instruction, ceremony, or observance relates to a religion other than 
his own.'' The Government continued to enforce a 1987 ban on religious 
organizations on campuses of primary schools, although individual 
students retain the right to practice their religions in recognized 
places of worship. Islam is a mandatory part of the curriculum in 
public schools in Zamfara and other northern states, to the exclusion 
of Christianity.
    According to the governor of Zamfara, Shari'a is supposed to apply 
to Muslims only; however, schoolchildren continue to be segregated by 
gender in Zamfara schools and preparations were underway for separate 
transportation and health facilities for men and women. The governor of 
Zamfara also disbursed public funds to refurbish mosques and pronounced 
that only persons with beards would win government contracts. In May 
2000, Kebbi state also began to separate schoolchildren by gender.
    Although distribution of religious publications remained generally 
unrestricted, the Government continued to enforce lightly a ban on 
published religious advertisements. There were reports by Christians in 
Zamfara state that the state government restricted the distribution of 
religious (Christian) literature. The Right Reverend Samson Bala, First 
Bishop of Zamfara, Gusau diocese, said that the state radio station had 
``closed its doors to Christians.'' Commercials and paid advertisements 
containing Christian literature are not accepted, he said, and only 
Islamic religious programs are aired.
    Foreign missionary groups operate in the country and do not face 
restrictions specifically designed to deter their activities. Many 
missionary groups have noted bureaucratic delays and obstruction and 
attempts to extort money for the processing of necessary residence 
permits for foreigners; however, many foreign businesses and other 
nonreligious organizations also have encountered similar difficulties. 
Rough estimates put the number of foreign missionaries at over 1,000, 
with many in the area around Jos, in Plateau state. The main Christian 
missionary groups include Jesuits, Dominicans, the Church of Jesus 
Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), the Church of Christ, and the 
Society for International Missions.
    Following nationwide Shari'a-related violence in February and March 
2000, public proselytizing in many northern states was banned, although 
it is permitted by the Constitution. Missionaries reported that law 
enforcement officials harassed them when they proselytized outside of 
their designated zones. Both Christian and Muslim organizations alleged 
that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Immigration Department 
restricted the entry into the country of certain religious 
practitioners, particularly persons suspected of intending to 
proselytize. Proselytizing did not appear to be restricted in the 
southern part of the country.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    In March 2000, the government of Zamfara state, under its newly 
expanded Shari'a statutes, amputated the right hand of a cow thief. The 
victim was quoted as saying that he voluntarily submitted to the full 
Shari'a proceedings, including amputation. After being convicted, he 
was entitled to an appeal, a right that he willingly waived. Other 
convicted Muslim criminals in Zamfara state were subjected to public 
floggings for various minor offenses.
    There were no reports of detainees or prisoners imprisoned solely 
on religious grounds. In May 1999, the predominantly Shi'a Muslim 
Brotherhood published a list of 96 of its followers who were in prison 
or awaiting trial on charges that varied from preaching without a 
license to homicide. By the end of 1999, Ibrahim el-Zakzaky, the leader 
of the Muslim Brotherhood, was released from prison, along with most of 
the 96 followers who had been jailed in 1999.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II: Societal Attitudes

    The law prohibits religious discrimination. Private businesses 
frequently are guilty of informal religious and ethnic discrimination 
in their hiring practices and purchasing patterns.
    Religious differences often correspond to regional and ethnic 
differences. For example, the northern region is overwhelmingly Muslim, 
as are the large Hausa and Fulani ethnic groups of that area. Many 
southern ethnic groups are predominantly Christian. Consequently, it is 
often difficult to distinguish religious discrimination and violence 
from ethnic and regional discrimination and violence, which is 
pervasive. The violence of the past year, although sparked by Muslim 
attempts to expand Shari'a law, had strong ethnic undertones, 
particularly the retributive violence that occurred in the southeast.
    When Kaduna state announced plans to implement Shari'a law, the 
large Christian minority in the state protested on February 21, 2000, 
leading to several days of violent confrontations. Estimates of the 
number of persons killed range from 1,000 to 1,500; many churches and 
mosques were burned. Many Christians in the north, fearing continued 
violence, returned to their historic homelands in the southeast.
    On February 28, 2000, when the bodies of the victims from the 
Kaduna violence were returned home to the southeast, reciprocal 
violence erupted in Aba, Abia state, and, to a lesser extent, in the 
neighboring towns of Owerri, Imo state, and Onitsha, Anambra state. 
This violence was characterized by attacks on the minority Muslim 
Hausas by the majority Igbos. Estimates of the number of persons killed 
range from 400 to 500. Many of the Hausas were victimized due to their 
ethnic identity rather than their religious beliefs.
    In spite of the February 2000 agreement that northern governors 
would halt initiatives to expand Shari'a (see Section I), a few states 
continued to expand their Shari'a laws. Niger state declared that it 
would expand Shari'a laws on the same day as the Council of State 
meeting, and the amputation of the cow thief's right hand in Zamfara 
state occurred on March 23, 2000 (see Section I), 3 weeks after the 
Council of State agreement. Nonetheless, the broad political 
accommodation reached between the Government and the state governors on 
Shari'a appeared to be holding at the end of the period covered by this 
report, especially after public criticism at the amputation of the cow 
thief's hand. A court case challenging the constitutionality of 
Zamfara's Shari'a penal code was ongoing on June 30, 2000.
    Following the violence related to the expansion of Shari'a laws, 
several committees were established, both by government officials and 
by religious leaders, to work for peace and a better understanding 
between Christians and Muslims, and to obtain a solution to the Shari'a 
debate. However, the efforts of these various committees did not result 
in a permanent solution as to how, or if, Shari'a will be permitted to 
expand into the criminal code of states that so desire it, by mid-2000.
    In July 2000, a Hausa woman who violated a religious taboo against 
women viewing a Yoruba festival was killed by a mob. This incident 
ignited reciprocal violence on July 21, 1999 in the northern, 
predominantly-Hausa city of Kano, with the Hausa majority attacking the 
Yoruba minority. Approximately 80 persons died over a 4-day period; the 
majority of the victims were Yorubas.
    In December 1999, in two attacks, 16 churches were burned and 1 
clergyman was injured seriously by Muslim youths in the town of Ilorin, 
Kwara state. The churches reportedly were located in the Muslim part of 
town. The reason for the attacks was not clear. The Government's 
response was limited to pleas for calm and understanding, and there was 
no attempt to prosecute the perpetrators.
    In addition to the violence related to the expansion of Shari'a law 
in Kaduna, Aba, Owerri, and Onitsha, there was civil unrest on March 7, 
2000 in Sokoto following a pro-Shari'a rally by university students. 
Although there were no confirmed deaths, at least one church was burned 
and two others were vandalized. Local Christians sought refuge in 
military barracks, but they returned to their homes once calm was 
restored.
    On March 27, 2000, at least one person was killed and several were 
injured in Borno state when a long-festering argument over the location 
of a church escalated into violence between Muslims and Christians. The 
church in question also was burned down.
    On May 22 and 23, 2000, rioting erupted in Nayari, Kaduna state 
after Christian residents found the body of a person whom they believed 
to have been a Christian and killed by Muslims. Christians retaliated 
against Muslims and almost completely destroyed Muslim residences and 
businesses, causing many Muslim residents to flee. Press reports 
indicated that as many as 200 persons were killed, although this total 
could not be confirmed. The exact cause of the outbreak remains 
unclear, although some observers believe that the violence was 
organized and preplanned by Kaduna Christians in order to prevent 
Muslims from returning to the neighborhood to rebuild their community 
following the violence related to the expansion of Shari'a laws in 
February 2000.

                  Section III: U.S. Government Policy

    U.S. Embassy officials frequently discuss the political and social 
situation with various religious leaders, who play a prominent role in 
civil society and in the human rights community. Embassy officers 
raised religious freedom issues with government officials in the 
context of the Embassy's overall efforts to promote respect for human 
rights. The U.S. Government, through the U.S. Embassy and in statements 
from officials in Washington, sought to encourage a peaceful resolution 
to the Shari'a issue and urged that human rights and religious freedom 
be respected in any resolution.
                               __________

                                 RWANDA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, it 
imposes some restrictions.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Local officials on several occasions briefly detained persons who, 
on religious grounds, refused to participate in nighttime security 
patrols or cooperate in other government programs. There were 
unconfirmed reports that members of Jehovah's Witnesses were subject to 
harassment, arrest, and detention by authorities during the first 6 
months of 2000. There was some tension between the Government and the 
Catholic Church over the trial of a bishop on genocide charges, and 
over the Government's continued determination to preserve some massacre 
sites in churches as genocide memorials. Relations among religions were 
generally amicable. Concern over the doomsday cult-related deaths in 
Uganda led the Government to caution local officials to watch for 
similar cults in Rwanda.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, it 
imposes some restrictions. There is no state religion. The law provides 
for small fines and imprisonment for up to 6 months for anyone who 
interferes with a religious ceremony or with a minister in the exercise 
of his profession.
    The Government requires nonprofit organizations, including 
religious groups, to register with the Ministry of Justice in order to 
acquire ``juridical existence.'' This registration generally is routine 
and not burdensome. Relevant legislation makes no provision for tax-
exempt status for such organizations. Failure to register leaves an 
organization unable to legally conclude agreements with other 
organizations, including agreements to receive assistance.
Religious Demography
    A 1996 sociodemographic survey by the Ministry of Finance, the 
Government's population office, and the U.N. Population Fund reported 
that 57.2 percent of the population identified themselves as Roman 
Catholic, 24 percent as Protestant, l.4 percent as Adventist, 1.9 
percent as Muslim, and that 4.5 percent professed no religion. There is 
also a small community of Baha'is and several congregations of 
Jehovah's Witnesses. There has been a proliferation of small, usually 
Christianlinked sects since the 1994 genocide.
    Foreign missionaries and church-linked nongovernmental 
organizations (NGO's) of various faiths operate in the country. The 
Government has welcomed their development assistance. Missionaries 
openly promote their religious beliefs.
    There is no indication that religious belief is linked directly to 
membership in any political party. Of the eight parties, the only one 
with a religious component to its name--the Democratic Islamic Party--
claims to have non-Muslim members.
    The Government permits religious instruction in public schools. In 
some cases, students are given a choice between instruction in 
``religion'' or ``morals.'' Many years ago, missionaries established 
schools that are now operated by the Government. In those schools, 
religious instruction tends to reflect the denomination of the 
founders, either Catholic or Protestant. Christian and Muslim private 
schools operate as well.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Government forbids religious meetings at night on the grounds 
that insurgents formerly used the guise of nighttime ``religious 
meetings'' to assemble their supporters before attacking nearby 
targets.
    After the doomsday cult-related deaths in Uganda in March 2000, the 
Government cautioned local officials to be alert to similar cults in 
Rwanda. Following this caution from the Government, in April 2000, 
local officials detained nine leaders and members of a religious 
organization called the Evangelic Ministry in Africa and the World in 
Byumba prefecture, near the border with Uganda. This organization had 
convinced a number of persons to leave work or school and surrender 
their material possessions in expectation of an imminent second-coming 
of Christ.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    Local officials on several occasions briefly detained persons who, 
on religious grounds, refused to participate in nighttime security 
patrols or cooperate in other government programs. Among the detainees 
were adherents of ``Temperance'' and ``Abagorozi,'' both said to be 
offshoots of the Adventist Church and Jehovah's Witnesses.
    Several members of the clergy of various faiths, notably 
Catholicism, have faced charges of genocide in both Rwandan courts and 
the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). In June 2000, a 
Rwandan Court found Roman Catholic Bishop Augustin Misago not guilty of 
all charges related to his actions during the 1994 genocide. He was 
released soon after the decision was announced.
    Catholic officials have charged that the Government is prejudiced 
against the Church. Catholic officials also have criticized the 
determination of the Government to maintain some massacre sites in 
churches as memorials to the genocide, rather than returning the 
buildings to the Church.
    There were unconfirmed reports that members of Jehovah's Witnesses 
were subject to harassment, arrest, and detention by authorities during 
the first 6 months of 2000. Despite these accusations, there does not 
appear to be a pattern of systemic government discrimination against 
any particular religious group.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations among the different religious groups generally are 
amicable. Disputes between religious groups are rare.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights. Embassy officials maintain regular contact with leaders 
and members of the religious communities in the country.
                               __________

                         SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for religious freedom, and the Government 
respects this right in practice. The Government at all levels generally 
protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its abuse, either by 
governmental or private actors. There is no state religion.
Religious Demography
    The country is predominantly Roman Catholic. Approximately 90 
percent of the population are Catholic, 5 percent practice traditional 
indigenous religions, 5 percent are atheist, and less than 1 percent 
are Protestant.
    There are no restrictions on the activities of foreign clergy. 
There are Catholic and Protestant missionaries in the country. 
Missionaries of other religions also operated unhindered.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are amicable relations between the various religious 
communities.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy, based in Libreville, Gabon, discusses religious 
freedom issues with the Government in the overall context of the 
promotion of human rights.
    In addition, embassy officials regularly meet with the country's 
Catholic bishop during visits.
                               __________

                                SENEGAL

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government maintains relations with all major religious 
groups in the country and discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice. The Constitution 
specifically defines the country as a secular state and provides for 
the free practice of religious beliefs, provided public order is 
maintained.
    Religious organizations are completely independent of the 
Government and in practice administer their affairs without government 
interference. While individuals and groups may practice their beliefs 
without government sanction, any group--religious or other--that wants 
to form an association with legal status must register with the 
Minister of the Interior in accordance with the civil and commercial 
code. Registration, which generally is granted, enables an association 
to conduct business, including owning property, establishing a bank 
account, and receiving financial contributions from any private source. 
Registered religious groups, like all registered nonprofit 
organizations, also are exempt from many forms of taxation. The 
Minister of Interior must have a legal basis for refusing registration. 
There were no reports of any applications for such registration being 
delayed or denied during the period covered by this report.
    Religious organizations can receive direct financial and material 
assistance from the Government. While there is no official system of 
government grants, the importance of religion in society often results 
in the Government providing grants to religious groups to maintain 
their places of worship or undertake special events. The Government 
also provides funds through the Ministry of Education to schools 
operated by religious institutions that meet national education 
standards. In practice, Christian schools, which have a long and 
successful experience in education, receive the largest share of this 
government funding.
Religious Demography
    According to current government demographic data, Islam is by far 
the predominant religion and is practiced by approximately 94 percent 
of the country's population. There is also an active Christian 
community (4 percent), including Roman Catholics and diverse Protestant 
denominations. Two percent (the rest of the population) practice 
exclusively traditional indigenous religions or no religion.
    The country is ethnically and religiously diverse. Although there 
is significant integration of all groups, there are still identifiable 
geographic concentrations of some religious groups. The Christian 
minority is concentrated in the western and southern regions of the 
country, while groups that practice traditional religions are 
concentrated in the eastern and southern regions.
    As the Constitution provides for separation of religion and state, 
religious education or worship is not permitted in public schools. 
Privately-owned schools, whether or not they receive government grants, 
may provide religious education. The majority of students attending 
Christian schools are Muslims.
    A large variety of foreign missionary groups operate in the 
country, including Catholics, Protestant denominations, independent 
missionaries, and Jehovah's Witnesses. Missionaries, like other long-
term visitors, must obtain a residence visa issued by the Interior 
Ministry. Religious groups, including Islamic groups, often establish a 
presence in the country as nongovernmental organizations (NGO's). NGO's 
already registered in a foreign country obtain permission to operate in 
the country from the Minister of the Family, Social Action, and 
National Solidarity. Both religious and nonreligious NGO's are very 
active in providing social services and administering economic 
development assistance programs.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Government monitors foreign missionary groups, and religious 
and nonreligious NGO's, to ensure that their activities coincide with 
their stated objectives. In the past, the Government has expelled such 
groups from the country when their activities were judged to be 
political in nature and a threat to public order. There were no reports 
of any foreign religious groups being asked to leave the country during 
the period covered by this report.
    The Government encourages and helps to organize Muslim 
participation in the Hajj every year. It also provides similar 
assistance for an annual Catholic pilgrimage to the Vatican.
    While there is no specific government-sponsored institution to 
promote inter-faith dialog, the Government generally seeks to promote 
religious harmony by maintaining relations with all important religious 
groups. Senior government officials regularly consult with religious 
leaders and the Government generally is represented at all major 
religious festivals or events.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Religion plays an important role in the life of most citizens, and 
society is generally very open and tolerant of different religious 
faiths. The country has a long tradition of amicable and tolerant 
coexistence between the Muslim majority and the Christian, traditional 
indigenous, and other religious minorities. Inter-faith marriage is 
relatively common and within certain families other religious faiths, 
such as Christianity or a traditional indigenous religion, are 
practiced alongside Islam.
    Islamic communities generally are organized around one of several 
brotherhoods, headed by a Khalif who is a direct descendant of the 
group's founder. The two largest and most prominent of these 
brotherhoods are the Tidjanes, based in the city of Tivouane, and the 
Mourides, based in the city of Touba. At times there have been disputes 
within the different brotherhoods over questions of succession or 
general authority. However, relations between these Islamic subgroups 
generally have been peaceful and cooperative. In recent years a 
National Committee to Coordinate Sightings of the Moon and hence the 
designation of Muslim holy days has been formed at the suggestion of 
the Government, effectively increasing cooperation among the Islamic 
subgroups.
    While the brotherhoods are not involved directly in politics or 
government affairs, these groups exert considerable influence in 
society and therefore maintain a dialog with political leaders. Close 
association with a brotherhood, as with any influential community 
leader, religious or secular, may afford certain political and economic 
protections and advantages that are not conferred by law. During the 
campaign for the presidential elections held in February and March 
2000, candidates consulted with and sought support of both Muslim and 
Christian religious leaders. While some religious leaders issued 
instructions to their followers to vote for certain candidates, this 
attempt to influence voters was not widely practiced and the election 
results revealed no apparent patterns of voting along religious lines. 
Of the six presidential candidates, only one represented a religious-
based party founded by the leader of a small Islamic community. This 
candidate received less than 1 percent of the vote.
    Leaders of the larger religious groups, both Islamic and Christian, 
have long maintained a public dialog with one another. For example, the 
former Archbishop who led the country's Catholic community and the 
Khalifs of the larger Islamic brotherhoods have for decades contributed 
to a positive inter-faith dialog. The Catholic-sponsored Brottier 
Center has promoted debate and dialog between Muslims and Christians on 
political and social issues that confront the country.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy maintains relations with all major religious 
groups in the country. The Ambassador meets with the leaders or their 
representatives at various times throughout the year to discuss social 
and political issues. The Embassy maintains contacts with several 
religiously-based NGO's, Western missionary groups operating in the 
country, and human rights organizations and activists in order to 
monitor issues of religious freedom. The Ambassador or his 
representative regularly attends all major annual religious festivals 
or gatherings to promote an open dialog with various religious groups.
                               __________

                               SEYCHELLES

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of religious freedom during the 
period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
    The Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Seventh-Day Adventist churches 
and the Islamic mosques each have their own acts of incorporation. The 
Baha'i local spiritual assembly was incorporated in 1999. Other 
churches that are not a body corporate are registered as associations 
with the Registrar General and are entitled to tax-free privileges, 
similar to a charity. All religious organizations must register in 
order to be entitled to tax-free privileges. If an organization does 
not want tax-free privileges, it does not have to register.
    The Government has not demonstrated favoritism toward one religion 
over another in the past, but in early 2000 the Seychelles National 
Party (SNP), which is the opposition political party and is led by an 
Anglican minister, claimed that the Government gave a grant of $164,000 
(SRS 900,000) to the Baha'i faith in 1999, following its incorporation. 
According to the SNP, this grant has not been offered to other faiths 
that have been established recently in the country. The Government has 
not responded to the SNP's claim. In May 2000, the Government announced 
that its employees who are Baha'i are allowed to take unpaid leave on 
Baha'i holy days. This leave has not been available previously to 
members of the Baha'i or other faiths. At the time of the announcement, 
the Government also stated that other religions could submit 
applications for the recognition of similar unpaid leave days. 
President France Albert Rene's wife of 10 years is a member of the 
Baha'i Faith while the majority of the government ministers are 
Catholic.
Religious Demography
    According to figures gathered in the 1994 census, 88 percent of the 
population are Roman Catholic and 8 percent are Anglican. There are 
other Christian churches, including Baptists, Seventh-Day Adventists, 
the Assembly of God, the Pentecostal Church, and Jehovah's Witnesses. 
Hinduism, Islam, and the Baha'i Faith also are practiced. Almost 50 
percent of the population are estimated to regularly practice their 
faith.
    The Government tends to remain outside of religious matters, but 
provides program time to different religious organizations on the 
national radio broadcasting service. On Sundays a radio broadcast of a 
Catholic Mass alternates each week with a broadcast of an Anglican 
service. All other faiths, including Islam, Adventist and Baha'i, are 
entitled to a 15-minute radio broadcast one Sunday a month.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are amicable relations among the various religious groups and 
tolerance for individual religious choice.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                              SIERRA LEONE

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in the society contribute to the free practice of 
religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    The Government does not have requirements for recognizing, 
registering, or regulating religious groups.
Religious Demography
    Reliable data on the exact numbers of those who practice major 
religions are not available. However, most sources estimate that the 
population is 60 percent Muslim, 30 percent Christian, and 10 percent 
practitioners of traditional indigenous religions.
    Historically, most Muslims have been concentrated in the northern 
areas of the country, and Christians were located in the south. 
However, the ongoing civil war has resulted in movement by major 
segments of the population.
    According to sources, many syncretistic practices exist, with up to 
20 percent of the population practicing a mixture of Muslim and 
traditional indigenous practices or Christian and traditional 
indigenous practices.
    The Government permits religious instruction in public schools. 
Students are allowed to choose whether they attend either Muslim- or 
Christian-oriented classes.
    The Government has not taken any specific steps to promote inter-
faith understanding.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.
    In the past, rebel forces have attacked both churches and mosques 
and targeted Christian and Muslim religious leaders. In particular, the 
rebels have targeted Roman Catholic priests and nuns largely on the 
assumption that the Church would pay ransom for their return and 
because troops from the Economic Organization (of West African States) 
Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) used their missionary radio network in 
support of the Government. During the period covered by this report, 
some religious leaders were targeted by rebels for their peacekeeping 
activities as members of civil society, not because of their religion.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are amicable relations between the various religious 
communities, and inter-faith marriage is common. The Inter-Religious 
Council (IRC), composed of Christian and Muslim leaders, plays a vital 
role in civil society and actively participates in efforts to further 
the peace process. The IRC criticizes the use of force and atrocities 
committed by the rebels, endorses reconciliation and peace talks, and 
facilitates rehabilitation of the victims affected by the war, 
including former child soldiers.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.
                               __________

                                SOMALIA

    There is no constitution and no legal provision for the protection 
of religious freedom; there were some limits on religious freedom.
    There is no central government, but some local administrations, 
including the ``Republic of Somaliland'' and ``Puntland,'' have made 
Islam the official religion in their regions. Local tradition and past 
law make proselytization a crime for any religion except Islam. Non-
Sunni Muslims often are viewed with suspicion by members of the Sunni 
majority. Christians and other non-Muslims who proclaim their religion 
sometimes face societal harassment.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    The U.S. Government does not maintain an official presence in 
Somalia. This lack of diplomatic representation has limited the U.S. 
Government's ability to take action to promote religious freedom.

         Section I. Government Policies of Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    There is no constitution and no legal provision for the protection 
of religious freedom; there were some limits on religious freedom.
    There is no central government, but some local administrations, 
including the ``Republic of Somaliland'' and ``Puntland'', have made 
Islam the official religion in their regions. The judiciary in most 
regions relies on some combination of traditional and customary law 
(Xeer), Shari'a law, the penal code of the pre-1991 Siad Barre 
government, or some combination of the three. There are five Islamic 
courts operating in Mogadishu, which are aligned with different 
subclans, raising doubts about their independence. These courts 
generally refrained from administering the stricter Islamic 
punishments, such as amputation, but their militias administered 
summary punishments, including executions, in the city and its 
environs. With the collapse in December 1998 of the Shari'a courts in 
north Mogadishu headed by Sheikh Ali Dere, the application of physical 
punishment appears to have ceased.
    In March 1999, the Minister of Religion in Somaliland issued a list 
of instructions and definitions on religious practices. Under the new 
rules, religious schools and places of worship are required to obtain 
the Ministry of Religion's permission to operate. Entry visas for 
religious groups must be approved by the Ministry, and certain 
unspecified doctrines are prohibited.
Religious Demography
    Citizens are overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim. There are a small number 
of non-Sunni Muslims. There is also a small, extremely low-profile 
Christian community, in addition to small numbers of adherents of other 
religions. In Somaliland, the number of adherents of radical Islam is 
growing. In 1999 there was an influx of foreign Muslims into Hargeisa 
in Somaliland, reportedly Islamic teachers from Afghanistan, Pakistan, 
and Sudan (see Section II).
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Local tradition and past law make proselytization a crime for any 
religion except Islam. Proselytizing for any religion except Islam is 
prohibited by law in Puntland and Somaliland. Christian-based 
international relief organizations generally operate without 
interference, provided that they refrain from proselytizing.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the refusal by local authorities to allow such 
citizens to be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Non-Sunni Muslims often are viewed with suspicion by members of the 
Sunni majority. There is strong social pressure to respect Islamic 
traditions, especially in enclaves controlled by radical Islamists, 
such as Luuq in the Gedo region. There was an increase in religious 
intolerance among Muslims by Al'Ittihad, a local radical Islamic group. 
In north Mogadishu, Al'Ittihad forcibly took over two mosques. There 
reportedly have been other mosque takeovers in Puntland and Lower 
Shabelle.
    On June 15, 2000, a group of conservative Muslims threw a hand 
grenade into the compound of the Italian NGO COSV in Merca. The attack 
started out as a protest against alleged Christian proselytizing by 
teachers at COSV-funded schools. No one was injured in the attack, but 
staff members were evacuated, and COSV programs were suspended for 2 
weeks.
    In 1999 there was an influx of foreign Muslim teachers into 
Hargeisa in Somaliland to teach in new private Koranic schools. These 
schools are inexpensive and provide basic education; however, there 
were reports that these schools required the veiling of small girls and 
other conservative Islamic practices not normally found in Somali 
culture.
    There is a small, low-profile Christian community. Christians, as 
well as other non-Muslims, who proclaim their religion sometimes face 
societal harassment.
    There are no ecumenical movements or activities to promote greater 
religious toleration.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Government does not maintain an official presence in 
Somalia. This lack of diplomatic representation has limited the U.S. 
Government's ability to take action to promote religious freedom.
                               __________

                              SOUTH AFRICA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice. The Bill of 
Rights, included in the Constitution, specifically provides for and 
protects the freedom of religion. The Bill of Rights prohibits the 
State from unfairly discriminating directly or indirectly against 
anyone on the ground of religion, and it states that persons belonging 
to a religious community may not be denied the right, with other 
members of that community, to practice their religion and to form, 
join, and maintain religious associations. Cases of discrimination 
against a person on the grounds of religious freedom can be taken to 
the Constitutional Court.
    Religious groups are not required to be licensed or registered.
Religious Demography
    According to a 1996 census, approximately 77 percent of a 
population of more than 42 million adhere to the Christian faith. 
Hindus and Muslims each account for approximately 1 percent of the 
population, and about 0.4 percent are Jewish. There also are small 
numbers of followers of Buddhism and Confucianism. A sizable minority 
of the population, more than 15 percent, does not belong to any of the 
major religions, but regard themselves as followers of traditional 
indigenous religions or claim no specific religious affiliation.
    The African Independent Churches make up the largest grouping of 
Christian Churches. There are 4,000 or more African Independent 
Churches, with a total membership of more than 10 million. Although 
these churches originally were founded as breakaways from various 
mission churches (the so-called Ethiopian churches), the African 
Independent Churches consist mostly of Zionist or apostolic churches 
and also include some Pentecostal offshoots. The Zion Christian Church 
is the largest African Independent Church. The African Independent 
Churches attract persons from rural and urban areas.
    The Nederduits Gereformeerde, or Dutch Reformed, family of churches 
consists of 3 related churches that represent almost 5 million persons. 
The Nederduits Gereformeerde Church is the largest of these 3 churches 
with a total of 1,263 congregations. Its member churches are the United 
Reformed Church of South Africa and the small Reformed Church in 
Africa, whose members are predominantly Indian. The Nederduitsch 
Hervormde and Gereformeerde Churches also are regarded as part of the 
Dutch Reformed Church family. In recent years, there has been a move 
away from the Dutch Reformed churches by Afrikaners to charismatic and 
Baptist churches.
    Other established Christian churches include the Roman Catholic 
Church, which has grown strongly in numbers and influence in recent 
years and consists of approximately 8.8 percent of the population; the 
Methodist Church (6.8 percent); the Church of the Province of South 
Africa (Anglican, 4.4 percent); various Lutheran (2.9 percent) and 
Presbyterian churches (1.7 percent); and the Congregational Church (1.5 
percent). Although they consist of less than 1 percent of the 
population, the Baptist churches represent a strong church tradition. 
The largest traditional Pentecostal churches are the Apostolic Faith 
Mission with a membership of 1.5 percent of the population, the 
Assemblies of God (0.6 percent), and the Full Gospel Church (1.8 
percent). A number of charismatic churches have been established in 
recent years. The subsidiary churches of the charismatic churches, 
together with those of the Hatfield Christian Church in Pretoria, are 
grouped in the International Fellowship of Christian Churches. The 
Greek Orthodox and Seventh-Day Adventist Churches also are active.
    More than 15 percent of the total population claim no affiliation 
with any formal religious organization. The majority of these persons 
adhere to traditional indigenous religions. A common feature of the 
traditional indigenous religions is the importance of ancestors. Also 
known as the ``living dead,'' ancestors are regarded as part of the 
community and as indispensable links with the spirit world and the 
powers that control everyday affairs. Ancestors are not gods, but 
because they play a key part in bringing about either good or ill 
fortune, maintaining good relations with them is vital. Followers of 
traditional indigenous religions also believe that certain 
practitioners can manipulate the power of the spirits by applying 
elaborate procedures that are passed down through word-of-mouth. Some 
practitioners use herbs and other therapeutic techniques, as well as 
supernatural powers; others are masters of black magic and engender 
fear. As a result of close contact with Christianity, many persons find 
themselves in a transitional phase somewhere between traditional 
indigenous religions and Christianity.
    Nearly two-thirds of Indians are Hindus, and the remainder is 
either Muslim (20 percent) or Christian (12 percent), with a small 
number of followers of various other religions. The Jewish population 
is probably not more than 100,000 persons, or 0.4 percent of the 
population. Of these, the majority is Orthodox Jews. There has been a 
slight shift towards the Muslim faith by blacks.
    Churches are well attended in both rural and urban areas, and most 
are adequately staffed by a large number of clerics and officials.
    A number of Christian organizations, including the Salvation Army, 
Promise Keepers, Operation Mobilization, Campus Crusade, and the Church 
of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, operate in the country doing 
missionary work, giving aid, and providing training. The Muslim World 
League also is active in the country, as is the Zionist International 
Federation.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Constitution states that religious instruction at public 
schools is permitted so long as it is voluntary and religions are 
treated equally; however, the Department of Education still is using a 
syllabus that requires public schools to administer one period of 
religious instruction a week. The syllabus provides six options for 
religious instruction: Bible Education, Hindu Studies, Islamic Studies, 
Religious Education, Right Living, and Scripture. Many public schools 
have dropped religious instruction in practice. In schools that do 
administer religious instruction, students have the right not to attend 
the religious instruction, and school authorities respect this right in 
practice. A new syllabus has been drafted that, if implemented, would 
provide for voluntary, not mandatory, religious instruction in public 
schools. There are some private religious schools in which religious 
instruction is required.
    Members of the group People Against Gangsterism and Drugs (PAGAD) 
complained that they were the targets of police brutality. PAGAD is an 
Islamic-oriented community-based organization that engaged in acts of 
intimidation and violence against some suspected drug dealers, gang 
leaders, and critics of PAGAD's violent vigilantism, including anti-
PAGAD Muslim clerics, academics, and business leaders. PAGAD's earlier 
tactics of mass marches and drive-by shootings largely have been 
replaced by pipe-bomb attacks. There was no indication that police 
targeted PAGAD members for investigation because of their religious 
affiliation. Some religious communities believe that the Government is 
too lenient in regards to PAGAD.
    PAGAD has been influenced heavily by Qibla, a radical Islamicbased 
political group created in 1979 to promote the establishment of an 
Islamic state in South Africa. Qibla is organized into cells in the 
Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, and its membership is thought to number 
only a few hundred. Qibla leaders dominate the Islamic Unity Convention 
(IUC), an umbrella body formed in 1994 that claims to represent more 
than 200 small Muslim organizations.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the various religious communities generally are 
amicable. However, there is a concern among Christians about the 
perceived growing influence of Islam. Reports of violence perpetrated 
by PAGAD have fueled these concerns.
    PAGAD portrays itself as a community organization opposed to crime, 
gangsterism, and drugs; however, it is known for its violent 
vigilantism (see Section I). PAGAD also claims to be a multifaith 
movement, even though the vast majority of its members are Muslim. 
PAGAD is most active in the Western Cape, but also has branches 
elsewhere in the country. Surveys indicated that some two-thirds of 
Muslims supported PAGAD soon after its inception in 1995, but that 
figure has dropped significantly since; the vast majority of Muslims no 
longer support PAGAD. While PAGAD continues to lose support when it is 
linked to violent acts, it gains sympathy any time high-profile 
incidents occur that are perceived by the Muslim community to have been 
acts of discrimination against Muslims.
    In January 1997, a mosque in Rustenberg was struck in a series of 
bombings that also struck a post office and general store and injured 
two persons. The State's case is closed and sentencing of the three 
persons convicted is scheduled for September 4, 2000. Two of the 
convicted have been released on approximately $11,500 (Rand 80,000) 
bail and one on $7,100 (Rand 50,000) pending sentencing.
    In December 1998, a synagogue in Wynberg was bombed. Four suspects 
have been arrested and their trial was still pending as of June 30, 
2000.
    There were occasional reports of killings linked to the continued 
practice of witchcraft in some rural areas. In the Northern Province, 
where traditional beliefs regarding witchcraft remain strong, officials 
reported dozens of killings of persons suspected of witchcraft. The 
Government has instituted educational programs to prevent such actions.
    There are many official and unofficial bilateral and multilateral 
ecumenical contacts between the various churches. The largest of these 
is the South African Council of Churches (SACC), which represents the 
Methodist Church, the Church of the Province of South Africa 
(Anglican), various Lutheran and Presbyterian churches, and the 
Congregational Church, among others. The major traditional indigenous 
religions, most of the Afrikaans-language churches, and the Pentecostal 
and charismatic churches are not members of the SACC and usually have 
their own coordinating and liaison bodies. The Roman Catholic Church's 
relationship with other churches is becoming more relaxed and it works 
closely with other churches on the socio-political front.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. 
Representatives of the U.S. Embassy have frequent contact with leaders 
and members of all religious communities in the country.
                               __________

                                 SUDAN

    The Constitution, implemented in early 1999, provides for freedom 
of religion; however, the Government severely restricts freedom of 
religion in practice. The Government treats Islam as the state religion 
and has declared that it must inspire the country's laws, institutions, 
and policies.
    The status of respect for religious freedom has not changed 
fundamentally in recent years, and, particularly in the south, the 
Government continues to enforce numerous restrictions. Authorities 
continued to restrict the activities of Christians, followers of 
traditional indigenous religions, and other non-Muslims. Non-Muslims 
are forbidden to proselytize. There also continued to be reports that 
security forces regularly harassed and at times used threats and 
violence against persons based on their religious beliefs and 
activities. As part of the civil war, the Government and government-
supported forces were responsible for indiscriminate bombings, the 
burning and looting of villages, and the killings, abductions, rapes, 
and arbitrary arrests and detentions of civilians, most of whom were 
Christians or practitioners of traditional indigenous religions. 
However, there were some areas in which the Government took steps that 
improved the situation somewhat. For example, religious prisoners and 
detainees were released, enforcement of public order laws was relaxed, 
women imprisoned under the public order law were released, and 
restrictions on religious visitors and gatherings were eased. 
Traditionally there have been amicable relations between the various 
religious communities, and the practice of religions other then Islam 
remains legal. Non-Muslims legally are free to adhere to and practice 
their faiths; however, in practice the Government's treatment of Islam 
as the state religion creates an atmosphere in which non-Muslims are 
treated as second-class citizens.
    The U.S. Government's efforts in Sudan have been limited by the 
nonresident status of U.S. diplomats prior to August 1998 and by the 
evacuation of the Embassy's American staff in August 1998. Nonresident 
American diplomats resumed visits to Khartoum in late February 2000. 
The U.S. Government has made it clear to the Government of Sudan that 
the issue of religious freedom is one of the key problems impeding a 
positive relationship between Sudan and the U.S. The issue of religious 
freedom has been raised consistently with both the Government and the 
populace by Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Special Envoy for 
Sudan Harry Johnston, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs 
Susan Rice, the U.S. mission to Sudan (resident in Nairobi), and U.S. 
Missions to international forums. In September 1999, the Secretary of 
State designated Sudan a country of particular concern under the 
International Religious Freedom Act for particularly severe violations 
of religious freedom.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution, implemented in early 1999, provides for freedom 
of religion; however, the Government severely restricts freedom of 
religion in practice. The Government treats Islam as the state religion 
and has declared that it must inspire the country's laws, institutions, 
and policies. The Constitution states that ``Shari'a and custom are the 
sources of legislation.''
    Religious organizations are subject to the 1994 Societies 
Registration Act. It theoretically allows churches to engage in a wide 
range of activities, but subjects churches to the same restrictions 
placed on nonreligious corporations. Religious groups, like all other 
organizations, must be registered in order to be recognized or to 
gather legally. The Government also requires that houses of worship be 
approved. Registered religious groups are exempt from most taxes. 
Nonregistered religious groups, on the other hand, find it impossible 
to construct a place of worship or to assemble legally. Registration 
reportedly is very difficult to obtain in practice, and the Government 
does not treat all groups equally in the approval of such registrations 
and licenses. The Government reportedly is working on new legislation 
to replace the Societies Registration Act, but has not yet invited the 
participation of religious groups.
    In recent years, the Roman Catholic Church has not been given 
permission to build new churches, although some other Christian groups 
have received permission. Islamic orders associated with opposition 
political parties, particularly the Khatimia, regularly are denied 
permission to hold large public gatherings. No permits have been 
granted for church construction in Khartoum state in recent years, 
despite the influx of non-Muslims to the capital.
Religious Demography
    Sudan is a religiously mixed country, although Muslims have 
dominated national government institutions since independence. There 
are no accurate figures on the sizes of the country's religious 
populations. A large majority of the population of approximately 30 
million persons is Muslim: more than 75 percent of the population are 
Muslim and adherents include numerous Arabic and non-Arabic groups. 
Muslims predominate in the north. There are sizable minorities of 
Christians and practitioners of traditional indigenous religions. Most 
citizens in the south adhere to either Christianity or traditional 
indigenous religions. There are reliable reports that Christianity is 
growing rapidly in the south, particularly in areas outside of 
government control. There is also evidence that many new converts to 
Christianity continue to adhere to elements of traditional indigenous 
practices. The influx of 1 to 2 million southerners displaced by the 
war has brought sizable communities of practitioners of traditional 
indigenous religions and Christians to the north. There are also small 
but influential and long-established populations of Greek Orthodox and 
Coptic Rite Christians centered around Khartoum. About 500,000 Coptic 
Christians live in the north. There are a few atheists and agnostics in 
the country, but exact figures are not available.
    The Muslim population is almost entirely Sunni but is divided into 
many different groups. The most significant divisions occur along the 
lines of the Sufi brotherhood. Two brotherhoods, the Ansar and the 
Khatimia, are associated closely with the Umma Party and the Democratic 
Unionist Party (DUP), respectively.
    Northern Muslims form a majority of the population, and government 
institutions are dominated by northern Muslims of Arabic origin. The 
southern ethnic groups fighting the civil war (largely followers of 
traditional indigenous religions or Christians and largely of African 
origin) seek independence, or some form of regional self-determination, 
from the north.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Authorities continued to restrict the activities of Christians, 
followers of traditional indigenous beliefs, and other non-Muslims, as 
well as certain Islamic groups.
    Muslims may proselytize freely in government-controlled areas, but 
non-Muslims are forbidden to proselytize. Missionaries continue to do 
other work, and a wide range of Christian missionary groups operated in 
both government and rebel-controlled areas of the country. However, 
authorities often harassed foreign missionaries and other religiously 
oriented organizations and delayed their requests for work permits and 
residence visas. A foreign priest was deported in August 1999. The 
priest reportedly was summoned by the Immigration Department on July 
15, 1999, and told to leave the country within 2 weeks. No reason was 
given for his expulsion. The Government is generally least restrictive 
of Christian groups that historically have had a presence in the 
country, including Copts, Roman Catholics, and Greek Orthodox, and is 
more restrictive of newer arrivals.
    Although the Government considers itself an Islamic government, 
restrictions often are placed on the religious freedoms of Muslims, 
particularly on those orders linked to opposition to the Government. 
Islamic orders such as the Khatimia regularly are denied permission to 
hold large public gatherings. In November 1999, a religious leader was 
arrested and detained, along with some followers, allegedly for 
accusing the Government of being insufficiently Islamic. Authorities 
released all of those detained within 1 week.
    While the government permits non-Muslims to participate in services 
in existing, authorized places of worship, the Government continued to 
deny permission for the construction of Roman Catholic churches, 
although some other Christian groups have received permission. However, 
the Government permitted some makeshift structures to be used for Roman 
Catholic services.
    There is a longstanding dispute between the Episcopal Church and 
the Government. In September 1999, the Episcopal Church stated that the 
Government had moved to seize a portion of the property on which the 
church office in Omdurman stands. A government-run health care center 
had operated on the site since 1973. The Church claims that it has a 
freehold title to the land, while the Government claims that it is a 
leased. The Church claims that the courts would not act independently 
of the Government in the case. The Church sent a memo to the Office of 
the President concerning the issue, but the President's Office replied 
that the case was a state rather than a federal issue. At a June 19, 
2000 court session, a decision on the matter was postponed until August 
2000.
    In 1996 an Episcopal church was built in the Fetehab neighborhood 
of Omdurman. In 1998 local residents filed a case against the church 
for disturbances, and authorities closed the church as a result. The 
case was forwarded to the Attorney General, but no decision was issued 
on this matter as of mid-2000. Reportedly the Episcopal church tried to 
resolve the conflict by applying to state authorities for approval to 
build another church in a different location; however, the state 
authorities did not grant approval.
    The Khartoum state government continued to raze thousands of 
squatter dwellings around Khartoum, which largely are populated by 
displaced southerners, including large numbers of practitioners of 
traditional indigenous religions and Christians. Earlier improvements 
in procedures to grant squatters legal title to land in other areas and 
to move squatters in advance of demolitions continued. In October 1999, 
the First Vice President directed that demolition of churches and other 
Christian facilities in Khartoum be suspended and that a committee be 
formed under the Second Vice President to review the issue. Some church 
officials indicated that the number of church and school demolitions in 
squatter areas has declined, apparently because the replanning of 
squatter areas is largely complete.
    The Government requires instruction in Islam for Muslim students in 
public schools in the north. In public schools in areas in which 
Muslims are not a majority, students have a choice of studying Islam or 
Christianity; however, Christian courses are not offered in the 
majority of public schools, ostensibly due to a lack of teachers or 
Christian students and, in practice, this means that many Christian 
students attend Islamic courses.
    In government-controlled areas of the south, there continued to be 
credible evidence of prejudice in favor of Muslims and an unwritten 
policy of Islamization of public institutions, despite an official 
policy of local autonomy and federalism. In the past, some non-Muslims 
lost their jobs in the civil service, the judiciary, and other 
professions. Few non-Muslim university graduates found government jobs. 
Some non-Muslim businessmen complained of petty harassment and 
discrimination in the awarding of government contracts and trade 
licenses. There also were reports that Muslims received preferential 
treatment for the limited services provided by the Government, 
including access to medical care.
    In accordance with Islamic law, a Muslim woman has the right to 
hold and dispose of her own property without interference, and women 
are ensured inheritance from their parents. However, a daughter 
inherits half the share of a son, and a widow inherits a smaller 
percentage than do her children. It is much easier for men to initiate 
legal divorce proceedings than for women. Islamic family law applies to 
Muslims and not to those of other faiths, for whom religious or tribal 
laws apply. A Muslim man may marry a non-Muslim; however, a Muslim 
woman cannot marry a non-Muslim unless he converts to Islam. However, 
this prohibition is not observed or enforced in areas of the south not 
controlled by the Government, nor among Nubans.
    Children who have been abandoned or whose parentage is unknown--
regardless of presumed religious origin--are considered by the state to 
be both citizens and Muslims and can be adopted only by Muslims. Non-
Muslims may adopt only other non-Muslim children. No equivalent 
restriction is placed on the adoption by Muslims of orphans or other 
children. In accordance with Islamic law, children adopted by Muslims 
do not take the name of their adopted parents and are not automatic 
heirs to their property.
    Various government bodies have decreed on different occasions that 
women must dress according to modest Islamic standards, including 
wearing a head covering. In January 1999, the governor of Khartoum 
state announced that women in public places and government offices, and 
female students and teachers would be required to conform to what is 
deemed an Islamic dress code. However, none of these decrees have been 
the subject of legislation. Enforcement of the dress code regulations 
was reduced greatly during the period covered by this report. Women 
often were seen in public wearing trousers or with their heads 
uncovered. Public Order Police generally only gave warnings for 
improper dress.
    In rebel-controlled areas, Christians, Muslims, and followers of 
traditional indigenous beliefs generally worship freely, although it 
appears that many of the region's Muslim residents have departed 
voluntarily over the years. The rebel SPLM officially favors secular 
government; however, the movement is dominated by Christians, and local 
SPLM authorities often have a very close relationship with local 
Christian religious authorities. There is no evidence that this close 
relationship has resulted in a failure to respect the rights of 
practitioners of other religions.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    There continued to be reports that security forces regularly 
harassed and at times used threats and violence against persons on the 
basis of their religious beliefs and activities.
    Catholic priests report that they routinely are stopped and 
interrogated by police. Security forces also detained persons 
apparently in relation to their religious beliefs and activities. 
Generally, detentions based nominally on religion were of limited 
duration; because the practice of religion is not technically illegal, 
detainees could not be held formally on those grounds indefinitely. 
However, in the past the Government often resorted to accusing, at 
times falsely, those arrested for religious reasons of other crimes, 
including common crimes and national security crimes, which resulted in 
prolonged detentions.
    On August 8, 1999, a group of members of the Ansar al Sunna Muslim 
group reportedly threw stones at a Christian center in the Doroshab 
neighborhood of Khartoum North. When a member of the center's staff 
went to the local police, the police refused to take action, instead 
briefly detaining the staff member. He subsequently was released.
    There were reports that police in Hilla Kuku harassed members of 
the Catholic Church. A Catholic seminarian stated that police stopped 
him at the bus station in Hilla Kuku on June 22, 2000 and told him to 
remove a wooden cross that he was wearing. After he refused, the police 
took him to a police station where they detained him and beat him on 
his neck and right wrist with a stick. After 3 hours, the police 
returned his cross and released him. On July 7, 2000, a foreign 
Catholic Church worker was stopped at the bus station in Hilla Kuku and 
forced into a car by unidentified men who were reportedly plainclothes 
security personnel. According to the worker, he initially was 
questioned in the car; however, after he called for help on his mobile 
telephone, he was blindfolded and taken to an unidentified house. In 
the house, he was kept in a chair with his hands tied behind his back 
and questioned about church activities. He was treated abusively and 
believes that he may have been drugged. His captors released him after 
dark, but warned him not to discuss what had happened.
    The Government officially exempts the 10 southern states, whose 
population is mostly non-Muslim, from parts of the Criminal Act. The 
Act permits physical punishments, including lashings, amputations and 
stonings, based on Shari'a (Islamic law). In late 1999 and early 2000 
in the north, the Government reportedly carried out amputations under 
Islamic law for the first time. Reports indicate that the Government 
carried out three amputations during the period covered by this report 
as punishment for violent crimes that resulted in death. All those 
sentenced to amputations reportedly were Muslims. No reports cited 
court-ordered Islamic law punishments, other than lashings, in 
government-controlled areas of the south. The act could be applied in 
the south, if the state assemblies so decide. Fear of the imposition of 
Islamic law fueled support for the civil war.
    During the period covered by the report, 73 Christian secondary-
school students in Khartoum reportedly were not allowed to continue 
their compulsory military service because they left their duties to 
attend church. The students, who had been training at a police unit in 
Jebel Awlia province in Khartoum state, said that they received 
physical abuse and insults from the police during the exercise. They 
claimed to be among 231 Christians out of 1,200 students at the camp. 
The national service coordination office in Khartoum state reportedly 
denied that there was a problem at the training camps.
    Government authorities, using soldiers for security, have razed 
approximately 30 religious buildings with bulldozers since 1990.
    While non-Muslims may convert to Islam, the 1991 Criminal Act makes 
apostasy (which includes conversion to another religion) by Muslims 
punishable by death. In mid-1998, the government began prosecution of 
an apostasy case against Faki Koko, a Nuban, who was accused of 
converting from Islam. Faki Koko reportedly was released during 1999 
and allowed to leave the country for health reasons without charge or 
trial, although his current status and location remain unclear.
    Popular Defense Forces trainees, including non-Muslims, are 
indoctrinated in the Islamic faith. In prisons government-supported 
Islamic nongovernmental organizations (NGO's) pressure and offer 
inducements to non-Muslim inmates to convert. Some NGO's reported that 
persons in the government-controlled peace camps were subject to forced 
labor and at times were pressured to convert to Islam. Children, 
including non-Muslim children, in government-controlled camps for 
vagrant minors are required to study the Koran, and there is pressure 
on non-Muslim children to convert to Islam.
    The Government charged Reverend Hillary Boma and Reverend Lino 
Sebit, along with 18 other persons, with involvement in the June 1998 
Khartoum bombings, but released them in December 1999. The charges were 
viewed widely as unsubstantiated and possibly designed to intimidate 
Christians and the political opposition.
    Since the civil war resumed in 1983, an estimated 2 million persons 
have been killed and 4 million displaced internally as a result of 
fighting between the Government and insurgents in the south. The civil 
war continued during the reporting period despite limited cease-fires, 
and all sides involved in the fighting were responsible for abuses in 
violation of humanitarian norms. Government and government-supported 
forces in particular are responsible for the killings, abductions, 
rapes, and arbitrary arrests and detentions of civilians, and for the 
burning and looting of villages. There is a religious aspect to the 
civil war: the Government is dominated by northern Muslims, while the 
southern ethnic groups fighting the civil war are largely followers of 
traditional indigenous religions or Christians.
    As part of the civil war, the Government has engaged in a program 
of high altitude, indiscriminate bombing of southern areas, 
particularly in the states of Equatoria, Western Upper Nile, and the 
Nuba Mountains. The bombings hit schools, medical facilities, and 
civilian buildings in these areas inhabited primarily by persons 
practicing traditional African religions and by Christians. For 
example, Catholic Bishop Macram Max Gassis reported that on February 8, 
2000, Government forces bombed a Catholic school in his diocese in the 
Nuba Mountains killing at least 14 children and 1 teacher, and wounding 
14 other persons. Government officials described the incident as a 
legitimate bombing. In April 2000, the Government, responding to 
international pressure, announced a halt to aerial bombardments 
``except in self defense and in active operations areas.''
    The taking of slaves, particularly in war zones, and their 
transport to parts of central and northern Sudan, continued, and was 
due, in part, to the victims' religious beliefs. There were frequent 
and credible reports that Baggara raiders, armed and reportedly 
supported by the Government, attacked a number of villages in the Bahr 
al Ghazal region, taking a number of persons, almost exclusively women 
and children, as slaves. For example, there was a report in July 1999 
that the army attacked the towns in Ruweng county, burning several 
churches, abducting hundreds of persons, and killing dozens of 
civilians. The victims in the villages were largely Christians or 
practitioners of traditional indigenous religions. Some children from 
Christian and other non-Muslim families, captured and sold into 
slavery, were converted forcibly to Islam. Militia and Baggara raids 
were reduced significantly during the period covered by this report, 
due largely to a reconciliation between the Dinka and Nuer tribes in 
March 1999.
    In June 2000, a group of 12 armed police entered the priests' 
residence of the Catholic Comboni College secondary school with a 
warrant to search for illegal immigrants and foreign currency. The 
rooms of two priests and a medicine storeroom were searched. The police 
did not arrest anyone, and spoke with one priest. Police took a camera, 
a file of newspaper cuttings, five boxes of slides, a corrector tape, 
three floppy disks, and a bottle of whiskey. The items were accounted 
for at the time and returned 2 days later. A mobile telephone and cash 
are believed to have disappeared, but were not listed among the items 
taken by police during the search. No charges were filed in the case. 
The Catholic Comboni College has a religiously and ethnically mixed 
student body and generally operates without interference or harassment.
    In July 1999, the principal of an Episcopal Church school in Haj 
Yusuf requested assistance from the commissioner of Khartoum North to 
build a new classroom. After construction, the commissioner asserted 
that the school belonged to the Government. The Church refused to hand 
over the school, and the commissioner filed suit against the church. 
Both the court and the state governor have directed the commissioner to 
cede control of the school to the Church, but reportedly the 
commissioner has been reluctant to obey. In December 1999, police 
injured five persons in a clash in northwest Khartoum over this issue. 
The school remained closed as of June 30, 2000.
Improvements in Religious Freedom
    There were some areas of improvement in the Government's respect 
for religious freedom. During the period covered by this report, the 
Public Order Police (controlled by Khartoum state) were less extreme in 
their application of the Public Order Law. Women were seen more 
commonly without head coverings and wearing trousers. When stopped by 
the Public Order Police, they commonly were warned rather than 
detained. In May 2000, President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir ordered that all 
women in prison for violations of the Public Order Law be released. Of 
the 563 women released, most were non-Muslims convicted of illegally 
making and selling alcohol; however, some women reportedly were 
subsequently arrested for illegally making and selling alcohol. Public 
Order Courts and their special judges were abolished. The Minister of 
Justice indicated in June 2000 that the Ministry was writing a new 
national public order law; however, no changes were implemented by June 
30, 2000. During the period covered by this report, prisoners held on 
religious or seemingly religiously related grounds were released. Faki 
Koko, allegedly held for apostasy, reportedly was released during 1999 
and allowed to leave the country for health reasons without charge or 
trial. Reverend Hillary Boma and Reverend Lino Sebit, along with 18 
other persons charged with involvement in the June 1998 Khartoum 
bombings, were released in December 1999 by presidential decree.
    On at least some occasions, restrictions on religious visitors and 
gatherings were relaxed. During the period covered by this report, the 
Archbishop of Canterbury visited the country. German evangelist 
Reinhard Bonnke also visited the country and held open-air services in 
Khartoum attended by tens of thousands. Catholic Church representatives 
stated that jubilee festivities attended by thousands of persons 
routinely took place during the period covered by this report in 
government-held areas without interference or harassment.
    In May 1998, the Government formed the Committee for the 
Eradication of the Abduction of Women and Children, which has 
identified over 700 abductees, and returned many of them to their 
families. The taking of slaves is due, in part, to the victims' 
religious beliefs: abductees are largely Christians or practitioners of 
traditional indigenous religions.
    The Government sometimes works with the Islamic Council of Ulama, 
the Sudan Council of Churches, and the Religious Dialogue to encourage 
inter-faith dialog, but has not formed a specific mechanism for dialog 
in recent years. The Government maintains regular contact with many of 
the country's religious leaders.
    Government and Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) 
delegations participated in IGAD-mediated peace talks in Nairobi, 
Kenya, in July 1999, and in January, February, and April 2000. The 
delegations continued discussions of the role of religion in national 
affairs and the predominantly non-Muslim southern region's right to 
self-determination.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of forced religious conversion of minor U.S. 
citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the United 
States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to be 
returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Traditionally there have been amicable relations between the 
various religious communities, although there were a small number of 
clashes. For example, on August 8, 1999, a group of members of the 
Ansar al Sunna Muslim group reportedly threw stones at a Christian 
center in the Doroshab neighborhood of Khartoum North (see Section I).
    Non-Muslims legally are free to adhere to and practice their 
faiths; however, in practice, the Government's treatment of Islam as 
the state religion creates an atmosphere in which non-Muslims are 
treated as second class citizens.
    There are reliable reports that Islamic NGO's in war zones withhold 
other services from the needy unless they convert to Islam. There also 
were reports that Christian NGO's used their services to pressure 
persons to convert to Christianity.
    Leaders of religious communities meet informally to discuss 
community relations.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Government's efforts in Sudan have been limited by the 
nonresident status of U.S. diplomats prior to August 1998 and by their 
evacuation that month. Nonresident American diplomats resumed visits to 
Khartoum in late February 2000. Nonetheless, the U.S. Government and 
the U.S. Embassy accredited to the Government of Sudan, whose American 
staff is based in Nairobi and Cairo, have made concerted efforts to 
encourage respect for religious freedom. The U.S. Government has made 
it clear to the Government of Sudan that the issue of religious freedom 
is one of the key problems impeding a positive relationship between 
Sudan and the United States. The Embassy consistently raised the issue 
at all levels of government, including with the Foreign Minister. While 
present in Khartoum, representatives of the Embassy regularly meet with 
leaders of the religious communities in the country.
    During an October 1999 visit to Nairobi, Secretary of State 
Albright met with a group of Christian and Muslim representatives of 
civil society from northern and southern Sudan, including Catholic 
Bishop Erkalan Lodu Tombe of Yei, and discussed the difficulties 
encountered by both Christians and Muslims.
    Special Envoy Johnston visited the country in March and June 2000. 
During his two visits, he consistently and strongly raised the issue of 
religious freedoms at all levels of government, including with the 
First Vice President. He particularly emphasized the need for national 
law to reflect the country's diversity and the practical need for non-
Muslims to be able to build houses of worship freely. Johnston credited 
the Government with progress in identifying and returning abductees 
through the Committee for the Eradication of the Abduction of Women and 
Children, which has identified over 700 individuals. Johnston also met 
with prominent Christian and Muslim leaders.
    The U.S. Embassy and the Department of State worked to forcefully 
raised religious freedom issues publicly in press statements and at 
international forums, including the U.N. Human Rights Commission.
    In September 1999, the Secretary of State designated Sudan a 
country of particular concern under the International Religious Freedom 
Act for particularly severe violations of religious freedom.
                               __________

                               SWAZILAND

    There are no formal constitutional provisions for freedom of 
religion; however, the Government respects freedom of religion in 
practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    There are no formal constitutional provisions for freedom of 
religion; however, the Government respects freedom of religion in 
practice. The Government at all levels generally protects this right in 
full, and does not tolerate its abuse, either by governmental or 
private actors.
    Followers of all religious faiths are free to worship without 
government interference or restriction. The ongoing constitutional 
review process is expected to address the issue of freedom of religion.
    New religious groups or churches are expected to register with the 
Government upon organizing in the country. To be considered organized a 
religious group or church must demonstrate either possession of 
substantial cash reserves or financial support from outside religious 
groups with established ties to Western or Eastern religions. For 
indigenous religious groups or churches, authorities consider 
demonstration of a proper building, a pastor or religious leader, and a 
congregation as sufficient to grant organized status. However, there is 
no law describing the organizational requirements of a religious group 
or church. While organized churches are exempt from paying taxes, they 
are not considered tax-deductible charities. All religions are 
unofficially recognized.
Religious Demography
    Christianity is the dominant religion, with the Anglican and 
Methodist Churches strongly represented. A large Roman Catholic 
presence, including churches, schools, and other infrastructure, still 
flourishes. Zionism (a local term for this religion) is a blend of 
Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship and is the prominent 
religion in rural areas. Followers of Islam and the Baha'i Faith 
generally are located in urban areas. It is estimated that the 
population is 40 percent Zionist, 20 percent Roman Catholic, and 10 
percent Islamic, with the remaining 30 percent divided between 
Anglican, Methodist, Baha'i, Mormon, Jewish, and other beliefs.
    Missionaries inspired much of the country's early development and 
still play a role in rural development. Missionaries are mostly Western 
Christians, including Baptists, Mormons, evangelicals, and other 
Christians. Baha'is are the most active non-Christian missionaries.
    While the Government primarily observes Christian holidays, the 
monarchy (and by extension the Government) supports many religious 
activities in addition to Easter and Christmas. For example, the royal 
family often attends public evangelical programs.
    Portions of the capital city are zoned specifically for church 
buildings of all denominations. Those religious groups that wish to 
construct new buildings may purchase a plot and apply for the required 
building permits. Any religion with the financial means may build a 
place of worship.
    The Government neither restricts nor formally promotes inter-faith 
dialog, and it does not provide formal mechanisms for religions to 
reconcile differences. Churches have access to the courts as private 
entities.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Religious diversity is respected. Five different denominations 
maintain adjoining properties peacefully. There was no public conflict 
among faiths during the period covered by this report.
    The Christian churches are well organized and are divided into 
three groups: the Council of Churches, the League of Churches, and the 
Conference of Churches. Each of these bodies represent the full 
spectrum of Christian denominations in the country and primarily 
concern themselves with producing common statements on political 
issues, sharing radio production facilities, or engaging in common 
rural development and missionary strategies. The various churches 
belong to these organizations for the collective benefits derived from 
such unity. Each organization has strong opinions, and they do not 
always speak with one voice. However, on several occasions, they have 
come together to address common issues.
    Beginning in 1996, the different denominations came together in a 
series of meetings to discuss whether the churches should speak out 
publicly about the political situation in the country and about the 
drafting of the country's third constitution.
    Further, the Council of Churches, along with the National 
Democratic Institute (an American nongovernmental organization) hosted 
a conference in May 2000 on constitutional issues. Freedom of religion 
in the country was not an issue during the conference.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. The 
Embassy maintains contact and good relations with the various religious 
organizations.
                               __________

                                TANZANIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice, subject to 
measures that it claims are necessary to ensure public order and 
safety.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Generally there are stable relations between the various religious 
communities; however, some urban Muslim groups are sensitive to 
perceived discrimination in government hiring and law-enforcement 
practices. In addition, there is some tension between secular and 
fundamentalist Muslims.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice, subject to 
measures that it claims are necessary to ensure public order and 
safety. The Government does not penalize or discriminate against any 
individual on the basis of religious beliefs or practices, and it does 
not designate religion on any passports or records of vital statistics. 
However, individual government officials are alleged to favor persons 
who share the same religion in the conduct of business.
    The Government requires that religious organizations register with 
the Registrar of Societies at the Home Affairs Ministry. In order to 
register, religious organizations must have at least 10 followers and 
must provide a constitution, the resumes of their leaders, and a letter 
of recommendation from their district commissioner. Groups no longer 
are required to provide three letters of recommendation from the 
leaders of registered Christian churches or from registered mosques.
    Prior to 2000, religious groups were exempt from paying taxes 
because they were presumed to be nonprofit organizations. The 
Government discovered in 1998 that some religious groups were importing 
goods duty-free and then selling them for a profit, and began requiring 
these groups to pay taxes. After successfully identifying these 
organizations, the Government now allows legitimate religious groups to 
order goods internationally without paying duty, provided they receive 
an exemption certificate from the Tanzania Revenue Authority.
Religious Demography
    Christians, including Roman Catholics, Pentecostals, Protestants, 
Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses, constitute approximately 45 percent of 
a population of about 30 million. Approximately 40 percent of the 
population are Muslim. Adherents of traditional indigenous religions 
and atheists account for approximately 10 percent of the population. 
Approximately 5 percent of the population practice other faiths, 
including Hinduism and Buddhism.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    The law prohibits preaching if it incites persons against other 
religions. In July 1999, police used tear gas and clubs to disperse a 
peaceful demonstration by Muslims protesting a government ban on Muslim 
school uniforms in public schools. In September 1999, police arrested a 
popular Muslim leader for inciting his followers against other 
religions. A week later, the police canceled a planned Muslim 
demonstration to protest his arrest. In October 1999, the Muslim leader 
was charged with seditious intent and denied bail.
    In February 1998, police arrested a popular Muslim leader for 
violating this law, which triggered widespread riots in the Mmwembechi 
area of Dar Es Salaam. Police opened fire on the protesters, killing 
three persons and wounding several others. Approximately 200 Muslims 
were arrested. There are reports that police tortured and sexually 
humiliated a group of Muslim women arrested during the riots and forced 
them to sing Christian songs while in custody. Riots broke out again in 
March 1998 after police cancelled a scheduled demonstration protesting 
the treatment of these women. Authorities used tear gas, water cannons, 
and clubs to quell the rioters; at least a dozen persons were injured 
and at least 50 Muslims were arrested.
    With the October 2000 elections on the horizon, government 
officials have warned religious leaders to avoid using religion to 
incite their adherents to violence during and after the electoral 
campaign. Thus far, a repeat of the 1998 Muslim riots in Dar Es Salaam 
has not occurred, although undercurrents of Christian-Muslim tension 
remain in some quarters (see Section II).
    The Government failed to respond to growing tensions between the 
Muslim and Christian communities (see Section II). The Government 
appears to recognize that a problem exists, but it chose not to take 
action. The Government cancelled several meetings with Muslim and 
Christian leaders aimed at improving relations between the two 
communities. Even senior Muslim officials in the Government appear 
unwilling to address the problem, apart from general criticism of those 
who would foment religious conflict.
    National and regional parole boards, constituted in 1998, were 
dissolved when it was found that they did not include Muslim members, 
and the Government named new boards in January 1999. It was disclosed 
in February 1999 that the Government was investigating reports that the 
National Muslim Council of Tanzania was receiving millions of dollars 
from unknown sources in the Middle East and was considered a possible 
``security risk.''
    The Government has banned religious organizations from involvement 
in politics.
    Customary or statutory law in both civil and criminal matters 
governs Christians. Muslims may apply either customary law or Islamic 
law in civil matters. Zanzibar's court system generally parallels the 
mainland's legal system but retains Islamic courts to adjudicate cases 
of Muslim family law, such as divorce, child custody, and inheritance.
    Missionaries are allowed to enter the country freely, particularly 
if proselytizing is ancillary to other religious activities. Citizens 
are allowed to go abroad for pilgrimages and other religious practices.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    While Muslim-Christian relations are generally stable, some urban 
Muslim groups are sensitive to perceived discrimination in government 
hiring and law enforcement practices. For example, Muslim women charged 
that human rights organizations in the country ignored police abuses 
against them following the dispersal of the rioters in Mmwembechi (see 
Section I).
    The Muslim community claims to be disadvantaged in terms of its 
representation in the civil service, government, and parastatal 
institutions, in part because both colonial and early post-independence 
administrations refused to recognize the credentials of traditional 
Muslim schools. As a result, there is broad Muslim resentment of 
certain advantages that Christians are perceived to enjoy in employment 
and educational opportunities. Muslim leaders have complained that the 
number of Muslim students invited to enroll in government-run schools 
still was not equal to the number of Christians. In turn, Christians 
criticize what they perceive as lingering effects of undue favoritism 
accorded to Muslims in appointments, jobs, and scholarships by former 
President Ali Hassan Mwinyi, a Muslim. Despite these perceptions, there 
does not appear to be a serious widespread problem of religious 
discrimination in access to employment or educational opportunities.
    A few leaders in the Christian and Muslim communities appear to be 
fomenting religious tension between their groups. For example, there 
were reports that some Muslims leaders distributed audiotapes of the 
Mmwembechi riots to the Muslim community; the tapes later were outlawed 
by the Government for being incendiary. Christian leaders reportedly 
have used the 1998 bombing of the U.S. Embassies in Dar Es Salem and 
Nairobi, Kenya, as a justification to criticize Muslims.
    There are signs of increasing tension between secular and 
fundamentalist Muslims, as the latter feel that the former have sold 
out to the Government. The fundamentalist Muslims accuse the Government 
of being a Christian institution, and Muslims in power as being only 
interested in safeguarding their positions. In these circles, secular 
Muslims who drink alcohol or marry Christian women are criticized 
severely. Muslim fundamentalists attempted, unsuccessfully, to 
introduce Muslim traditional dress into the national school system. 
Fundamentalist groups also have exhorted their followers to vote only 
for Muslim candidates.
    During the period covered by this report, there have been two 
seminars sponsored by local nongovernmental organizations (NGO's) that 
sought to address divisions between Christians and Muslims. Prof. 
Rweikaza Mukandala, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at the 
University of Dar es Salaam, said his organization, Research, Education 
and Democracy in Tanzania (REDET), was conducting a countrywide study 
of Muslim claims that they are being discriminated against in 
educational and employment opportunities. The study, which also 
assesses the overall relationship between the Christian community and 
their Muslim counterparts, should be completed in August 2000. 
Mukandala said the University decided to undertake this study due to 
the belief that religion again would be a contentious issue during the 
October 2000 elections.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                                  TOGO

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors. There is no state 
religion.
    The Government establishes requirements for recognition of 
religious organizations outside the three main faiths--Roman 
Catholicism, Protestantism, and Islam. Applications must be submitted 
to the Interior Ministry's Division of Civil Security. A religious 
organization must submit its statutes, a statement of doctrine, bylaws, 
names and addresses of executive board members, the pastor's diploma, 
contract, a site map, and a description of its financial situation. 
There are no special requirements for foreign missionary groups. The 
Interior Ministry issues official recognition. The Civil Security 
Division also has enforcement responsibilities when there are problems 
or complaints associated with a religious organization.
    Official recognition of religious organizations has created a 
dilemma for the Government over the years. In the 1970's, the 
Government clamped down on cults and dubious religious associations, 
citing national security concerns. Many of the dozens of organizations 
that presented their credentials were run by persons from other West 
African countries, principally Nigeria, who were in the country without 
a valid residence permit. Official recognition was extended only to the 
Catholic Church, Muslims, and most Protestant churches, including the 
Assemblies of God, the Seventh-Day Adventists, and the Baptists.
    In the early 1990's, the concepts of democracy and liberty 
encouraged a proliferation of religious groups, which began to seek 
recognition. Cases of individuals who used religion as a cover for 
other activities also increased. At the same time, advocates for 
religious freedom demanded more tolerance and protection for people of 
all faiths. At the urging of the Togolese Association for the Defense 
of Religious Liberty (ATDLR), which was founded in 1991, the Government 
adopted a more liberal approach; however, the Government concluded that 
the rise of cults and dubious religious associations was again a 
problem. In 1995, the last year for which statistics are available, the 
Government recognized only 71 of the 198 groups that applied for 
official recognition during that year. It is believed that the others 
continued to operate in clandestine fashion. These unregistered groups 
are mostly little known groups within the major religions.
    In 1997 the ATDLR submitted to the National Assembly a proposed law 
designed to address the full range of issues pertaining to religious 
freedom, including recognition, operating regulations, and penalties 
for those who restricted the rights of others to worship freely. The 
National Assembly has not yet taken action on the proposed ATDLR law, 
nor is it likely to do so, in view of the basic constitutional 
provision for freedom of religion. Scores of applications for 
recognition await adjudication at the Ministry of Interior while 
authorities investigate the bona fides of each organization. In the 
meantime, these groups practice their faith.
Religious Demography
    According to statistics published by the Ministry of Tourism, the 
population is approximately 22 percent Catholic, 12 percent Sunni 
Muslim, and 7 percent Protestant. The remaining 59 percent of the 
population consist of followers of other faiths, including traditional 
indigenous religions. Many converts to the larger faiths continue to 
practice some rituals of traditional indigenous religions. Most Muslims 
live in the central and northern regions.
    Catholic, Protestant, and Islamic schools are common.
    Missionary groups represent Catholicism, Protestantism, and Islam.
    In January 2000, as in past years, President Eyadema, a Protestant, 
invited Catholic, Muslim, and Protestant religious leaders to an 
ecumenical prayer service to commemorate the anniversary of his 
military takeover. For the second year in a row, the Catholic Church 
declined the invitation to attend the ``Day of National Liberation'' 
service, stating that it is inappropriate to hold a worship service in 
a government building. In addition, under the leadership of the 
Archbishop of Lome, the Catholic Church continues to refrain from 
delivering political sermons praising President Eyadema. The 
Archbishop's predecessor had used the pulpit to praise the President, 
but such sermons alienated the congregation, which called for the 
Archbishop's dismissal.
    The 17-member National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) elected by 
the National Assembly includes Catholic, Muslim, and Protestant 
representatives. The CNDH hears appeals by religious organizations that 
the Government has disallowed principally for disturbing the peace.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Constitution prohibits the establishment of political parties 
based on religion and states explicitly that ``no political party 
should identify itself with a region, an ethnic group, or a religion.'' 
Catholics, Protestants, and Muslims occupy positions of authority in 
local and the central government.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the refusal to allow such citizens to be returned 
to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the various religious communities are amicable. 
The Christian Council was founded in 1978 to address common issues 
among Protestant denominations. The Council comprises the Assemblies of 
God, Protestant Methodist, the Baptist Convention, Pentecostal 
churches, Seventh-Day Adventist, Lutheran, and Evangelical Presbyterian 
denominations. The Council continues to debate whether to expand its 
membership to include other Protestant organizations. A program for 
Islamic-Christian relations attempts to foster understanding between 
the two religions. Catholics and Protestants collaborate frequently 
through the Biblical Alliance. Members of different faiths regularly 
invite one another to their respective ceremonies. Intermarriage across 
religious lines is common.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. In 
addition, the Embassy facilitated a meeting between the head of the 
ATDLR and the U.S. State Department's Ambassador-at-Large for 
International Religious Freedom in the fall of 1999. This meeting 
focused on the efforts of the ATDLR to establish a headquarters in Lome 
and to further their efforts to promote religious freedom in the West 
Africa region.
                               __________

                                 UGANDA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, the 
Government forcibly disbanded several religious groups.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report. Complaints by Muslim groups 
of government bias lessened.
    There are amicable relations between the various religious 
communities and no religious group actively impinges upon the right of 
others to worship; however, the backlash from the death of over 1,000 
citizens at the hands of a religious group has resulted in negative 
public attitudes towards Christian groups that are viewed as cults.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, the 
Government forcibly disbanded several religious groups.
    All religious organizations are required to register with the 
Nongovernmental Organizations Board. There were no reports that the 
Government refused to grant such registration to any religious 
organization.
    Permits are also necessary for the construction of facilities, 
including religious facilities. There were no reports that the 
Government refused to grant such permits to any religious organization.
    In the wake of discoveries in March, April, and May 2000 that over 
1,000 citizens had been killed by members of a religious group, several 
religious organizations were disbanded forcibly. In early April 2000, 
following allegations that the church allowed youths to engage in 
sexual relationships, the deputy resident district commissioner closed 
the Revival Pentecostal Church in Nseko village, Kasangati. In mid-
April, police in Kasese district banned the activities of a church 
group based in Hima public school, Busongora. On May 19, the Bushenyi 
resident district commissioner ordered the closure of the Church of the 
Servants of the Eucharistic Hearts of Jesus and Mary, which allegedly 
was operating in the guise of a vocational school.
Religious Demography
    Christianity is the majority religion, and its adherents constitute 
approximately 66 percent of the population. Muslims account for 
approximately 16 percent of the population. A variety of other 
religions, including traditional indigenous religions, Hinduism, the 
Baha'i Faith, and Judaism, are practiced freely and, combined, make up 
about 18 percent of the population. Among the Christian groups, the 
Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches claim approximately the same 
number of followers, accounting for perhaps 95 percent of the nation's 
professed Christians. The Seventh-Day Adventist Church, the Church of 
Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Jehovah's Witnesses, the Baptist 
Church, the Unification Church, and the Pentecostal Church, among 
others, are active. Muslims are mainly Sunni, although there are also 
Shi'a followers of the Aga Khan among the Asian community. Several 
branches of Hinduism are represented. Atheism is negligible.
    In many areas, particularly in rural settings, some religions tend 
to be syncretistic. Deeply held traditional indigenous beliefs commonly 
are blended into established religious rites or observed alongside such 
rites, particularly in areas which are predominantly Christian.
    Missionary groups of several denominations are present and active 
in the country, and face no particular restrictions on their activity. 
Foreign missionary groups, like foreign nongovernmental organizations 
(NGO's), must register with the Government. There were no reports that 
the Government refused to grant registration to any foreign missionary 
groups.
    Muslims and adherents of other minority religions occupy positions 
of authority in local and central government.
    Private Koranic and Christian schools are common. There is no 
religious instruction in public schools.
    Prisoners are given the opportunity to pray on days appropriate to 
their faith. Muslim prisoners usually are released from work duties 
during the month of Ramadan.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Some local governments have restricted the hours of operations of 
religious organizations that are viewed as cults, for example, 
prohibiting nighttime prayer meetings. The Government has largely 
ignored calls for these churches to be shut down and their followers 
returned to mainstream churches.
    Local officials have dispersed meetings of religious groups. For 
example, on March 12, 2000, security operatives in Mbale dispersed 
hundreds of people who had gathered for an evangelistic event organized 
by the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. On March 19, police in Kikinzi, 
Rukungiri district, dispersed a baptism organized by the Seventh-Day 
Adventist Church. On March 28, police in Mukono town dispersed a 
meeting of over 200 adherents of the Universal Apostolic Church for the 
Restless. On April 1, police dispersed an alleged ``cult'' gathering in 
Kikandwa, Mubende district.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    During the period covered by this report, there was a decrease in 
complaints by Muslim groups of government mistreatment and bias. The 
Government's relationship with the Islamic community improved 
significantly following the release in March 2000 of 56 members of the 
Muslim Tabliq group who were accused of treason.
    Following the murder on March 16, 2000 of more than 500 followers 
of the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God and 
the discovery of mass graves of approximately 500 other persons on 
properties belonging to the group, the Government launched 
investigations of numerous religious groups. Three groups were 
disbanded forcibly and one religious leader was arrested. On March 29, 
2000, former Rukungiri assistant resident district commissioner (ARDC) 
Rev. Francis Mutazindwa was arrested for failing to act on information 
about the activities of the Kanungu cult while he was the ARDC. He was 
released on bond in early May, pending further investigation.
    On May 2, five members of the Kisaaba Redeemed Church in Kayunga, 
Mukono district--Benon Kaye, Monica Isabirye, Eseza Kisakye Lukwago, 
Catherine Nagujja, and Willinstone Nagenda--were arrested and charged 
with causing the death of a church member by denying him medical 
treatment. Kaye and Isabirye were released on bail, and the other 
members were freed.
    On May 30, five members of the Mulungiomu Full Gospel Church in 
Luweero--John Mwebaza, Florence Mirembe, Fred Mwesigwa, Sarah Mugabi, 
and Geoffrey Beyongera--were arrested after reportedly telling their 
followers to fast and sell their property. The five remained in custody 
at Luzira prison at mid-2000.
    Complaints by Muslim groups of government bias lessened during the 
period covered by this report; however, the backlash from the death of 
over 1,000 citizens at the hands of a religious cult resulted in 
negative public attitudes towards fringe Christian groups and the 
Government's forcible disbanding of some groups.
    In 1998 approximately 100 Muslim men were detained and some were 
tortured, on suspicion that they supported rebel groups. Many of those 
detained were released, but the whereabouts of some remained unknown. 
There was no clear indication that religion was the sole factor in 
their arrests. The release of the 56 Tabliq prisoners in March 2000 
resolved the issue of the unaccounted whereabouts of the Muslim 
prisoners.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are amicable relations between the various religious 
communities, and no religious group actively impinges upon the right of 
others to worship. However, the backlash from the death of over 1,000 
citizens at the hands of a religious group resulted in negative public 
attitudes towards fringe Christian groups. Some officials of 
``mainstream'' Catholic, Protestant, and Muslim religious organizations 
have called for the closure of Christian churches, which are viewed as 
cults.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its dialog and policy of promoting human 
rights.
                               __________

                                 ZAMBIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    A 1996 amendment to the Constitution declared the country a 
Christian nation while providing for freedom of religion in practice. 
The Government respects the right of all faiths to worship freely.
    There are governmental controls that require the registration of 
religious groups. The Government approves all applications for 
registration from religious groups without discrimination. There were 
no reports that the Government rejected any religious groups that 
attempted to register or obtain licenses.
Religious Demography
    Approximately 85 percent of the population are Christian; 5 percent 
are Muslim; 5 percent adhere to other faiths, including Hinduism and 
the Baha'i Faith; and 5 percent are atheist.
    The Christian faith was introduced by foreign missionary groups in 
the 1890's. The majority of indigenous persons, spread throughout the 
country, are either Roman Catholic or Protestant. Currently, there is 
an upsurge of new Pentecostal churches, commonly known as the ``born 
again'' churches, which have attracted many young persons into their 
ranks.
    Muslims are concentrated in certain parts of the country where 
citizens of Asian origin have settled along the railroad line from 
Lusaka to Livingstone, in Chipata, and in the eastern province. Most 
citizens of Asian origin are Muslims, although Hindus constitute a 
small percentage. A limited number of indigenous persons are also 
Muslim.
    Foreign missionary groups operate in the country and include the 
Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Church, and the Church of God. 
There were no reports that these missionary groups faced any special 
requirements or restrictions.
    There were no reports of complaints by the Muslim community of 
discrimination during the period covered by this report.
    The Government permits religious instruction in public schools. 
Such instruction is conducted in the dominant Christian religion. 
Religious instruction in Islam and other faiths is conducted in private 
schools owned and controlled by those faiths.
    Some religious organizations operate radio stations and television 
networks.
    In December 1996, the Government established an office for 
religious affairs at the level of deputy minister in the President's 
Office at State House. The office is responsible for dealing with 
issues that pertain to religion and worship, and to the promotion of 
state-church understanding and inter-faith dialog.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are amicable relations between the various religious 
communities.
    Leaders of various ecumenical movements, namely, the Zambia 
Episcopal Conference, the Christian Council of Zambia, and the 
Evangelical Foundation of Zambia hold regular meetings to promote 
mutual understanding and inter-faith dialog, and to discuss national 
issues.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                                ZIMBABWE

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, a law 
that reportedly criminalizes both purporting to practice witchcraft and 
accusing persons of practicing witchcraft reportedly was viewed as 
restrictive by some practitioners of indigenous religions. There is no 
state religion.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There are generally amicable relations between the various 
religious communities. The Government and the religious community in 
the country historically have had good relations.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, a law 
that reportedly criminalizes both purporting to practice witchcraft and 
accusing persons of practicing witchcraft reportedly was viewed as 
restrictive by some practitioners of indigenous religions. There is no 
state religion. The Government generally recognizes all religions.
    The Government does not require religious institutions to be 
registered. However, approximately 3 years ago the Office of the 
Registrar General considered whether to register such institutions and 
enforce a code of conduct because it became concerned with the growing 
number of religious schools, hospitals, and clinics that lacked 
internal controls. To date, no formal registration process has been put 
in place. However, religious organizations that run schools or medical 
facilities must register those specific institutions with the 
appropriate ministry involved in regulating those areas. Similarly, 
religious institutions may apply for tax-exempt status and duty-free 
privileges with the Customs Department, which generally grants it.
Religious Demography
    There is no state religion, but between 60 and 70 percent of an 
estimated population of 13 million belong to the mainstream Christian 
denominations, with between 2-3 million identifying themselves as Roman 
Catholic. However, there are no reliable statistics on the exact number 
of Christian churches or religious movements in the country. There is 
also a small Muslim population in the country, estimated at less than 1 
percent. The evangelical denominations, mostly Pentecostal churches, 
are the fastest growing congregation in the country. They appeal to 
large numbers of disillusioned members from the established churches 
who reportedly are attracted by these church leaders' promises of 
miracles and messages of hope at a time of social and economic stress. 
The remainder of the population consists of Greek Orthodox, Jews, 
practitioners of traditional indigenous religions, indigenous 
syncretistic African religions that mix Christianity and traditional 
African culture and beliefs, a small number of Hindus, Buddhists, and 
atheists.
    The dominance of Christianity dates to the early contact of 
Portuguese traders and Jesuit priests with Africans in the region in 
the late 1500's. The Jesuits established churches and educational 
institutions in the Zambezi Valley. Several centuries later Catholic, 
Methodist, Anglican, Dutch Reformed, and Salvation Army missionaries 
began to aggressively compete for territorial and spiritual monopolies 
throughout the country, resulting in ``areas of interest'' for each of 
these churches. Today, many persons identify with the Christian 
denomination that had the longest historical connection to their area. 
President Robert Mugabe is a Roman Catholic who professes to practice 
his faith actively, and many of those who make up the elite of society 
tend to be associated with one of the established Christian churches.
    Due to its colonial and apartheid-like history, the vast majority 
of the country's black population was prevented from attending 
government schools, which were restricted to white students, and 
Christian mission schools taught the few blacks who could claim any 
formal education at all. Consequently, the vast majority of the 
country's liberation war leadership, who later became the current 
Government's senior officials, were trained by Christian educators.
    The Muslim community consists primarily of South Asian immigrants 
(Indian and Pakistani), migrants from other southern and eastern 
African countries (Mozambique and Malawi), and a very small number of 
North African and Middle Eastern immigrants. There are mosques located 
in several large urban areas and a tiny number in rural areas. There 
are 12 mosques in the capital Harare. The Muslim community generally 
has been very insular. However, in recent years, the Islamic community 
has begun proselytizing among the majority black indigenous population 
with increasing success.
    The indigenous African churches combine elements of established 
Christian beliefs with some beliefs based on traditional African 
culture and religion. These churches tend to be centered on a prophetic 
figure, with members of the congregation identifying themselves as 
``apostles.'' These church members wear long white robes and head 
coverings. Many of these churches date back to the early 1920's, when 
there was widespread racial and religious segregation. Many of the 
founders of African indigenous churches broke away from Christian 
missionary churches, and some of their teachings incorporate what has 
become known as ``black consciousness.'' To a large extent, these 
churches grew out of the Christian churches' failure to adapt to 
traditional African culture and religion. A notable feature of the 
indigenous churches is the acceptance and promotion of polygamy. These 
indigenous churches have proliferated as a result of splits among the 
followers of the different ``prophets.''
    Many persons continue to believe, in varying degrees, in 
traditional indigenous religions. These persons may attend worship in a 
westernized Christian church on Sundays but consult with traditional 
healers during the week. Belief in traditional healers spans both the 
rural and urban areas. Traditional healers are so common that they are 
licensed and regulated by the Zimbabwe National African Traditional 
Healers' Association (ZINATHA). Traditional African religions remain 
deeply rooted and are expected to grow as people seek spiritual comfort 
from the country's economic hardships and the scourge of the HIV/AIDS 
pandemic.
    The Government permits religious education in private schools. The 
country has had a long history of Catholic, Anglican, and Methodist 
primary and secondary schools. Since independence there also has been a 
proliferation of evangelical basic education schools. The Christian 
schools constitute one third of the total number of the schools in the 
country with the Catholic Church having the majority. Due to inadequate 
resources, the Government has returned several former church schools, 
which it had taken over at independence, to the respective churches in 
the last few years. There are Islamic and Hebrew primary, secondary, 
and high schools in the major urban areas. In addition, there are 
several institutions of higher education that include religious studies 
as a core component of the curriculum. There are two such institutions 
in Harare--the Catholic University and Arrupe College. There is one 
Methodist institution in Mutare, the Africa University, and a Seventh-
Day Adventist college in Matebeleland. The state-supported University 
of Zimbabwe also has a Department of Religious Studies and Philosophy, 
which has a multidenominational curriculum and faculty. All these 
institutions have a religiously mixed student body. In addition, there 
are some non-degree bearing institutions such as teacher training 
colleges that also focus on religious studies.
    Christian missions provided the first hospitals to care for black 
citizens. Presently there are 123 hospitals and clinics in the country 
that fall under the Zimbabwe Association of Christian Hospitals, an 
association that consists of largely mainstream churches. The 
individual churches are the predominant source of funding for 
maintaining these hospitals because of the Government's increasing 
inability to provide essential services. The Government does provide 
small subsidies to facilitate the hospitals' functions, but these make 
up only a small percentage of the operating budgets.
Governmental Restrictions in Religious Freedom
    Witchcraft--widely understood to encompass attempts to harm others 
not only by magic but also by covert means of established efficacy such 
as poisons--traditionally has been a common explanation for diseases of 
which the causes were unknown. Although traditional indigenous 
religions generally include or accommodate belief in the efficacy of 
witchcraft, they generally approve of harmful witchcraft only for 
defensive or retaliatory purposes and purport to offer protection 
against it. In recent years, interest in healing through traditional 
religion and through prayer reportedly has increased as HIV/AIDS has 
infected an estimated one-quarter of the adult population, and 
affordable science-based medicines effective in treating HIV/AIDS have 
remained unavailable.
    The 1890 Witchcraft Suppression Act (WSA) reportedly criminalizes 
purporting to practice witchcraft, accusing persons of practicing 
witchcraft, hunting witches, and soliciting persons to name witches; 
penalties reportedly include imprisonment for as much as 7 years. The 
law reportedly defines witchcraft as the practice of sorcery, without 
reference to the consequences intended by the practitioner. Since 1997 
the Zimbabwe National African Traditional Healers' Association has 
proposed amendments to the 1890 law that would redefine witchcraft in 
terms of intent to cause harm including illness, injury, or death. 
However, mainstream Christian churches reportedly have opposed such 
legislation. Human rights groups also generally supported the existing 
WSA; the Act has been used since independence primarily to protect 
people, primarily women, who have been accused falsely of causing harm 
to people or crops in rural areas where traditional religious practices 
are strong.
    There is some tension between the Government and the indigenous 
African churches because of the latter's opposition to Western medical 
practices that result in the reduction of avoidable childhood diseases 
and deaths in those communities. Some members of the indigenous 
churches believe in healing through prayer only and refuse to have 
their children vaccinated. The Ministry of Health has had limited 
success only in vaccinating children in these religious communities 
against communicable childhood diseases. Human rights activists also 
have criticized these indigenous churches for their sanctioning of 
marriages for underage girls.
    President Mugabe has expressed skepticism about the increasing 
membership in evangelical and indigenous churches and has indicated 
that he believes they could be subversive.
    The Government maintains a monopoly on television broadcasting 
(despite some restricted leased broadcast time to one other 
broadcaster) through the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC). The 
Government permits limited religious broadcasting on ZBC and 
advertising in the government-influenced press by the older, 
established Christian churches, as well as new evangelical churches and 
institutions, such as The 700 Club and World Vision. Programming 
produced by the U.S.-based Christian Broadcasting Network is shown on 
ZBC. The Government generally follows the recommendations of the 
Religious Advisory Board, an umbrella grouping of Christian 
denominations, on appropriate religious material to broadcast. Muslims, 
who are not represented on the board, approached the advisory board 
about obtaining access to the airwaves. The Roman Catholic chairman of 
the board is not opposed to recommending that Muslims be given air time 
commensurate with their numbers in the country, as long as other 
religions are not denigrated in the material presented. However, the 
chairman acknowledged that other evangelical church groups are more 
hostile to Islam and are unlikely to support the inclusion of Islamic 
programming in the already limited religious broadcasting block. While 
the ZBC officials with whom the chairman raised this issue in the past 
had indicated informally that Islamic religious material would be 
included on ZBC; none has been broadcast to date. The chairman of the 
Religious Advisory Board believes that this is because Muslims 
represent too small a percentage of society to take up minimal 
religious airtime or to merit membership on the advisory board.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are generally amicable relations among the various religious 
communities. The Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, and Buddhist religious 
communities are relatively small and generally not in competition with 
Christian denominations for converts. Catholic Church officials say 
they welcome inter-faith dialog with Muslims but believe some of the 
evangelical churches are hostile to Islam.
    There are at least four umbrella religious organizations primarily 
focused on interdenominational dialog among Christians, and some 
intrareligious activities. However, Muslims are not represented in any 
of these organizations, and there is no vehicle for formal Christian-
Muslim dialog. Muslims have complained of discrimination by private 
employers who refuse to allow them sufficient time to worship at their 
mosques on Fridays.
    The Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) is an umbrella organization 
of all non-Catholic ecumenical Christian missionary churches, but does 
not include evangelical organizations. It maintains a secretariat in 
Harare, conducts development programs, has a Justice and Peace desk, 
and collaborates with the much older Catholic Commission for Justice 
and Peace in Zimbabwe (CCJP). The Catholic Church has observer status 
within the ZCC and relations generally are cooperative. The Zimbabwe 
Catholic Bishops' Conference currently is deliberating over whether to 
seek membership in the ZCC. Some members of the Christian community are 
hesitant to support Catholics joining the ZCC because of memories of 
the inability of religious leaders to work together during the 
liberation-war era and fear a repeat of that experience. The ZCC also 
has worked with other church groups and civil society organizations on 
social issues. The ZCC initially provided a secretariat for the 
National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), a respected nongovernmental 
organization formed to create a new constitution. After about a 2-year 
collaboration, the ZCC withdrew from the NCA over political direction 
and leadership style differences, although individual churches 
subsequently rejoined. The ZCC generally is seen as supportive of 
President Mugabe and unwilling to criticize the President or his 
Government. However, a rift between the ZCC and the Government emerged 
when the ZCC and NCA tried to bring together the different parties 
working on election issues and the Government refused to participate, 
branding the ZCC as the enemy.
    The Heads of Denominations (HOD) is a pragmatic association of 
Catholic and other Christian denominations that has no spiritual or 
theological emphasis. It was created to enable collaboration among 
Christian groups and the Government in the running of religious schools 
and hospitals. The HOD provides a vehicle for Christian churches to 
speak to the Government with a common voice on policy issues and 
includes the Catholic Church, which runs a significant number of the 
rural hospitals and schools in the country. The HOD has a loose 
structure and no office. At present, the HOD's secretarial support is 
provided by the general secretariat of the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops' 
Conference (ZCBC), and its secretary general holds the same position in 
the ZCBC. The education secretaries of the various churches work 
together under the HOD, as does the religious advisory board to the 
ZBC. This broad grouping of churches under the HOD also collaborate on 
a wide range of social issues including HIV/AIDS education and, in 
conjunction with the ZCC, the Christian churches have addressed the 
declining economic conditions affecting their members across the 
country. In 1999 HOD issued a joint statement calling for HIV/AIDS to 
be treated as a moral issue. The HOD continues to deliberate over the 
role religious institutions should play in combating the HIV/AIDS 
crisis. In addition the Catholic Church and other religious and lay 
persons run a center for HIV/AIDS affected persons called 
``Mashambanzou'' in Harare.
    The Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ) is another umbrella 
organization of loosely affiliated evangelical churches that was 
established in the early 1980's. The fellowship has observer status 
with the HOD but does not work closely with either the ZCC or Catholic 
Church. However, the evangelical and Catholic churches do collaborate 
in the broadcasting of religious programs.
    Fambidzano, which means ``walking together,'' is a relatively new 
grouping of the indigenous African churches. A South African Dutch 
Reformed Church theologian and social anthropologist, Inus Daneel, who 
has researched these churches in South Africa and Zimbabwe, founded the 
organization in the mid-1970's. Fambidzano was created to give the 
leaders of these churches more theological and biblical education, 
according to Daneel. There is little dialog between Fambidzano and the 
Catholic Church. However, the two organizations are discussing the need 
to work with the indigenous churches to which many persons are turning 
because of their emphasis on physical healing and spiritual salvation.
    ZINATHA is the closest thing to an organized representative body 
for traditional African religion. The head of that organization is a 
university professor and vocal Anglican who is working to increase 
intrareligious dialog between ZINATHA and mainstream Christian 
churches.
    One area of ecumenical collaboration has been translation of the 
Bible into the majority language, Shona. For the past 13 years, several 
priests and ministers have worked on this project, which they hope to 
complete by the end of 2000.
    During the February 2000 constitutional referendum, more than 150 
of these under the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ) lobbied for 
Christianity to be enshrined in the new constitution as the country's 
sole national religion. That position was rejected, primarily because 
its opponents argued that Christianity had brought about colonization 
in Africa.
    There were reports of growing tensions between mainstream Christian 
churches and practitioners of traditional indigenous religions. Leaders 
of the Christian churches reportedly opposed the repeal or modification 
of the Witchcraft Suppression Act sought by practitioners of 
traditional indigenous religions. Several leaders of Christian churches 
reportedly criticized a perceived increase in ``Satanism'' in the 
country; acts of Satanism allegedly included drinking human blood and 
eating human flesh.
    There were increasing reports of ritual murders associated with 
traditional religious practices, although the Government actively 
enforces the law against all kinds of murder including ritual murders. 
Gordon Chavanduka, chairman of ZINATHA, the national association of 
traditional healers, reportedly has stated that black-market demand for 
human body parts used in making potions has increased greatly in recent 
years. Some observers suggested that this development might be 
associated with the spread of HIV/AIDS in the country, and the lack of 
affordable science-based medicines for treating infected persons. There 
were increasingly frequent reports that persons killed children for 
body parts practicing healing rituals associated with traditional 
religions. In July 1999, Faber Chidarikire, a Zimbabwe African National 
Union-Patriotic Front official and mayor of the northern town of 
Chinhoyi, was charged with murdering a 13-year-old girl in 1987, but he 
was released on bail after intervention by the Attorney General; there 
were reports that Chidarikire cut off the girl's ear and excised her 
genitals. In 1995 an examination of a severed head found in 
Chidarikire's car in 1994 indicated that it had been severed with a 
blade, not in a car accident as Chidarikire had maintained.
    Several key church leaders and organizations strongly criticized 
the apparently state-sanctioned politically motivated crimes and 
violence during the period prior to the June parliamentary elections, 
and urged the Government to restore peace in the country. A Catholic 
clergyman, Father Fidelis Mukonori, was engaged publicly in an effort 
to find a negotiated solution to the occupations by commercial farms by 
war veterans, and he helped facilitate meetings between both sides and 
with President Mugabe. The Catholic Bishops Conference also has met 
with President Mugabe and expressed its concerns about the prevailing 
violence in the country. The Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe and the 
Zimbabwe Council of Churches also have written public letters to the 
President expressing concern about the violence and have held meetings 
with Police Commissioner, Augustine Chihuri, urging him to restore 
order. Many churches have organized peace marches and prayer vigils.
    Some clergymen criticized the Government vigorously for its 
involvement in orchestrating the political violence. In April 2000, 
Anglican priest Tim Neil of Harare publicly chastised President Mugabe 
for condoning commercial farm invasions. Father Neil distributed 
pamphlets at his Harare parish that questioned the President's 
legitimacy to remain in office in light of the chaos he said Mugabe had 
caused in the country. Father Neil subsequently received a death threat 
letter signed by the secretary general of the Revival of African 
Conscience, Ngonidzashe Mutasa, a previously unknown organization with 
no established following or platform. The police later apprehended 
Mutasa, and his case is pending. The Bulawayo Catholic Archbishop, Pius 
Ncube, wrote public letters accusing the Government of fueling the 
violence and urging citizens to exercise their vote. Government 
supporters attacked several church workers accusing them of backing the 
opposition in their areas.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Government supports religious and other constitutionally 
protected freedoms through demarches to the Government, 
nondenominational financial support for community development projects 
(which often are associated with religious institutions), and regular 
dialog with and support for civil society organizations that advocate 
and monitor respect for human rights, including freedom of religion.
                    LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

                              ----------                              


                          ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change to the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
Religious Demography
    The dominant religion is Christianity (mostly Anglican, Methodist, 
Moravian, and Roman Catholic) but religious freedom for others is not 
affected adversely. The minority religions are Islam, the Baha'i Faith, 
and Rastafarianism.
    The Government is secular, but most government officials are 
Christian. The Government does not take any steps to promote inter-
faith understanding but also does not monitor or discriminate according 
to religious faith.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    There were no confirmed reports that the Government abused 
religious freedom; however, members of the Rastafarian community have 
complained that law enforcement officials unfairly target them. 
However, it is not clear whether such complaints reflect discrimination 
on the basis of religious belief by authorities or simply enforcement 
of laws against marijuana, which is used as part of Rastafarian 
religious practice.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the various religious communities are generally 
amicable. The Antigua Christian Council, an interdenominational group, 
conducts activities to promote greater mutual understanding and 
tolerance among adherents of different denominations within the 
Christian faith.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. 
Embassy representatives have discussed issues or events relating to 
religious freedom with government officials when soliciting support for 
international organization resolutions concerning religious freedom.
                               __________

                               ARGENTINA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Constitution states 
that the Federal Government ``sustains the apostolic Roman Catholic 
faith;'' however, other religious faiths are practiced freely.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion. 
However, anti-Semitic incidents continue to occur.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by Government or private actors. The Constitution grants 
to all residents the right ``freely to profess their faith,'' and also 
states that aliens enjoy all the civil rights of citizens, including 
the right ``freely to exercise their faith.''
    The Constitution states that the federal government ``sustains the 
apostolic Roman Catholic faith.'' The Government provides the Catholic 
Church with a variety of subsidies totaling $8 million (8 million 
pesos), administered through the Secretariat of Worship. The 
Secretariat is responsible for conducting the Government's relations 
with the Catholic Church, the nonCatholic Christian churches, and other 
religious organizations in the country. The Secretariat was transferred 
from the Office of the Presidency to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 
International Trade, and Worship following the inauguration of 
President Fernando de la Rua in December 1999. A requirement that the 
President of the country be Catholic was removed when the Constitution 
was amended in 1994.
    The Secretariat of Worship maintains a National Registry of 
approximately 2,800 religious organizations representing some 30 
churches, including most of the world's major faiths. Religious 
organizations that wish to hold public worship services and to obtain 
tax-exempt status must register with the Secretariat, and must report 
periodically to the Secretariat in order to retain their status. 
Possession of a place of worship, an organizational charter, and an 
ordained clergy are among the criteria the Secretariat considers in 
determining whether to grant or withdraw registration.
Religious Demography
    The majority of citizens are Catholic, but the Government has no 
accurate statistics on the number of members that belong to the 
Catholic Church and the other registered churches. The national census 
does not elicit information on religious affiliation. According to an 
article published in the mass-circulation magazine Gente in March 1999, 
estimates for the religious affiliations of citizens included the Roman 
Catholic Church, which claims 25,000,000 baptized members 
(approximately 70 percent of the population). According to the article, 
approximately 2,900,000 citizens, or about 8 percent of the population 
are believed to be evangelical Protestants (of which 70 percent are 
Pentecostal). There are approximately 800,000 Muslims, 250,000 Jews, 
100,000 Apostolic Armenian Orthodox, and 4,000 Anglicans in the 
country. These statistics are not necessarily authoritative. The figure 
for Muslims, for example, has been disputed as far too high, probably 
representing persons of Middle Eastern ethnic origins, many of whom 
actually do not profess the Muslim faith. One prominent local historian 
put the actual number of practicing Muslims at closer to 15,000. 
However, a November 1999 article concerning the construction of a new 
Muslim ``megacenter'' in Buenos Aires cited an even greater number of 
Muslims--900,000. (In the case of the number of Armenian Orthodox, the 
same historian also disputed the Gente figure as being approximately 
four times too high.)
    The Secretariat of Worship promotes religious pluralism through 
such activities as conferences at which representatives of the various 
churches meet to discuss current issues. Leaders of the non-Catholic 
churches are invited regularly to attend the Te Deum Mass celebrated in 
the Metropolitan Cathedral on important national holidays. In 1995 a 
law was passed acknowledging the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah 
(Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) as holidays; 
however, the law does not require employers to compensate Jewish 
employees who choose to take these days off. The Delegation of 
Argentine Jewish Associations (Delegacion de Asociaciones Israelitas 
Argentinas--DAIA), which represents the Jewish community, is seeking to 
have these days declared as national holidays.
    In January 2000, President De la Rua committed the Government to 
implementing a Holocaust Education Project carried out under the 
auspices of the International Holocaust Education Task Force.
    Registered religious organizations may bring foreign missionaries 
to the country by applying to the Secretariat of Worship, which in turn 
notifies the immigration authorities so that the appropriate 
immigration documents may be issued.
    Public education is secular, but students may request instruction 
in the faith of their choice, to be carried out in the school itself or 
at a religious institution, as circumstances warrant. Many churches 
operate private schools, including seminaries and universities.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    Fifteen former Buenos Aires provincial police officers have been 
linked to a stolen vehicle ring, which furnished the van used in the 
1994 AMIA Jewish Cultural Center bombing, and face various criminal 
charges (see Section II). In April 2000, President De la Rua announced 
the creation of a new task force of four independent prosecutors to 
resolve any remaining questions surrounding the AMIA bombing. During 
his June 2000 visit to the United States, President De la Rua made a 
formal apology at the Holocaust Memorial Museum for Argentina having 
accepted Nazi war criminals as immigrants after World War II.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations among the various religious communities are amicable. 
Inter-faith understanding is promoted actively by nongovernmental 
organizations such as Argentina House in Jerusalem. Ecumenical 
attendance is common at important religious events, such as the Jewish 
community's annual Holocaust commemoration. In 1997 a memorial mural to 
the victims of the Holocaust, the 1992 bombing of the Israeli Embassy 
in Buenos Aires, and the 1994 bombing of the city's Jewish Community 
Center (AMIA) was unveiled in the Chapel of Our Lady of Lujan in the 
Metropolitan Cathedral in Buenos Aires. At an ecumenical service in 
April 2000 commemorating the 1915 massacre of Armenians, religious 
figures from a number of different faiths, including the Roman 
Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Armenian Orthodox, Muslim, Maronite, and 
other religions took part in conducting prayers in the Metropolitan 
Cathedral in Buenos Aires.
    However, anti-Semitism is a problem, and combating this and other 
forms of intolerance is a priority for the National Institute Against 
Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Racism (INADI), an agency of the 
Ministry of Interior. The Institute investigates violations of a 1988 
law that prohibits discrimination based on ``race, religion, 
nationality, ideology, political opinion, sex, economic position, 
social class, or physical characteristics,'' and carries out 
educational programs to promote social and cultural pluralism and 
combat discriminatory attitudes. However, in early 2000, INADI 
underwent a prolonged process of reorganization, during which its 
effectiveness was affected seriously.
    There were a number of reports of anti-Semitic acts, of antiSemitic 
violence, and of threats against Jewish organizations and individuals 
during the period covered by this report.
    In April 1998, a court sentenced three Buenos Aires youths to 3 
years in prison for a 1995 assault on a man whom they believed to be 
Jewish. It was the first instance of an oral trial under the 1988 
antidiscrimination law. The court found that the three had acted out of 
``hatred due to race, religion, or nationality'' and in violation of 
the 1988 antidiscrimination statute. They were given the maximum 
penalty provided by law. In February 1999, an appeals court overturned 
the conviction and ordered the three retried in another court. In 
October 1999, the Attorney General recommended to the Supreme Court 
that the original verdict be sustained. The Supreme Court has no set 
time limit within which it must render a decision. At the April 1998 
sentencing, some persons in the courtroom had shouted antiSemitic 
remarks. The National Institute Against Discrimination, the 
nongovernmental Permanent Assembly for Human Rights, and the Delegation 
of the Jewish-Argentine Associations filed suit demanding that the 
perpetrators be identified and tried under the antidiscrimination law.
    In August 1999, two Jewish families in Parana, Entre Rios province, 
received telephonic bomb threats, and subsequently found military-type 
grenades, which had to be deactivated by explosives experts.
    In September 1999, a Jewish school in the locality of La Floresta 
was struck by bullets attributed to six unknown individuals, who fled 
after exchanging gunfire with a member of the Gendarmeria Nacional 
(border police).
    On September 17-18, 1999, the eve of Yom Kippur, unknown vandals 
desecrated some 63 graves at the Jewish cemetery in La Tablada, Buenos 
Aires province. The attack resulted in unusually vehement criticism by 
senior government officials. Investigations continued into vandalism at 
Jewish cemeteries in Ciudadela (1998) and La Tablada (1997), but there 
have been no arrests. In October 1999, unknown individuals desecrated 
the graves of 11 children at the Jewish cemetery in Liniers, Buenos 
Aires province. There was no progress in the case where three youths 
were arrested for smashing tombs in a Jewish cemetery in Liniers in 
January 1998, or in the case of the two former Buenos Aires provincial 
police officers who were suspected of December 1997 attacks on two 
Jewish cemeteries.
    In October 1999, a theater in Tucuman was evacuated during a 
performance of the musical ``Fiddler on the Roof'' due to a telephoned 
bomb threat. The provincial secretary of culture confirmed that the 
anonymous caller used anti-Semitic language during the telephone call. 
In December 1999, the Jewish Community Center (AMIA) (a new building 
replacing the one demolished by terrorist bombing in 1994) was 
evacuated as a result of anonymous telephone threats. No organization 
took responsibility for the alleged bomb. Unknown persons have made 
bomb threats against the center on several occasions.
    In February 2000, a Jewish country club in San Miguel received bomb 
threats. Following an evacuation of the building, it was established 
that the threats were spurious.
    In April 2000, several tombs were vandalized in the Jewish cemetery 
at Posadas, in Misiones province. Local police subsequently arrested 
seven adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 in connection with the 
crime, but the police maintained that the acts of vandalism had no 
religious connotations.
    The investigations into the 1992 terrorist bombing of the Israeli 
Embassy in Buenos Aires and the 1994 bombing of the Jewish Community 
Center continued. On May 5, 1999, the Interior Minister called for an 
investigation into an audiotape that reportedly contained an order from 
a policeman redirecting a patrol car from the area around the Israeli 
Embassy just before the bombing. In May 1999, the Supreme Court (which 
is responsible for leading the investigation into the embassy bombing) 
released a report that concluded that the bombing was the result of a 
car bomb exploding outside the Embassy. In December 1999, the Court 
released a more extensive finding which encompassed the May report. The 
Court also formally determined that Islamic Jihad was responsible for 
the bombing, based on claims made by the group following the attack and 
on similarities with other bombings claimed by the group. In September 
1999, the Court issued an international arrest warrant for Islamic 
Jihad leader Imad Mughniyhah.
    In the AMIA case, the investigating judge determined in February 
1999 that there was insufficient evidence to hold Iranian Nasrim 
Mokhtari, long suspected of complicity in the bombing. On July 16, 
1999, the Supreme Court ruled that she could leave the country. Wilson 
Dos Santos, who reportedly had linked Mokhtari to the bombing, again 
recanted his testimony from early in the year; the press reported in 
July 1999 that he had offered to return and testify in exchange for 
money. An investigator interviewed him in Brazil, evaluated the 
proposed testimony, and rejected his offer. In July 1999, authorities 
brought formal charges against all the suspects currently being held in 
connection with the attack, including a number of former Buenos Aires 
provincial police officers. Fifteen former police officers have been 
linked to a stolen vehicle ring, which furnished the van used in the 
bombing, and face various criminal charges. Also in July 1999, the 
judge released a public notice calling upon any and all potential 
witnesses to come forward. According to press reports, ``Memoria 
Activa,'' a group of some of the family members of the victims, has 
presented a suit before the Organization of American States Inter-
American Human Rights Commission charging that the Government did not 
take sufficient measures to prevent the attack; that the State has not 
investigated the case actively; and that serious errors have occurred 
in the investigation. Then-Interior Minister Carlos Corach denied the 
charges. In late February 2000, the AMIA case was presented formally 
for trial. In April 2000, the De la Rua administration--which assumed 
office in December 1999--created a new task force of four independent 
prosecutors to investigate certain areas relating to the AMIA case. In 
the summer of 2000, on the sixth anniversary of the AMIA bombing, 
President De la Rua and much of his cabinet attended the solemn 
ceremony commemorating the victims at the now-rebuilt cultural center.
    In November 1999, Foreign Minister Guido di Tella announced the 
issuance of a report of the Government's Commission of Inquiry into the 
activities of Nazism in the country. The Commission was established in 
1997 by President Carlos Menem. The report included a preliminary count 
of at least 180 ``war criminals'' from Germany, France, and Croatia, 
who entered Argentina after World War II, and identified a shipment of 
stolen gold from Croatia's central bank that also went to Argentina. 
The report also addressed the extent of Nazi influence on the country 
during the 1930's and 1940's.
    During his June 2000 visit to the United States, President De la 
Rua made a formal apology at the Holocaust Memorial Museum for 
Argentina having accepted Nazi war criminals as immigrants after World 
War II.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    U.S. Embassy officers meet periodically with a variety of church 
leaders, invite them to embassy social functions, and attend events 
organized by churches and nongovernmental organizations that deal with 
issues of religious freedom.
    In October 1999, the U.S. Embassy cosponsored a special inaugural 
screening of the Steven Spielberg film ``The Final Days,'' about the 
Holocaust in Hungary. In March 2000, the Embassy's Charge d'Affaires 
hosted a ceremony sponsored by Argentina House in Jerusalem and the 
International Raoul Wallenberg Committee, at which a sculpture honoring 
the memory of Raoul Wallenberg was presented to the Embassy.
    In April 2000, an embassy officer attended the ecumenical ceremony 
commemorating the 1915 Armenian massacre, held in the Metropolitan 
Cathedral of Buenos Aires. In May 2000, an embassy officer attended a 
DAIA-sponsored ceremony commemorating the 57th anniversary of the 
Warsaw ghetto uprising. The ceremony also was attended by President De 
la Rua, who made a speech in which he advocated greater respect for 
persons of all religions and ethnic groups.
    The U.S. Embassy on an ongoing basis assists with the Government's 
implementation of a Holocaust Education Project carried out under the 
auspices of the International Holocaust Education Task Force.
                               __________

                                BAHAMAS

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    Although there is often reference to the country's strong Christian 
heritage in political and public discourse, there is no established or 
official state religion. Clergy are trained freely in the country and 
the Constitution specifically forbids infringement of a person's 
freedom to change religion.
    Churches and other religious congregations do not face any special 
registration requirements, although they must incorporate legally in 
order to purchase land. There are no legal provisions to encourage or 
discourage the formation of religious communities, which are required 
to pay the same tariffs and stamp taxes as other companies once they 
legally incorporate. The Government permits foreign clergy and 
missionaries to enter the country and to practice their religion 
without restriction.
Religious Demography
    There are a wide variety of religious beliefs in the country. Over 
90 percent of the population of 275,000 profess a religion, and 
anecdotal evidence suggests that most of these persons attend services 
on a regular basis. The country is ethnically diverse, with a Haitian 
minority of as many as 40,000 persons, and a white/European minority 
that is nearly as large. The country's religious profile reflects this 
diversity. Protestant Christian denominations (including Baptists, 
Anglicans, Presbyterians, Methodists, Evangelicals, Seventh-Day 
Adventists, and the Salvation Army) are in the majority, but there are 
significant Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox populations. Smaller 
Jewish, Baha'i, and Muslim communities are also active. A small but 
stable number of citizens identify themselves as Rastafarians, while 
some members of the country's small resident Guyanese and Indian 
populations practice Hinduism and other South Asian religions. Although 
many unaffiliated Protestant congregations are almost exclusively 
black, most mainstream churches are integrated racially. The Government 
meets regularly with religious leaders, both publicly and privately, to 
discuss social, political, and economic issues.
    Religion is recognized as an academic subject at government schools 
and is included in mandatory standardized achievement and certificate 
tests for all students. The country's Christian heritage has a heavy 
influence on religion classes in government-supported schools, which 
focus on the study of Christian philosophy, biblical texts, and to a 
much lesser extent, comparative and non-Christian religions. The 
Constitution allows students or their guardians in the case of minors 
to opt out of religious education and observance in schools, and this 
right--although rarely exercised--is respected in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations among religious congregations are generally harmonious. 
There were no reports of religiously motivated violence or 
discrimination against members of religious minorities in the period 
covered by this report.
    There are several interdenominational organizations and ecumenical 
movements. These groups freely express their opinions on social, 
political, and economic issues.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy engages the Government on a wide range of human 
rights issues and concerns, including the issue of religious freedom. 
The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the Government 
in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                                BARBADOS

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion and the 
Government respects this right in practice. There was no change in the 
status of respect for religious freedom during the period covered by 
this report. Both government policy and the generally amicable 
relationship among the religions in society contribute to the free 
practice of religion. The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom 
issues with the Government in the context of its overall dialog and 
policy of promoting human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
Religious Demography
    The dominant religion is Christianity (mostly Anglican, Methodist, 
evangelical, and Roman Catholic) but it does not adversely affect 
religious freedom for others. The minority religions are Islam, the 
Baha'i Faith, and Rastafarianism (Nyabinghi school).
    The Government is secular, but most government officials are 
Christian. The Government does not take any steps to promote inter-
faith understanding but also does not monitor or discriminate according 
to religious faith.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the various religious communities are generally 
amicable. The Barbados Christian Council and the Caribbean Conference 
of Churches conduct activities to promote greater mutual understanding 
and tolerance among adherents of different denominations within the 
Christian faith.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. 
Embassy representatives have discussed issues or events relating to 
religious freedom with government officials when soliciting support for 
international organization resolutions concerning religious freedom.
                               __________

                                 BELIZE

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by the report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. There is no state religion. 
Nevertheless, the preamble to the Constitution makes a very strong 
affirmation that ``the nation of Belize shall be founded upon 
principles which acknowledge the supremacy of God.''
    Under the Constitution, freedom of religion is part of a broader 
protection--that of freedom of conscience. In addition, the 
Constitution provides that no one shall be compelled to take an oath 
that is contrary to a person's religion or belief.
    There are no special registration requirements or fees for 
religious organizations, and legal incorporation for a religion or 
denomination is a simple matter. Property taxes are not levied against 
churches and other places of worship. However, property taxes are 
levied against other church-owned buildings occupied on a regular basis 
such as the pastor's/priest's residence.
Religious Demography
    The country's population of approximately 250,000 includes a 
growing Mestizo population (44 percent); a diminishing Creole component 
(31 percent); a stable Mayan element (Ketchi Maya 4 percent; Mopan Maya 
4 percent); a disputed number of Garifuna (estimates run between 7 and 
10 percent); and a small number of East Indians (3 percent), Arabs, 
Asians, Mennonites, Northern Europeans, and immigrant Americans. Most 
citizens are Roman Catholic (58 percent). Even when Creoles 
predominated, Roman Catholicism was the principal faith. At one time, 
80 percent of the population was Roman Catholic, which underlies the 
Church's continuing influence in society.
    Despite the long period of British colonial rule, only 7 percent of 
the population are Anglicans. Another 6 percent are Pentecostals. Other 
faiths and denominations have fewer than 10,000 members. Among them are 
Methodists (4.2 percent), Seventh-Day Adventists (4.1 percent), and 
Mennonites (4 percent). There are approximately 5,000 Hindus and 
Nazarenes and modest numbers of Baha'i, Baptists, Buddhists, Jehovah's 
Witnesses, Mormons, Muslims, Rastafarians, and Salvation Army members, 
all of whom are able to proselytize freely. Except for the Mennonites 
and Pentecostals who mostly live in the rural districts of Cayo and 
Orange Walk, followers of these minority faiths tend to live in Belize 
City. Roman Catholics are numerous throughout the country and 
constitute the majority faith in all but one of the country's six 
districts. In Belize district, Catholics hold a plurality but Anglicans 
constitute over 27 percent of the population. Only about 6 percent of 
citizens identify themselves as nonbelievers or members of no religious 
congregation. There were no reports of the mistreatment of atheists or 
agnostics.
    The Constitution stipulates that religious communities may 
establish ``places of education'' and states that ``no such community 
shall be prevented from providing religious instruction for persons of 
that community.'' Although there is no state religion, separation of 
church and state is ill-defined in the country's educational system, 
which maintains by statute a strong religious curriculum. The 
curriculum ties ``spirituality'' with social studies courses. It 
requires in both public and private schools that primary school 
students, from kindergarten through sixth grade, receive 220 minutes of 
religious instruction and chapel every week. However, schoolexit exams 
do not have a section on religion. There are efforts underway to lessen 
the religious component of the school day, but most citizens likely 
would object to a strictly secular school day. Roman Catholic holy days 
are routinely school holidays. However, the Constitution forbids any 
educational institution from compelling a child to receive religious 
instruction or attend any religious ceremony or observance without his 
consent or, if under the age of 18, the consent of the child's parents. 
This constitutional safeguard is particularly important because most of 
the country's primary and elementary schools, high schools, and 
colleges are churchaffiliated.
    The Constitution also stipulates that no one shall be required to 
receive religious instruction or attend services without their consent 
while serving in the armed forces or detained in prison or in any 
corrective institution.
    In order to help maintain religious harmony, the Constitution 
reserves the right of the Government to intervene in religious matters 
``for the purpose of protecting the rights and freedoms of other 
persons,'' including the right to observe and practice any religion 
``without the unsolicited intervention of members of any other 
religion.''
    Under the country's newly revised immigration and nationality act, 
foreign religious workers are permitted to enter the country and 
proselytize; however, they must be registered and purchase a religious 
worker's permit. The yearly fee is modest. There is a steady stream of 
religious workers and missionaries from the United States to Belize. 
Besides preaching, these visitors are involved in building and/or 
renovating schools and churches, providing free medical and dental 
care, and distributing donated food, clothing, and home fixtures.
    Clergy preach, teach, and train freely.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who were abducted or illegally removed from the United 
States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to be 
returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations among the faiths are harmonious. Religious groups 
occasionally join forces in ecumenical efforts to distribute goods to 
the needy, clean up neighborhoods, alert the public to the dangers of 
sexual promiscuity, fight crime, protect children, and carry out 
similar endeavors.
    Extortion attempts have been made against Mennonite communities; 
however, these incidents do not appear to have been due to the religion 
of the victims. The motive for targeting Mennonites seems to be 
monetary because some are very prosperous by the country's standards.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                                BOLIVIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice. Roman Catholicism 
is the official religion.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. Roman Catholicism 
predominates, and the Constitution recognizes it as the official 
religion. The Roman Catholic Church receives support from the State 
(about 300 priests receive small stipends from the State) and exercises 
a limited degree of political influence through the Bolivian Bishops' 
Conference.
    In February 2000, a draft supreme decree (similar to an executive 
order) governing the relationships between religious organizations and 
the Government was submitted to President Hugo Banzer Suarez for his 
signature. The draft updates a similar decree dating from 1985, which 
has been the subject of criticism by Catholic and non-Catholic 
churches. The new decree reflects input from the churches, and, 
according to government authorities, is designed to increase 
transparency and dialog in church-state relations. For example, under 
the 1985 decree, evangelical groups must receive permission from the 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs before conducting public gatherings such as 
outdoor celebrations; the new decree requires only that groups consult 
civil authorities to address concerns such as traffic. The draft decree 
requires that the fundraising reports of religions be certified by a 
notary public. This new requirement is designed to protect churches 
against allegations of money laundering or receiving money from drug 
funds.
    Non-Catholic religious organizations, including missionary groups, 
must register with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship, and 
receive authorization (``personeria juridica'') for legal religious 
representation. The Ministry has not disallowed any registrations by 
missionary groups or other religious organizations. Religious groups 
receiving funds from abroad may enter into a framework agreement 
(``convenio marco'') with the Government, lasting 3 years, which 
permits them to enjoy a judicial standing similar to the standing of 
nongovernmental organizations (NGO's) and to have tax-free status. Some 
20 religious groups, including the Catholic Church, have this framework 
agreement with the Government.
    Hari Krishna is in the process of applying for registration as a 
religious organization. Hari Krishna previously had registered as an 
educational organization instead of as a religious organization. The 
Government sought to expel Hari Krishna from the country in the mid-
1980's; however, the attempt failed when the Supreme Court declared it 
illegal.
Religious Demography
    Roman Catholics constitute the majority (estimated at 80 percent) 
of the population. There are approximately 266 registered religious 
groups, mostly Protestant; another approximately 130 applications are 
pending.
    Many of these 266 groups are missionary groups. They include 
Mennonites, Mormons, Seventh-Day Adventists, Baptists, Pentecostals, 
and many evangelical groups. Most can be characterized as Christian 
minority religious groups rather than separate religions.
    Many church representatives from other countries play a major role 
in the country. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 
(Mormons) has inaugurated a temple/center in Cochabamba for its 
activities in western South America. There is also a small Jewish 
community with a synagogue in La Paz, and a few Muslims and a mosque in 
the eastern city of Santa Cruz. Korean immigrants have their own church 
in La Paz. The majority of Korean, Chinese, and Japanese immigrants 
have settled in the city of Santa Cruz where they have established 
communities. There is a university in the city founded by Korean 
immigrants, which has evangelical/Presbyterian ties. There are Buddhist 
and Shinto communities, as well as a considerable Baha'i community 
spread throughout the country.
    The Roman Catholic Church is weaker in the countryside than in the 
cities; according to senior Church authorities, this is due to a lack 
of resources. Thus, traditional religious practices of the Aymara and 
Quechua Indians continue to have their place in indigenous beliefs and 
rituals, with a focus on the ``Pachamama'' or ``Mother Earth'' figure, 
as well as on ``Akeko,'' originally an indigenous god of luck, 
harvests, and general abundance, whose festival is celebrated widely on 
January 24. Many native superstitions continue to flourish.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Only Catholic religious instruction is provided in public schools. 
Non-Catholic instruction is not yet available in public schools for 
students of other faiths; an alternate course on ``ethics'' is planned 
but has not yet been implemented.
    In August 1999, the Unification Church complained of ongoing 
harassment by the Government, specifically citing the August 1998 
revocation of three civil registrations for churchaffiliated NGO's by 
the La Paz departmental government. However, the Unification Church 
still is registered legally as a religious organization with the 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship. The Unification Church 
participated in the discussions between religious groups and the 
Government to draft the new Supreme Decree.
    A local mission, the Ekklesia Church, protested its investigation 
by the Government; however, the issue appeared to be more one of 
adhering to administrative and fiscal norms than a true religious 
matter.
    The Government does not take any steps to promote inter-faith 
understanding. If the President goes officially to Mass, it is 
traditional for his Cabinet to accompany him, even though political 
leaders may have different religious beliefs.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the country's diverse religious communities are 
amicable. In June 1999, the Catholic Church announced that it would no 
longer call neo-Pentecostal and evangelical churches ``sects,'' which 
increasingly has been viewed as a pejorative term, but would call them 
instead ``religious organizations.'' According to the Bolivian Bishop's 
Conference, the Church considers these Pentecostal churches to have the 
basic foundations of Christianity. As a demonstration of improving 
Catholic-evangelical relations, Catholic-Pentecostal meetings were held 
in Ecuador in May 1997, February 1998, and May 1999.
    In June 1999, a meeting was held between Catholic, Protestant, and 
Jewish religious leaders in order to initiate an inter-faith dialog in 
the country. The Catholics and Methodists of Cochabamba have 
collaborated on publications and vigils, and following the Vatican's 
lead, Catholics and Lutherans in Bolivia now recognize each other's 
rituals of baptism.
    There are no serious rivalries between religious groups, although 
there were reports of some resentment of missionary groups by Roman 
Catholics.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights and 
as an independent issue. The U.S. Ambassador and other embassy officers 
meet regularly with religious authorities, including the Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs and Worship, principal religious leaders, and the Papal 
Nuncio.
                               __________

                                 BRAZIL

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion, 
although a natural rivalry exists among various religious groups vying 
for greater numbers of adherents.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. This includes a general 
provision for access to religious services and counsel in all civil and 
military establishments.
    There are no registration requirements for religions or religious 
groups. There is no favored or state religion. All faiths are free to 
establish places of worship, train clergy, and proselytize, although 
the Government controls entry into Indian lands.
Religious Demography
    Nearly all major religions and religious organizations are present 
in the country. The Catholic Church's National Council of Brazilian 
Bishops (CNBB) estimates that roughly 75 percent of the population of 
160 million identify themselves as Roman Catholic, although only a 
small percentage of that number regularly attend Mass. Roughly 20 
percent of the population identify themselves as Protestants, the 
majority of which are Pentecostal/evangelical. Evangelical churches 
have grown rapidly and have challenged the religious stronghold of the 
Catholic Church. An estimated 85 percent of the country's Protestants 
are affiliated with Pentecostal/evangelical minority religious groups. 
Minor denominations include the Assembly of God and the Universal 
Church of the Kingdom of God. Lutherans and Baptists make up the bulk 
of the remaining Protestants and are centered in the southern part of 
the country, where the majority of German and northern European 
immigrants concentrated during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
    Followers of African and syncretistic religions such Candomble, 
Xango, Macumba, and Umbanda constitute roughly 4 percent of the 
population. Candomble is the predominant traditional African religion 
practiced among AfroBrazilians. It centers on the worship of African 
deities brought to the country as a result of the slave trade. 
Syncretistic forms of African religions that developed in the country 
include Xango and Macumba, which to varying degrees combine and 
identify indigenous animist beliefs and Catholic saints with African 
deities. The capital of Bahia State, Salvador, where most African 
slaves arrived in the country, is considered the center of Candomble 
and other traditional African religions. As a result of internal 
migration during this century, AfroBrazilian and syncretistic religions 
have spread throughout the country. Followers of spiritism, mainly 
Kardecists--followers of the doctrine transcribed by Frenchman Allan 
Kardec in the 19th century--constitute roughly 1 percent of the 
population. Many citizens worship in more than one church or 
participate in the rituals of more than one religion.
    Sunni and Shi'a Islam are practiced predominantly by immigrants 
from Arab countries who have arrived in the country during the past 25 
years. Shintoism is maintained to a limited degree among the 
JapaneseBrazilian community.
    Foreign missionary groups, including the Church of Jesus Christ of 
Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) and several evangelical organizations, 
operate freely throughout the country. The Government restricts the 
access of missionary groups to indigenous people and requires groups to 
seek permission from the National Indian Foundation to enter official 
indigenous areas.
    There are no official government programs or councils to promote 
inter-faith dialog.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are amicable relations among the various religious 
communities in the country, although a natural rivalry exists among 
various religious groups vying for greater numbers of adherents. The 
influence of evangelical churches in the country is growing. There is 
no national ecumenical movement.
    In 1999 leaders in the Jewish community expressed concern about the 
appearance of anti-Semitic propaganda on neo-Nazi Internet sites in 
Brazil during the past 3 years. Neo-Nazism appears to be a 
predominantly regional problem directed at Afro-Brazilians who have 
immigrated into Sao Paulo and the other southern states . Jewish 
community activists report that, although neoNazi groups have issued 
threats against at least one prominent leader, they were not aware of 
any violent incidents directed at Jews.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                                 CHILE

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
in the period covered by this report. The Government promoted and 
Congress adopted a new religious law designed to bring other religious 
entities closer to the legal status enjoyed by the Catholic Church; 
however, the Catholic Church retained an advantaged position. The new 
law entered into force in late March 2000.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
    Church and state are officially separate. However, the Catholic 
Church enjoys a privileged position among religions and receives 
preferential treatment. The Catholic Church's special legal position 
stems from historical factors; the Church predates the Chilean national 
State, and Roman Catholicism was the official state religion until 
promulgation of the 1925 Constitution. At the time, the Government and 
the Vatican agreed on an unwritten tacit concordat to govern treatment 
of the Church, placing it outside government regulation.
    Religious faiths and related organizations must register with the 
Ministry of Justice as a foundation, corporation, or religiously 
affiliated sports club to receive tax exempt status and the right to 
collect funds. Groups without juridical status still may worship, but 
do not enjoy the tax status, fund collection rights, and other benefits 
that come with legal recognition. Some 800 religious faiths and related 
organizations are registered with the Ministry of Justice. Government 
refusal to register a religious group, or withdrawal of its legal 
status, is rare, and generally has stemmed from misuse of funds by the 
group or widespread criminal allegations.
    The Catholic Church is not governed by the same regulations as 
other religions; it does not have to register with the Ministry of 
Justice and enjoys ``public right'' (``derecho publico'') status. Until 
March 2000, the only other church body with this legal status was the 
Antioch Orthodox Church. ``Derecho publico'' status provides that a 
church cannot lose its juridical standing administratively; in the case 
of the Catholic Church, it further means that the body cannot have its 
status challenged at all. Until March 2000, all other religions, and 
groups affiliated with other religions, enjoyed ``private rights'' 
(``derecho privado''), which allowed for the lifting of status 
administratively. The Antioch Orthodox Church received its ``derecho 
publico'' status in the early 1970's due to a law passed during the 
administration of former President Salvador Allende. However, its 
status theoretically could be challenged in court, which is not the 
case with the Catholic Church.
    On July 6, 1999, the Senate approved a new religious law (``ley de 
culto''). Approval came after the legislation was reworded to make 
clear that the status historically enjoyed by the Catholic Church would 
not be affected by the new law. The legislation entered into effect in 
late March 2000. Among other provisions, it bestows the same legal 
status (``derecho publico'') that the Catholic Church previously 
enjoyed upon all other faiths. This removed the possibility of other 
faiths having their legal status challenged administratively (their 
status still may be challenged in court; reflecting its historical 
position, the legal status of the Catholic Church may not be challenged 
legally).
    The new religion law removed the ability of the State to dissolve 
religious entities by decree. Instead, this only may occur after a 
judicial review begun by a complaint filed by the semiautonomous 
Council for the Defense of the State (CDE), which is the official 
entity charged with defense of the State's legal interests.
    Some 800 religious faiths and related organizations are registered 
with the Ministry of Justice. Under the new religious law, the Justice 
Ministry cannot refuse to accept a registry petition, but it can object 
to the petition within 90 days on the grounds that all legal requisites 
to register have not been satisfied. The questioned body then has 60 
days to bring itself into conformity with the objections raised by the 
Ministry or challenge the Ministry's observations in court. The 
Catholic Church does not have to be registered with the Justice 
Ministry.
Religious Demography
    The 1992 census (the latest official figures available) placed the 
total population over 14 at 9,660,367. (The census does not break down 
religion for persons under age 14.) Of this group, 7,409,528 persons 
were identified as Catholic. This represents approximately 77 percent 
of the population over 14 years of age.
    The term Evangelical in Chile is used to refer to all nonCatholic 
Christian churches with the exception of the Orthodox (Greek, Persian, 
Serbian, Armenian) Churches and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
Day Saints (Mormons). Most Evangelicals (approximately 90 percent) are 
Pentecostal. The 1992 census used both ``Protestant'' and 
``Evangelical'' to ask about religion, though the terms are considered 
interchangeable. Evangelicals totaled 1,198,385 persons, or 12 percent 
of the population over the age of 14. Those identifying themselves with 
the term Protestant accounted for 80,259 persons, less than 1 percent 
of the population. In the census, atheists and those ``indifferent'' 
totaled 562,285, or approximately 6 percent of the population over the 
age of 14. All other religions totaled 409,910 persons, or slightly 
over 4 percent.
    In 1997 spokespersons for Protestant organizations estimated the 
number of evangelical Christians in the country at between 1.8 and 2 
million persons. Other estimates were as high as 3 million. The active 
Jewish population is estimated to be around 30,000. The number of 
Protestants has grown steadily with each census since 1930, when only 
1.5 percent of the population claimed to be Protestant. The relative 
percentage of Catholics falls as one goes down the socioeconomic 
ladder. A 1991 survey found that 93.4 percent of high-income 
respondents indicated they were Catholic; the proportions declined to 
75.2 percent in the middle-income group, and to 69 percent among those 
in the lower-income group. The survey found that 22 percent of persons 
at the lower-income levels were Protestants. A June 1998 national 
survey conducted by the Center for Public Studies (CEP) suggested that 
43 percent of Evangelicals were converts from another religion; 98 
percent of Catholics had been born into that religion.
    The CEP study also found that 8 out of 10 citizens believe in the 
existence of God, while 14 percent were doubtful and only 2 percent 
declared themselves atheists. Seventy-two percent of those surveyed 
identified themselves as Catholics, 16 percent identified themselves as 
Evangelicals, 7 percent said they had no religion, 4 percent adhered to 
other religions, and 1 percent did not answer.
    The CEP poll also found that 18 percent of persons claimed to 
attend a church or temple at least once a week. A 1995 CEP survey 
placed this figure at 27 percent. In the 1998 survey, 29 percent of 
persons said that they had never attended a church. Thirty-two percent 
said that they prayed at least once a day and 15 percent said that they 
never prayed.
    While 51 percent of those surveyed expressed ``full or great'' 
confidence in their religious organization, two-thirds believed that 
churches should not try to influence voting decisions or Government 
actions. Some non-Catholics regard membership in the Christian 
Democratic Party as contrary to their philosophical beliefs. Several 
prominent politicians are not Catholic, including the President. There 
are no Evangelical members of Congress.
    There are a wide variety of active faiths. In addition to the 
dominant Catholic Church and the Pentecostal Methodist Church, the 
Wesleyan Church, Lutheran Church, Reformed Evangelical Church, Seventh-
Day Adventist Church, Anglican Church, Methodist Church, and the 
Patriarch of Antioch Orthodox Church also are active. The Mormons are 
active, and there is a Unification Church. Other faiths include 
Judaism, Islam, and the Baha'i faith. Members of all major faiths are 
concentrated in the capital, with the Catholic, Evangelical, and 
Pentecostal churches also active in other regions of the country. 
Jewish congregations also exist in Valparaiso, Vina del Mar, Valdivia, 
Temuco, Concepcion, and Iquique (though there is no synagogue in the 
latter city).
    Foreign missionaries operate freely, and many priests are of 
foreign origin.
    Schools are required to offer religious education twice a week, on 
an optional basis, through middle school. It is mandatory to teach the 
creed requested by parents, although enforcement is sometimes lax.
    All major faiths participated in a human rights ``dialog table'' 
held by the Defense Minister. In addition to Catholic events, 
government officials attend major Protestant and Jewish religious and 
other ceremonies. New President Lagos, for example, attended Holocaust 
Remembrance Day ceremony in early May, along with the Defense and 
Interior Ministers.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
in the period covered by this report. The Government promoted and 
Congress adopted a new religious law designed to bring other religious 
entities closer to the legal status enjoyed by the Catholic Church; 
however, the Catholic Church retained an advantaged position.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
United States citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from 
the United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such 
citizens to be returned to the United States.

                         II. Societal Attitudes

    Citizens generally are tolerant of religious differences, although 
some discrimination occurs. A bill supported by the executive branch is 
pending in Congress to outlaw acts of discrimination based on race, 
religion, ethnicity, or national origin, and the new religion law also 
includes a clause against religious discrimination. Before passage of 
the new religion law, the country's Protestants assert that the 
Government discriminates against them, based upon differing legal 
status afforded to non-Catholics. They cite the absence of Protestant 
armed forces chaplains (all chaplains are Catholic), difficulties for 
pastors to visit military hospitals, and the predominantly Catholic 
religious education in public schools. Military recruits, whatever 
their religion, often have to attend Catholic events involving their 
unit, and being a Catholic is considered beneficial to one's military 
career.
    Non-Catholic clergymen sometimes have difficulties gaining access 
to prisons and public hospitals; access is at the discretion of 
administrators. Catholic priests usually do not face such difficulties.
    In April 2000, a small group of local Nazis attempted to hold an 
international Nazi ideological conference. The Government, Congress, 
and a wide array of societal groups criticized the attempt to hold this 
meeting. The Government gave orders to immigration authorities to 
prevent known Nazis from entering the country. On the eve of the 
scheduled conference, the Chilean organizer of the event was arrested 
by police and held for several days for previously passing false 
checks. The meeting was held clandestinely with only a handful of 
participants (one report said six); almost no persons from abroad 
attended.
    Local Nazis continue to announce their intention to form a 
political party called the ``New Fatherland Society'' (``Patria Nueva 
Sociedad''). This would be the first Nazi political party in the 
country since the National Socialist Workers Party lost its legal 
status in 1969. It is unclear whether such a party would be deemed 
unconstitutional; most analysts question the ability of local Nazis to 
reach the threshold of required signatures to try to register a party.
    Ecumenical groups exist, although they often are formed on an ad 
hoc basis, depending on the issue involved.

                      III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
    U.S. Embassy representatives have met with a wide variety of 
religious leaders, including Santiago's Archbishop and key 
representatives of Evangelical and Jewish organizations. Informal 
contact is maintained with representatives and leaders of several other 
faiths.
    As appropriate, embassy officials have cooperated on programs such 
as anti-drug efforts with church-affiliated groups and the B'nai 
B'rith.
                               __________

                                COLOMBIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Relations between various faiths are generally amicable, although 
some indigenous leaders reportedly were intolerant of nontraditional 
forms of worship. The Roman Catholic Church enjoys a privileged 
position in society, but many different religions are practiced. 
Paramilitaries sometimes target representatives and members of the 
Roman Catholic Church and evangelical Christian churches, generally for 
political reasons. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) 
and National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla movements regularly target 
representatives and members of the Roman Catholic Church and 
evangelical Christian churches, generally for political reasons, and 
committed acts of killing, kidnaping, and extortion, as well as 
inhibiting free religious expression.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    The law states that there is no official or state church or 
religion but adds that the State ``is not atheist or agnostic, nor 
indifferent to Colombians' religious sentiment.'' Some observers have 
interpreted this to mean that the State unofficially sanctions a 
privileged position for the Roman Catholic Church. (Roman Catholicism 
was the country's official religion until the adoption of the 1991 
Constitution.) A 1994 Constitutional Court decision declared 
unconstitutional any official government reference to religious 
characterizations of the country.
    The law on freedom of religion provides a mechanism for religions 
to obtain the status of recognized legal entities. The Government 
extends two different kinds of recognition to religions: recognition of 
basic juridical personality, and special public recognition. The 
Ministry of Interior regularly grants the former type of recognition. 
The only requirement is submission of a formal request and basic 
organizational information. Additionally, any foreign religious faith 
that wishes to establish a presence in the country must document 
official recognition by authorities from its home country. The Ministry 
of Interior may reject any requests that do not comply fully with these 
established requirements or that violate fundamental constitutional 
rights. Among the religions practiced in the country are Roman 
Catholicism, Anglicanism, the Mennonite Church, Calvinism, Lutheranism, 
the Baptist Church, Presbyterianism, the Methodist Church, the Church 
of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), Islam, and Judaism.
    Accession to the 1997 public law agreement between the State and 
non-Roman Catholic religious entities currently is required for any 
religion that wishes to minister to its adherents via any public 
institution. For example, participation in the 1997 public law 
agreement is required to minister to soldiers, public hospital 
patients, and prisoners and to provide religious instruction in public 
schools, and the State only recognizes marriages celebrated by churches 
that are signatories to the 1997 public law agreement. When considering 
granting accession to the 1997 agreement, the Government takes into 
account the number of adherents of the religion, the degree of popular 
acceptance the religion enjoys within society, and other factors deemed 
relevant, such as the content of the religion's statutes and required 
behavioral norms. To date, 18 nonRoman Catholic Christian churches have 
received this special status. More than 40 churches have requested 
accession to a new public law agreement with the Government, which, the 
churches propose, would have lower standards for recognition than the 
1997 agreement. However, no advances were made toward a new agreement 
during the period covered by this report. Some prominent non-Christian 
religious groups, such as the Jewish community, have not requested 
state religious recognition.
    Due to its special relationship with the State, officially 
sanctioned in a concordat, the Roman Catholic Church was the only 
religion that was permitted to minister and teach via public 
institutions between 1887 and 1991. Although the Catholic Church was 
separated from the State by the 1991 Constitution, it retains a de 
facto privileged status.
Religious Demography
    Although no official data are available, one 1996 study from Los 
Andes University concluded that 88 percent of citizens are Roman 
Catholics (although a large percentage do not practice their faith 
actively), between 6 and 7 percent belong to other Christian 
denominations, and the remainder belong to other religious faiths/
movements (e.g., Jews, Muslims, animists, adherents of various 
syncretistic beliefs, agnostics, and atheists). Adherents of some 
religions are concentrated in specific geographic regions. For example, 
the vast majority of practitioners of a syncretistic religion that 
blends Roman Catholicism with elements of African animism are Afro-
Colombians of Choco department. Jews are concentrated in the major 
cities; Muslims are concentrated on the Caribbean coast; and adherents 
of indigenous animistic religions generally are found in remote, rural 
areas.
    The Constitution provides parents with the right to choose the type 
of education their children receive, including Roman Catholic or other 
religious education. It also states that no one shall be obliged to 
receive religious education of any type in public schools. The Roman 
Catholic Church and non-Catholic religions and Christian denominations 
that have acceded to the 1997 public law agreement with the State may 
provide religious instruction in public schools. (No non-Christian 
religion currently is a signatory to the 1997 public law agreement.) 
Religions without this special recognition may establish private 
parochial schools, provided they comply with Education Ministry 
requirements. For example, the Jewish community operates its own 
schools.
    The Catholic Church has a unique agreement with the Government to 
provide schools to rural areas that have no state-run schools. These 
schools are also tax exempt.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Foreign missionaries require a special visa, which is valid for a 
maximum of 2 years. The Ministry of Foreign Relations may issue visas 
to foreign missionaries or members of a foreign religion or 
denomination, provided that the religion or denomination has received 
special public recognition. Applicants are required to have a 
certificate issued by the Ministry of Interior confirming that the 
religious institution is registered with the Ministry, a certificate 
issued by the religious institution confirming the applicant's 
membership in that institution and explaining the purpose of the 
proposed travel, and proof of economic solvency.
    The Government permits proselytizing among the indigenous 
population, provided that it is welcome and does not induce members of 
indigenous communities to adopt changes that endanger their survival on 
traditional lands. There are no other restrictions on missionaries' 
activities.
    Although the Catholic Church was separated from the State by the 
1991 Constitution, it retains a de facto privileged status. According 
to military regulations, only Roman Catholic priests may serve as 
chaplains.
    All legally recognized churches, seminaries, monasteries, and 
convents are exempt from national and local taxes. Local governments 
also may exempt from taxes religiously affiliated organizations such as 
schools and libraries. However, in practice, local governments often 
exempt only organizations that are affiliated with the Roman Catholic 
Church.
    The FARC has placed religious restrictions on persons within the 
``despeje,'' the demilitarized zone established in November 1998 in 
order to facilitate a Government-FARC dialog leading to formal peace 
talks. For example, in September 1999, the FARC gave a Polish priest 15 
days to leave the despeje zone. The FARC guerilla movement did not 
exclude Roman Catholic and evangelical churches from the arbitrary 
payment of ``war taxes'' levied on many organizations in the despeje 
and elsewhere in the country.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    In April 1999, the army arrested Colonel Jorge Plazas Acevedo, the 
chief of intelligence for the army's 13th Brigade, for allegedly 
heading a kidnaping gang believed responsible for the kidnaping and 
killing of several Jewish industrialists, including Benjamin Khoudari, 
whose body was found in April 1999. The authorities also arrested a 
lieutenant and a sergeant under Plazas's command, and placed all three 
in preventive detention in April. The military judiciary determined 
that the three should be tried in civilian courts. In July 1999, the 
army retired Plazas, and an Attorney General's disciplinary 
investigation of him was underway at year's end. In connection with the 
crime, the authorities also arrested two former guerrillas who had 
become army informants; they remained in detention and under 
investigation at year's end.
    Both the Constitutional Court (on October 7, 1998) and the Council 
of State (on November 19, 1998) found that Jehovah's Witnesses and 
Mennonite seminarians had been forced regularly into military service, 
in violation of constitutional and other provisions for conscientious 
objectors. Both the Court and the Council ordered the Government to 
exempt the two Churches' seminarians in the same manner that it 
exempted Roman Catholic seminarians. Since the Court and Council's 
rulings, neither Church has experienced further problems of this sort.
    Paramilitaries sometimes target representatives and members of the 
Roman Catholic Church and evangelical Christian churches, generally for 
political reasons. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) 
and National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla movements regularly target 
representatives and members of the Roman Catholic Church and 
evangelical Christian churches, generally for political reasons, and 
committed acts of killing, kidnaping, and extortion, as well as 
inhibiting free religious expression.
    Faced with threats by paramilitaries or guerrillas, many 
evangelical preachers were forced to refrain from publicly discussing 
the country's internal conflict. The Bishops' Conference of the Roman 
Catholic Church also reported that paramilitaries, the ELN, and the 
FARC sometimes threatened rural priests with death for speaking out 
against them.
    On November 21, 1999, the bodies of Roman Catholic priest Jorge 
Luis Maza and Spanish aid worker Inigu Egiluz were pulled from the 
Atrato river in Choco department. Witnesses reported that the boat in 
which the pair had been travelling was struck by a boat operated by 
paramilitaries. Security forces later arrested nine paramilitaries in 
connection with the crime.
    In October 1999, paramilitaries distributed pamphlets at the 
University of Antioquia campus in Medellin threatening evangelical 
Christian students with murder.
    On May 18, 1999, members of a small guerrilla group, the People's 
Liberation Army (EPL), killed Catholic priest Pedro Leon Camacho in 
Cachira, Norte de Santander, after he had denounced publicly the 
guerrilla group's abuses of the civilian population.
    The United Pentecostal Church of Colombia reported that on August 
2, 1999, the FARC killed two of its preachers, Jose Honorio Trivino and 
Miguel Antonio Ospina. Two other preachers and 25 evangelical church 
members also were reported killed between January and August 1999, 
mostly in areas greatly affected by the conflict. FARC members were 
believed responsible for a majority of the killings.
    Guerrillas were suspected of the April 2000 massacre of 2 
evangelical preachers and 12 church members at Hato Nuevo, Carmen de 
Bolivar, Bolivar department.
    There have been unconfirmed reports that guerrillas attacked rural 
evangelical Christians and their churches in the mistaken belief that 
the churches were fronts for U.S. Government activities.
    The Bishops' Conference of the Roman Catholic Church reported that 
Roman Catholic churches in Huila, Tolima, Cauca, and Antioquia 
departments were destroyed during guerrilla attacks on towns and police 
stations.
    On July 30, 1999, the Prosecutor General's human rights unit 
indicted ``Arley Leal,'' commander of the FARC's 32nd Front, for the 
September 1998 killing of Catholic priest Alcides Jimenez Chicangana. 
Jimenez was shot 18 times as he gave a sermon in a Catholic church 
hours after he led a public rally for peace. Charges against narcotics 
trafficker Luis Angel Canas, who was detained in 1998 for the crime, 
were dropped.
    According to the Christian Union Movement, the FARC killed 46 of 
the movement's affiliated preachers between January 1999 and June 2000. 
As of June 2000, the group reported that the FARC had forced the 
closure of over 300 evangelical churches in Meta, Guajira, Tolima, 
Vaupes, Guainia, Guaviare, Vichada, Casanare, and Arauca departments. 
Additionally, the group claimed that the FARC extorted and, in many 
cases, forced the closure of rural evangelical schools.
    On August 16, 1999, members of the EPL kidnaped the Roman Catholic 
Bishop of Tibu, Jose de Jesus Quintero, between El Tarra and Tibu, 
Norte de Santander department, and freed him on September 19. Quintero 
had spoken out against a rash of paramilitary and guerrilla massacres 
in the area. He had been kidnaped previously by the ELN in 1997.
    On May 30, 1999, members of the National Liberation Army (ELN) 
kidnaped over 140 persons, including at least 3 American citizens and a 
Catholic priest, who were attending Mass at the La Maria Catholic 
church in Cali. The attack apparently represented an attempt by the ELN 
to raise its political profile; there was no indication that the 
victims were targeted specifically because of their religious beliefs. 
All eventually were released. In April 2000, the Administrative 
Department of Security captured Ovidio Antonio Parra Cortes, the ELN 
leader suspected of directing the kidnaping; the army later arrested 
seven men believed to have participated in the kidnaping.
    Despite increased pressure by the Government on the FARC to account 
for three American missionaries from the New Tribes Mission, who were 
kidnaped by FARC guerrillas in January 1993, their whereabouts and 
condition remained unknown.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between various faiths are generally amicable. The Roman 
Catholic Church and some evangelical churches reported that some 
indigenous leaders were intolerant of nontraditional forms of worship.
    Jewish community leaders estimated that as many as 20 percent of 
the country's Jewish community had fled the country as of July 1999. 
Among the principal causes was a string of kidnapings, assaults, and 
murders affecting Jewish business leaders.
    On April 11, 2000, at least three Mormon temples in Cali were 
bombed. No one was injured in the attacks, which damaged buildings. No 
one claimed responsibility for the attacks.
    Some indigenous groups with distinct animistic or syncretistic 
religious beliefs are targeted regularly for attack by guerrilla or 
paramilitary groups. However, these attacks generally are motivated by 
political differences (whether real or perceived) or by questions of 
land ownership, rather than by religious differences.
    On March 27, 2000, unidentified perpetrators killed Roman Catholic 
priest Hugo Duque Hernandez at Supia, Caldas department.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy maintains regular contact with representatives of 
the Roman Catholic Church, other Christian denominations, and other 
religions, and discusses religious freedom issues with the Government 
in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                               COSTA RICA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. While the Constitution 
establishes Roman Catholicism as the state religion, people of all 
denominations freely practice their religion without government 
interference.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    The Constitution establishes Roman Catholicism as the state 
religion and requires that the State contribute to its maintenance; 
however, it also prohibits the State from impeding the free exercise of 
other religions ``that do not impugn universal morality or proper 
behavior.'' Members of all denominations freely practice their religion 
without Government interference.
    The law grants the Catholic Church tax-free status and allows for 
the Government to provide land to the Catholic Church. In some cases, 
the Government retains ownership of the land but grants the Church free 
use while, in other situations, property simply is donated to the 
Church. This second method commonly is used to provide land for the 
construction of local churches. These methods do not meet all needs of 
the Church, which also buys some land outright. Government-to-Church 
land transfers are not covered under any blanket legislation. Instead, 
they are handled by specific legislative action once or twice per year.
    The Government does not inhibit the establishment of churches 
through taxes or special licensing for religious organizations. 
However, churches must incorporate to have legal standing, like any 
other organizations.
    Despite the official status of the Catholic Church, ties between it 
and the State are limited clearly. The Constitution prohibits Church 
involvement in political campaigning.
Religious Demography
    An April 2000 Demoscopia, Inc. poll reported 73 percent of the 
population as Catholic, with 15 percent belonging to other Christian 
denominations. The mainstream Protestant denominations--largely 
Methodist, Baptist, and Episcopalian--account for slightly less than 1 
percent. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) 
claims a membership of less than 1 percent, spread evenly throughout 
the country. In June 2000, it finished the construction of a temple 
that is to serve as a regional worship center for Panama, Nicaragua, 
and Honduras. Jehovah's Witnesses have a presence on the Caribbean 
coast but represent only about 1 percent of the population. Seventh-Day 
Adventists are present and operate a university, attracting students 
from throughout the Caribbean basin. NonChristian religions (e.g., 
Judaism and Islam) represent 3 percent of the population. Groups such 
as the Unification Church and Hare Krishna are in the country in small 
numbers. Approximately 8 percent of the population do not practice any 
religion.
    The country's tradition of tolerance and professed pacifism has 
attracted many religious groups. The Jewish population constitutes less 
than 1 percent of the country's total; many of its members found refuge 
before and during the Second World War. The mountain community of 
Monteverde, a popular tourist destination, was founded during the 
Korean War by a group of Quakers from the United States, acting on 
their convictions as conscientious objectors. This community, as well 
as those of Mennonites, Beechy Amish, and other pacifist religious 
groups, was welcomed by Costa Rica.
    Although not mandatory, Catholic religious instruction is permitted 
in the public schools. Religious education teachers, including those in 
public schools, must be certified by the Roman Catholic Episcopal 
Conference, which does not certify teachers from other denominations or 
faiths. Private schools, including those affiliated with Protestant 
denominations, are free to include any religious instruction they see 
fit.
    The Government does not restrict the establishment of places of 
worship. New churches, primarily evangelical Protestant churches that 
are located in residential neighborhoods, occasionally have conflicts 
with local governments due to neighbors' complaints about noise and 
traffic. In contrast, established Catholic Churches are built around 
the municipal square and do not present such problems.
    Foreign missionaries and clergy of all denominations work and 
proselytize freely.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Amicable relations exist between members of the country's different 
religions, including religious minorities. The country has a history of 
tolerance.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                                  CUBA

    The Constitution recognizes the right of citizens to profess and 
practice any religious belief, within the framework of respect for the 
law; however, in law and in practice, the Government places 
restrictions on freedom of religion.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    In general unregistered religious groups continued to experience 
varying degrees of official interference, harassment, and repression. 
Some unregistered religious groups were not only subject to official 
censure, but also faced pressures from registered religious groups. The 
Government's policy of permitting apolitical religious activity to take 
place in government-approved sites remained unchanged; however, 
citizens worshiping in officially sanctioned churches were often 
subject to surveillance by state security forces and the Government's 
efforts to maintain a strong degree of control over religion continued.
    The U.S. Government has raised issues of human rights, including 
religious discrimination and harassment, with government officials; 
however, the Government has dismissed these concerns. The U.S. 
Government continuously urges international pressure on the Government 
to cease its repressive practices.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution recognizes the right of citizens to profess and 
practice any religious belief, within the framework of respect for the 
law; however, in law and in practice, the Government places 
restrictions on freedom of religion. Church and state have been 
constitutionally separate since the early 20th century. In 1992 the 
Constitution was changed and references to scientific materialism or 
atheism were removed. The Government does not favor any one particular 
religion or church.
    The Government requires churches and other religious groups to 
register with the provincial Registry of Associations within the 
Ministry of the Interior to obtain official recognition. Although no 
new denominations were registered during the period covered by this 
report, the Government has tolerated some new religions on the island, 
like the Baha'i Faith. However, in practice, the Government refuses to 
register most new denominations.
    Along with recognized churches, the Roman Catholic humanitarian 
organization Caritas, the Masons, small human rights groups, and a 
number of nascent fraternal or professional organizations are the only 
associations outside the control or influence of the State, the 
Communist Party, and their mass organizations. With the exception of 
the Masons, who have been established in the country for more than a 
century, the authorities continue to ignore other religious groups' 
applications for legal recognition, thereby subjecting members of such 
groups to potential charges of illegal association.
    The Government's main interaction with religious denominations is 
through the Office of Religious Affairs of the Cuban Communist Party. 
The Ministry of Interior still engages in efforts to control and 
monitor the country's religious institutions, including surveillance, 
infiltration, and harassment of religious professionals and laypersons.
    In January 1998, Pope John Paul II made a historic trip to Cuba. 
The Pope celebrated public Masses in front of hundreds of thousands of 
persons in several cities, which were televised nationally. In his 11 
discourses while in the country, the Pope emphasized the need to allow 
fundamental freedoms, to respect human rights, and to foster the 
development of independent civil society. Although the Government 
released some 300 prisoners from jails across the island, including a 
little over 100 political prisoners, the Pope's visit did not lead to 
the level of change expected in terms of increased religious freedom or 
political change.
Religious Demography
    There is no independent authoritative source on the size or 
composition of religious institutions and their membership. Although a 
1953 survey showed 93 percent of the population identified themselves 
as Roman Catholic, today about 40 to 45 percent of the population 
generally are believed to identify themselves, at least nominally, with 
the Roman Catholic Church, according to information from the U.S.-based 
Puebla Institute. A significant number of citizens share or have 
participated in syncretistic Afro-Caribbean beliefs, such as santeria. 
The Baptists, represented in four different conventions, are possibly 
the largest Protestant denomination, followed closely by the 
Pentecostal churches, in particular the Assemblies of God. Twenty-five 
denominations recognized by the State, including Presbyterians, 
Episcopalians, and Methodists, are members of the Cuban Council of 
Churches (CCC). Another 24 officially recognized denominations, 
including Jehovah's Witnesses and the small Jewish community, do not 
belong to the CCC.
    Although Cuba is nominally Roman Catholic, historically it has been 
a largely secular society without an especially strong religious 
character. Catholic Church officials usually estimate that about 10 
percent of baptized Catholics go to Mass regularly. Membership in 
Protestant churches is estimated at 500,000 persons. No figures on the 
number of Pentecostals are available, although the Seventh-Day 
Adventists have said that their membership numbers are around 30,000 
persons. Church attendance has grown in recent years in some 
denominations, and has increased substantially at Catholic Church 
services in the wake of the Pope's visit in January 1998. Church 
leaders, both Catholic and Protestant, believe that church attendance 
peaked during 1999 and early 2000.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Marxist-Leninist ideology of the Government led to strong 
confrontations with institutional churches in the early 1960's. During 
that period, many church leaders and religious professionals left the 
country, fearing persecution. Over 130 Catholic religious workers, 
including priests, were expelled, and a few served long prison terms. 
In 1965 the Government forced many priests, pastors, and others ``who 
made religion a way of life'' into forced labor camps called military 
units to aid production (UMAPS), alongside homosexuals, vagrants, and 
others considered by the regime to be ``social scum.'' The UMAP system 
ended in 1967. However, over the next 30 years, the Government and the 
Communist Party systematically discriminated against and marginalized 
persons who openly professed their faith by excluding them from certain 
jobs (e.g., teachers). Although the Government abandoned its official 
atheism in the early 1990's, most churches had been weakened seriously 
by then, and active participation in religious services had fallen 
drastically by that time.
    In recent years, the Government has eased the harsher aspects of 
its repression of religious freedom. In 1991 it allowed religious 
adherents to join the Communist Party, which is the only legal 
political entity. In 1992 it amended the Constitution to prohibit 
religious discrimination and removed references to ``scientific 
materialism,'' i.e., atheism, as the basis for the State. Nevertheless, 
the Government discourages members of the armed forces from attending 
religious services in their uniforms.
    The law allows for the construction of new churches, but requires 
churches to apply for permits to authorize such construction. However, 
the Government rarely has authorized construction permits, forcing many 
churches to seek permits to meet in private homes. Most registered 
churches are granted permission to hold services in private homes.
    Religious officials are allowed to visit prisoners, but prison 
officials sometimes refuse visits to certain political prisoners.
    Just before Holy Week, April 22-29, 2000, government officials 
informed Catholic Church officials that no processions would be 
allowed. When the Church made this information public, state officials 
changed their position and informed Church officials that churches that 
previously had requested permission to hold a procession could do so.
    The Government continued to enforce a regulation that prevents any 
Cuban or joint enterprise (except those with specific authorization) 
from selling computers, facsimile machines, photocopiers, or other 
equipment to any church at other than the official--and exorbitant--
retail prices.
    Education is secular and religious institutions are not allowed to 
operate schools. In the past, students who professed a belief in 
religion were stigmatized by other students and teachers and were 
disciplined formally for wearing crucifixes, and for bringing Bibles or 
other religious materials to school. In some cases these students were 
prohibited from attending institutions of higher learning, or from 
studying specific fields. Students who profess a belief in religion now 
commonly attend institutions of higher education, including enrollment 
in the Department of Psychology.
    Religion is not taught in schools. Churches provide religious 
education classes to their members. Catholic Church officials report 
that during the first 6 months of 2000 there was a drop in the number 
of children attending catechism classes, mostly because of other 
scheduled activities, usually by local school authorities. There have 
been no reports of parents being restricted from teaching religion to 
their children.
    Church officials have encountered cases of religious persons 
experiencing discrimination because of ignorance or personal prejudice 
by a local official. Religious persons do encounter employment problems 
in certain professions, like education.
    In December 1998, the Government announced in a politburo 
declaration that henceforth citizens would be allowed to celebrate 
Christmas as an official holiday. (The holiday had been cancelled, 
ostensibly to spur the sugar harvest, in 1969, and restored in 1997 as 
part of the preparations for the Pope's visit.) However, despite the 
Government's decision to allow citizens to celebrate Christmas as a 
national holiday, it maintained a December 1995 decree prohibiting 
nativity scenes in public buildings except those related to the tourist 
or foreign commercial sector.
    Religious groups are required to submit a request to the local 
ruling official of the Communist Party before being allowed to hold 
processions or events outside of religious buildings.
    The Government has relaxed restrictions on most officially 
recognized religious denominations. In October 1999, the secretary 
general of the World Council of Churches officially visited the CCC and 
met with government officials. During his stay, he presided in a 
religious ceremony in the First Presbyterian Church in Havana. 
Jehovah's Witnesses, once considered ``active religious enemies of the 
revolution,'' are allowed to proselytize quietly door-to-door and are 
not subject to overt government harassment, although there were 
sporadic reports of harassment by local Communist Party and government 
officials. The Government has authorized small assemblies of Jehovah's 
Witnesses, the opening of a central office in Havana, and publication 
of the group's magazine and other religious tracts.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    Government harassment of private houses of worship continued, with 
evangelical denominations reporting evictions from houses used for 
those purposes. According to CCC officials, most of the private houses 
of worship closed were unregistered, making them technically illegal.
    In October 1999, the leader of the United Pentecostal Church, 
Santos Osmany Dominguez Borjas, was expelled from Havana by security 
agents and was forced to relocate to Holguin. Osmany returned to Havana 
a few months later. Members of the United Pentecostal Church of Cuba-
Apostolic (``Iglesia Pentecostal Unidad de Cuba-Apostolica'') 
previously had split from the ``Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ'' 
because they did not agree with their church's membership in the CCC. 
Due to this split the group was not registered officially as a 
religious group.
    During 1999 and the first six months of 2000, state security 
officers regularly harassed human rights advocates who sought to attend 
religious services commemorating special feast days, such as the 
September 8, 1999 celebration in honor of Our Lady of Charity, or 
before significant national days. There were some reports that state 
security officers detained laypersons in order to prevent them from 
attending Christmas services and processions. Some persons who planned 
to participate in the religious procession reportedly were going to use 
the event to protest the continued imprisonment of political activists 
and other dissidents.
    As in previous years, state security agents in Santiago de Cuba, 
Havana, and Pinar del Rio visited the homes of human rights activists 
the night before and the morning of July 13, 1999--the fifth 
anniversary of the Cuban Border Guard's sinking of the ``13th of 
March'' tugboat in which 41 persons, including 21 children, died--to 
warn them against commemorating the incident. Marcel Valenzuela Salt, a 
member of Fraternal Brothers for Dignity (``Hermanos Fraternales por la 
Dignidad''), and five other persons were arrested while driving to a 
church in Guanabacoa to attend a mass commemorating the incident. 
Police officers detained them and confiscated the truck driven by 
Valenzuela, even though the truck's papers clearly indicated that 
Valenzuela's father was the owner. The truck was returned to his father 
after many months. Apart from these incidents, there were no reports of 
religious detainees or prisoners.
    The Ministry of the Interior continued to monitor religious 
activities, and to use surveillance, infiltration, and harassment 
against religious groups.
    There are church-run publications that are watched closely by the 
Government, and that are denied access to mass printing equipment. 
During the Pope's visit, the Catholic Church's ability to distribute 
even approved information pamphlets was constricted by its lack of 
access to printing presses. In April 2000, a leading editor of one of 
the Catholic Church's magazines was criticized in a major editorial of 
the Communist Party's newspaper as a ``known counter-revolutionary.''
    There are currently some 295 Catholic priests, 40 deacons, and 530 
nuns in the country, less than half the total prior to 1960. The 
Government allowed some foreign priests and nuns to enter the country, 
but applications of 60 priests and 130 nuns remain pending. Overall 
numbers of church officials are only slightly higher than before the 
Papal visit, since most new arrivals replaced retiring priests or those 
whose time of service in the country had ended. During the first 6 
months of 2000, the Government did not extend the visa requests of two 
priests, one in Havana and another in Santiago de Cuba, and the priests 
were forced to leave the country.
    There were no reports of government pressure against the practice 
of santeria and other syncretistic Afro-Caribbean religions.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report; the Pope's January 1998 visit 
did not lead to the level of change expected by many persons.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Persons largely define themselves as Roman Catholic, although few 
attend mass regularly. Catholicism has remained a major cultural 
reference since colonial times. After 40 years of the current regime, 
societal attitudes, including those toward religion, are heavily 
conditioned by the attitude of President Fidel Castro and the ruling 
regime. The Government's decision to allow, and even provide some 
support for, the 1998 Papal visit greatly boosted the public perception 
that espousing religious faith was again acceptable. President Castro 
further cemented this view, most importantly among Communist Party 
adherents and government officials, in nationally televised and 
broadcast speeches in which he claimed that the Cuban Revolution had 
``never'' persecuted religious believers.
    There were some tensions among religions, often because some 
religious groups perceived others to be too close to the Government. 
Tension within the Pentecostal movement worsened due to the 
establishment of house churches, which some churches believed was 
fractious, and resulted in Government action against Pentecostal 
worshippers.
    In addition, Pentecostal members of the CCC have complained about 
the preaching activities of unauthorized foreign missionaries that led 
some of their members of their churches to establish a new denomination 
without obtaining the required permits. In April 2000, because of these 
complaints by the Pentecostals, the CCC formally requested overseas 
member church organizations to assist them in controlling foreign 
missionaries and prohibiting them from establishing unauthorized 
Pentecostal churches.
    The Cuban Council of Churches is the only ecumenical body that is 
recognized by the Government. It comprises many Protestant and 
Pentecostal denominations and engages in dialog with the Catholic 
Church and the Jewish community. The Council and the Government 
generally have a mutually supportive relationship.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    U.S. Government policy toward Cuba is to promote peaceful, 
democratic changes and respect for human rights, including religious 
freedom. The U.S. Government encourages the development of civil 
society, which includes the strengthening of religious institutions. 
The U.S. Interests Section in Havana maintains regular contact with the 
various religious leaders and communities in the country, and supports 
nongovernmental organization initiatives that aid religious groups. The 
U.S. Government regularly seeks to facilitate the issuance of licenses 
for travel by religious persons and for donated goods and materials 
that in some cases are provided to religious institutions. The U.S. 
Interests Section has raised issues of human rights, including 
religious discrimination and harassment, with government officials. 
However, the Government has dismissed these concerns. The Interests 
Section reports on cases of religious discrimination and harassment, 
and the U.S. Government continuously urges international pressure on 
the Government to cease its repressive practices.
                               __________

                                DOMINICA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among the religions in society contribute to the free practice of 
religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
Religious Demography
    The dominant religion is Christianity (mostly Roman Catholic, 
Methodist, Anglican, and Seventh-Day Adventist) but religious freedom 
for others is not affected adversely. The minority religions are Islam, 
the Baha'i Faith, and Rastafarianism.
    The Government is secular, but most government officials are 
Christian. The Government does not take any steps to promote inter-
faith understanding but also does not monitor or discriminate according 
to religious faith.
Governmental Abuses of Religion
    There were no confirmed reports that the Government abused 
religious freedom; however, members of the Rastafarian community have 
complained that law enforcement officials unfairly target them. 
However, it is not clear whether such complaints reflect discrimination 
on the basis of religious belief by authorities or simply enforcement 
of laws against marijuana, which is used as part of Rastafarian 
religious practice.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversions of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the various religious communities are generally 
amicable. The Dominica Christian Council and the Dominica Association 
of Evangelical Churches conduct activities to promote greater mutual 
understanding and tolerance among adherents of different denominations 
within the Christian faith.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. 
Embassy representatives have discussed issues or events surrounding 
religious freedom with government officials when soliciting support for 
international organization resolutions concerning religious freedom.
                               __________

                           DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There is no state religion. However, the Roman Catholic Church, 
which signed a concordat with the Government in 1954, enjoys special 
privileges not extended to other religions. These include the use of 
public funds to underwrite some church expenses, such as rehabilitation 
of church facilities, and a complete waiver of customs duties when 
importing goods into the country.
    Religious groups are required to register with the Government in 
order to operate legally. Religious groups other than the Catholic 
Church must request exemptions from customs duties from the Office of 
the Presidency when importing goods. At times the process of requesting 
and being granted a tax exemption can be lengthy; some requests have 
been denied.
Religious Demography
    The major religious denomination is the Roman Catholic Church. 
Evangelical Christians (especially Assemblies of God, Church of God, 
Baptists, Methodists, and Pentecostals,) Seventh-Day Adventists, the 
Watchtower Society (Jehovah's Witnesses), and the Church of Jesus 
Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) have a much smaller but generally 
growing presence. Jehovah's Witnesses have a large country 
headquarters, school, and assembly hall complex in the national 
district. Many Catholics also practice a combination of Catholicism and 
Afro-Caribbean beliefs (santeria) or witchcraft (brujeria), but since 
this practice rarely is admitted openly the number is impossible to 
estimate. Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism are practiced. There are 
synagogues (but no rabbis at this time) and there is as yet no mosque 
in the country.
    According to Demos 97, a population survey taken in 1997 by the 
Instituto de Estudios de Poblacion y Desarrollo, the Dominican 
population is 68.1 percent Roman Catholic and 11 percent Protestant 
Christian, inclusive of evangelicals, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, and 
traditional Protestants. In the same study, 20.1 percent of the sample 
said they had no religion. However, evangelical Christians claim 20 to 
25 percent of the population, while the Catholic Church claims 87 
percent.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Although the Government generally does not interfere with the 
practice of religion, attendance at Catholic Mass for members of the 
National Police is compulsory.
    Foreign missionaries are subject to no restrictions other than the 
same immigration laws that govern other foreign visitors. There have 
been no reports that the Government has ever used these laws to 
discriminate against missionaries of any religious affiliation. 
However, in practice the process of applying for and receiving 
residency status can be long and costly for denominations that bring 
many foreign missionaries, including groups that proselytize heavily 
such as evangelical Protestant groups, Jehovah's Witnesses, and the 
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The acquisition of a 
resident status from immigration authorities currently requires an 
investment of approximately $35,000 (RD$ 577,500), which some groups 
find overly burdensome. So far, the potential negative impact has been 
avoided only by the liberal use of administrative appeals.
    The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints and Jehovah's 
Witnesses report improved relations with the Government. The Mormons 
are building a major temple in Santo Domingo with an associated 
administrative and educational facility. The construction has required 
large-scale importation of materials, for which the Mormon Church had 
to seek special exoneration from customs duties for each shipment 
(unlike the Roman Catholics, for whom such exoneration is complete and 
automatic). Nevertheless, church officials report no difficulties in 
acquiring the exemption.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations among different religious congregations are harmonious, 
and society generally is tolerant with respect to religious matters. 
However, there were occasional reports of religious discrimination on 
the part of individuals. The evangelical churches proposed a bill 
requiring Bible reading in public high schools. The Catholic Church has 
opposed the measure, and negotiations between the two groups to reach a 
compromise are proceeding amicably.
    In August 1999, education authorities investigated a report that 
the directors of Pilar Constanzo Polytechnic School, in Villa Duarte, 
National District, were discriminating against students and teachers 
who were not Catholics. The public school laid off at least 10 
teachers, and there were also complaints that Protestant students were 
refused admission, despite excellent test scores and grades. Students 
whose parents are Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-Day Adventists, Mormons, 
or who adhere to faiths other than Catholicism allegedly were refused 
entry to the school. No new developments in the investigation were 
reported during the period covered by this report.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                                ECUADOR

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors. The Constitution 
grants all citizens and foreigners the right to practice the faith of 
their choice freely, in public or in private; the only limits are 
``those proscribed by law to protect and respect the diversity, 
plurality, security, and rights of others.''
    The Government does not require religious groups to be licensed or 
registered unless they form nongovernmental organizations that engage 
in commercial activity. Any religious group wishing to register with 
the Government must file a petition with the Ministry of Government and 
provide documentation through a licensed attorney.
Religious Demography
    About 1,000 different religious groups, churches, societies, 
Christian fraternities, and foundations coexist in the country.
    Together with the military and the Government, the Roman Catholic 
Church is viewed widely as one of the three pillars of society. 
Approximately 90 percent of the population considers itself to be Roman 
Catholic, though most citizens do not practice the religion or follow a 
syncretistic version. For example, many sierra Indians follow a brand 
of Catholicism that combines indigenous beliefs with orthodox Catholic 
doctrine. Saints often are venerated in ways similar to Indian deities. 
In 1998 the Catholic Church had only 36 bishops and 1,382 priests to 
minister in 997 parishes. At the political level, the Government 
retains strong ties to the Vatican; the Papal Nuncio is the customary 
dean of the diplomatic corps. The Government allows missionary activity 
and religious demonstrations by all religions.
    Some Christian, non-Catholic, multidenominational groups such as 
the Gospel Missionary Union (GMU), the Christian and Missionary 
Alliance, and Hoy Cristo Jesus Bendice (HCJB) have been active in the 
country for many years. The Christian Alliance was established in 1906; 
HCJB began operating in the country in 1931, and its World Radio 
Missionary Fellowship broadcasts reach all parts of the country. Other 
active Protestant groups include the Evangelical Group, World Vision, 
and the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL), which operates in remote 
areas with the eventual objective of translating the Bible into Indian 
languages.
    The combination of poverty, neglect, and syncretistic practices in 
urban and rural areas created conditions that were conducive to the 
spread of Protestant missionary and Pentecostal evangelical activity. 
Such activity began in the 1960's, but became more pronounced in the 
1980's. Southern Baptists, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day 
Saints (the Mormon Church), Jehovah's Witnesses, and Pentecostals have 
been successful in finding converts in different parts of the country. 
The following faiths and denominations are also present in the country, 
but in relatively small numbers: Anglican, Assembly of God, Baha'i, 
Buddhist, Episcopalian, Hindu, Jewish, Lutheran, Muslim, Eastern 
Orthodox, Presbyterian, Rosicrucians, Masons, Unification Church, and 
the Church of Scientology. Two relatively new groups are the Native 
American churches of Itzachilatan, whose adherents practice Indian 
healing rites and nature worship, and the followers of Inti, the 
traditional Inca sun god. Atheists also exist. The total of these non-
Catholic groups represents about 10 percent of the population.
    The Government allows missionary activity and religious 
demonstrations by all religions.
    The Government does not permit religious instruction in public 
schools; private schools have complete liberty to provide religious 
instruction, as do parents in the home. There are no restrictions on 
publishing religious materials in any language.
    In early 1998, police in Pinchincha province suspended the meetings 
of a group known as ``Gnostico Cristiano Universal,'' following the 
suicide of 29 members of the ``Heaven's Gate'' cult in California, 
while they investigated possible links between the two groups. The 
Government's investigation was inconclusive. The group has since 
resumed meetings and there are two branches currently operating in the 
country.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
return to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Although relations between religious communities generally have 
been amicable, there have been a few incidents of interreligious or 
intrareligious tension or violence during periods prior to that covered 
by this report.
    The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is involved in a 4-
year legal fight with the former owner of some land purchased for a new 
temple in Guayaquil. The Church is appealing a court judgement of 
$800,000 handed down in favor of the landowner. The Church alleges that 
the judge may have been bribed. There has been little progress in the 
case.
    In April 1999, Southern Baptist workers reported increasing 
opposition from local residents to the development of a church and a 
medical clinic in the town of Chachas. The Baptist workers were accused 
of ``starting a new religion.'' Based on official permission from 
community leaders to operate the clinic, local police promised to give 
protection to the Baptist workers. However, the workers did not require 
protection, and the clinic is operating normally.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom with the Government in 
the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                              EL SALVADOR

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the freedom of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
    The Constitution specifically recognizes the Roman Catholic Church, 
and grants it legal status. In addition, the Constitution provides that 
other churches may register for such status in accordance with the law. 
The Civil Code specifies that a church must apply for formal 
recognition through the General Office of Non-Profit Associations and 
Foundations (DGFASFL) within the Ministry of Interior. Each church must 
present a constitution and bylaws that describe, among other things, 
the type of organization, location of offices, goals and principles, 
requirements for membership, type and function of ruling bodies, and 
assessments or dues. The DGFASFL must determine that the constitution 
and bylaws do not violate the law before it can certify a church. Once 
certified, the church must publish the DGFASFL approval and its 
constitution and bylaws in the official government gazette.
    In 1997 the Government implemented a law passed in 1996 that 
charges the Ministry of Interior with registering, regulating, and 
overseeing the finances of nongovernmental organizations (NGO's) and 
non-Catholic churches in the country. The law specifically exempts 
unions, cooperatives, and the Catholic Church. The Ministry of Interior 
already was responsible for registering non-Catholic churches before 
passage of the 1996 law. The 1996 law and the 1997 implementing 
regulations did not change the existing mechanism for church 
registration. There were no allegations that churches encountered 
problems in obtaining registration.
    The regulations implementing the tax law grant recognized churches 
tax-exempt status. The regulations also make donations to recognized 
churches tax deductible.
Religious Demography
    The country is predominantly Roman Catholic. According to a 1995 
survey by the Central American University Public Opinion Institute 
(IUDOP), approximately 56.7 percent of the population were members of 
the Roman Catholic Church. Additionally, 17.8 percent were members of 
Protestant churches, 2.3 percent were associated with other churches 
and religious groups, and 23.2 percent were not affiliated with any 
church or religion. Outside of the Catholic and Protestant churches, 
there are small communities representing the Church of Jesus Christ of 
Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), Seventh-Day Adventist, Jewish, and Muslim 
faiths, among others. A very small segment of the population practices 
a native religion. The predominance of the Catholic Church does not 
impact negatively on the religious freedom of other denominations.
    Non-Salvadoran nationals seeking to promote actively a church or 
religion must obtain a special residence visa for religious activities. 
Visitors to the country are not allowed to proselytize while in the 
country on a visitor or tourist visa. There were no allegations during 
the reporting period of difficulties in obtaining visas for religious 
activities.
    Public education is secular. Private religious schools operate in 
the country. All private schools, whether religious or secular, must 
meet the same standards in order to be approved by the Ministry of 
Education.
    The Constitution requires the President, cabinet ministers and vice 
ministers, Supreme Court justices, magistrates, the Attorney General, 
the Public Defender, and other senior government officials to be 
laypersons. However, there is no such requirement for election to the 
National Legislative Assembly or municipal government offices.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    In December 1999, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights 
published a report on the 1989 murders of six Jesuit priests, their 
housekeeper, and her daughter. The report concluded that the State was 
responsible for violating the right to life of the eight murdered 
persons and had failed to investigate those violations effectively. The 
report also criticized the 1993 general amnesty law, which resulted in 
the release from custody of two military officers found guilty of the 
murders in 1992, and called on the Government to reopen the case. 
President Francisco Flores publicly noted the issuance of the report 
and reiterated the steps taken through the Salvadoran justice system to 
investigate and punish the crime. However, he declined to reopen the 
case, stating that to do so would undermine the integrity of the post-
civil war amnesty, which he regarded as essential to the continuing 
process of national reconciliation. In March 2000, the Central American 
University formally filed a suit calling for the reopening of the case, 
which brought formal charges before the Attorney General's office 
against several persons who were high-ranking officials at the time of 
the killings, including former President Alfredo Cristiani, and 
requested the detention of five former military officers.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens abducted or illegally removed from the United States, or 
of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to be returned to 
the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are amicable relations among the various religious 
communities. Four of the largest Protestant denominations--the 
Episcopal, Baptist, Lutheran, and Reform churches--have formed the 
National Conference of Churches (CNI), an inter-faith organization 
created to promote religious tolerance and to coordinate a church-
sponsored social program.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. The 
Government has cooperated with the United States and other nations in 
international human rights forums in criticizing violations of 
religious freedom. The U.S. Government maintains a regular dialog with 
the principal religious leaders, church officers, church-sponsored 
universities, and nongovernmental organizations.
                               __________

                                GRENADA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
Religious Demography
    The dominant religion is Christianity (mostly Roman Catholic, 
Anglican, Presbyterian, and Methodist) but religious freedom for others 
is not affected adversely. The minority religions are Islam and the 
Baha'i Faith.
    The Government is secular, but most government officials are 
Christian. The Government does not take any steps to promote inter-
faith understanding but also does not monitor or discriminate according 
to religious faith.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the various religious communities are generally 
amicable. There are no known activities to promote greater mutual 
understanding and tolerance among adherents of different religions.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. 
Embassy representatives have discussed issues or events surrounding 
religious freedom with government officials when soliciting support for 
international organization resolutions concerning religious freedom.
                               __________

                               GUATEMALA

    The Constitution provides for the freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice. There is no state 
religion; however, the Constitution recognizes explicitly the separate 
legal personality of the Catholic Church.
    The Government does not establish requirements for the recognition 
of religions. Members of a religion need not register simply in order 
to worship together. However, the Government does require religious 
congregations (as well as other non-religious associations and 
nongovernmental organizations) to register as legal entities in order 
to be able to transact business. Such legal recognition is necessary, 
among other things, for a congregation to be able to rent or purchase 
premises, enter into contracts, and enjoy tax exempt status. The 
Government does not charge religious groups a registration fee.
    The Catholic Church does not have to register as a legal entity. 
For non-Catholic congregations, the process for establishing a legal 
personality is relatively straightforward and the requirements do not 
vary from one denomination to another. A congregation must file a copy 
of its bylaws and a list of its initial membership with the Ministry of 
Government. The congregation must have at least 25 initial members and 
the bylaws must reflect that the congregation will pursue religious or 
spiritual purposes. Applications are rejected only if the organization 
does not appear to be devoted to a religious purpose, appears to be in 
pursuit of illegal activities, or engages in activities that appear 
likely to threaten the public order. There were no reports that the 
Government rejected any group's application.
    The Peace Accord regarding the rights of indigenous people, which 
was signed in 1995, includes provisions protecting the exercise of 
indigenous religious beliefs and practices. This agreement also 
protects sacred and ceremonial indigenous sites as archaeological 
preserves. The agreement called for Congress to pass legislation to 
amend the Constitution in order to ``recognize, respect, and protect 
the distinct forms of spirituality practiced by the Mayan, Garifuna, 
and Xinca'' people. Congress subsequently passed a law containing 50 
proposed constitutional amendments, including this amendment, but in 
May 1999, the package was defeated in a popular referendum.
Religious Demography
    Historically, Guatemala has been an overwhelmingly Catholic 
country. However, in recent decades, evangelical Protestant groups have 
gained a significant number of members. Although there is no accurate 
census of religious affiliation, some sources estimate that 
approximately 60 percent of the population are Catholic and 
approximately 40 percent are Protestant, primarily evangelical. Other 
groups are represented, including Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, and 
small communities of Jews and Muslims. Although many persons nominally 
affiliated with Catholicism or a Protestant denomination do not 
actively practice their religion, few citizens consider themselves 
atheists. There are no accurate statistics on church attendance, 
although various sources report that it is very high in the evangelical 
community and somewhat lower in the Catholic community.
    The largest Protestant denomination is the Assembly of God, 
followed by the Church of God of the Complete Gospel, and the Prince of 
Peace Church. There are numerous other Protestant denominations 
represented, some specific to Central America and others, such as 
Presbyterians, Baptists, and Mennonites, which are represented 
worldwide. Within the indigenous population, a significant proportion 
practices elements of traditional Mayan spirituality, generally in 
conjunction with another religion, most commonly Catholicism. 
Protestant churches historically have been less tolerant of 
syncretistic practices than the Catholic Church, which reportedly 
accepts any pre-Columbian or traditional practices that are not in 
direct conflict with Catholic dogma.
    Catholic and Protestant churches are distributed throughout the 
country and their adherents are distributed among all major ethnic 
groups and political parties. However, evangelical Protestants appear 
to be represented in greater proportion in the Guatemalan Republican 
Front (FRG), which became the governing party when it won the 
presidency and a majority in Congress in the fall 1999 elections. The 
FRG is headed by former de facto president and retired General Efrain 
Rios Montt, now President of Congress and a longtime elder of the 
Church of the Word.
    The Government does not have any organized programs to promote 
inter-faith understanding or dialog.
    Foreign missionaries are required to obtain a missionary visa, 
which is issued for a period of up to 1 year and is renewable. Such 
visas require a sponsor who is able and willing to assume financial 
responsibility for the missionary while he or she is in the country. 
With a missionary visa, foreign missionaries may engage in all lawful 
activities, including proselytizing.
    The Government does not subsidize religious groups directly. 
However, some sources report that the Government occasionally provides 
financial assistance to private schools established by religious 
organizations. The Constitution permits religious instruction in public 
schools, although public schools are not required to provide such 
instruction. There is no national framework for determining the nature 
or content of religious instruction in public schools. Accordingly, 
when provided, such instruction tends to be programmed at the local 
level.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    In January 2000, authorities arrested a former Presidential 
Military Staff (EMP) specialist, an active duty EMP captain, and a 
retired colonel for the April 1998 murder of Bishop Juan Gerardi (See 
Section II).
    In the case arising out of the 1994 murder of evangelical minister 
Pascual Serech in Chimaltenango, charges remained pending against 
military commissioner Victor Roman, an alleged collaborator in the 
crime and also the accused perpetrator of the 1995 murder of 
evangelical pastor Manuel Saquic. Roman remained at large despite an 
order for his capture and the offer of a reward.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the various religious communities are generally 
amicable, if distant. According to members of the Catholic, evangelical 
Protestant, and Jewish communities, complaints of discrimination on the 
basis of religion are rare. There were no reports of violence or 
widespread societal discrimination against religious minorities. 
However, there have been isolated reports of mob lynchings being 
carried out in remote areas against persons suspected of sorcery.
    On July 27, 1999, unidentified assailants shot and killed Mayan 
priest Raul Coc Choc at his home in the department of Chimaltenango. 
Coc Choc was a leader of the National Association of Mayan Priests; 
members of the board reported that he had received numerous death 
threats over the telephone. Religious and indigenous leaders called for 
a thorough investigation. After detaining and later releasing a 
suspect, the judge ordered the case provisionally closed for lack of 
evidence, thereby enabling the prosecutors to continue their 
investigation.
    The April 26, 1998 murder of Bishop Juan Gerardi, the Coordinator 
of the Archbishop's Office on Human Rights, occurred just 2 days after 
his delivery of the final report of the office's ``Recovery of 
Historical Memory'' project, which detailed many of the human rights 
abuses committed during the 36-year-long internal conflict. Because the 
Bishop's murder occurred so soon after his public delivery of the 
report, which held the military, military commissioners, and civil 
self-defense patrol forces responsible for approximately 80 percent of 
war-related human rights violations, some observers suspect a political 
motive for the crime. The authorities rearrested the slain Bishop's 
assistant and co-occupant of the parish house, Father Mario Orantes, in 
March 2000 and charged him with the murder for the second time. The 
former parish house cook, Margarita Lopez, was rearrested in January 
2000 and was charged as an accessory to the crime. Orantes and Lopez 
are scheduled to stand trial in the latter half of 2000. Three other 
suspects, former Presidential Military Staff (EMP) specialist Obdulio 
Villanueva; active duty EMP captain Byron Lima Oliva; and Lima's 
father, retired Colonel Byron Lima Estrada, were arrested in January 
2000 for Bishop Gerardi's murder and also are awaiting trial in the 
latter half of 2000. The Government's investigation appears to have 
established a political motive for the killing, but details are 
unavailable as prosecutors prepare their trial strategy. There is no 
evidence that suggests that the murder was motivated by the Bishop's 
religious faith or practice.
    The ecumenical movement is weak, although there are occasional 
inter-faith meetings.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. 
U.S. Embassy officials at various levels, including the Ambassador, 
have met on many occasions with leaders of the Catholic Church, and of 
Church-sponsored institutions. The Embassy also maintains an active 
dialog with the Catholic Church hierarchy and affiliated organizations.
                               __________

                                 GUYANA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society, despite ethnic tensions, contribute to the 
free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discussed religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
    Members of all faiths are allowed to worship freely.
    There is no state or otherwise dominant religion and the Government 
practices no form of religious favoritism or discrimination.
Religious Demography
    The country is a very diverse nation, both religiously and 
ethnically. Nearly half the population traces its ancestry to the 
Indian subcontinent, while more than one-third is of African descent. 
These two major ethnicities, along with smaller groups of native South 
Americans and persons of European and Chinese descent, practice a wide 
variety of religions.
    Approximately 50 percent of the population are either practicing or 
nominal Christians--roughly one-third are Anglicans, one-quarter are 
Roman Catholics, and 15 percent are Pentecostals; there are smaller 
percentages of Baptists, Methodists, Seventh-Day Adventists, and 
Jehovah's Witnesses. Practicing or nominal Hindus constitute roughly 41 
percent of the population, while Sunni Muslims constitute about 9 
percent. Although not included in official figures, substantial numbers 
of the population practice Rastafarianism and/or a traditional 
Caribbean religion known locally as ``Obeah,'' either apart from or in 
conjunction with the practice of other faiths. Members of all ethnic 
groups are well represented in all religions, with two exceptions: 
almost all Hindus are Indo-Guyanese, while nearly all Rastafarians are 
Afro-Guyanese. There are a wide variety of foreign missionaries in the 
country, and there are no restrictions on foreign religious 
proselytizing.
    The Government has promoted cooperation among religious communities 
as a means of addressing long-standing racial tensions.
    Until 1979 almost all elementary and high schools in the country 
were run by church-affiliated organizations. In 1979 the Government 
effectively banned such schools, declaring that all schools would come 
under government control and requiring that all children attend public, 
non-denominational schools. However, beginning in the late 1980's, 
these provisions were relaxed. Both public and religiously affiliated 
schools now exist, and parents are free to send their children to the 
schools of their choice without sanction or restriction. The Government 
makes no requirements regarding religion for any official or non-
official purposes.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the country's diverse religious communities are 
amicable. Although significant problems exist between the country's two 
main ethnic groups, religious leaders have worked together frequently 
to attempt to bridge these gaps.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                                 HAITI

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for the right to practice all religions 
and faiths, provided that such practice does not disturb law and order, 
and the Government respects this right in practice.
    For many years, Roman Catholicism was the official religion of the 
country. While its official status ended with the enactment of the 1987 
Constitution, neither the Government nor the Holy See has renounced the 
1860 Concordat, which continues to serve as the basis for relations 
between the Roman Catholic Church and the State and the operation of 
Catholic religious orders in the country. In many respects, Roman 
Catholicism retains its traditional primacy among the country's 
religions. Functions with an official or quasi-official character are 
held in Catholic churches and cathedrals, and certain Catholic holy 
days are observed officially as national holidays.
    The Constitution provides that legal conditions for recognition and 
operation of religious groups be established. The Ministry of Religious 
Affairs administers the relevant laws and is responsible for 
registering churches, clergy, and missionaries. Recognition by the 
Ministry affords religious groups standing in legal disputes, protects 
churches' tax-exempt status, and extends civil recognition to church 
documents such as marriage and baptismal certificates. Registered 
religious groups are required to submit an annual report of their 
activities to the Ministry. Although many nondenominational Christian 
groups and voodoo practitioners have not sought official recognition, 
there were no reports of any instance in which this requirement has 
hampered the operation of a religious group. Goods brought into the 
country for use by churches and missionaries registered with the 
Department of Revenue are exempted from customs duties, and registered 
churches are not taxed.
Religious Demography
    While precise statistics are unavailable, about 80 percent of 
citizens are Roman Catholic. Most of the remainder belong to a variety 
of Protestant denominations. The largest of these are Baptist (10 
percent) and Pentecostal (4 percent). Other significant non-Catholic 
Christian groups include Methodists, Episcopalians, Jehovah's 
Witnesses, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), 
Adventists, and Orthodox. There are also many nondenominational 
Christian congregations. The percentage of Protestants generally is 
acknowledged to be growing, but reliable statistics are unavailable. 
Small numbers of non-Christian groups are present, including Jews, 
Muslims, Rastafarians, and Baha'is. Voodoo, a traditional religion 
derived in part from West African beliefs, is practiced alongside 
Christianity by a large segment of the population. While there are 
associations of voodoo practitioners and priests, there is no organized 
hierarchy or established voodoo church.
    Foreign missionaries operate freely. They enter on regular tourist 
visas and submit paperwork similar to that submitted by domestic 
religious groups in order to register with the Ministry of Religious 
Affairs. Many are affiliated with U.S.-based denominations or 
individual churches. Others are independent, nondenominational 
Christian groups. Missionary groups operate hospitals, orphanages, 
schools, and clinics throughout the country. U.S. churches often send 
teams to Haiti on short-term projects. Some of these projects involve 
humanitarian or educational work, while others are purely evangelistic 
in nature. While some missionaries were concerned by the slowness of 
the Government to issue them residence permits, there was no indication 
that such delay was due to deliberate harassment on the part of the 
authorities.
    The Constitution stipulates that persons cannot be required to join 
an organization or receive religious instruction contrary to their 
convictions. This is accepted to mean, among other things, that in 
parochial schools run by the Catholic Church or one of the Protestant 
denominations, the school authorities may not permit proselytization on 
behalf of the church with which the school is affiliated. Parents have 
been quick to complain and publicize the isolated instances in which 
this principle has been violated.
    Only 15 percent of the country's schools are public. In some of 
these, Catholic and other clergy play a role in teaching and 
administration. This is regulated by local authorities on an ad hoc 
basis. Church-run schools and hospitals are subject to oversight by the 
Ministries of Education and Health, respectively.
    The Government does not interfere with the operation of radio and 
other media affiliated with religious groups. In addition to the many 
radio stations operated by religious (mostly Protestant and 
evangelical) groups, religious programming is a staple of commercial 
broadcasting.
    Some Protestant and Catholic clergy are active in politics. A 
Protestant pastor has founded a political party, MOCHRENA (Christian 
Movement for a New Haiti). Several Catholic priests are among the 
leadership of the Fanmi Lavalas party of former President Jean Bertrand 
Aristide, who is himself a former priest. The Conference of Catholic 
Bishops (CEH) also occasionally issues statements on political issues.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Religion plays a prominent role in society. Many citizens display a 
keen interest in religious matters, and freely express their personal 
religious beliefs or affiliation.
    While society generally is tolerant of the variety of religious 
practices that flourish in the country, Christian attitudes toward 
voodoo vary. While many Christians accept voodoo as part of the 
country's cultural patrimony, others regard it as incompatible with 
Christianity, and this has led to isolated instances of conflict in the 
recent past.
    Ecumenical organizations exist. Inter-faith cooperation is perhaps 
most effective in the National Federation of Private Schools (FONHEP).
    Particularly in rural areas, accusations of sorcery have been known 
to lead to mob violence resulting in deaths. Given the prevalence of 
voodoo in these areas, it appears likely that voodoo practitioners are 
targeted in some cases.
    There were no developments in the case of the August 1998 killing 
of social activist Father Jean Pierre Louis; the motives appear to have 
been either criminal or political.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. The 
consular section of the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince maintains 
contact with many American missionaries and is responsive to their 
concerns.
                               __________

                                HONDURAS

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There is no state religion. However, the Government consults with 
the Roman Catholic Church on key issues of mutual concern, such as 
education and foreign debt relief.
    The Constitution grants the President the power to grant 
``juridical personality'' to associations, including churches. This 
personality is a prerequisite to being accorded certain rights and 
privileges, such as tax exemption. Associations are required to submit 
an application describing their internal organization, by-laws, and 
goals to the Ministry of Government and Justice. In the case of 
evangelical churches, the application is then referred to a group of 
leaders from the ``Evangelical Fraternity of Churches'' for review. 
This group has the power to suggest, but not require, changes. All 
religious applications also are referred to the State Solicitor's 
Office for a legal opinion that all elements meet constitutional 
requirements. Applications almost always meet these requirements. The 
President ultimately signs the approved resolutions granting juridical 
personality. The Ministry of Government and Justice did not turn down 
any applications for juridical personality on behalf of a church during 
the period covered by this report. The Catholic Church and other 
recognized churches are accorded tax exemptions and waivers of customs 
duty on imports.
Religious Demography
    There are no reliable government statistics on the distribution of 
membership in churches. The Catholic Church reports a total membership 
of just over 80 percent of the country's 6.0 million citizens. In 
February and March 1999, the Le Vote company conducted personal 
interviews on religious issues with persons age 18 or older in 1,330 
households distributed throughout the country. The company reported 
that 60.3 percent of the respondents identified themselves as 
Catholics, 28.7 percent as evangelical Christians, and 6.8 percent as 
other; 4.2 percent either did not know or provided no answer. The 
principal faiths include Roman Catholicism, Judaism, the Greek Orthodox 
rite, the Episcopal Church, the Lutheran Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, 
the Mennonite Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 
the Union Church, and some 300 evangelical Protestant churches, the 
most prominent of which include the Abundant Life, Living Love, and 
Grand Commission churches. The National Association of Evangelical 
Pastors represents the evangelical leadership.
    There are religious schools and schools operated by churches; they 
receive no special treatment from the Government, nor do they face any 
restrictions.
    The Government requires foreign missionaries to obtain permits to 
enter and reside in the country. A Honduran institution or individual 
must sponsor a missionary's application for residency, which is 
submitted to the Ministry of Government and Justice. Permits generally 
are granted by the Ministry; the resolution granting residency then is 
registered with the Directorate General of Population and Migration 
Policy.
    The Government's attitude toward non-mainstream religious groups 
can be less hospitable. In April 2000, the Government temporarily 
detained, and subsequently deported, two Colombian nationals who 
reportedly were members of a group known as ``The Patriarchate of the 
Holy Universal Tao Christian Church of Interoceanic Rescue.'' The 
Government claimed that the two individuals had entered the country as 
tourists, but that they had intended to proselytize without applying 
for legal status as foreign missionaries, as required under the law.
    The Catholic Church is seeking the return of former properties of 
historic interest confiscated by the Government at independence in 
1825.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the principal religious communities are amicable. 
The Catholic Church has designated the Archbishop of Tegucigalpa as the 
national-level official in charge of ecumenical relations and the 
Archbishop has established an ecumenical and interreligious dialog 
section within his Archdiocese. The Archdiocese also is planning to 
build an inter-faith library in Tegucigalpa to display books from a 
wide variety of Christian denominations. Christian churches work 
together through the private Christian Development Commission, 
currently directed by a Mennonite official. There is some concern by 
established churches over an alleged influx of Brazilian-origin 
religious groups who have religious beliefs different from those held 
by the established rites.
    The Catholic Church sponsors a television station supported by a 
studio and other facilities.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. The 
U.S. Embassy also maintains a regular dialog with religious leaders, 
church-sponsored universities, and nongovernmental religious 
organizations.
                               __________

                                JAMAICA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. There is no state or 
dominant religion. The Government has no requirements for recognition 
as a religion.
Religious Demography
    According to official government statistics compiled during the 
1991 census (the latest available figures), 21 percent of the 
population identify themselves as members of the Church of God, 9 
percent as Seventh-Day Adventists, 9 percent as Baptist, 8 percent as 
Pentecostal, 6 percent as Anglican, 4 percent as Roman Catholic, 3 
percent as United Church, 3 percent as Methodist, 2 percent as 
Jehovah's Witnesses, 1 percent as Moravian, 1 percent as Bretheren, 1 
percent unstated, and 9 percent as ``other.'' (The category ``other'' 
includes Hindus, Jews, and Rastafarians.) Of those surveyed, 24 percent 
stated that they had no religious affiliation. The majority of those 
who reported no religion were children.
    There are religious schools; they are not subject to any special 
restrictions and do not receive any special treatment from the 
Government. Foreign missionaries are subject to no restrictions other 
than the same immigration laws that govern other foreign visitors.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    The country has a well-established tradition of religious tolerance 
and diversity. Relations among the various religious communities are 
amicable.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                                 MEXICO

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, there 
are some restrictions.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There is a generally amicable relationship among the various 
religions in society, which contributes to the free practice of 
religion; however, in parts of the state of Chiapas continued 
political, cultural, and religious tensions have limited the free 
practice of religion within some communities.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for the right to practice the religion of 
one's choice, and the Government generally respects this right in 
practice; however, there are some restrictions.
    Religious groups cannot operate legally without registering as 
religious associations with the Under Secretariat of Religious Affairs 
of the Federal Secretariat of Government. Although the Government does 
reject a few applications, usually because of incomplete documentation, 
the registration process is routine. About 5,650 religious associations 
are registered. Since July 1, 1999, 174 associations have been 
registered, and 3 were rejected. The three applications were rejected 
because of incomplete documentation under the Law of Religious 
Associations and Public Worship.
    To be registered as a religious association, the Government 
requires that a group articulate its fundamental doctrines and body of 
religious beliefs, not be organized primarily to make money, and not 
promote acts physically harmful or dangerous to its members. Religious 
groups must be registered to apply for official building permits, 
receive tax exemptions, and to hold religious meetings outside of their 
place of worship.
    The current situation of religious freedom reflects the historic 
tensions between the Catholic Church and the modern state. For most of 
the country's nearly 300 years as a Spanish colony, the Catholic Church 
involved itself heavily in politics. This involvement continued 
throughout the post-independence period and through the end of the 
Mexican Revolution in the early part of the 20 th century. Following 
the Revolution, the Constitution included severe restrictions on the 
rights of the Church and of members of clergy, reflecting strong anti-
clerical feelings. Tensions between the Church and the state eased 
after 1940, but constitutional restrictions were maintained even as 
enforcement became progressively lax over the ensuing decades. In 1992 
the Government reestablished diplomatic relations with the Holy See and 
the Government lifted almost all restrictions on the Catholic Church 
by, among other things, granting religious groups legal status, 
conceding them limited property rights, and lifting restrictions on the 
number of priests in the country. However, the law continues to mandate 
a strict separation of church and state.
    The separation between church and state became a topic of debate 
during the 2000 presidential election campaign. Candidates made 
numerous public appearances with Catholic Church officials. Onesimo 
Cepeda, Bishop of Ecatepec, personally congratulated Francisco 
Labastida for winning the presidential primary election held by the 
Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). Presidential election winner 
Vicente Fox, candidate of the National Action Party (PAN), called for 
revising the Constitution to allow for a closer relationship between 
church and state. Some persons interpreted statements by leaders of the 
Church as support for Fox. On March 24, 2000, the Mexican Bishops 
Conference released a pastoral letter, which warned that the country's 
democratic transition was not ensured and that an ``authoritarian 
regression,'' even by electoral means, could not be ruled out. The 
letter also criticized the use of ``intimidation and coercion'' of the 
populace to promote a ``fear vote'' and called electoral fraud a sin. 
Secretary of Government Diodoro Carrasco criticized the letter as an 
example of inappropriate church involvement in politics, but took no 
punitive action. Although most citizens are Catholic, 57 percent of the 
population is against religious leaders influencing government 
decisions, according to a May 2000 poll released by the newspaper 
Reforma.
Religious Demography
    There is no single definitive source on the religious makeup of the 
population. According to various government, press, and religious group 
sources, about 89 percent of population of approximately 100 million 
are at least nominal believers in the Roman Catholic faith. There are 
11,000 churches, and 14,000 ordained Catholic priests and nuns in the 
country. An additional 90,000 laypersons work in the Catholic Church 
system. Various sources maintain that Protestants account for 
approximately 6 percent of the population. A recent press report 
indicates that, of the Protestants, Presbyterians account for 1 
percent; Seventh-Day Adventists, 0.81 percent; Jehovah's Witnesses, 
0.51 percent; Baptists, 0.1 percent; Methodists, 0.04 percent; 
Anglicans, 0.01 percent; and Lutherans 0.01 percent of the total 
population. The Undersecretary of Religious Affairs reported in May 
2000 that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) 
constitutes approximately 0.01 percent of the population; Orthodox 
Christianity, 0.05 percent; and non-Christian groups, 2 percent 
(including Judaism, 0.3 percent, and Muslims, 0.4 percent). Three 
percent of the population do not identify with any organized religion. 
There is no estimate of the number of atheists or of those who do not 
practice any religion. Ninety-eight percent of citizens say that they 
believe in God and 76 percent consider themselves religious. Fifty-five 
percent attend religious ceremonies at least once a week, 19 percent 
once a month, and 20 percent less than once a month, according to news 
reports.
    Some indigenous people in the states of Chiapas, Oaxaca, and 
Yucatan practice a syncretistic religion that mixes Catholic and pre-
Hispanic Mayan religious beliefs. Chiapas has the highest concentration 
of Protestants in the country, about 45 percent of the state's 
population, according to official estimates, although some evangelical 
Protestant groups claim that the number is closer to 60 percent. The 
competition among various religious groups for adherents there has 
contributed to tension among religious groups which has resulted in 
violence.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Government requires religious groups to apply for a permit to 
construct or convert existing buildings into new churches; 7,139 such 
permits were granted between 1992 and August 1998 and religious groups 
report no difficulty in obtaining Government permission for these 
activities.
    Religious buildings constructed under permits after 1992 are the 
property of the respective churches, whereas previously, religious 
buildings were declared ``national patrimony'' and the State claimed 
ownership of about 85,000 religious structures. From July 1, 1999 to 
May 16, 2000, the Government granted decisions on 661 property claims 
in favor of churches, which resulted in religious groups gaining 854 
properties. Religious groups have registered 8,834 properties with the 
Government. The Government has denied 240 property claims since July 1, 
1999 and 1,560 since 1993, because the properties in question were 
deemed to be owned by the State.
    Religious associations must notify the Government of their intent 
to hold a religious meeting outside of a licensed place of worship. The 
Government received 2,682 such notifications between January and mid-
May, 2000, and did not deny permission for any religious meetings. On 
May 6, 2000, 50,000 persons celebrated the first large-scale outdoor 
Catholic Mass in Mexico City's central square since 1924.
    The law bars clergy from holding public office, advocating partisan 
political views, supporting political candidates, or opposing the laws 
or institutions of the State.
    To visit the country for religious purposes, foreign religious 
workers must secure government permission. Although the Government 
limits the number of visas each religious group is allowed, it has 
granted visas to 25,761 foreign religious workers since 1994, 2,555 of 
them in the first six months of 2000. Some religious groups allege that 
it is government policy to keep foreign religious practitioners out of 
Chiapas and Oaxaca, thus making it more difficult for religious workers 
going to those states to obtain visas. The Government maintains that it 
does not deny visas based on religion, and does not expel religious 
workers based on their religious activities. Rather the Government 
argues that foreign religious workers have been expelled for 
inappropriate political behavior.
    Relations were difficult between the Catholic Diocese of San 
Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, and the Government during the tenure 
of Bishop Samuel Ruiz, which ended in April 2000. The situation in 
Chiapas is a result of a complex mix of economic, ethnic, political, 
and religious tensions. The San Cristobal Diocese has complained that 
its foreign clergy are unable to get their visa status extended or 
rectified (many enter on tourist visas). In February 1998, the 
Government expelled French Catholic priest Michel Chanteau, who had 
been the parish priest of Chenalho, Chiapas, for 32 years, on 
immigration grounds. Chanteau had blamed the Government publicly for 
the December 1997 Acteal massacre. In 1995 the Government expelled 
Father Loren Riebe and two other foreign priests from Chiapas. In March 
1999, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights found that the 
three priests' rights to religious freedom had been violated and 
recommended that the expulsion order be reversed. The Commission also 
recommended that the officials involved in the case be investigated and 
sanctioned. The Government maintains that the priests were expelled 
solely for their political activity and rejected the Commission's 
recommendations.
    Local officials in Chiapas provided active or tacit support to 
indigenous groups that physically prevented Catholic catechists from 
occupying and opening existing churches. Local bosses at times 
acquiesced in or ordered the harassment or violent expulsion of largely 
evangelical groups (see Section II).
    The Constitution mandates a strict separation of church and state. 
Religious instruction is prohibited in public schools, but religious 
associations are free to maintain their own private schools, which 
receive no public funds. The Catholic Church maintains its own schools, 
but complains of government restrictions on the running of those 
schools and the raising and spending of school funds. It also contends 
that the right to learn the religion of one's choice should not be 
limited to those who can afford to pay for a parochial school 
education.
    Although religious associations cannot own or administer broadcast 
radio or television stations, the Catholic Church owns and operates a 
national cable television channel. Government permission is required to 
transmit religious programming on broadcast radio or television, and 
permission is granted routinely. In 1999 the Government authorized the 
radio and television transmission of 7,297 Masses and other religious 
activities, and in the first 6 months of 2000 it authorized 2,858 such 
transmissions. It did not deny any requests.
    The Under Secretariat of Religious Affairs promotes religious 
tolerance and investigates cases of religious intolerance. Often these 
cases involve infringements of religious freedom by local governments, 
especially in Chiapas and Oaxaca. Since 1993 the Under Secretariat has 
investigated 528 cases, including 54 in 1999 and 19 in the first six 
months 2000, and has concluded 272 of them. A total of 256 cases remain 
open.
    In Ensenada, Baja Californaia, Veronica Torres Armenta, a member 
Jehovah's Witnesses, was denied access to school because her faith does 
not permit homage to national symbols, such as the flag. After 
criticism from the state human rights commission the state secretary of 
education ordered that the girl be allowed to matriculate.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious prisoners or detainees. The 
Government continued to investigate the case of 13 Protestants arrested 
in Mitziton, Chiapas in June 1999, but reported no new findings on the 
case. Police arrested the Protestants as they were building a church.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There is a generally amicable relationship among the various 
religions; however, in the state of Chiapas, tension between religious 
groups and between pro-government armed civilian groups and religious 
laypersons, persisted, and at times resulted in violence.
    The Catholic Diocese of San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, has 
complained that progovernment armed civilian groups threaten and harass 
its lay catechists. Moreover, human rights groups allege that such 
groups murdered five catechists between 1994 and 1997. Nonetheless, the 
motive for these killings has not been established, nor has anyone been 
apprehended or charged. The diocese also has alleged that these groups 
vandalized 28 Catholic churches in Chiapas and caused more than 20 
other churches to close between 1994 and 1997. Church closures often 
occurred when local indigenous groups physically prevented Catholic 
catechists from occupying and opening existing churches, with the 
active or tacit support of local officials.
    After years of neglect, the Chiapas state government has been 
trying to mediate between communities divided by religious differences. 
Its efforts occasionally have been successful. For example, state 
government authorities negotiated solutions to conflicts in San Juan 
Chamula, including the return of groups expelled in 1998 and 1999.
    There is a long history of religious intolerance in, and expulsions 
from, certain indigenous communities whose residents follow 
syncretistic (Catholic-Mayan) religious practices and view other 
religious practices as a threat to indigenous culture. In parts of 
Chiapas, local bosses of indigenous communities sometimes regard 
evangelical groups and Catholic lay catechists as unwelcome outside 
influences, and potential economic and political threats. As a result, 
these bosses sometimes acquiesced in, or actually ordered, the 
harassment or expulsion of individuals belonging primarily, but not 
exclusively, to Protestant evangelical groups. In many cases, these 
expulsions involved the burning of homes and crops, beatings, and, 
occasionally, killings. These problems more frequently arise in 
``autonomous indigenous areas'' under the influence of the Zapatista 
National Liberation Army (EZLN), according to evangelical leaders. The 
abuse related to these and other incidents, apparently did not occur 
solely and exclusively on the basis of religion. While religious 
differences were often a prominent feature of such incidents, ethnic 
differences, land disputes, and struggles over local political and 
economic power were very often the basic cause of the problems.
    There were three reports of conflict between Catholic/Mayan 
syncretists and Protestant Evangelicals in Chiapas. On July 18, 1999, 
Catholic/Mayan syncretists expelled 97 Evangelicals from their homes in 
Icaluntic. The displaced group relocated temporarily to San Cristobal, 
under the protection of the State Secretariat for Attention to 
Indigenous Affairs. Two attempts by the displaced group to return to 
Icaluntic failed. As part of the agreement that allowed the 
Evangelicals to return, the Government paid them $77,000 (730,000 
pesos) as compensation for damages to their houses, crops, livestock, 
and other property. Consequently, on December 3, 250 police, federal 
and state officials, as well as representatives of the Chiapas state 
human rights commission escorted the Evangelicals to their homes. In 
addition, state police officers stayed temporarily in Icaluntic to 
prevent conflict between the Catholic/Mayan syncretists and the 
Evangelicals.
    On March 5, 2000, Catholic/Mayan syncretists evicted at least 70 
evangelical families from Plan de Ayala, Chiapas. Later that month 250 
state police escorted the Evangelicals back to Plan de Ayala, where 
they remained for 2 weeks. However, in early April the Catholic/Mayan 
syncretists again evicted 20 of the evangelical families from that 
community. On April 16, 2000, the Catholic/Mayan syncretists drove out 
the 70 police officers stationed there to keep the peace and set up 
roadblocks around the town. The following day the expelled Evangelicals 
attempted to return to the community, but were prevented from doing so 
by the roadblock. Expelled evangelical families reported that the 
Catholic/Mayan syncretists demanded that they sign a statement 
renouncing their faith as a prerequisite for their return to the 
community. Attempting to mediate, governor Roberto Albores offered 
social programs to the Catholic/Mayan syncretists if they allowed the 
Evangelicals access to the town. The Catholics accepted the offer, but 
denied blocking access to community members, claiming that they only 
wanted to ``prevent strangers from infiltrating the community and 
causing problems.'' They removed the roadblock, but tensions remain.
    Tension between Catholic/Mayan syncretists and evangelical groups 
continues to be a problem in the municipality of San Juan Chamula. The 
Evangelical Commission for the Defense of Human Rights claims that 
municipal authorities have expelled 30,000 persons in the last 30 
years. The children of Evangelicals have been denied access to the 
local public schools in six communities since 1994.
    Adventists in Oaxaca report that families who were members of their 
denomination were expelled from the community of Santo Tomas Kirri. In 
Santo Domingo, Mexico state, Adventists report that they were forced 
temporarily to close their church. In Chiapas the Adventists viewed the 
local government as reluctant to intervene in towns governed by 
traditional ``practices and customs.''
    On May 17, 2000, the body of an alleged witch doctor was found in 
Comitan, Chiapas. The motive for his death is suspected to be the 
victim's practice of witchcraft, which is common in rural areas of 
southern Mexico; no suspects were arrested or charged.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with government 
officials, nongovernmental organizations, and religious leaders. 
Embassy officials have emphasized that the U.S. supports religious 
freedom worldwide, and takes a proactive approach in specific cases.
                               __________

                               NICARAGUA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Constitution also 
states that no one ``shall be obligated by coercive measures to declare 
their ideology or beliefs.''
    The Roman Catholic Church is not an official state religion; 
however, it enjoys a close relationship with the secular Government. 
The Roman Catholic Church is the most politically active religious 
denomination and has significant political influence. Catholic Church 
leaders routinely meet with senior government officials. The historical 
position of the Church is such that most religiously affiliated 
monuments and memorials are Catholic-related. However, the predominance 
of the Catholic Church does not impact negatively on the religious 
freedom of others.
    The Government's requirements for legal recognition of a church are 
similar to its requirements for other nongovernmental organizations 
(NGO's). A church must apply for ``Personeria Juridica'' (legal 
standing), which must be approved by the National Assembly. Following 
assembly approval, a church must register with the Ministry of 
Government as an association or a foundation.
    A recognized church can be granted tax-exempt status, known as 
exoneration. Exoneration is a contentious issue, in particular with 
regard to exemption from customs duties on imported goods donated for 
humanitarian purposes. Goods donated to established churches and other 
nonprofit religious organizations recognized by the Government, and 
that are intended for the exclusive use of the church or organization, 
are eligible for exoneration from duties. Prior to 1997, the Government 
provided exonerated churches with a letter confirming their tax-exempt 
status. A church could obtain customs clearance for imported donated 
goods by presenting its exemption letter. However, in 1997 the 
Government implemented a new customs regime that required clearance 
from the Office of External Cooperation, the Ministry of Finance, the 
Customs Office, and the municipality in which the donated goods would 
be used before a tax exemption could be approved and the goods 
released.
    A number of churches and other nonprofit religious organizations, 
including the Lutheran Church, the Moravian Church, and the Council of 
Evangelical Churches, reported bureaucratic delays in obtaining 
exoneration from customs duties for humanitarian aid in the form of 
donated goods. Some non-Catholic churches complained that the Catholic 
Church was receiving favored treatment in this regard and in practice 
did not face the same bureaucratic requirements applied to other 
religious and humanitarian organizations. However, some Catholic 
groups, including Catholic Relief Services, reported similar 
bureaucratic problems in obtaining exoneration from duties on donated 
goods. The Government published additional, more specific guidelines in 
April and June 1999 in an attempt to address these problems, but the 
issue remained controversial.
Religious Demography
    Over 90 percent of the population belong to one of the Christian 
denominations. According to the most recent census, conducted in 1995, 
72.9 percent of the population were members of the Roman Catholic 
Church, 15.1 percent were members of evangelical churches, 1.5 percent 
were members of the Moravian Church, and 0.1 percent were members of 
the Episcopal Church. An additional 1.9 percent were associated with 
other churches or religious groups, and 8.5 percent professed no 
religious affiliation or were atheistic. Some more recent church 
figures differ from the official census information; for example, the 
Episcopal Church claims a membership of nearly twice the census figure, 
and the evangelical churches also have made credible claims of higher 
current membership.
    The total number of citizens who practice a religion other than 
Christianity is extremely small. There are small communities of non-
Christians, including a small Jewish community that gathers for 
religious holidays and Friday evening dinners but does not have an 
ordained rabbi or a synagogue. In 1979 many of the country's 
approximately 250 Jews fled abroad in the face of persecution and 
imprisonment by the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN). The 
FSLN bombed and partially destroyed the country's only synagogue, then 
confiscated the property shortly afterward and converted it into a 
youth training camp. There is now a funeral home on the site. Some Jews 
have returned since the Sandinista Government was ousted democratically 
in 1990, but the total Jewish population of the country consists of 
fewer than 50 persons.
    There is a small number of Muslims as well--primarily foreigners, 
or naturalized Nicaraguans from Iran, Libya, and Palestine who 
immigrated to Nicaragua in the 1980's--but there is no mosque.
    Minority religions also include the Church of Jesus Christ of 
Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), Amish and Mennonite communities, the 
Unification Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, and the Church of Scientology. 
Although these religions are perceived as foreign, the Government 
neither monitors them nor alerts the public to their presence.
    Other immigrant groups include the ``Turcos''--Palestinian 
Christians whose ancestors came to Central America in the early 1900's, 
and the Chinese, who came to the country in large numbers shortly after 
World War II but many of whom fled at the time of the 1979 revolution. 
Chinese-Nicaraguans either arrived as Christians or converted to 
Christianity, and intermarried frequently with native Nicaraguans.
    There are no longer any pre-Colombian religions in the country, 
although there is a ``freedom movement'' within some Moravian churches 
to allow indigenous Amerindian spiritual expression, often through 
music. The Catholic Church is the most syncretistic of the 
denominations and does not criticize or interfere with non-Christian 
aspects of religious festivals held in its name. For example, each 
August up to 30,000 Nicaraguans--many of them painted red or coated in 
motor oil--gather to carry ``Dominguito,'' a sacred 10-inch statue of 
Saint Dominic, from his home church in a suburb of Managua to another 
church downtown. A week later the revelers reconvene to carry the 
statue back. Such events have historical roots that go back to pre-
Colombian times.
    Geographically, Moravian and Episcopal communities are concentrated 
on the Atlantic coast, whereas Catholicism and evangelical churches 
dominate the Pacific and central regions. There is a strong correlation 
between ethnicity and religion: blacks and Amerindians, generally from 
the Atlantic coast, are more likely to belong to the Moravian or 
Episcopal Church. Some evangelical churches have focused on the 
booming, remote towns of the central South Atlantic Region and have a 
strong presence there.
    The evangelical churches are growing rapidly, especially in poor 
and/or remote areas. For example, in 1980 the Assemblies of God had 80 
churches and fewer than 5,000 members. According to church leader 
Saturnino Cerato, they now have 700 churches and approximately 70,200 
baptized members.
    Anecdotal evidence points to proportionally higher church 
attendance among members of the new evangelical churches than among 
members of the Catholic and traditional Protestant churches. In the 
poorer neighborhoods, the small evangelical churches are filled to 
capacity nearly every evening. According to a Catholic Church official, 
the Catholic Church is growing numerically but losing ground 
proportionally.
    Foreign missionaries operate in the country. The Mormons have 178 
missionaries, the Unification Church has 6 families of missionaries, 
and nearly all of the non-Catholic denominations have at least 1 
missionary family in the country. Missionaries do not face any special 
requirements other than the appropriate visa--the ``religious worker'' 
visa--which is given freely to everyone who follows the application 
guidelines. The process of obtaining a religious worker visa takes 
several months and must be completed before the missionary arrives in 
the country. During the period covered by this report, there were no 
reports of difficulties by missionaries in obtaining the proper visa.
    Private religious schools operate in the country. The Government 
provides financial support to a number of primary and secondary schools 
owned and directed by the Catholic Church by paying the salaries of 
teachers at these schools.
    The Government does not take steps to promote inter-faith 
understanding, nor does it sponsor inter-faith dialog.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations among religions are very different on the two coasts. On 
the Atlantic side, where the three dominant churches are the Moravian, 
Episcopal and Catholic Churches, there is an ecumenical spirit. The 
churches are even known to celebrate the Eucharist together. However, 
on the Pacific side, ecumenicism is rare. Instead there is continuing 
and energetic competition for adherents between the Catholic Church and 
the evangelical churches.
    Both the Catholic bishops and the leading evangelical leaders made 
public statements during the period covered by this report indicating a 
desire to work together more closely, but they generally have not done 
so in practice.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights, and 
also maintains a regular dialog with the principal religious leaders 
and organizations.
                               __________

                                 PANAMA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, with some 
qualifications; however, the Government generally respects this right 
in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for free exercise of all religious 
beliefs, provided that ``Christian morality and public order'' are 
respected; however, despite the qualified nature of this right, the 
Government generally respects religious freedom in practice.
    The Constitution recognizes Roman Catholicism as ``the religion of 
the majority of Panamanians'' but does not designate the Roman Catholic 
Church as the official state religion. The Constitution provides that 
religious associations have ``juridical capacity'' and are free to 
manage and administer their property within the limits prescribed by 
the law, the same as other ``juridical persons.'' The Ministry of 
Government and Justice grants ``juridical personality'' through a 
relatively simple, transparent process that does not appear to 
prejudice religious institutions. Juridical personality allows a 
religion to apply for the full array of tax benefits available to 
nonprofit organizations. There were no reports of cases in which 
religious organizations were denied juridical personality or the 
associated tax benefits.
    Roman Catholicism's numerical predominance and ``unofficial'' 
recognition by the Constitution generally has not prejudiced other 
religions. However, Catholicism does enjoy certain statesanctioned 
advantages over other faiths. The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Panama--
but no other religious leader--enjoys privileges and immunities usually 
reserved for government officials. Catholic religious workers from 
outside the country benefit from a streamlined administrative process 
that grants them 5-year work permits. Other foreign religious workers 
must pass through a more arduous application process and must renew 
their work permits on a yearly basis.
Religious Demography
    According to a nationwide survey conducted in June, 1998, by the 
Comptroller General's Office of Statistics and Census, 82 percent of 
the population identify themselves as Roman Catholic, 10 percent as 
evangelicals, and 3 percent as unaffiliated with any religious group. 
There are also small but statistically identifiable congregations of 
Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), Seventh-Day Adventists, Jehovah's 
Witnesses, Episcopalians, and other Christians. Many recent Chinese 
immigrants still practice Buddhism. The country has small but 
influential Jewish and Muslim communities, and is home to one of the 
world's seven Baha'i Houses of Worship.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Although foreign Roman Catholic workers enjoy an advantageous work 
permit regime, many other religious organizations also have foreign 
religious workers in Panama. For example, as of June 1, 1999, the 
Southern Baptist Convention had 22 foreign missionaries in Panama, and 
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) had 197. 
However, the Immigration and Naturalization Service no longer grants 
religious worker visas or work permits to members of the Unification 
Church. Officials based their decision on allegedly deceptive religious 
worker visa applications, as well as certain Unification Church 
practices (such as mass marriages) that officials believed ran contrary 
to the constitutional requirement that religious conduct respect 
Christian morality. The Unification Church has not appealed the 
decision.
    Foreign missionaries are granted temporary 3-month religious worker 
visas upon submitting required paperwork, which includes an AIDS test 
and a police certificate of good conduct. A 1-year extension 
customarily is granted with the submission of additional, less onerous, 
documentation. Foreign religious workers who intend to remain in Panama 
more than 15 months must repeat the entire process. Such additional 
extensions usually are granted.
    The Constitution dictates that Catholicism be taught in public 
schools, although parents have the right to exempt their children from 
religious instruction.
    The Constitution disadvantages ministers of religious faiths in 
general by strictly limiting the type of public offices they may hold. 
The Constitution prohibits clerics from holding public office, except 
as related to social assistance, education, or scientific research.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations among the different, mostly Christian, faiths are 
generally harmonious. The Roman Catholic Church, despite losing 
membership through growing defections to evangelical and other 
Christian churches, generally has not reacted defensively. Similarly, 
most Protestant groups active in the country are not militantly anti-
Catholic. Aggressive evangelical Protestant criticism of ``new'' 
religions, such as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 
(Mormons) and the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (Jehovah's 
Witnesses) is not widespread.
    For the past 16 years, mainstream denominations, including the 
Roman Catholic, Episcopal, and Methodist Churches, have participated in 
a successful ecumenical movement directed by the nongovernmental 
Panamanian Ecumenical Committee. The Committee sponsors interreligious 
conferences to discuss matters of faith and practice and plans joint 
liturgical celebrations and charitable projects. In conjunction with 
the University of Santa Maria la Antigua, the Committee sponsors the 
Institute for Ecumenicism and Society, which conducts its own 
conferences and issues ecumenical publications. The Ecumenical 
Committee is also a member of the Panamanian Civil Society Assembly, an 
umbrella group of civic organizations that conducts informal 
governmental oversight and has been the driving force behind ethical 
pacts on the treatment of women and youth, civil society, responsible 
journalism, and decentralization.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. 
Embassy officials also have met with religious leaders to discuss human 
rights and the promotion of democracy and civil society.
                               __________

                                PARAGUAY

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion for all persons 
and recognizes no official religion; the Government respects this right 
in practice.
    All religious groups must be registered with the Ministry of 
Education and Culture, but the Government imposes no controls on these 
groups and many informal churches exist.
Religious Demography
    Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion, but all persons are 
free to worship as they choose. The Catholic Church is involved in 
politics at the fringe, mostly in socio-economic matters, and does not 
support any particular political party. The Church freely criticizes 
the Government. There are active Catholic, mainline Protestant, 
evangelical Christian, Jewish (both Orthodox and Reform congregations), 
Mormon, Muslim, and Baha'i communities in the country. There also are 
sizable Mennonite communities, whose members originally came to the 
country in order to escape religious persecution. These communities 
came to the country in several waves between 1880 and 1950.
    The Government is secular. Most government officials are Christian. 
The Government does not take any particular steps to promote inter-
faith understanding. Adherence to a particular creed confers no legal 
advantage or disadvantage, and foreign and local missionaries 
proselytize freely.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    While there is no large-scale ecumenical movement in the country, 
all religious groups freely exercise their beliefs in a largely 
tolerant environment. The Catholic Church often performs Mass for 
government functions, Protestant and evangelical churches engage in 
marches and prayer vigils, and part of the Jewish community holds a 
large public menorah lighting every year for Hannukah.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom with the Government in 
the overall context of the promotion of human rights. The U.S. 
Ambassador and embassy officials meet regularly with representatives of 
different religious groups.
                               __________

                                  PERU

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, 
preferential treatment given to the Catholic Church in education, tax 
benefits, and other areas continued to raise concerns about potential 
infringements of religious liberties of non-Catholics.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedoms 
during the period covered by this report.
    Relations between members of the various religions generally are 
amicable.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

        Section I. Governmental Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice. Although the 
Constitution establishes the separation of church and state, it also 
acknowledges the Roman Catholic Church ``as an important element in the 
historical, cultural, and moral development'' of the nation. The 
dominant status accorded to Roman Catholicism in public life manifests 
itself in various ways. For example, it is traditional for the 
President to attend Mass on the occasion of the country's Independence 
Day, and swearing-in ceremonies for cabinet ministers and other 
officials are conducted with the crucifix in full view. Moreover, there 
are four areas in which Roman Catholicism, the Catholic Church, and 
Catholic clergy receive preferential treatment and tangible benefits 
from the State: education, taxation of personal income, remuneration, 
and taxation of institutional property.
    Religious denominations or churches are not required to register 
with the Government or apply for a license. Nevertheless, there is a 
small Religious Affairs Unit within the Ministry of Justice whose 
primary purpose is to receive institutional complaints of 
discrimination among the various churches. This Religious Affairs Unit 
also ensures that beyond the historic preferences (subsidies and 
exemptions granted to the Catholic Church only), all denominations and 
churches receive a variety of lesser financial benefits on an equal 
basis, such as exemption from certain import taxes and customs duties 
for which they are eligible.
Religious Demography
    According to the 1993 census, of an overall population of 
22,048,356, 88.9 percent declared themselves to be Catholics. These 
included substantial numbers of individuals of sycretistic faiths, who, 
for example, combine worship of the Catholic Church's saints with 
worship of non-Christian concepts, such as mother earth and mountain 
spirits. About 7.3 percent reported that they were non-Catholic 
Christians, including evangelical Christians (such as Lutherans, 
Calvinists, Anglicans, Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, 
Pentecostalists, and members of the Assemblies of God, the Christian 
Missionary Alliance, the Evangelical Church of Peru, and the Church of 
God). This 7.3 percent also includes non-evangelical Christians (such 
as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Seventh-Day 
Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Israelites). Israelites base their 
beliefs and practices on the Old Testament. Adherents of non-Christian 
religions, including Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, and Shintoists accounted 
for 0.3 percent of the population, while agnostics and atheists 
constituted 1.4 percent of the population. The remaining census 
respondents specified no religious preferences. According to a 
respected university researcher who recently has studied the country's 
religious profile, evangelical Christians represent the fastest-growing 
religious segment within the population, while an official of the 
Episcopal Commission for Social Action estimates that only about 15 
percent of the nation's Catholics attend church services on a regular 
weekly basis.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Although teaching about Roman Catholicism has not been required in 
the public school system since the education reforms of the 1970's, 
most schools devote 1 hour a week to such study. Prior to 1977, 
religious courses in public and private primary and secondary schools 
were interdenominational. Since 1977 public primary and secondary 
schools have offered only teaching about Catholicism, although some 
non-Catholic private schools provided non-Catholic religion courses. In 
April 1998, the Government issued an executive order that established 
basic Catholic religion courses for all public and private primary 
school students.
    Traditionally, school authorities appoint religious education 
teachers, upon individual recommendations by the presiding bishop of 
the local diocese. In November 1999, the Education Ministry issued a 
directive to implement a September 1998 decree that made it mandatory 
for religion teachers to have the approval of the presiding bishop. 
Parents who do not wish their children to participate in the prescribed 
religion classes are asked to submit a written request for an exemption 
to the school principal. Non-Catholics who wish their children to 
receive a religious education in their own particular faith are free to 
organize such classes, during the weekly hour allotted by the school 
for religious education, but must supply their own teacher. The Freedom 
of Conscience Institute (PROLIBCO), a nongovernmental organization 
(NGO) that favors the strict separation of church and state and opposes 
the preferential treatment accorded to the Catholic religion, objects 
to the requirement for Catholic teaching in the school curriculum, and 
claims that the alternatives made available to non-Catholic parents 
violate the constitutional protection of the privacy and 
confidentiality of one's convictions and beliefs.
    PROLIBCO and other religious groups have challenged mandatory 
teaching of Roman Catholicism, and their case is pending before the 
Supreme Court. The case alleges that the mandatory catechism 
requirement violates the rights of non-Catholic students to practice 
their personal religious convictions. They also have challenged the 
practice in which parents must ask school directors for permission to 
excuse their children from mandatory religion courses and then pay for 
their own teacher during the hour per week of religious study.
    All work-related earnings of Catholic priests and bishops are 
exempt from income taxes, while real estate, buildings, and houses 
owned by the Catholic Church are exempt from property taxes. According 
to an official of the Catholic Church's Episcopal Commission for Social 
Action, there are, in addition, two groups of Catholic clergy whose 
members receive state remuneration over and above the compensation paid 
to them by the Catholic Church. These include the 52 Catholic bishops 
as well as those Catholic priests whose ministries are located in towns 
and villages along the country's frontiers. They are rewarded by the 
State for their patriotism in helping to populate the most remote areas 
of the country and in implementing the Government's ``fronteras 
humanas'' (``human borders'') program. Finally, each diocese receives a 
monthly institutional subsidy from the Government. According to church 
officials, none of these payments are substantial. However, PROLIBCO 
claims that the financial subsidies and tax benefits provided by the 
Government to the Catholic Church and its clergy are far more 
widespread and lucrative than publicly acknowledged. PROLIBCO has 
instituted legal action in the Superior Court of Public Law to 
eliminate all such preferential treatment. PROLIBCO also has alleged 
discrimination against non-Catholic groups that must pay import duties 
and a sales tax on Bibles brought into the country.
    Conversion from one religion to another is respected, and 
missionaries are allowed to enter the country and proselytize.
    The Government takes no steps to promote inter-faith understanding 
or dialog.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.
    During the country's period of internal conflict from 1980 to 1995, 
the Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path) terrorist group targeted 
evangelical churches in particular. The group killed about 750 members 
of evangelical churches, including about 40 pastors. Sendero Luminoso 
rejects religion and has been known to threaten and intimidate 
religious workers. However, during the period covered by this report, 
there were no reported instances in which security forces, vigilante 
groups, or terrorists attacked individuals because of their religious 
beliefs or practices.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between members of the various religions generally are 
amicable. The Catholic and evangelical churches collaborate closely in 
the area of human rights.
    Since 1995 the Catholic Church (through its Episcopal Commission 
for Social Action) and the National Evangelical Council of Peru 
(through its loosely affiliated although independent Peace and Hope 
Evangelical Association) have conducted joint national campaigns on 
behalf of prison inmates and innocent prisoners wrongly charged or 
sentenced for terrorism and treason.
    There were occasional reports of incidents of anti-Semitism and 
discrimination. Jewish community leaders in Lima claim that a number of 
the capital city's most prestigious private social clubs historically 
have refused to accept into their ranks prospective Jewish members.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Ambassador has met with a wide variety of religious 
leaders, including Juan Luis Cipriani, Archbishop of Lima and Primate 
of Peru, the president of the Catholic Church's Episcopal Conference, 
the Archbishop of Callao, as well as leaders of Peru's Jewish community 
in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. The Embassy's 
human rights officer has met with representatives of the Episcopal 
Commission for Social Action of the Catholic Church, the Peace and Hope 
Evangelical Association, and the Freedom of Conscience Institute. 
Embassy representatives also have discussed prison reform and broader 
human rights issues with officials of the Episcopal Commission for 
Social Action.
                               __________

                          ST. KITTS AND NEVIS

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among the religions in society contribute to the free practice of 
religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
Religious Demography
    The dominant religion is Christianity (mostly Methodist, Anglican, 
Roman Catholic, and Moravian) but religious freedom for others is not 
affected adversely. There is a Baha'i minority.
    The Government is secular, but most government officials are 
Christian. The Government does not take any steps to promote inter-
faith understanding.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the various religious communities are generally 
amicable. The local Christian council conducts activities to promote 
greater mutual understanding and tolerance among adherents of different 
denominations within the Christian faith.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom with the Government in 
the overall context of the promotion of human rights. Embassy 
representatives have discussed issues or events surrounding religious 
freedom with government officials when soliciting support for 
international organization resolutions concerning religious freedom.
                               __________

                               ST. LUCIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
Religious Demography
    The dominant religion is Christianity (mostly Roman Catholic, 
Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, Baptist, and Methodist) but 
religious freedom for others is not affected adversely. There is a 
Baha'i minority.
    The Government is secular, but most government officials are 
Christian. The Government does not take any particular steps to promote 
inter-faith understanding.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the various religious communities are generally 
amicable. The St. Lucia Christian Council conducts activities to 
promote greater mutual understanding and tolerance among adherents of 
different denominations within the Christian faith.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom with the Government in 
the overall context of the promotion of human rights. Embassy 
representatives have discussed issues or events surrounding religious 
freedom with government officials when soliciting support for 
international organization resolutions concerning religious freedom.
                               __________

                     ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change to the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among the religions in society contribute to the free practice of 
religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
Religious Demography
    The dominant religion is Christianity (Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman 
Catholic, Anglican, Methodist) but religious freedom for others is not 
affected adversely. There are Rastafarian and Baha'i minorities.
    The Government is secular, but most government officials are 
Christian. The Government does not take any particular steps to promote 
inter-faith understanding.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    There were no confirmed reports that the Government abused 
religious freedom; however, members of the Rastafarian community have 
complained that law enforcement officials unfairly target them. 
However, it is not clear whether such complaints reflect discrimination 
on the basis of religious belief by authorities or simply enforcement 
of laws against marijuana, which is used as part of Rastafarian 
religious practices.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the various religious communities are generally 
amicable. However, some members of society do not regard Rastafarianism 
favorably because of its popular association with drug use. The 
Christian Council of Churches conducts activities to promote greater 
mutual understanding and tolerance among adherents of different 
denominations within the Christian faith.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom with the Government in 
the overall context of the promotion of human rights. Embassy 
representatives have discussed issues or events surrounding religious 
freedom with government officials when soliciting support for 
international organization resolutions concerning religious freedom.
                               __________

                                SURINAME

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
    There is no state or otherwise dominant religion. Members of all 
the various faiths in the country are allowed to worship freely. 
Religions are not required to register with the Government.
Religious Demography
    Suriname is an ethnically and religiously diverse nation, with a 
tradition of religious tolerance. Slightly over one-third of the 
population traces its ancestry to the Indian subcontinent, another 
third is of African descent, nearly another third claims Indonesian 
ancestry, and there are smaller percentages of the population that 
claim Chinese, Amerindian, Portuguese, Lebanese, and Dutch ancestry. 
Religious diversity in the country closely parallels the ethnic 
diversity of the population.
    According to government statistics, 45 percent of the population is 
Christian (23 percent Roman Catholic, 16 percent Moravian, and 6 
percent other denominations such as Lutheran, Dutch reformed and the 
Evangelical Churches), 27 percent is Hindu, 20 percent Muslim, 6 
percent follow native religions, and 2 percent claim no faith.
    There are no restrictions on foreign missionary workers.
    A large number of faiths, including U.S. based church groups, have 
established missionary programs throughout the country. It is estimated 
that nearly 90 percent of the American missionaries are affiliated with 
the Baptist Church, with a small percentage of followers of the Mormon 
Church also present. There are several chapters of Freemasons and 
Druids. In addition to U.S. based groups, there are international 
groups such as the World Islamic Call Society and the Baha'i Faith. 
Aside from the standard requirement for an entry visa, missionary 
workers face no special governmental restrictions. The Government, 
which plans to develop the interior, has encouraged and, where 
possible, supported the various groups without showing special 
preference to any one group in particular.
    The governmental educational system subsidizes to a small extent a 
number of public elementary and secondary schools established and 
managed by the various religious faiths. While the teachers at the 
schools are civil servants, and the schools are considered public 
schools, religious groups provide all funding with the exception of 
teachers' salaries and a small maintenance stipend.
    The Government has encouraged cooperation among the various ethnic 
groups by, for example, declaring the most important holidays of the 
major religions to be national holidays.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations among the country's various religious communities are 
amicable. Most citizens, especially those living in Paramaribo, 
celebrate the religious holidays of other groups to varying extents.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                          TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels protects this right in full, and does not tolerate abuse, either 
by governmental or private actors.
    To receive tax-exempt donations or gifts of land, religious groups 
must register with the Government, which requires them to demonstrate 
that they are nonprofit. Religious groups have the same rights and 
obligations as most legal entities, whether or not they are registered. 
They can own land but must pay property taxes, and they can hire 
employees but must pay for government-mandated employee benefits.
Religious Demography
    There is no dominant faith among the multiethnic population of 1.3 
million, which is 40 percent African and 40 percent East Indian; the 
remainder are of European, Syrian, Lebanese, and Chinese descent. 
According to the latest official statistics (1990), about 29 percent of 
the population are practicing or nominally Roman Catholic; 24 percent 
are Hindu; 6 percent are Muslim; and 31 percent are Protestant 
(including 11 percent Anglican, 7 percent Pentecostal, 4 percent 
Seventh-Day Adventist, 3 percent Presbyterian/Congregational, and 3 
percent Baptist). A small number of individuals follow Obeah and other 
traditional Caribbean religions with African roots; sometimes these are 
practiced together with other faiths.
    The Government is known to monitor closely only one religiously 
affiliated group, a radical Muslim organization called the Jamaat al 
Muslimeen, some members of which attempted a coup in 1990. The 
Government's surveillance has focused on the group's repeated attempts 
to seize control of state-owned property adjoining its central mosque 
and on any actions intended to incite revolt.
    Foreign missionaries operate relatively freely in the country. They 
include the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), 
Baptists, Mennonites, and Muslims. Missionaries must meet standard 
requirements for an entry visa, must represent a registered religious 
group, and cannot remain in the country for more than 3 years. The 
Mormons maintain the maximum total allowed (30) of foreign missionaries 
per religious denomination in the country, while other denominations 
maintain between 5 and 10 foreign missionaries.
    The Government subsidizes religious and public schools. It also 
permits religious instruction in public schools, setting aside a time 
each week when any religious organization that has an adherent in the 
school can provide an instructor in its faith. Attendance at these 
classes is voluntary.
    Government officials routinely speak out against religious 
intolerance and generally take care not to favor any one religion 
publicly. The Government has set aside public holidays for every 
religion with significant followings, including Christians, Hindus, and 
Muslims, as well as for the relatively small number of Baptists.
    The Government does not formally sponsor programs that promote 
inter-faith dialog; however, it supports the activities of the Inter-
Religious Organization (IRO), which brings together representatives 
from most of the country's religions. The IRO, which was formed about 
30 years ago by several religious leaders, is called upon routinely to 
provide the prayer leader for several official events, such as the 
opening of parliament and of the annual court term.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    The country's various religious groups peacefully coexist and 
generally respect each other's beliefs and practices. Followers of one 
faith often participate in public celebrations of another faith, most 
notably in the Hindu celebration of Divali. The IRO, which is composed 
of leaders from all faiths with significant followings except for the 
Pentecostals, Seventh-Day Adventists, and Mormons (who have not 
expressed an interest in membership because of doctrinal differences), 
promotes inter-faith dialog and tolerance through study groups, 
publications, and cultural and religious shows and exhibitions. No 
group is excluded from membership in the IRO.
    Complaints occasionally are made about the efforts of some groups 
to proselytize in neighborhoods where another religion is dominant. The 
most frequent public complaints have been lodged by Hindu religious 
leaders against evangelical and Pentecostal Christians. Such clashes 
mirror the racial tensions that at times arise between the Afro-
Trinidadian and Indo-Trinidadian communities.
    The country's major conservative Hindu organization has pointed out 
that current law, a legacy of British colonialism, protects only 
Christian groups from blasphemous libel. The Government has proposed 
legislation that would extend that protection to non-Christians. To 
date, Parliament has not yet approved legislation extending blasphemous 
libel to non-Christian groups.
    In August 1999, the Orisa Marriage Act of 1999 was enacted by 
Parliament. This bill allows registered marriage officers of Orisa 
faith to conduct marriages, which are recognized as legally binding by 
the Government. Previously only Christian, Hindu, and Moslem prelates 
could be licensed marriage officers.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                                URUGUAY

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

        Section I. Governmental Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
    There is a strict separation of church and state, which dates to 
the beginning of the century. Under the influence of reformist 
President Jose Batlle y Ordonez, religious instruction in the schools 
was banned in 1909, and separation of church and state was included in 
the 1917 Constitution and reaffirmed in the current 1967 Constitution. 
All religions are entitled to receive tax exemptions on their houses of 
worship, and there were no reports of difficulties in receiving these 
exemptions. Houses of worship must register to get tax exemptions. In 
order to do so, a religion or minority religious group must register as 
a nonprofit entity and draft organizing statutes. They then apply to 
the Ministry of Education and Culture, which examines the legal entity 
and grants religious status. The group must reapply every 5 years. Once 
they have status granted to them by the Ministry, they can request an 
exemption each year from the taxing body, which is usually the 
municipal government.
Religious Demography
    Among the country's population of 3.2 million persons, about 52 
percent of the population are practicing or nominally Roman Catholic, 
16 percent are Protestant or other Christian, approximately 1 percent 
are Jewish, and 30 percent are members of other religions or profess no 
religion. According to a 1978 survey, among the Catholic majority, only 
a small percentage attend Mass regularly.
    The mainstream Protestant minority is composed primarily of 
Anglican, Methodist, Lutheran, and Baptist Churches. Other 
denominations and groups include evangelicals, Pentecostals, 
Mennonites, Eastern Orthodox, and Jehovah's Witnesses. The Church of 
Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) claims 65,000 members. 
There are approximately 30,000 practicing members of the Jewish faith 
in the country who support 15 synagogues.
    A 1998 poll revealed that 13 percent of the population identified 
themselves as atheists or agnostics, with a significant percentage 
identifying themselves as deists. Some of the country's 6 percent 
African-Uruguayan population, primarily those with roots in Brazil, 
practice animism.
    The Unification Church is active in the country and has major 
property holdings. There also is a Muslim population that lives 
primarily on the border with Brazil. Approximately 4,000 Baha'i live in 
Montevideo.
    The Government does not take any steps to promote inter-faith 
understanding.
    The public schools allow students who belong to minority religions 
to miss school for religious holidays without penalty.
    Many Christian groups perform missionary work in the country 
without hindrance from the State. The Mormons, for example, have 
approximately 350 missionaries in the country at any one time. 
Missionaries face no special requirements or restrictions.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations among the various religious communities are amicable. The 
Christian-Jewish Council meets regularly to promote inter-faith 
understanding. In addition, the mainstream Protestant religions meet 
regularly among themselves and with the Catholic Church.
    Isolated neo-Nazi elements have carried out occasional, limited 
attacks since 1997. In August 1999, an intensive police investigation 
resulted in the arrest of eight members (including one minor) of a very 
small neo-Nazi group suspected of creating racist and anti-Semitic 
Internet websites. The authorities charged five of the suspects with 
subversive association; two also were charged with inciting hate or 
violence toward a particular group. Pending the court's final decision 
in the case, the defendants were released after serving approximately 
three months of imprisonment, the minimum statutory penalty for first 
offenders in cases of this nature.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
    During the period covered by this report, embassy staff members met 
with human rights and religious nongovermental organizations and with 
leaders of many of the religious communities, including representatives 
of the Roman Catholic Church, the Jewish community, and Mormon and 
Protestant leaders.
    The Embassy maintains frequent contact with religious and 
nonreligious organizations that are involved in the protection of human 
rights, such as the Center for Documentation, Investigation, and Social 
and Pastoral Promotion (OBSUR), Service of Peace and Justice (SERPAJ), 
Ecumenical Service for Human Dignity (SEOHU), Institute for Legal and 
Social Studies of Uruguay (ILSUR), and Mundo Afro, which represents the 
interests of citizens of African descent.
                               __________

                               VENEZUELA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The country's previous Constitution provided for freedom of 
religion, as long as the practice of a religion did not threaten public 
order or violate good custom; the new Constitution, proclaimed on 
December 30, 1999, provides for freedom of religion, on the condition 
that the practice of a religion does not violate public morality, 
decency, and the public order, and the Government generally respects 
this right in practice.
    The Directorate of Justice and Religion (DJR) in the Ministry of 
Interior and Justice, which replaced the Office of Religion in an 
executive branch reorganization, is the government office responsible 
for maintaining a registry of religious groups, disbursing funds to the 
Roman Catholic Church, facilitating the travel of missionaries and 
religious officials, and promoting awareness and understanding among 
the various religious communities. Each local church must register with 
the DJR in order to hold legal status as a religious organization and 
to own property. The requirements for registration are largely 
administrative. However, some groups have complained that the process 
of registration is slow and inefficient. In 1964 the Government and the 
Holy See signed a concordat that underscores the country's historical 
ties to the Roman Catholic Church and provides government subsidies to 
the Church, including to its social programs and schools. The 
Government annually provides over $1.5 million (approximately 1.1 
billion bolivars) in subsidies to the Catholic Church's schools and 
social programs. Other religious groups are free to establish and run 
their own schools, which do not receive subsidies from the Government.
Religious Demography
    According to the latest government figures, in 2000, approximately 
70 percent of the population are Roman Catholic, approximately 29 
percent are Protestant, and the remaining 1 percent practice other 
religions or are atheists. There are small but influential Muslim and 
Jewish communities. The capital city of Caracas has a large mosque, and 
the country's Jewish community is very active. According to the 
Government, Protestant churches are the country's most rapidly growing 
religious community.
    There are approximately 4,000 foreign missionaries working in the 
country. Foreign missionaries require a special visa to enter the 
country, which is obtained through the DJR. Missionaries are not 
refused entry generally, but many complain that the DJR often takes 
months or years to process a request.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    On several occasions, the Roman Catholic Church has been monitored 
or threatened by state agents for political reasons.
    In November 1999, Catholic Bishop Roberto Luckert of Coro 
reportedly spoke against the new Constitution on his diocese's radio 
station. The next day, two military intelligence agents allegedly 
visited the station, accused its manager of opposing the political 
process, and warned that they would be monitoring and recording future 
broadcasts.
    In April 2000, Monsignor Baltazar Porras, the president of the 
Roman Catholic Episcopal Conference of Venezuela (CEV) publicly 
criticized the Government regarding a lack of electoral transparency, 
the lack of political diversity of the National Electoral Council, and 
the need for monitoring the upcoming electoral process. He also 
criticized the Government's rejection of some international aid during 
devastating floods at the end of 1999, growing social instability, and 
the supraconstitutional activities of the National Legislative 
Commission. Following these criticisms, the press reported that the 
State Political Police (DISIP) videotaped a Mass said by Monsignor 
Porras. The Director of DISIP immediately apologized, the agent was 
suspended, and the national Ombudsman's office opened an investigation 
of the incident. Bishops also reported receiving telephone threats 
during the CEV's assembly.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the various religious communities are amicable.
    There are numerous ecumenical groups throughout the country.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy maintains close contacts with the various 
religious communities and meets periodically with the DJR. The 
Ambassador meets regularly with religious authorities and the Embassy 
facilitates communication between U.S. religious groups and the 
Government. The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with 
the Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                       EAST ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

                              ----------                              


                               AUSTRALIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

          Section I. Government Policy on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. A provision of the 
Constitution precludes the adoption of a state religion. Minority 
religions are given equal rights to land, status, and building of 
places of worship.
Religious Demography
    According to the 1996 census, 71 percent of citizens consider 
themselves to be Christian, including 27 percent Roman Catholic, 22 
percent Anglican, and 22 percent other Christian denominations. During 
the first census in 1911, 96 percent of citizens identified themselves 
as Christian. Traditional Christian denominations have seen their total 
number and proportion of affiliates stagnate or decrease significantly 
since the 1950's. Of the Christian denominations, Pentecostals and 
Jehovah's Witnesses showed the largest increase in members from 1991 to 
1996, 16 percent and 12 percent respectively. In 1996 17 percent of 
citizens considered themselves to have no religion, a 35 percent 
increase from 1991.
    At the time of the European settlement of Australia, aboriginal 
inhabitants followed religions that were animistic in nature, involving 
belief in spirits behind the forces of nature and the influence of 
ancestral spirit beings. Aboriginal beliefs and spirituality, even 
among those aborigines who identify themselves as members of a 
traditional organized religion, are intrinsically linked to the land 
generally and to certain sites of significance in particular. According 
to the 1996 census, 2 percent of Aborigines and 0.04 percent of all 
citizens practice traditional indigenous religions. Almost 72 percent 
of Aborigines practice some form of Christianity, while 16 percent list 
no religion. The percentage of Aborigines who practice Christianity and 
who list no religion mirrors almost exactly the percentages in the 
wider community.
    Recent increased immigration from Southeast Asia and the Middle 
East has expanded considerably the numbers of citizens who identify 
themselves as Buddhists and Muslims, about 200,000 and 68,000 
respectively. Affiliates of non-Christian religions, while only 3.5 
percent of the population, have shown the largest increases in members 
since the 1991 census. Stated affiliation with Hinduism increased by 55 
percent, with Buddhism by 43 percent, with Islam by 36 percent, and 
with Judaism by 8 percent. These changes have resulted partly from 
trends in immigration. In 1996 48 percent of those who had arrived in 
the country since 1991 were Christians, 23 percent had no religion, 8 
percent were affiliated with Buddhism, 8 percent with Islam, and 1 
percent with Judaism.
    The Government has put in place extensive programs to promote 
public acceptance of diversity and multicultural pluralism, although 
none are focused specifically on religion.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    In a 1998 report on freedom of religion and belief in Australia by 
the federally funded but independent Human Rights and Equal Opportunity 
Commission (HREOC), the Commission stated that ``despite the legal 
protections that apply in different jurisdictions, many Australians 
suffer discrimination on the basis of religious belief or non-belief, 
including members of both mainstream and non-mainstream religions and 
those of no religious persuasion.'' Many non-Christian adherents have 
complained to the HREOC that the overwhelming dominance of traditional 
Christianity in civic life has the potential to marginalize large 
numbers of citizens. However, they have not presented any concrete 
evidence of such marginalization. Persons who suffer discrimination on 
the basis of religion may resort to the court system, which is an 
effective method of obtaining redress.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                                 BRUNEI

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion; however, the 
Government imposes some restrictions on non-Islamic faiths.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    The official religion is Islam, as practiced by the Shafeite 
school. Other religions, such as Christianity, Buddhism, and Hinduism 
also are practiced; however, non-Muslims are not allowed to 
proselytize, nor are parochial schools allowed to teach the religions 
of their respective faiths. However, government and most private 
schools are required to teach courses on Islam.
    Brunei describes its government as a Malay Islamic monarchy. The 
Government actively promotes adherence to Islamic values and traditions 
by its Muslim residents. The Ministry of Religious Affairs deals solely 
with Islam and Islamic laws, which exist alongside secular laws, and 
apply only to Muslims. During the period covered by this report, 
officials mainly focused on promoting the sale and consumption of halal 
products, enforcing the ban on the consumption of alcoholic beverages, 
and guarding against the distribution and sale of items that feature 
undesirable photographs or religious symbols.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom with the Government 
in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting human 
rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution states that, ``The religion of Brunei Darussalam 
shall be the Muslim religion according to the Shafeite sect of that 
religion: Provided that all other religions may be practiced in peace 
and harmony by the person professing them in any part of Brunei 
Darussalam.'' However, the Government only partially respects these 
rights, as it imposes some restrictions on non-Islamic religions.
Religious Demography
    The Government does not publish detailed data on religious 
affiliation. The majority of citizens are Muslim Malays. About 20 
percent of the population are ethnic Chinese, of which about half are 
Christians (Anglicans, Catholics, and Methodists); the other half are 
Buddhists. There is also a large foreign-born workforce of Filipinos 
and Europeans, the majority of whom are Christians, and Indians, who 
are predominantly Hindus.
    The Brunei-Muara district, including the capital, Bandar Seri 
Begawan, has over 50 mosques and suraus (Islamic prayer rooms), but 
there are only 2 churches and 1 Buddhist temple. There is no Hindu 
temple.
    The Government requires residents to carry an identity card that 
states the bearer's religion, and all visitors must complete a landing 
card that requests information on religion.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    In 1991 the Government began to reinforce the legitimacy of the 
hereditary monarchy and the observance of traditional and Muslim values 
by reasserting a national ideology known as the Malay Islamic Beraja 
(MIB) or ``Malay Islamic Monarchy,'' the genesis of which reportedly 
dates back to the 15th century. In 1993 the Government participated in 
issuing the Kuala Lumpur Declaration, which affirms the right of all 
persons to a wide range of human rights, including freedom of religion. 
Despite this and the constitutional provisions providing for the full 
and unconstrained exercise of religious freedom, the Government 
restricts the practice of non-Muslim religions by: routinely 
prohibiting proselytizing of Moslems; occasionally denying entry to 
foreign clergy or particular priests, bishops, or ministers; banning 
the importation of religious teaching materials or scriptures such as 
the Bible; and refusing permission to expand, repair, or build new 
churches, temples, or shrines. However, in February 1998, the 
Government allowed the Roman Catholic Church to establish the first 
apostolic prefecture in the country and to install a citizen of Chinese 
origin as the country's first apostolic prefect. This development 
marked a modest improvement in religious freedom.
    The Government sporadically voiced alarm about ``outsiders'' 
preaching radical Islamic fundamentalist or unorthodox beliefs. (The 
Al-Arqam movement was banned in 1995 and remains banned.) Citizens 
deemed to have been influenced by such preaching (usually students 
returning from overseas study) have been ``shown the error of their 
ways'' in study seminars organized by mainstream Islamic religious 
leaders. Moreover, the Government does not hesitate to investigate and 
to use its internal security apparatus against these purveyors of 
radical Islam.
    In September 1998, officials of the Islamic Propagation Center 
confiscated gold and other precious Buddhist and Christian icons from a 
number of goldsmiths in the capital, stating that the open display of 
these items ``offended local sensitivities.'' The confiscations were 
made under the Undesirable Publications Act, which gives the Government 
wide-ranging powers. Several days later, the goldsmiths were informed 
that they could recover their property from the Ministry of Home 
Affairs, which they did without difficulty, provided that their 
documentation was correct. The Government also routinely censors 
magazine articles on other faiths, blacking out or removing photographs 
of crucifixes and other Christian religious symbols.
    Religious affairs authorities continue to raid illegal night spots 
and to monitor restaurants and supermarkets to ensure conformity with 
``halal'' practices such as Islamic requirements covering the slaughter 
of animals and the ban on pork products. The actions generally are 
regarded by the majority of citizens as a means of upholding Islam.
    While requiring courses on Islam or the MIB in all schools, the 
Ministry of Education has restricted the teaching of the history of 
religion or other courses on religion, in particular, Christianity, in 
non-Islamic schools. Only the Brunei International School presently is 
exempted from these restrictions, and it does not offer instruction in 
any religion. The Jerudong International School offers an optional 
Islamic Studies course. The Ministry requires that all students, 
including non-Muslims, follow a course of study on the Islamic faith 
and learn the jawi (Arabic script). Private mission schools are not 
allowed to give Christian instruction and are required to give 
instruction about Islam; however, the Government does not prohibit or 
restrict parents from giving religious instruction to children in their 
own homes. In January 2000, the Government responded to objections from 
parents and religious leaders and set aside tentative plans to require 
that more Islamic courses be taught in private, non-Islamic parochial 
schools. In government schools and at the national university, Muslim 
and non-Muslim female students must wear Muslim attire, including a 
head covering as a part of their ``uniform.''
    Since proselytizing by faiths other than official Islam is not 
permitted, there are no missionaries working in the country.
    There is no government-sponsored ecumenical activity.
    The installation of the country's first apostolic prefect 
constituted a modest step in the direction of improved religious 
freedom, but as yet there is no broad trend toward increased religious 
freedom.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
in the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversions of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    In general those adhering to faiths other than Islam are allowed to 
practice their beliefs, provided that they exercise restraint and do 
not proselytize. There is little reported dialog among the country's 
religious leaders and their counterparts in the Christian and Buddhist 
religions. The country's national philosophy, the Malay Islamic Beraja 
(MIB) concept, discourages open-mindedness to other religions, and 
there are no programs to promote understanding of religions other than 
Islam. The country's indigenous people generally convert either to 
Islam or Christianity but rarely to Buddhism. Consequently, Muslim 
officials view Christianity as the main rival to official Islam.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of encouraging the growth of 
rudimentary democratic institutions. The Embassy has good relations 
with officials from the Muslim, Christian, and Buddhist faiths.
                               __________

                                 BURMA

    Burma has been ruled since 1962 by highly repressive, authoritarian 
military regimes, and since 1998, when the armed forces brutally 
suppressed massive prodemocracy demonstrations, a junta composed of 
senior military officers has ruled by decree, without a constitution or 
legislature. The most recent Constitution, promulgated in 1974, 
permitted both legislative and administrative restrictions on religious 
freedom, stating that ``the national races shall enjoy the freedom to 
profess their religion provided that the enjoyment of any such freedom 
does not offend the laws or the public interest.'' Most adherents of 
all religions duly registered with the authorities generally enjoyed 
freedom to worship as they chose; however, the Government imposed some 
restrictions on certain religious minorities. In addition the 
Government systematically restricted efforts by Buddhist clergy to 
promote human rights and political freedom, and coercively promoted 
Buddhism over other religions in some ethnic minority areas.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    The Government imposed some restrictions on the religious freedom 
of both Christian and Islamic groups, and individual Christians and 
Muslims experienced some discrimination by the State. The Government 
monitored the activities of members of all religions, including 
Buddhism, in part because clergy and congregation members in the past 
have become active politically.
    Since 1988 a primary objective of U.S. Government policy towards 
Burma has been to promote increased respect for human rights, including 
the right to freedom of religion. In September 1999, the Secretary of 
State designated Burma a country of particular concern under the 
International Religious Freedom Act for particularly severe violations 
of religious freedom.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    Burma has been ruled since 1962 by highly authoritarian military 
regimes. In 1997 the junta reorganized itself and changed its name from 
the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) to the State Peace 
and Development Council (SPDC). The military has governed without a 
constitution or legislature since 1988. The most recent Constitution, 
promulgated in 1974, permitted both legislative and administrative 
restrictions on religious freedom, stating that ``the national races 
shall enjoy the freedom to profess their religion provided that the 
enjoyment of any such freedom does not offend the laws or the public 
interest.'' Most adherents of all religions duly registered with the 
authorities generally enjoyed freedom to worship as they chose; 
however, the Government imposed some restrictions on certain religious 
minorities. In addition, in practice, the Government systematically 
restricted efforts by Buddhist clergy to promote human rights and 
political freedom, and, according to numerous credible reports, 
government authorities in some ethnic minority areas coercively 
promoted Buddhism over other religions, particularly among members of 
the minority ethnic groups.
    There is no official state religion; however, the Government 
continued to show a preference for Theravada Buddhism in practice. 
Successive Governments, civilian and military, have supported and 
associated themselves conspicuously with Buddhism.
    Virtually all organizations must be registered with the Government. 
Although there is a government directive exempting ``genuine'' 
religious organizations from registration, in practice only registered 
organizations can buy or sell property or open bank accounts, which 
induces most religious organizations to register. Religious 
organizations register with the Ministry of Home Affairs with the 
endorsement of the Ministry for Religious Affairs. However, at least 
one religiously-affiliated organization was allowed to open a bank 
account with the endorsement of the Myanmar Council of Churches instead 
of the Ministry of Religious Affairs. The State also provides some 
utilities, such as electricity, at preferential rates to recognized 
religious organizations.
Religious Demography
    The great majority of the country's population at least nominally 
follows Theravada Buddhism, although in practice popular Burmese 
Buddhism includes veneration of many indigenous pre-Buddhist deities 
called ``nats'' and coexists with astrology, numerology, and fortune-
telling. Buddhist monks, including novices, number more than 300,000, 
roughly 2 percent of the male Buddhist population, and depend for their 
material needs entirely on alms donated by the laity, including daily 
donations of food. The clergy also includes a much smaller number of 
nuns.
    There are minorities of Christians (mostly Baptists as well as some 
Catholics and Anglicans), Muslims (mostly Sunni), Hindus, and 
practitioners of traditional Chinese and indigenous religions. 
According to government statistics, almost 90 percent of the population 
practice Buddhism, 4 percent practice Christianity, and 4 percent 
practice Islam; however, these statistics may understate the non-
Buddhist proportion of the population.
    The country is ethnically diverse, and there is some correlation 
between ethnicity and religion. Theravada Buddhism is the dominant 
religion among the majority Burman ethnic group, and among the Shan and 
Mon ethnic minorities of the eastern region. In much of the country 
there also is some correlation between religion and social class, in 
that non-Buddhists tend to be better educated in secular matters, more 
urbanized, and more commercially oriented than the Buddhist majority.
    Christianity is the dominant religion among the Kachin ethnic group 
of the northern region and the Chin and Naga ethnic groups of the 
western region (some of which practice traditional indigenous 
religions); it also is widely practiced among the Karen and Karenni 
ethnic groups of the southern and eastern regions. Many other Karen and 
Karenni are Theravada Buddhists. Hinduism is practiced chiefly by 
Indians, mostly Tamils and Bengalis, who are concentrated in major 
cities and in the south-central region (although many Tamils are 
Catholic). Islam is practiced widely in Arakan Division on the west 
coast, where it is the dominant religion of the Rohingya minority, and 
among Indians and Bengalis and their descendants. The small Chinese 
ethnic minorities practice traditional Chinese religions. Traditional 
indigenous religions are practiced widely among smaller ethnic groups 
in the northern regions and persist widely in popular Buddhist 
practice, especially in rural areas. There are no reliable statistics 
on religious affiliation and ethnicity.
    Since independence in 1948, many of the ethnic minority areas have 
been bases for armed resistance to the State. Although most armed 
ethnic groups have negotiated cease-fire agreements with the Government 
since 1989, active Shan, Karen and Karenni insurgencies continue, and a 
Chin insurgency has developed since the late 1980's. Successive 
civilian and military governments have tended to view religious freedom 
in the context of threats to national unity.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Government continued both to show preference for Theravada 
Buddhism, the majority religion, and to control the organization and 
restrict the activities and expression of its clergy (``sangha''). The 
Government prohibits any organizations of Buddhist clergy other than 
nine state-recognized monastic orders, which submit to the authority of 
a state-sponsored State Clergy Coordination Committee (``Sangha Maha 
Nayaka Committee''--SMNC) elected indirectly by monks. The Government 
provides guidance and enforcement for the committee at the national 
level and for its subordinate bodies at local levels. The Government 
continued to fund two State Sangha Universities in Rangoon and Mandalay 
to train Buddhist clergy under the control of the SMNC. The State's 
relations with the Buddhist clergy and Buddhist schools are handled 
chiefly by the Department for the Perpetuation and Propagation of the 
Sasana (DPPS--``Sasana'' means Buddhist doctrine) in the Ministry of 
Religious Affairs.
    The Government monitored the activities of members of all 
religions, including Buddhism, in part because clergy and congregation 
members in the past have become active politically. In 1995 the 
military Government prohibited the ordination as clergy of any member 
of a political party. This measure remains in effect. Moreover, there 
is a concentration of Christians among some of the ethnic minorities 
against which the army has fought for decades, although many of the 
ethnic insurgencies have been waged by groups that practice Buddhism.
    At the same time, the Government, apparently in order to bolster 
its legitimacy among the Buddhist majority, discriminated against 
members of minority religions and restricted the educational, 
proselytizing, and building activities of minority religious groups.
    Christians and Muslims experienced difficulties in obtaining 
permission to build places of worship and in importing indigenous-
language translations of traditional sacred texts. Through the 1990's, 
the Government increasingly has made special efforts to link itself 
with Buddhism as a means of asserting its own popular legitimacy. 
State-controlled news media continued frequently to depict or describe 
junta members paying homage to Buddhist monks, making donations at 
pagodas throughout the country, officiating at ceremonies to open, 
improve, restore or maintain pagodas, and organizing ostensibly 
voluntary ``people's donations'' of money, food, and uncompensated 
labor to build or refurbish Buddhist religious shrines throughout the 
country. State-owned newspapers routinely featured, as front-page 
banner slogans, quotations from the Buddhist scriptures. Buddhist 
doctrine remained part of the state-mandated curriculum in all 
elementary schools; however, individual children may opt out of 
instruction in Buddhism, and sometimes do so in practice. The 
Government has published books of Buddhist religious instruction. The 
Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA), a government-
sponsored mass organization in which participation often is not 
entirely voluntary, has organized courses in Buddhist culture attended 
by millions of persons, according to state-owned media reports.
    In April 1997, following widespread riots that involved Buddhist 
clergy, the Government effectively closed the two State Sangha 
Universities and banned the administration of religious literature 
examinations required for advancement in the clergy. However, during 
the period covered by this report, the religious literature 
examinations were administered again, and in May 2000 it was announced 
that 48 monks received titles.
    During the mid-1990's, the Government funded the construction of 
the International Theravada Buddhist Missionary University (ITBMU) in 
Rangoon, which opened in December 1998. The ITBMU's stated purpose is 
``to share Myanmar's knowledge of Buddhism with the people of the 
world,'' and the main language of instruction is English.
    Government authorities repeatedly prohibited Christian clergy from 
proselytizing. Local military commanders, who often provide such 
orders, rarely cite any legal justification for their actions. In 
general the Government has not allowed permanent foreign religious 
missions to operate since the mid-1960's, when it expelled nearly all 
foreign missionaries and nationalized all private schools and 
hospitals, which were extensive and were affiliated mostly with 
Christian religious organizations. The Government is not known to have 
paid any compensation in connection with these extensive confiscations. 
However, the Government has allowed a few elderly Catholic priests and 
nuns who have worked in the country since before independence to 
continue their work. Government authorities usually granted foreign 
religious representatives visas only for short stays in the country but 
in some cases permitted them to preach to congregations. Some Christian 
theological seminaries established before 1962 have continued to 
operate.
    In October 1990, the military junta promulgated Order 6/90, which 
bans any organization of Buddhist clergy other than the nine orders 
constituting the SMNC; Order 7/90, which authorizes military commanders 
to try Buddhist clergy before military tribunals for ``activities 
inconsistent with and detrimental to Buddhism;'' and Decree 20/90, 
``Law Concerning Sangha Organizations,'' which imposes on Buddhist 
clergy a code of conduct enforced by criminal penalties. These edicts 
remain in effect.
    Christian and Islamic groups continued to have difficulties in 
obtaining permission to build new churches and mosques, particularly on 
prominent sites. In parts of Chin State, authorities reportedly have 
not authorized the construction of any new churches since 1997. The 
Government reportedly has denied permission for churches to be built on 
main roads in cities such as Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State. In 
Arakan State reportedly in April 2000, authorities reportedly detained 
12 Muslim elders for failing to demolish three mosques in Dodine 
village. In Rangoon authorities also have instructed Chin and Kachin 
Christian worship facilities to use the term ``religious center'' 
rather than ``church.'' Buddhist groups are not known to have 
experienced similar difficulties in obtaining permission to build 
pagodas or monasteries. In most regions of the country, Christian and 
Muslim groups that seek to build small churches or mosques on side 
streets or other inconspicuous locations eventually have been able to 
obtain official permission, despite a generally time-consuming 
bureaucracy.
    Since the 1960's, Christian and Islamic groups have had 
difficulties in importing religious literature. Religious publications, 
like secular ones, remained subject to control and censorship. 
Translations of the Bible and the Koran into indigenous languages could 
not be imported legally, although Bibles can be printed locally in 
indigenous languages. During the period covered by this report, there 
were no reports of Bibles or other religious materials having been 
confiscated; however, according to the Chin Freedom coalition, in early 
1999, 16,000 Bibles were confiscated in Tamu Township. State censorship 
authorities reportedly object to existing translations of the Bible and 
the Koran, including some translations that became widely used and 
accepted by some of the country's Christian and Muslim groups during 
the colonial period. According to some reports, the censors have 
objected to the use in Christian or Islamic literature of certain 
indigenous-language terms long used in Buddhist religious literature; 
the censors reportedly have maintained that the use of these terms is 
appropriately limited to Buddhism. According to other reports, the 
censors have objected to passages of the Old Testament and the Koran 
that may appear to approve the use of violence against nonbelievers. 
Although possession of publications not approved by the censors is an 
offense for which persons have been arrested and prosecuted in recent 
years, there were no reports of arrests or prosecutions for possession 
of any traditional religious literature during the period covered by 
this report.
    The Government allowed members of all religious groups to establish 
and maintain links with coreligionists in other countries and to travel 
abroad for religious purposes, subject to restrictive passport and visa 
issuance practices, foreign exchange controls, and the government 
monitoring that extends to all international activities for any 
purpose. The Government sometimes expedited its burdensome passport 
issuance procedures for Muslims making the Hajj.
    Religious affiliation sometimes is indicated on governmentissued 
identification cards that citizens and permanent residents of the 
country are required to carry at all times. There appear to be no 
consistent criteria governing whether a person's religion is indicated 
on his or her identification card. Citizens also are required to 
indicate their religions on some official application forms, e.g., on 
passports (which have a separate ``field'' for religion, as well as 
ethnicity).
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    The Government, which operates a pervasive internal security 
apparatus, generally infiltrates or monitors the meetings and 
activities of virtually all organizations, including religious 
organizations.
    During the period covered by this report the Government continued 
to imprison Buddhist monks who exercised their rights to free speech 
and association by calling for democracy and political dialog with 
prodemocracy forces. More than 100 monks credibly have been identified 
as having been imprisoned during the 1990's for supporting democracy 
and human rights; however, about half of these have been released, and 
there is no reliable estimate of the number of Buddhist clergy in 
prisons or labor camps as of mid-2000. In the past, Buddhist monks 
reportedly have died in prisons or labor camps run by the Government's 
Department of Prisons; however, there have been no known reports since 
1994. Monks serving sentences of life in prison reportedly included the 
venerable U Kalyana of Mandalay, a member of the Aung San Red Star 
Association, and the venerable U Kawiya of the Phayahyi monastery in 
Mandalay. In Arakan State, authorities reportedly detained 12 Muslim 
elders for failing to demolish 3 mosques in Dodine village. Two Chin 
pastors, Reverend Biak Kam and Reverend Thawng Kam of Than Tlang 
township were detained in October 1999, reportedly in connection with 
the desertion of a Burmese soldier stationed in Chin State. They later 
were released.
    In May 2000 there were reports that in Pegu and Mandalay security 
forces arrested or detained a group of monks called the Monk's Union in 
connection with a February 17, 2000 letter calling for political 
gatherings on May 26, 2000. The monks reportedly issued a 100-day 
ultimatum threatening nationwide strikes in the event that dialog 
between the military regime and the NLD did not occur. During this 
time, government authorities publicly warned monasteries in Rangoon and 
Mandalay against fomenting civil disorder and asked elder monks to 
admonish the younger monks. For example, a senior military commander 
lectured abbots and monks at a May 25, 2000 meeting by outlining all of 
the resources expended by the military Government in support of 
Buddhism, and indicating that some members of the faith required 
``purification,'' because they were conducting acts that were ``not 
proper in the eyes of the public.'' He requested the senior abbots not 
to revere any members of religious orders who did not have correct 
views and urged them to ``admonish'' those who failed to follow the 
prescribed code of conduct. On the scheduled weekend, about 100 monks 
reportedly walked from Rangoon to Mandalay, but no disturbances were 
reported.
    Security forces have destroyed or looted Buddhist temples, churches 
and mosques in ethnic minority areas. Government security forces 
continued efforts to induce members of the Chin ethnic minority to 
convert to Buddhism and prevent Christian Chin from proselytizing by 
highly coercive means, including religiously selective exemptions from 
forced labor, and by arresting, detaining, interrogating, and 
physically abusing Christian clergy. There continued to be credible 
reports from diverse regions of the country that government officials 
and security forces compelled persons, especially in rural areas, to 
contribute money, food, or uncompensated labor to statesponsored 
projects to build, renovate, or maintain Buddhist religious shrines or 
monuments. The Government calls these contributions ``voluntary 
donations'' and imposes them on both Buddhists and non-Buddhists.
    Authorities at times also restricted the freedom of movement of 
clergy. For example, in July 1999, the senior abbots of five 
monasteries around Mandalay reportedly protested a new order by the 
regional military command that forbade Buddhist clergy from leaving 
their township of residence without first surrendering their identity 
cards and obtaining written permission from local authorities; persons 
other than Buddhist clergy generally were not subject to such severe 
restrictions on movement.
    Non-Buddhists continued to experience discrimination at upper 
levels of the public sector. Only one non-Buddhist served in the 
Government at a ministerial level, and the same person, a brigadier 
general, is the only non-Buddhist known to have held flag rank in the 
armed forces during the 1990's. The Government discourages Muslims from 
entering military service, and Christian or Muslim military officers 
who aspire to promotion beyond middle ranks are encouraged by their 
superiors to convert to Buddhism.
    The Government ostensibly promotes mutual understanding among 
practitioners of different religions. Official public holidays include 
some Christian and Islamic holy days, as well as several Theravada 
Buddhist holy days. The Government maintains a multireligion monument 
in downtown Rangoon. In 1998 it announced plans to build a new 
Multireligion Square on some of the land that it recovered in 1997 by 
relocating Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, and Muslim cemeteries in 
Rangoon's Kyandaw neighborhood, although as of June 2000, construction 
had not begun yet.
    Since 1990 government authorities and security forces have promoted 
Buddhism over Christianity among the Chin ethnic minority of the 
western part of the country. Until 1990 the Chin generally practiced 
either Christianity or traditional indigenous religions. (The Chin were 
the only major ethnic minority in the country that did not support any 
significant armed organization in active rebellion against the 
Government or in an armed cease-fire with the Government. However, Chin 
opposition groups emerged in 1988 and subsequently developed into 
active insurgencies against the Government.) Since 1990 government 
authorities and security forces, with assistance from monks of the Hill 
Regions Buddhist Missions, coercively have sought to induce Chins to 
convert to Theravada Buddhism and to prevent Christian Chins from 
proselytizing Chins who practice traditional indigenous religions. This 
campaign, reportedly accompanied by other efforts to ``Burmanize'' the 
Chin, has involved a large increase in military units stationed in Chin 
State and other predominately Chin areas, state-sponsored immigration 
of Buddhist Burman monks from other regions, and construction of 
Buddhist monasteries and shrines in Chin communities with few or no 
Buddhists, often by means of forced ``donations'' of money or labor.
    According to multiple credible reports, authorities and security 
forces promoted Buddhism among the Chin in diverse and often coercive 
ways. For example, military units repeatedly located their camps on the 
sites of Christian churches and graveyards, which were destroyed to 
build these camps; local Chin Christians were forced to assist in these 
acts of desecration. Local government officials ordered Christian Chins 
to attend sermons by newly arrived Buddhist monks who disparaged 
Christianity and promised monthly support payments to individuals and 
households that converted to Buddhism. Government soldiers stationed in 
Chin State reportedly were given higher rank and pay if they induced 
Chin women to marry them and convert to Buddhism. The authorities 
reportedly supplied rice to Buddhists at lower prices than to 
Christians, distributed extra supplies of foodstuffs to Buddhists on 
Sunday mornings while Christians attended church, and exempted converts 
to Buddhism from forced labor. It credibly was reported that in Karen 
State's Pa'an Township army units repeatedly conscripted as porters 
young men leaving Sunday worship services at some Christian churches, 
causing young men to avoid church attendance. Soldiers led by officers 
repeatedly disrupted Christian worship services and celebrations. Chin 
Christians were forced to ``donate'' labor to clean and maintain 
Buddhist shrines. Local government officials separated the children of 
Chin Christians from their parents under false pretenses of giving them 
free secular education and allowing them to practice their own 
religion, while in fact the children were lodged in Buddhist 
monasteries where they were instructed in and converted to Buddhism 
without their parents' knowledge or consent. The authorities reportedly 
subjected Christian sermons to censorship. Government authorities 
repeatedly prohibited Christian clergy from proselytizing. In the past, 
soldiers beat Christian clergy who refused to sign statements promising 
to stop preaching. Two Chin pastors from Than Tlang township were 
detained in October 1999, reportedly in connection with the desertion 
of a Burmese soldier stationed in Chin State. They later were released.
    There were several credible reports of harassment of Christian 
churches and pastors in Chin State and in the Chin community elsewhere 
in connection with the celebration of the 100th year of Christianity 
among the Chin in 1999.
    Since the early 1990's, security forces have torn down or forced 
villagers to tear down crosses that had been erected outside Chin 
Christian villages. These crosses often have been replaced with 
pagodas, sometimes built with forced labor. Many of these crosses had 
been erected in remembrance of former missionaries from the United 
States. However, in one case authorities allowed a cross removed from 
the top of a hill to be rebuilt on the middle of the hill.
    After parts of the Aungdawmu Buddhist pagoda in Chin State's Falam 
Township collapsed in July 1999, Buddhist monks and army authorities 
reportedly forced Chin villagers, most of whom were not Buddhists, to 
labor for months without pay to repair it.
    While in the 1990's, there were unconfirmed reports of arrests, 
detentions and imprisonments of Chin pastors, there were no reports of 
Chin pastors in custody during the period covered by this report.
    There were unconfirmed reports of governmental restrictions on the 
religious freedom of Christians among the Naga ethnic minority in the 
far northwest of the country. These reports suggested that the 
Government sought to induce members of the Naga to convert to Buddhism 
by means similar to those it used to convert members of the Chin to 
Buddhism. However, reports concerning the Naga, although credible, are 
less numerous than reports concerning the Chin. Consequently, the 
status of religious freedom among the Naga is more uncertain than that 
of religious freedom among the Chin.
    During 1999 the first mass exodus of Naga religious refugees from 
the country occurred. In August 1999, more than 1,000 Christians of the 
Naga ethnic group, from 8 different villages, reportedly fled the 
country to India. These Naga reportedly claimed that the army and 
Buddhist monks tried to force them to convert to Buddhism and had 
forced them to close churches in their villages, then desecrated the 
churches.
    There were no known reports of government violations of religious 
freedom in predominantly Christian Kachin State, although Christian 
groups continued to have difficulty obtaining permission to build new 
churches. Most of Kachin State was administered by the Kachin 
Independence Organization (KIO), under a 1989 cease-fire arrangement 
with the Government that allows KIO forces to remain armed. By 
contrast, in the other ethnic minority regions where Christianity is 
practiced widely, i.e., Karen and Chin States, armed ethnic groups were 
engaged actively in hostilities against the Government.
    Members of the Muslim Rohingya minority in Arakan State, on the 
country's western coast, continued to experience severe legal, 
economic, and social discrimination. The Government denies citizenship 
status to most Rohingyas on the grounds that their ancestors allegedly 
did not reside in the country at the start of British colonial rule, as 
required by the country's highly restrictive citizenship law. In 1991 
tens of thousands of Rohingya, according to some reports as many as 
300,000 persons, fled from Arakan State into Bangladesh following anti-
Muslim violence alleged although not proven to have involved government 
troops. Many of the 21,000 Rohingya Muslims remaining in refugee camps 
in Bangladesh have refused to return to Burma because they feared human 
rights abuses, including religious persecution. The U.N. High 
Commissioner for Refugees reported that authorities cooperated in 
investigating isolated incidents of renewed abuse of repatriated 
citizens. However, returnees complained of severe government 
restrictions on their ability to travel and to engage in economic 
activity. Unlike the practice with other foreign persons in the 
country, these Muslims are not issued a foreign registration card 
(FRC). They are required to obtain permission from the concerned area 
authorities whenever they wish to leave their village area. Permission 
to travel to Rangoon usually is not granted to Rohingya Muslims, but 
permission can sometimes be obtained through bribery. These 
extraordinary payments result in limiting travel to the capital to only 
the wealthiest people. There were credible reports that Muslims in 
Arakan State continue to be compelled to build Buddhist pagodas as part 
of the country's forced labor program. These pagodas often are built on 
confiscated Muslim land. On November 19, 1999, in Arakan State's 
Maungdaw Township, Myint Tun, director of the state's Buddhist 
Religious Township Association, accompanied by officials of a local 
Buddhist religious center, reportedly visited the village of Lower 
Purma and ordered the village headman to demolish the village's largest 
and oldest mosque, without citing any reason. During the period covered 
by this report, Secretary-One of the SPDC, Lieutenant-General Khin 
Nyunt, inaugurated a new pagoda in nothern Rakhine State that was built 
on land confiscated from the local Muslims and built with forced Muslim 
labor.
    There were credible reports that during the spring of 1999 
antiIslamic booklets were distributed throughout the country through 
the USDA, a government-sponsored mass organization. This report 
followed other reports in recent years of government instigation or 
toleration of violence against Muslims.
    Religious activities and organizations of all faiths are not exempt 
from broad government restrictions on freedom of expression and 
association. The Government subjects all publications, including 
religious publications, to control and censorship. The Government 
generally prohibits outdoor meetings of more than five persons, 
including religious meetings.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report. However, government 
restrictions on speech, press, assembly, and movement, including 
diplomatic travel, make it difficult to obtain timely and accurate 
information about respect for human rights generally, including freedom 
of religion. Information about abuses often becomes available only 
months or years after the events, from refugees who have fled to other 
countries, from released political prisoners, or from occasional travel 
inside the country by foreign journalists and scholars.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are social tensions between the Buddhist majority and the 
Christian and Muslim minorities, due in large part to government 
preference in practice (although not in law) both for nonBuddhists 
during British colonial rule and for Buddhists since independence. 
There is widespread prejudice against Muslims, many of whom are ethnic 
Indians or Bengalis. Even though the Government reportedly contributed 
to or instigated anti-Muslim violence in Arakan State in 1991, in Shan 
State and Rangoon in 1996, and in cities throughout the country in 
1997, its reported ability to do so repeatedly reflects widespread 
prejudice against Muslims, many of whom are ethnic Indians or Bengalis.
    Since 1994 when the progovernment Democratic Karen Buddhist Army 
(DKBA) was organized, there has been armed conflict between the DKBA 
and the Karen National Union (KNU). Although the DKBA was formed and 
has operated with government support and guidance and reportedly 
includes some Christians, and although the KNU includes many Buddhists, 
this armed conflict between two nongovernmental Karen organizations has 
had strong religious overtones. During the mid-1990's, when the DKBA 
captured a village from the KNU, it reportedly was common DKBA practice 
to interrogate and release Buddhist villagers but to torture Christian 
villagers and kill them if they refused to convert to Buddhism. DKBA 
treatment of Christians reportedly improved substantially after the 
DKBA settled down to administering the regions it had conquered. 
According to one report, in February 2000, a DKBA unit ordered 
villagers in Khwet Phoe village to destroy a local mosque after 
arresting and executing five villagers for supporting the KNU. In April 
2000, residents of Kaw Kyaik village in Karen State protested an order 
from DKBA units to destroy the local mosque.
    In October 1999, the Government claimed that members of the Chin 
National Front (CNF) in Htan Hle village killed Buddhist monk U Thon 
Nanda and looted a Buddhist monastery. The CNF criticized the killing 
and denied that it was responsible. In June 2000, the authorities 
claimed in an unconfirmed report that 28 Karenni National Progressive 
Party insurgents shot and wounded a Catholic priest, Father Abe Lei, 
and took 4 other persons hostage on June 17, 2000.
    A 1996 incident of lethal violence at a major Buddhist religious 
shrine remained unresolved. There continued to be no arrest warrants or 
indictments issued in connection with the bombing, on Christmas day 
1996, of a pagoda in Rangoon at which a relic of the Buddha's tooth, 
then on loan from China, temporarily was lodged. The bombing killed 4 
persons and injured 18 others. No organization is known to have claimed 
responsibility for this bombing.
    A reported 1997 desecration of a major Buddhist shrine also 
remained unresolved. In early March 1997, reports that an ancient and 
highly venerated image of the Buddha in Mandalay's Maya Myatmuni Pagoda 
had been broken into, and that large rubies embedded in it had been 
stolen, contributed to widespread public protest demonstrations by 
Buddhist monks and laypersons demanding an investigation of the 
incident. There has been no public judicial inquiry into this reported 
desecration.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    Since 1988 a primary objective of U.S. Government policy toward 
Burma has been to promote increased respect for human rights, including 
the right to freedom of religion. The United States discontinued 
bilateral aid to the Government, suspended issuance of licenses to 
export arms to Burma, suspended generalized system of preferences, 
tariff preference for imports of Burmese origin, and suspended export-
import bank financial services in support of U.S. exports to Burma. The 
U.S. Government also has not provided any overseas private investment 
organization financial services in support of U.S. investment in Burma, 
has suspended active promotion of trade with Burma, suspended issuance 
of visas to high government officials and their immediate family 
members, banned new investment in Burma by U.S. firms, opposed all 
assistance to the Government by international financial institutions, 
and urged the governments of other countries to take similar actions.
    The U.S. Government actively supported the decision of the 
International Labor Organization (ILO), in June 1999, to suspend the 
Government of Burma from participation in ILO programs, based in part 
on an August 1998 ILO Commission of Inquiry report that the Government 
systematically used forced labor for a wide range of civilian and 
military purposes.
    The U.S. Embassy has promoted religious freedom in the overall 
context of its promotion of human rights generally in numerous contacts 
with government officials (both informally and through repeated formal 
demarches), as well as to the public, to representatives of the 
governments of other countries and of international organizations, to 
international media representatives, to scholars, and to 
representatives of U.S. and international businesses. Embassy staff 
have met repeatedly with leaders of Buddhist, Christian, and Islamic 
religious groups, members of the faculties of schools of theology, and 
other religious-affiliated organizations and nongovernmental 
organizations (NGO's) as part of their reporting and public diplomacy 
activities.
    In September 1999, the Secretary of State designated Burma a 
country of particular concern under the International Religious Freedom 
Act for particularly severe violations of religious freedom.
                               __________

                                CAMBODIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among the religious communities in society contribute to the free 
practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    The law requires all religious groups, including Buddhists, to 
submit applications to the Ministry of Cults and Religious Affairs in 
order to construct places of worship and to conduct religious 
activities. Religious groups have not encountered significant 
difficulties in obtaining approvals for construction of places of 
worship, but some Muslim and Christian groups report delays by some 
local officials in acknowledging that official permission has been 
granted to conduct religious meetings in homes. Such religious meetings 
generally take place unimpeded despite delay or inaction at the local 
level, and no significant constraints on religious assembly were 
reported during the period covered by this report.
    Monks can move internally without restriction.
Religious Demography
    Buddhism is the state religion. The Government promotes national 
Buddhist holidays, provides Buddhist training and education to monks 
and others in pagodas, and modestly supports an institute that performs 
research and publishes materials on Khmer culture and Buddhist 
traditions.
    Over 95 percent of the population are Theravada Buddhist. The 
Buddhist tradition is widespread and active in all provinces, with an 
estimated 3,700 pagodas throughout the country. Virtually all ethnic 
Cambodians are Buddhist, and there is a close association between 
Buddhism, Khmer cultural traditions, and daily life. Adherence to 
Buddhism generally is considered intrinsic to Cambodian ethnic and 
cultural identity.
    Most of the remainder of the population is made up of ethnic Cham 
Muslims, who generally are located in Phnom Penh and in rural fishing 
villages in Kompong Cham, Kompong Chhnang, and Kampot provinces. There 
are four branches of Islam: The Malay-influenced Shafi branch, which 
constitutes 70 percent of the Cham Muslims; the Saudi-Kuwaiti 
influenced Wahabi branch (20 percent); the traditional Kom Iman-San 
branch (7 percent); and the Indonestan Kadiani branch (3 percent).
    The country's small Christian community constitutes less than 1 
percent of the population. Over 100 separate Christian organizations or 
denominations operate freely throughout the country and include over 
700 congregations.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Foreign missionary groups generally operated freely throughout the 
country and have not encountered significant difficulties in performing 
their work. However, there reportedly are occasional local constraints 
on evangelization by Christians in public places--especially in areas 
of new Christian religious activitybut these generally are resolved 
satisfactorily by intervention with provincial or central government 
authorities.
    Government officials expressed appreciation for the work of many 
foreign religious groups in providing much needed assistance in 
education, rural development, and training. Government officials also 
expressed some concern that foreign groups use the guise of religion to 
become involved in illegal or political affairs.
    Government officials organize meetings for representatives of all 
religious groups to discuss religious developments and to address 
issues of concern. There are no constraints on the distribution of 
religious books or literature.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations generally are amicable between the various religious 
communities. The Constitution prohibits discrimination based on 
religion, and minority religions experience little or no societal 
discrimination in practice. Adherents of the minority Muslim or 
Christian faiths reported few societal problems on issues of religion. 
The Cham Muslims generally are well integrated into society, enjoy 
positions of prominence in business and in the Government, and face no 
reported persecution.
    Occasional tensions have been reported among the various branches 
of Islam, which receive monetary support from groups in Saudi Arabia, 
Kuwait, Malaysia, or Indonesia depending on the tenets of the 
particular branch. Some Buddhists also have expressed concern about the 
Cham Muslim community receiving financial assistance from foreign 
countries.
    During the period covered by this report there were no reports of 
tension between Cambodian Christians and non-Christians. However, 
occasional tensions have been reported when Christian evangelists 
attempted to remove Buddhist images or religious items from private 
homes, but these disputes have not resulted in physical violence.
    There are ecumenical and inter-faith organizations, which often are 
supported by funding from foreign public or private groups.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    U.S. Embassy representatives met with some religious leaders and 
are in contact with representatives of religious nongovernmental 
organizations and other groups representing the Buddhist, Muslim, and 
Christian faiths.
    Embassy representatives have spoken with officials from the 
government Ministry of Cults and Religious Affairs to discuss religious 
freedom.
                               __________

                                 CHINA

    (Note: Tibet is discussed in a separate annex at the end of this 
report.)
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religious belief and the 
freedom not to believe; however, the Government seeks to restrict 
religious practice to government-sanctioned organizations and 
registered places of worship and to control the growth and scope of the 
activity of religious groups. There are five officially recognized 
religions--Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Protestantism, and Catholicism. For 
each faith there is a government-affiliated association to monitor and 
supervise its activities. Membership in many faiths is growing rapidly; 
however, while the Government generally does not seek to suppress this 
growth outright, it tries to control and regulate religious groups to 
prevent the rise of groups or sources of authority outside the control 
of the Government and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
    During the beginning of the period covered by this report (the last 
6 months of 1999), the Government's respect for religious freedom 
deteriorated markedly, especially for the Falun Gong and Tibetan 
Buddhists, and the Government's repression and abuses continued during 
the first 6 months of 2000. The atmosphere created by the harsh 
crackdown on the Falun Gong spiritual movement and the unremitting 
nationwide campaigns against ``cults'' and superstition, along with 
frequent exhortations by senior leaders to ``strengthen religious 
work,'' had an inevitable spillover effect on other faiths. In October 
1999, as part of the Government's anti-Falun Gong crackdown, the 
Standing Committee of the National People's Congress adopted a decision 
to ban ``cults,'' including the Falun Gong, under Article 300 of the 
Criminal Law. Several non-Falun Gong qigong groups and unregistered 
religious groups were banned under the decision. However, the 
Government's basic policy of permitting apolitical religious activities 
of registered religious groups to take place relatively unfettered in 
government-approved sites remained unchanged.
    In general, unregistered religious groups, including Protestant and 
Catholic groups, continued to experience varying degrees of official 
interference, harassment, and repression. Some unregistered religious 
groups were subjected to increased restrictions--including, in some 
cases, intimidation, harassment, and detention. However, the degree of 
restrictions varied significantly from region to region, and the number 
of religious adherents, in both registered and unregistered churches, 
continued to grow rapidly, and in some areas, with little official 
interference. In some regions, registered and unregistered churches 
were treated in a similar fashion by the authorities. In regions with 
high concentrations of Catholics, relations between the Government and 
the underground church loyal to the Vatican remained tense. However, 
citizens worshiping in officially sanctioned churches, mosques, and 
temples reported little or no day-to-day interference by the 
Government. The Government's efforts to maintain a strong degree of 
control over religion, and its crackdown on groups that it perceived to 
pose a threat, continued. Overall, however, in the two decades since 
the Cultural Revolution, when all forms of religion were banned, there 
has been a loosening of government controls and a resurgence in 
religious activity.
    Despite the Government's decision to suspend the U.S.-China 
bilateral human rights dialog in May 1999, the Department of State, the 
U.S. Embassy in Beijing, and U.S. Consulates General in Chengdu, 
Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Shenyang made a concerted effort to encourage 
religious freedom. In Washington and in Beijing, in public and in 
private, U.S. officials repeatedly urged the Government to respect 
citizens' rights to religious freedom. U.S. officials protested and 
asked for further information about numerous individual cases of abuse, 
and urged China to resume a dialog with the Dalai Lama. The 
deterioration of religious freedom in China was a key factor in the 
U.S. decision to introduce once again a resolution critical of China's 
human rights record at the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva. In 
September 1999, the Secretary of State designated China a country of 
particular concern under the International Religious Freedom Act for 
particularly severe violations of religious freedom.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religious belief and the 
freedom not to believe; however, the Government seeks to restrict 
religious practice to government-sanctioned organizations and 
registered places of worship and to control the growth and scope of the 
activity of religious groups.
    The Criminal Law states that government officials who deprive 
citizens of religious freedom may, in serious cases, be sentenced to up 
to 2 years in prison; however, there are no known cases of persons 
being punished under this statute.
    The state arrogates to itself the right to recognize and thus to 
allow to operate particular religious groups and spiritual movements. 
The State Council's Religious Affairs Bureau (RAB) is responsible for 
monitoring and judging the legitimacy of religious activity. The RAB 
and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) United Front Work Department 
(UFWD), both of which are staffed by officials who are rarely if ever 
religious adherents, provide policy ``guidance and supervision'' over 
implementation of government regulations on religious activity, 
including the role of foreigners in religious activity.
    During the period covered by this report, the Government continued, 
and in some areas, intensified a national campaign to enforce 1994 
State Council regulations and subsequent provincial regulations that 
require all places of worship to register with government religious 
affairs bureaus and to come under the supervision of official 
``patriotic'' religious organizations. During a September 1999 speech, 
President Jiang Zemin noted the Party's policy on freedom of religious 
belief but also called for stronger leadership over religious work and 
intensified management of religious affairs. He added that ``we should 
energetically give guidance to religion so that it will keep in line 
with the Socialist society and serve ethnic unity, social stability, 
and modernization.'' The need for vigilance against allegedly hostile 
foreign forces bent on Westernizing or splitting the country, 
containment of religious ``cults,'' the further adaptation of religion 
to socialist imperatives, strengthening the ``rule of law'' in managing 
religious affairs, enhanced political and ideological education for 
religious figures, and increased vigilance against growing religiosity 
in the Party and governing and military circles are identified as areas 
in need of work in the January 20, 2000 document, ``Several Policy 
Issues Concerning Current Religion Work,'' which was issued in 
conjunction with a national meeting of the RAB. On March 11, 2000, the 
Party's flagship newspaper, the People's Daily, published a commentary 
on religious affairs work. The article urged all party members to 
``promote atheist thought in a positive way and persist in educating 
the masses of various ethnic groups with the Marxist perspective on 
religion.'' While the commentary also called on the Party to protect 
``citizens' freedom of religious belief,'' it warned that ``hostile 
forces outside [China's] borders and separatist forces are taking 
advantage of ethnicity and religion to bring about political 
infiltration and the separation of the motherland.''
    The Government officially permits only those Christian churches 
affiliated with either the Catholic Patriotic Association/Catholic 
Bishops Conference or the (Protestant) Three-Self Patriotic Movement/
Chinese Christian Council to operate legally. There are six 
requirements for the registration of venues for religious activity: 
possession of a meeting place; citizens who are religious believers and 
who regularly take part in religious activity; an organized governing 
board; a minimum number of followers; a set of operating rules; and a 
legal source of income. There are five officially recognized religions: 
Catholicism, Protestantism, Buddhism, Islam, and Taoism. Some groups 
registered voluntarily, some registered under pressure, while 
authorities refused to register others. Unofficial groups claimed that 
authorities often refuse them registration without explanation. The 
Government contends that these refusals were mainly the result of 
inadequate facilities and meeting spaces. Many religious groups have 
been reluctant to comply with the regulations out of principled 
opposition to state control of religion or due to fear of adverse 
consequences if they reveal, as required, the names and addresses of 
church leaders. In some areas, efforts to register unauthorized groups 
are carried out by religious leaders and civil affairs officials. In 
other regions, registration is performed by police and RAB officials, 
concurrently with other law enforcement actions.
    On October 31, 1999, as part of the Government's anti-Falun Gong 
crackdown, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress 
adopted a decision to ban all ``cults,'' including the Falun Gong, 
under Article 300 of the Criminal Law. The Supreme People's Court and 
the Supreme People's Procuratorate also provided ``explanations'' on 
applying existing criminal law to the Falun Gong. The law, as applied 
following these actions, specifies prison terms of 3 to 7 years for 
cult members who ``disrupt public order'' or distribute publications. 
Under the law, cult leaders and recruiters can be sentenced to 7 years 
or more in prison. Several groups were declared ``cults'' and banned 
under the decision, including Christian, Buddhist, and various qigong 
groups. The Government banned Falun Gong in July 1999, but some Falun 
Gong leaders, who were arrested after the July ban, were tried and 
convicted under the anti-cult law in late 1999.
Religious Demography
    According to an official government white paper, there are over 200 
million religious adherents, representing a great variety of beliefs 
and practices. Official figures from late 1997 indicate that there are 
at least 3,000 religious organizations, 300,000 clergy, and 74 
religious schools and colleges. There are also more than 85,000 
approved venues for religious activities. Most religious adherents 
profess Eastern faiths, but tens of millions adhere to Christianity. 
According to estimates, 75 percent of the population practices some 
form of traditional folk religion (worship of local gods, heroes, and 
ancestors). Approximately 8 percent of the population are Buddhist, 
approximately 1.4 percent are Muslim, an estimated 0.4 percent belong 
to the official Catholic Church, an estimated 0.4 to 0.8 percent belong 
to the unofficial Vatican-affiliated Catholic Church, an estimated 0.08 
percent to 1.2 percent are registered Protestants, and perhaps 2.4 to 
6.5 percent worship in house churches that are independent of 
government control. There are no available estimates of the number of 
Taoists. However, according to a 1997 government publication, there are 
over 10,000 Taoist monks and nuns and over 1,000 Taoist temples.
    The widespread traditional folk religion has revived in recent 
years and is tolerated to varying degrees as a loose affiliate of 
Taoism, or as an ethnic minority cultural practice; at the same time, 
however, folk religion has been labeled as ``feudal superstition,'' and 
local authorities have destroyed thousands of local shrines.
    Buddhists make up the largest body of organized religious 
believers. The Government estimates that there are more than 100 
million Buddhists, most of whom are from the dominant Han ethnic group. 
However, it is difficult to estimate accurately the number of Buddhists 
because they do not have congregational memberships and often do not 
participate in public ceremonies. The Government reports that there are 
13,000 Buddhist temples and monasteries and more than 200,000 nuns and 
monks. In some areas, local governments enforced strictly regulations 
on places of worship, particularly on illegally constructed Buddhist 
temples and shrines.
    According to government figures, there are 20 million Muslims, 
35,000 Islamic places of worship, and more than 45,000 imams 
nationwide.
    The unofficial, Vatican-affiliated Catholic Church claims a 
membership far larger than the 5 million persons registered with the 
official Catholic Church. Precise figures are difficult to determine, 
but Vatican officials have estimated that there are as many as 10 
million adherents. According to official figures, the government-
approved Catholic Church has 69 bishops, 5,000 clergy, and about 5,000 
churches and meeting houses. There are 60,000 baptisms each year. The 
Government so far has refused to establish diplomatic relations with 
the Holy See, and there is no Vatican representative in the country.
    The Government maintains that there are between 10 and 15 million 
registered Protestants, 18,000 clergy, over 12,000 churches, and some 
25,000 registered Protestant meeting places. According to foreign 
experts, perhaps 30 million persons worship in Protestant house 
churches that are independent of government control, although estimates 
by some house church groups range as high as 80 million.
    Estimates of the number of Falun Gong practitioners vary widely; 
the Government claims that there may be as many as 2.1 million 
adherents of Falun Gong (or Wheel of the Law), also known as Falun 
Dafa; followers of Falun Gong estimate that there are over 100 million 
adherents worldwide. Some experts estimate that the true number of 
adherents lies in the tens of millions. Falun Gong blends aspects of 
Taoism, Buddhism, and the meditation techniques and physical exercises 
of qigong (a traditional Chinese exercise discipline) with the 
teachings of Falun Gong leader Li Hongzhi (a native of China who is 
currently living abroad). Despite the mystical nature of some of Li's 
teachings, Falun Gong does not consider itself a religion and has no 
clergy or places of worship.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Government tends to perceive unregulated religious gatherings 
as a potential challenge to its authority, and during the period 
covered by this report it moved swiftly against houses of worship 
outside its control that grew too large or espoused beliefs that it 
considered threatening to ``state security.'' Police closed 
``underground'' mosques, temples, and seminaries, as well as large 
numbers of Catholic churches, and Protestant ``house churches,'' many 
with significant memberships, properties, financial resources, and 
networks, and banned groups that it considered ``cults.'' Some places 
of worship were destroyed. Leaders of unauthorized groups are often the 
targets of harassment, interrogations, detention, and physical abuse.
    In the past, official tolerance for religions considered to be 
traditionally Chinese, such as Buddhism and Taoism, has been greater 
than that for Christianity, and these faiths often face fewer 
restrictions than the other recognized religions. As these non-Western 
faiths have grown rapidly in recent years, there are signs of greater 
government concern and new restrictions, especially on syncretic sects.
    The Government continued, and in some places, intensified a 
national campaign to enforce 1994 State Council regulations and 
subsequent provincial regulations requiring all places of religious 
activity to register with government religious affairs bureaus and come 
under the supervision of official, ``patriotic'' religious 
organizations. There are reports that despite the rapidly growing 
religious population, it is difficult for new places of worship to be 
registered even among the five officially recognized faiths. The 
Government has restored or replaced churches, temples, mosques, and 
monasteries damaged or destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, and 
allowed the reopening of some seminaries. Implementation of this policy 
has varied from locality to locality. However, there are far fewer 
temples, churches, or mosques than existed 50 years ago (before the 
Cultural Revolution), despite the recent increase in number of 
religious believers. The difficulty in registering new places of 
worship has led to crowding in many existing places of worship.
    Some bishops in the official Catholic Church are not recognized by 
the Holy See, although many have been recognized privately. In January 
2000, bishops of the official Catholic Church, without consulting the 
Holy See, ordained 5 new official church bishops on the same day that 
the Pope consecrated 12 new Roman Catholic bishops in Rome. Some 
bishops of the official church reportedly refused to attend the Beijing 
ceremony, which they saw as a deliberate affront to the Vatican. 
However, the May 7, 2000 ordination service of Bishop Zhao Fengchang 
began with a statement that the Vatican had approved the ceremony. 
There are many long-standing vacancies in the official Catholic 
administration, particularly among bishops, and there are reports that 
the RAB and the official church patriotic association are pressuring 
the church to fill the vacancies quickly. However, some bishops who are 
ordained without Vatican recognition are not fully accepted by church 
members and other clerics, even in the official church. The 
Government's refusal to allow the official Catholic Church to recognize 
the religious authority of the Papacy has led many Catholics to refuse 
to join the official Catholic Church on the grounds that this refusal 
denies one of the fundamental tenets of their faith.
    There are thriving Muslim communities in some areas, but government 
sensitivity to concerns of the Muslim community is limited. In November 
1998 a Qing dynasty mosque was destroyed in Chengdu's Muslim quarter to 
make way for a boulevard near an expanded city square despite strong 
opposition from the city's Muslim population; the mosque had been the 
center of Muslim life in Chengdu. The construction of a new mosque over 
a complex of retail establishments further offended the community. As 
of June 2000, no construction upon the site of the Qing dynasty mosque 
had yet occurred; the imam, or leader, of the mosque that was 
demolished was ordered to leave Chengdu and has been forbidden to 
engage in religious work. The new officially sanctioned mosque over the 
retail complex has been attended only lightly since its opening.
    The Government took some steps designed to show respect for the 
country's Muslims, such as offering congratulations on major Islamic 
holidays. When an official newspaper in Guangzhou published a picture 
of the kaaba in Mecca next to an unrelated photograph of a cloned pig 
in March 2000--outraging local Muslims, who cited the Muslim view of 
pigs as unclean--the authorities disciplined the editor, and the 
newspaper published an apology. The Government permits, and in some 
cases subsidizes, Muslim citizens who make the Hajj (pilgrimage) to 
Mecca. However, testimony before the congressionally mandated 
Commission on International Religious Freedom in March 2000, as well as 
other reports, stated that many Muslims of the Uighur minority are not 
allowed to go on pilgrimage. According to credible reports, including 
written testimony to the Commission, on one occasion, hundreds of 
Uighurs with tickets and passports were denied permission to board an 
airplane to go on Hajj, as they were not part of the state quota. 
According to official government statistics, more than 45,000 Muslims 
have made the pilgrimage in recent years--5,000 in 1998. There have 
been nongovernmental reports that fewer persons participated in 1999 
and 2000; according to some estimates less than 2,500 went in each of 
those years. According to some reports, the major limiting factors for 
participation in the Hajj were the cost, controls on passport issuance, 
and corruption of the officials responsible for overseeing pilgrims' 
travel for the Hajj.
    In some areas where ethnic unrest has occurred, particularly among 
Central Asian Muslims (and especially the Uighurs) in Xinjiang, 
officials continue to restrict the building of mosques. However, in 
other areas, particularly in areas traditionally populated by the non-
Central Asian Hui ethnic group, there is substantial religious building 
construction and renovation. After a series of violent incidents in 
Xinjiang beginning in 1997 and continuing into 2000, including reported 
bombings in Xinjiang and other parts of the country attributed to 
Uighur activists, police cracked down on Muslim religious activity and 
places of worship accused of supporting separatism, and local 
authorities issued regulations further restricting religious activities 
and teaching. Restrictions on Muslim religious practice in Xinjiang 
remain tight, and the authorities continue to restrict the religious 
education of youths under the age of 18.
    Provincial-level Communist Party and government officials 
repeatedly called for stronger management of religious affairs and the 
separation of religion from administrative matters in Xinjiang. For 
example, the official Xinjiang Legal Daily reported that in recent 
years a township in Baicheng county had found cases of ``religious 
interference'' in judicial, marriage, and family planning matters. In 
response, the authorities began conducting monthly political study 
sessions for religious personnel. In addition, they required every 
mosque to record the number of attendees and names of those attending 
each day's activities. The official ``Xinjiang Daily'' reported that 
Yining County reviewed the activities of 420 mosques, and implemented a 
system of linking ethnic cadres to mosques in order to improve 
vigilance against ``illegal religious activities.'' The article stated 
that the county's persistent ideological propaganda efforts had led a 
group of 24 women to shed their veils and ``raise their level of 
civilization.'' The educational campaign reportedly also had led young 
ethnic couples who had married illegally by means of an Islamic 
betrothal ceremony to seek civil marriage certificates.
    There were numerous reports in the official media of efforts by the 
authorities to confiscate ``illegal religious publications'' in 
Xinjiang. One report explained that such publications discussed ``holy 
war'' and ``holy war history,'' promoted pan-Islamism, panTurkism, and 
ethnic separatism; and ``fanned the flames of religious fanaticism.'' 
According to a July 2000 report of the International Coalition for 
Religious Freedom, since April 1996, only one publisher, the Xinjiang 
People's Publication House, has been allowed to print Muslim literature 
in Xinjiang.
    The increase in the number of Christians has resulted in a 
corresponding increase in the demand for Bibles. During 1999 the 
Government approved the printing of more than 3 million Bibles, and 
there currently are more than 22 million Bibles in print. One printing 
company that is a joint venture with an overseas Christian organization 
printed over 2.3 million Bibles during 1999, including Bibles in 
Braille and minority dialects, such as Korean, Jingbo, Lisu, Lahu, 
Niao, and Yao. Although Bibles can be purchased at some bookstores, 
they are not readily available and cannot be ordered directly from 
publishing houses by individuals. However, they are available for 
purchase at most officially recognized churches, and many house church 
members buy their Bibles from churches without incident. Nonetheless, 
some underground Christians hesitate to buy Bibles at official churches 
because such transactions sometimes involve receipts that identify the 
purchaser. Foreign experts confirm reports of chronic shortages of 
Bibles, mostly due to logistical problems in disseminating Bibles to 
rural areas, though the situation has improved in recent years due to 
improved distribution channels, including to house churches. Customs 
officials continue to monitor for the ``smuggling'' of Bibles and other 
religious materials into the country. There have been credible reports 
that the authorities sometimes confiscate Bibles in raids on house 
churches.
    The authorities permit officially sanctioned religious 
organizations to maintain international contacts that do not entail 
``foreign control.'' What constitutes ``control'' is not defined. 
Foreigners are not permitted to conduct missionary activities, but 
foreign Christians currently are teaching English and other languages 
on college campuses with minimum interference from authorities as long 
as their proselytizing is low key. There were reports that in early 
1999 the Government issued a circular to tighten control over foreign 
missionary activity in the country. Regulations enacted in 1994 
codified many existing rules involving foreigners, including a ban on 
proselytizing by foreigners, but for the most part allow foreign 
nationals to preach to foreigners, bring in religious materials for 
their own use, and preach to Chinese citizens at churches, mosques, and 
temples at the invitation of registered religious organizations.
    In recent years, some local authorities, especially in northeastern 
China, have subjected worship services of alien residents to increased 
surveillance and restrictions. In other areas, authorities have 
displayed increasing tolerance of religious practice by foreigners. 
Weekly services of the foreign Jewish community in Beijing have been 
held uninterrupted since 1995 and High Holy Day observances have been 
allowed for more than 15 years. In September 1999, with the support of 
local authorities, the Shanghai Jewish community was allowed to hold a 
service in an historic Shanghai synagogue, which had been restored as a 
museum, for the first time since 1949. Local authorities indicated that 
the community could use the synagogue in the future for special 
occasions on a case-by-case basis. The community has used the synagogue 
three times, most recently for Passover services in April 2000. Upon 
the city's request, the Shanghai Rabbi and the community have submitted 
a list of additional holidays that they would want to celebrate.
    Official religious organizations administer local Bible schools, 54 
Catholic and Protestant seminaries, 9 institutes to train imams and 
Islamic scholars, and institutes to train Buddhist monks. Students who 
attend these institutes must demonstrate ``political reliability'' and 
all graduates must pass an examination on their theological and 
political knowledge to qualify for the clergy. Some young Uighur 
Muslims study outside of the country in Muslim religious schools. The 
Government has stated that there are 10 colleges conducting Islamic 
higher education and 2 other Islamic schools in Xinjiang operating with 
government support.
    The Government permitted limited numbers of Catholic and Protestant 
seminarians, Muslim clerics, and Buddhist clergy to go abroad for 
additional religious studies. In most cases, funding for these training 
programs is provided by foreign organizations. Both official and 
unofficial Christian churches have problems training adequate numbers 
of clergy to meet the needs of their growing congregations. Due to the 
restrictions on religion between 1955 and 1985, no priests or other 
clergy in the official churches were ordained; most priests and pastors 
serving currently were trained either before 1955 or after 1985. Most 
religious institutions depend on their own resources. Frequently 
religious institutions run side businesses selling religious items, and 
at times they run strictly commercial businesses (restaurants are 
popular). Contributions from parish members are common among both the 
Catholics and Protestants. Sometimes the State will fund repairs for 
temples or shrines having cultural or historic significance. There are 
some reports that government funds are allocated only to registered 
churches, depending upon how independent they are perceived to be--
those deemed too independent reportedly have their budgets cut. Due to 
government prohibitions, unofficial churches have particularly 
significant problems training clergy or sending students to study 
overseas, and many clergy receive only limited and inadequate 
preparation.
    The law does not prohibit religious believers from holding public 
office; however, most influential positions in government are reserved 
for Party members, and Communist Party officials state that Party 
membership and religious belief are incompatible. Party membership also 
is required for almost all high level positions in government and in 
state-owned businesses and organizations. The Communist Party 
reportedly has issued two circulars since 1995 ordering Party members 
not to adhere to religious beliefs and ordering the expulsion of Party 
members who belong to religious organizations, whether open or 
clandestine. There were reports that the Government issued a circular 
in early 1999 to remind Party cadres that religion was incompatible 
with party membership, a theme reflected in authoritative media during 
the summer of 1999. For example, President and CCP General Secretary 
Jiang Zemin said in a September 1999 speech that ``party members of all 
ethnic groups must have a firm faith in socialism and communism, cannot 
believe in religion, cannot take part in or organize religious 
activities, and cannot take part in feudal superstitious activities.'' 
Muslims allegedly have been fired from government posts for praying 
during working hours. The ``Routine Service Regulations'' of the 
People's Liberation Army (PLA) state explicitly that servicemen ``may 
not take part in religious or superstitious activities.'' Party and PLA 
military personnel were expelled for adhering to the Falun Gong 
spiritual movement, which the Government has banned as a ``cult.'' 
However, according to government officials, many local Communist Party 
officials engage in some kind of religious activity; in certain 
localities, as many as 20 to 25 percent of Party officials engage in 
religious activities. Most officials who practice a religion are 
Buddhist or practice a folk religion. Religious figures, who are not 
members of the CCP, are included in national and local government 
organizations, usually to represent their constituency on cultural and 
educational matters. The National People's Congress (NPC) includes 
several religious leaders, including Pagbalha Geleg Namgyai, a Tibetan 
``living Buddha,'' who is a vice chairman of the Standing Committee of 
the NPC. Religious groups also are represented in the Chinese People's 
Political Consultative Conference, a forum for ``multiparty'' 
cooperation and consultation led by the Chinese Communist Party, which 
advises the Government on policy.
    The Government teaches atheism in schools. The participation of 
minors in religious education is prohibited by regulation. However, 
enforcement varies dramatically from region to region, and in some 
areas large numbers of young people attend religious services at both 
registered and unregistered places of worship.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    During the period covered in this report, unapproved religious and 
spiritual groups came under greater scrutiny--and, in some cases, harsh 
repression--even as officially sanctioned religious activity went 
largely unaffected. There were government actions that violated 
internationally recognized norms regarding freedom of religion, freedom 
of assembly, and freedom of speech. Although there was no significant 
change in the central government's official policy toward religious 
freedom, the unremitting campaign against Falun Gong and other 
``heretical cults,'' plus frequent exhortations by senior leaders to 
``strengthen religious work,'' had an inevitable spillover effect.
    Between 1997 and 2000, there were reported bombings in Xinjiang and 
other parts of the country attributed to Uighur activists. The 
authorities responded with a harsh crackdown on Uighur Muslims in the 
Xinjiang Autonomous Region that failed to distinguish between those 
involved with illegal religious activities and those involved in ethnic 
separatism or terrorist activities. It is therefore difficult to 
determine whether particular raids, detentions, arrests, or judicial 
punishments are aimed primarily at religious expression. The Yili 
Intermediate Court sentenced Turhan Saidalamoud, Nurahmet Niyazi, and 
Krubanjiang Yusseyin to death in September 1999 for ``illegal religious 
proselytizing,'' murder, and manufacturing explosives, according to a 
foreign press report that cited official media. The same press report 
said that Alim Younous, Dulkan Rouz, and Turhong Awout were convicted 
and executed in Urumqi for murder, robbery, and the illegal 
manufacture, transportation, and storage of arms, ammunition, and 
explosives. Alim Yanous allegedly had set up a ``party of Allah'' in 
the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, ``with the aim of splitting 
national unity and setting up an Islamic power.'' According to a 
February 2000 report by Human Rights Watch, the pace of executions and 
imposition of long prison terms for suspected separatists in Xinjiang 
increased during 1999, and there were more frequent public sentencing 
rallies during the year. Human Rights Watch also reported tightening of 
control over the teaching materials, curriculums, and leadership of 
mosques and religious schools in 1999, and that six imams from Hotan 
City and Karakash County were detained toward the end of 1999 in part 
for non-compliance with religious regulations and for failing to teach 
government policy at religious meetings.
    An official newspaper in Xinjiang reported in October 1999 that a 
cleric at a mosque in Karakash (Moyu) County in southern Xinjiang had 
mentioned the term ``holy war'' before crowds numbering more than 
2,000. The cleric also reportedly had interfered with marriage and 
other administrative matters. The mosque allegedly became ``a hotbed 
for illegal religious activities and separatism.'' The article ran 
under the headline ``Take Care of Anyone Who Conducts Illegal Religious 
Activities,'' but did not state how the unnamed cleric described in the 
story had been ``taken care of.'' Several employers in Lop County were 
fined in September 1999 for laxity in opposing illegal religious 
activities and for harboring wanted men, including those promoting 
``holy war.''
    There is a great deal of variation in how the authorities deal with 
unregistered religious groups. In certain regions, government 
supervision of religious activity is minimal, and registered and 
unregistered churches are treated similarly by authorities, existing 
openly side by side. In such areas, many congregants worship in both 
types of churches. In other regions, particularly where considerable 
unofficial and official religious activity takes place, local 
implementing regulations call for strict government oversight of 
religion, and authorities have cracked down on unregistered churches 
and their members. Implementing regulations, provincial work reports, 
and other government and Party documents continued to exhort officials 
to enforce vigorously government policy regarding unregistered 
churches. Since 1998, Guangzhou has had highly restrictive religious 
regulations. In 1999 Zhejiang province promulgated new religious 
affairs regulations that stipulated that ``illegal'' property and 
income would be confiscated from those who ``1) preside over or 
organize religious activities at places other than those for religious 
activities or at places not approved by a religious affairs department; 
2) do missionary work outside the premises of a place of religious 
activity; and 3) sponsor religious training activities without 
obtaining the approval of a religious affairs department at or above 
the county level.'' Regulations in Guangxi, Shanghai, and Chongqing 
also call for strict government oversight. In April 2000, the Fujian 
provincial government convened a meeting of religious affairs workers 
in order to exhort them to ``ensure stability in religious circles and 
lead religious circles in making new and greater contributions to 
Socialist material and spiritual civilization.'' At the meeting, a 
provincial leader also called on all religious affairs workers to 
``firmly establish a Marxist outlook on religion.''
    In some areas, security authorities used threats, demolition of 
unregistered property, extortion of ``fines,'' interrogation, 
detention, and at times beatings and torture to harass unofficial 
religious figures and followers. Authorities particularly targeted 
unofficial religious groups in Beijing and the provinces of Henan and 
Shandong, where there are rapidly growing numbers of unregistered 
Protestants, and in Hebei, a center of unregistered Catholics.
    However, many family churches, generally made up of family members 
and friends, and which conduct activities similar to those of home 
Bible study groups, are tolerated by the authorities as long as they 
remain small and unobtrusive. Family churches reportedly encounter 
difficulties when their memberships become too large, when they arrange 
for the use of facilities for the specific purpose of conducting 
religious activities, or when they forge links with other unregistered 
groups.
    Some Protestant house church groups reported more frequent police 
raids of worship services and detentions than in previous years. In 
addition, according to press reports, in 1999 more than 20 unregistered 
Catholic churches were demolished, some with explosives, by the 
authorities in Changle and other localities in Fujian province. The 
churches were destroyed on the grounds that they had been built without 
the required permit or had been built with the wrong type of permit 
(such as with a permit for a building other than a church). Most of the 
churches reportedly were built by local congregations with the aid of 
remittances from relatives working abroad.
    On the same day in October 1999 police disrupted services with 
nearly simultaneous raids on two of Guangzhou's most prominent house 
churches--those of pastors Samuel Lamb and Li Dexian. Li and his wife, 
along with an Australian missionary, were detained for several hours, 
and Li's church was ransacked by the police. Bibles were confiscated 
from his congregation and members of the congregation reportedly were 
threatened. Pastor Li was detained again in April 2000 for 15 days, 
during which time he was forced into a crouch for three days, unable to 
sleep or use toilet facilities, with his wrists and ankles manacled 
together. Li also has been detained on other occasions and reports that 
in some instances he was beaten. According to credible reports, on May 
16, 2000, seven house churches were raided in Guangdong province. 
According to a press release of Christian Solidarity International, 
more than 10 house church leaders were arrested in the raids. Several 
house churches also were closed by the authorities.
    The Jianghuai Morning Daily in Anhui province reported that on 
April 9, 2000, police detained 47 members of the unregistered Full 
Scope Church. According to the newspaper, six church leaders were to 
face criminal charges for organizing an ``illegal sect,'' while eight 
others likely would receive ``administrative'' (usually meaning 
reeducation-through-labor) sentences. The leader of the Full Scope 
Church, Xu Yongze, subsequently was released from prison in late May 
2000, 2 months after he should have been released upon the expiration 
of his 3-year sentence. Although he was released from a labor camp, it 
is unclear whether Xu remains subject to some restrictions.
    In some regions, coexistence and cooperation between official and 
unofficial churches, both Catholic and Protestant, is close enough to 
blur the line between the two. However, in some areas relations between 
the two churches remain hostile. In Hebei, where perhaps half of the 
country's Catholics reside, friction between unofficial Catholics and 
local authorities continued. Hebei authorities have been known to force 
many underground priests and believers to make a choice of either 
joining the ``patriotic'' church or facing punishment such as fines, 
job loss, periodic detentions, and, in some cases, having their 
children barred from school. Some were forced into hiding. In September 
1999, police, allegedly at the instigation of the local official 
Catholic Church in Wenzhou, instructed 12 underground Catholic church 
leaders--including Bishop Lin Xili, Chen Nailiang, and Wang Zhongfa--to 
go to a hotel, where they were pressured to join the official Catholic 
church. There were reports in May 2000 that local authorities in 
Zhejiang province had closed down seven Catholic churches because they 
failed to join the official Catholic Church. In May 2000, Father Jiang 
Shurang, an underground priest in Zhejiang province, was sentenced to 6 
years in prison for illegally printing Bibles and other religious 
material. There also are reports of divisions within both the official 
Protestant church and the house church movement over issues of 
doctrine; in both the registered and unregistered Protestant churches, 
there are groups with conservative views and groups with more 
unorthodox views. In some areas there are reports of harassment of 
churches by local religious affairs bureau officials which is 
attributed, at least in part, to financial issues. For example, 
although regulations require local authorities to provide land to 
church groups, some local officials may try to avoid doing so by 
denying registration. Official churches may also face harassment if 
local authorities wish to acquire the land on which a church is 
located. In addition to refusing to register churches, there are also 
reports that religious affairs bureau officials have requested illegal 
``donations'' from churches in their jurisdictions as a means of 
raising extra revenue.
    The Party's Central Committee issued a document on August 16, 1999, 
calling on the authorities to tighten control of the official Catholic 
Church and to eliminate the underground Catholic Church if it does not 
bend to Government control. The Commission on International Religious 
Freedom also reported that in recent months, there has been increasing 
pressure by the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association on underground 
Catholic bishops to join the official church, and that the authorities 
have reorganized dioceses without consulting church leaders. The 
Government in 1993 shortened the required number of years of seminary 
training for priests.
    The Hong Kong press reported that the Guangdong provincial 
government had issued a circular ordering authorities to increase the 
monitoring of Christian and Muslim activities.
    On March 25, 2000, police raided a house church service in Jilin 
and confiscated the Bible and camera of a foreigner who was in 
attendance. The foreign Christian subsequently was fined, and one local 
official described the house church service as a ``heretical religious 
activity.''
    Tibetan Buddhists outside of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) 
appear to face significant restrictions and are subject to patriotic 
education campaigns. On October 24, 1999, three Tibetan Buddhist monks, 
Sonam Phuntsok, Agya Tsering, and Sonam, were arrested at Dargye 
monastery in western Sichuan province. The three reportedly were 
suspected of being in contact with exile groups, and of supporting the 
Dalai Lama. These arrests reportedly were linked by the Government to 
the bombing of a medical clinic on October 7. Their detention sparked a 
large local protest later in the month, during which police reportedly 
fired into the crowd and injured demonstrators. (A discussion of 
government restrictions on Tibetan Buddhism in the TAR can be found in 
the Tibet annex to this report.)
    The Government has waged a severe political, propaganda, and police 
campaign against the Falun Gong spiritual movement during the period 
covered by this report. On July 22, 1999, three months after 10,000 
Falun Gong adherents had demonstrated peacefully in front of the 
Zhongnanhai leadership compound in Beijing, the Government officially 
declared Falun Gong illegal and began a nationwide crackdown. Around 
the country, tens of thousands of practitioners were rounded up and 
detained for several days--often in open stadiums--under poor and 
overcrowded conditions, with inadequate food, water, and sanitary 
facilities. Practitioners who refused to renounce their beliefs were 
expelled from schools or fired from jobs. Some detainees were 
government officials and Communist Party members. A few high-ranking 
practitioners were forced to disavow their ties to Falun Gong on 
national television. Government officials who are practitioners were 
required to undergo anti-Falun Gong study sessions, and were prohibited 
from Falun Gong activities; some were expelled from the Party for 
refusing to recant their beliefs. There were reports that local 
government leaders and heads of institutions in the northeast were 
summoned to Beijing or fired if too many persons under their 
jurisdictions participated in Falun Gong demonstrations. There were 
also reports that Public Security Bureau forbade the renting of 
apartments to Falun Gong practitioners. On July 29, 1999 the Government 
issued a warrant for the arrest of Falun Gong leader Li Hongzhi, who 
was charged with holding demonstrations without appropriate permits and 
disturbing public order. The Government requested INTERPOL's assistance 
in apprehending Li, who resides abroad, but INTERPOL declined to 
assist, on the grounds that the offense was not a crime recognized 
under the INTERPOL charter, and that the request was political in 
nature. Late in the year, President Jiang Zemin announced that the 
campaign against the Falun Gong was one of the ``three major political 
struggles'' of 1999.
    In July 1999, the Government also launched a massive anti-Falun 
Gong propaganda campaign that for weeks dominated the nightly news with 
details of Falun Gong's alleged crimes and the effectiveness of the 
Government's effort to crush the group. Special programs revealing the 
Falun Gong's alleged ``evil nature'' featured testimonials by self-
proclaimed former practitioners recounting how they had been duped by 
the ``cult.'' The media campaign continued through the end of 1999, 
with articles appearing regularly though with far less frequency than 
at the campaign's height. The Government also seized and destroyed 
Falun Gong literature, including over 1 million books, in well 
publicized sweeps of homes and bookstores. Police in Dandong City, 
Liaoning province, reported that they had arrested six workers and a 
factory boss for printing outlawed Falun Gong material. According to a 
November 1999 official press report, the Qinghai People's Publishing 
House was suspended by the State Press and Publication Administration 
for printing four Falun Gong books in January 1999, and those 
responsible reportedly were punished.
    Authorities attempted to shut down Falun Gong Internet websites. 
According to a press report, an attack on a foreign-based website was 
traced to government security departments. A Hong Kong based human 
rights group reported that a Falun Gong website designed and operated 
in Jilin by computer engineer Zhang Haitao was shut down on July 24, 
1999, and that Zhang was arrested July 29, 1999. According to Amnesty 
International, Zhang Ji, a computer science student, was arrested in 
Heilongjiang and charged with using the Internet to spread ``subversive 
information'' after sending e-mails to Canada and the United States 
about mistreatment of Falun Gong practitioners. There have been reports 
that Falun Gong practitioners living in other countries have received 
virus-infested e-mail messages.
    On October 28, 1999, several Falun Gong practitioners held a 
clandestine press conference for foreign reporters in which they 
described an increase in harassment and in physical abuse by the 
police. Many of the practitioners involved later reportedly were 
arrested; the authorities questioned some of the foreign journalists 
who attended the press conference and temporarily confiscated their 
press credentials and residence permits. Several foreign reporters also 
were detained briefly on April 25, 2000, after having taken photographs 
of police detaining Falun Gong demonstrators on Tiananmen Square. 
Foreign tourists routinely had their film and videotape confiscated 
after recording (often inadvertently) some of the detentions.
    Practitioners defied government efforts to prevent them from 
entering Beijing. Protests (by individuals or small groups of 
practitioners) at Tiananmen Square occurred almost daily during the 
period covered by this report. Demonstrations also continued around the 
country. Police quickly broke up demonstrations, at times kicking and 
beating protestors, and detained them. In September 1999, a 
nongovernmental organization (NGO) reported that at least 300 adherents 
were arrested in 9 cities in 1 week. In late October, the pace of 
detentions picked up as practitioners converged on Beijing and began a 
series of peaceful, low-key protests of a pending decision by the 
Standing Committee of the National People's Congress to ban all cults. 
Most protests were small and short-lived as expanded police units 
quickly detained anyone who admitted to being or appeared to be a 
practitioner. In late October, a Party official stated that 3,000 
persons from around the country were detained in police sweeps of 
Beijing for nonresidents. On November 16, 1999, during a visit by the 
UN Secretary General, more than 12 practitioners who unfurled a Falun 
Gong banner were detained forcibly at Tiananmen Square. On November 30, 
1999, Vice Premier Li Lanqing stated that authorities detained over 
35,000 practitioners between July 22 and October 30 1999 (the 
Government later clarified Li's statement, noting that the figure 
represented the total number of confrontations of police with adherents 
and that many persons had multiple encounters with police). Hundreds of 
practitioners reportedly were arrested at Tiananmen Square in February 
2000 during lunar New Year protests, forcing a brief closure of the 
Square. Large numbers were arrested while protesting on March 5 
(opening of the National People's Congress), April 25 (the anniversary 
of the 1999 Zhongnanhai demonstration), and May 11 (reportedly Falun 
Gong founder Li Hongzhi's birthday). Authorities also briefly detained 
foreign practitioners (it remains unclear whether the authorities were 
aware that such persons were foreigners). On November 24, 1999, four 
foreign practitioners were detained in Guangzhou; the foreigners were 
released a few days later and expelled from the country, while Chinese 
citizens detained with them remained in custody. On December 15, three 
Chinese nationals with foreign residency were detained in Shenzhen for 
visiting other Falun Gong practitioners; they were given 15 days of 
administrative detention. In February 2000, a U.S. citizen practitioner 
was detained for 3 days.
    During the period covered by this report, there were numerous 
credible reports of police involvement in beatings, detention under 
extremely harsh conditions, torture (including by electric shock and by 
having hands and feet shackled and linked with crossed steel chains), 
and other abuses of detained Falun Gong practitioners. Police often 
used excessive force when detaining peaceful protesters, some of them 
elderly or accompanied by small children. There are credible reports 
that estimate at least 24 practitioners have died while in police 
custody since July 1999. Zhao Jinhua, of Shandong province, reportedly 
was detained on September 27, 1999, while meditating. Over the next 10 
days, police reportedly tortured Zhao using rubber batons and electric 
shocks. On October 7, she died reportedly due to injuries suffered 
while in detention. The official media reported that Zhao had died of a 
heart attack. Similarly, Gao Xianmin died in police custody on January 
17, 2000. Gao was detained with a group of fellow practitioners in 
Guangzhou on December 31, 1999. Credible reports indicate that Gao was 
tortured while in custody, including by having high-density salt water 
forced into his stomach. Police gave no explanation for his death. On 
February 17, 2000, 60-year-old Chen Zixiu was detained in Weihai as she 
attempted to travel to Beijing to join peaceful protests. Over the next 
few days, her family received word from another detainee that Chen was 
being beaten. On February 21, local police informed the family that 
Chen had died. Family members report that her body was covered with 
bruises and her teeth and nose were broken. According to press reports, 
Zhou Zhichang, a practitioner imprisoned in Heilongjiang Province since 
September 1999, died in custody in May 2000, after an 8-day hunger 
strike. On October 27, 1999, police in Heilongjiang province stated 
that Chen Ying, an 18-year-old practitioner of Falun Gong who died 
while in police custody in August, had jumped to her death from a 
moving train. Zhao Dong also allegedly jumped from a train while in 
police custody; he reportedly died in late September 1999.
    Although the vast majority of practitioners detained were later 
released, those identified by the Government as ``core leaders'' were 
singled out for particularly harsh treatment. On October 25, 1999, the 
official media reported that at least 13 Falun Gong leaders had been 
charged with stealing and leaking state secrets. On October 31, 1999, 
as part of the Government's anti-Falun Gong crackdown, the Standing 
Committee of the National People's Congress adopted a decision to ban 
``cults,'' including Falun Gong, under Article 300 of the Criminal Law. 
Under the decision, cult members who ``disrupt public order'' or 
distribute publications can receive prison terms of 3 to 7 years. Cult 
leaders and recruiters can be sentenced to 7 years or more in prison. 
On November 3, days after action by the Standing Committee of the 
National People's Congress to ban all cults under the Criminal Law, 
authorities used this law to charge 6 Falun Gong leaders, some of whom, 
it is believed, were arrested in July 1999. On November 8, the 
Government confirmed that 111 practitioners had been charged with 
serious crimes including disturbing social order and stealing state 
secrets. On December 26, a Beijing court sentenced four adherents for 
using a cult ``to obstruct justice, causing human deaths in the process 
of organizing a cult, and illegally obtaining state secrets.'' Li 
Chang, a former Public Security Ministry official, was given 18 years 
in prison; former Railways Ministry official Wang Zhiwen was sentenced 
to 16 years. Two other prominent adherents, Ji Liewu and Yao Jie, 
received 12 years and 7 years, respectively. According to an 
international human rights organization, the Ministry of Justice 
required attorneys to obtain government permission to represent Falun 
Gong adherents. Amnesty International reports that some lawyers have 
been prevented from entering pleas of ``not guilty'' for practitioners. 
Human rights organizations estimate that as many as 300 people have 
been sentenced to prison terms of up to 18 years for involvement with 
Falun Gong.
    Many other practitioners were sentenced administratively, without 
trial, to up to 3 years in reeducation-through-labor camps. According 
to credible estimates, as many as 5,000 may have received such 
sentences. According to credible reports, authorities also have started 
confining some practitioners to psychiatric hospitals. Amnesty 
International reported that, on January 20, 2000, a Changguang Police 
Station spokesman confirmed that about 50 ``extremist'' Falun Gong 
practitioners had been placed in a psychiatric hospital near Beijing, 
and cited reports from Falun Gong practitioners that the practitioner's 
families were asked for fees to cover living expenses in the hospital. 
Amnesty International also reports that practitioners were taken to 
psychiatric hospitals in Jiaozhou, Shandong, Province, in September 
1999, and in Xinxiang, Henan, in December 1999.
    Religious groups that preach beliefs outside the bounds of 
officially approved doctrine (such as the imminent coming of the 
Apocalypse, or holy war) or that have charismatic leaders often are 
singled out for particularly severe harassment. Some observers have 
attributed the unorthodox beliefs of some of these groups to 
undertrained clergy. Others acknowledge that some individuals may be 
exploiting the reemergence of interest in religion for personal gain. 
Police continued their efforts to close down an underground evangelical 
group called the ``Shouters,'' an offshoot of a pre-1949 indigenous 
Protestant group. The Government also initiated a general crackdown on 
other groups it considered ``cults.'' In September 1999, 31 members of 
the ``Cold Water Religion'' reportedly were arrested in Lianping 
County, Guangdong; 3 of the group's churches reportedly were destroyed. 
Liu Jiaguo, leader of the Supreme Deity sect, was executed in October 
1999. He was convicted on charges of raping 11 women and of defrauding 
cult members.
    The crackdown on ``cults'' intensified later in the year, with 
press reports stating that restrictions would be tightened on several 
``cults'' and various Christian groups. The Zhong Gong qigong group, 
which reportedly had a following rivaling that of Falun Gong, was 
banned under the anti-cult application of the Criminal Law, and its 
leader, Zhang Hongbao, was charged with rape, forgery, and illegal 
crossing of boundaries. Zhong Gong, like other qigong groups, teaches 
that the body's vital forces, or qi, can be harnessed for healing 
purposes and spiritual growth through meditation and spiritual 
exercises. According to a news report, a local Zhong Gong leader in 
Zhejiang Province, Chen Jilong, was convicted in January 2000 of 
illegally practicing medicine and was sentenced to 2 years in prison. 
Two leaders of other qigong groups also reportedly were arrested, and 
the Government banned the practice of qigong exercises on public or 
government property. This has created an atmosphere of uncertainty for 
many, of not most, qigong practitioners, and there are reports that 
some qigong practitioners now fear practicing or teaching openly. There 
were reports that 14 unofficial Christian groups and a Buddhist 
organization were branded by the Government as ``evil sects,'' as well.
    There were many religious detainees and prisoners in addition to 
the thousands of Falun Gong practitioners detained during the period 
covered by this report. In some cases, public security officials have 
used prison or reeducation-through-labor sentences to enforce religious 
affairs regulations. Qin Baocai and Mu Sheng, colleagues of Protestant 
house church leader Xu Yongze, continue to serve reeducation-through-
labor sentences. The Government's 1997 White Paper on Religious Freedom 
stated that Xu had violated the law by promoting a cult, preaching that 
the Apocalypse was near, and asking worshipers to wail in public spaces 
for several consecutive days. Group members deny these charges. On 
August 18, 1999, eight house church leaders--Zhao Dexin, Yang Xian, 
Miao Hailin, Chen Zide, Li Wen, Han Shaorong, and two others--
reportedly were arrested in Henan. On August 24, 1999, 40 house church 
members reportedly were arrested in Fengcheng, Henan. Among those 
detained were David Zhang (Rongliang) and Zheng Shuqian of the 
Fengcheng church group; both church leaders were sentenced to 
reeducation-through-labor. According to a Hong Kong human rights 
organization, on March 2, 2000, 15 members of the China Evangelistic 
Fellowship were arrested while holding a service in Nanwang City, Henan 
province. Two of the group's leaders, Jiang Qinggang and Hao Huaiping, 
reportedly faced reeducation-through-labor sentences. The director of 
the Government's Religious Affairs Bureau had labeled the fellowship 
publicly as a ``cult'' at the end of 1999. In December 1999, Shen 
Yiping and three other Fellowship leaders were sentenced to 
reeducation-through-labor for being ``cult leaders.''
    The whereabouts of Roman Catholic Bishop Su Zhimin, whose followers 
reported that he was arrested in 1997, remained unclear. Underground 
Catholic sources in Hebei claimed that he still was under detention, 
while the Government denied having taken ``any coercive measures'' 
against him. Reliable sources reported that Bishop An Shuxin, Bishop 
Zhang Weizhu, Father Cui Xing, and Father Wang Quanjun remained under 
detention in Hebei; Bishop Liu reportedly remained under house arrest 
in Zhejiang province. According to a Freedom House report, in the last 
half of 1999, four Catholic Bishops reportedly were detained or 
arrested for refusing to join the official church or for conducting 
unauthorized services. The four were Bishop Jia Zhiguo (of Hebei 
province, on August 15); Bishop Xie Shiguang (of Fujian province, in 
mid-October); Bishop Lin Xili (of Zhejiang province, on October 28); 
and Bishop Han Dingxiang (of Hebei province, around December 1). All of 
the bishops reportedly were arrested for refusing to join the official 
church or for conducting unauthorized services. In January 2000, Father 
Hu Duo reportedly was detained in Hebei; according to a Human Rights 
Watch report, authorities that month also reportedly detained, beat, 
and fined an unknown number of underground Catholics in Baoding, Hebei. 
In Fuzhou, Fujian province, a large group of police arrested 80-year-
old underground Catholic Bishop Yang Shudao on February 10, 2000. The 
Government denied that the elderly Bishop is being detained, claiming 
that he is receiving medical treatment. Underground Catholic Bishop 
Joseph Fan Zhongliang of Shanghai remained under surveillance and often 
had his movements restricted. Roman Catholic Bishop Zeng Jingmu, who 
was released from a labor camp in 1998, reportedly remains under house 
arrest.
    During the beginning of the period covered by this report (the last 
6 months of 1999), the Government's respect for religious freedom 
deteriorated markedly, especially for the Falun Gong and Tibetan 
Buddhists, and the Government's repression and abuses continued during 
the first 6 months of 2000. There were no indications of a relaxation 
of the Government's restrictions on religious freedom, or of its 
crackdown on Falun Gong, as of mid-2000.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    The communities of the five official religions--Buddhism, Islam, 
Taoism, Catholicism, and Protestantism--coexist without significant 
friction. However, in some parts of the country, there is a tense 
relationship between registered and unregistered Christian churches. In 
other areas, the two groups coexist without problems. In general the 
majority of the population shows little interest in the affairs of the 
religious minority beyond visiting temples during festivals or churches 
on Christmas Eve. Religious/ethnic minority groups such as Tibetans and 
Uighurs experience societal discrimination, but this is not based 
solely on their religious beliefs. Traditionally, there also has been 
tension between the Han and the Hui, a Muslim ethnic group.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The Department of State, U.S. officials in Beijing, and the 
Consulates General in Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Shenyang make a 
concerted effort to encourage greater religious freedom in the country, 
using both focused external pressure on abuses and support for positive 
trends within the country. In exchanges with the Government, including 
with religious affairs officials, diplomatic personnel consistently 
urge both central and local authorities to respect citizens' rights to 
religious freedom. U.S. officials protest vigorously whenever there are 
credible reports of religious persecution or discrimination, in 
violation of international laws and standards, and request information 
in cases of alleged persecution where the facts are incomplete or 
contradictory. At the same time, U.S. officials make the case to the 
country's leaders that freedom of religion can strengthen, not harm, 
the country. The U.S. Embassy and consulates also collect information 
about abuses and maintain contacts in China's religious communities 
with a wide spectrum of religious leaders including bishops, priests, 
ministers of the official Christian churches, and Taoist and Buddhist 
leaders. U.S. officials also meet with leaders and members of the 
unofficial Christian churches. The Department of State's 
nongovernmental contacts include experts on religion in China, human 
rights organizations, and religious groups in the United States. The 
Department of State is sending increasing numbers of Chinese religious 
leaders and scholars to the U.S. on international visitor programs to 
see first hand the role that religion plays in the United States. The 
Embassy also brings experts on religion from the United States to China 
to speak about the role of religion in American life and public policy.
    In May 1999, the Chinese government suspended the official 
U.S.China bilateral human rights dialog. The suspension, which remains 
in effect, has limited the U.S. Government's ability to express 
concerns about religious freedom to Chinese officials. At times, 
government officials have refused to grant meetings to U.S. embassy 
officials who intended to raise religious freedom or other human rights 
issues. Despite these limitations, U.S. officials in Washington and 
Beijing have continued to protest individual incidents of abuse. For 
example, Embassy officials have continued to seek clarification about 
the status of Roman Catholic Bishop Su Zhimin. On numerous occasions, 
both the Department of State and the Embassy in Beijing protested 
government actions taken against Falun Gong followers, including the 
temporary detention of thousands of adherents in July 1999 and the 
sentencing of four group leaders later in the year. In May 2000, senior 
embassy officials urged the Chinese to release Pastor Xu Yongze, whose 
reeducation-through-labor sentence expired in March 2000. Consulate 
Guangzhou officials also protested to local officials the detention and 
harassment of Pastor Li Dexian. State Department officials called in 
senior Chinese embassy officials in Washington to protest the January 
detention of Roman Catholic Bishop Yang Shudao.
    In September 1999, the Secretary of State designated China a 
country of particular concern under the International Religious Freedom 
Act for particularly severe violations of religious freedom.
                                 tibet
    (This section of the report on China has been prepared pursuant to 
Section 536 (b) of Public Law 103-236. The United States recognizes the 
Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR)--hereinafter referred to as ``Tibet''--to 
be part of the People's Republic of China. Preservation and development 
of Tibet's unique religious, cultural, and linguistic heritage and 
protection of its people's fundamental human rights continue to be of 
concern.)

    The Constitution of the People's Republic of China provides for 
freedom of religious belief; however, the Government maintains tight 
controls on religious practices and places of worship in Tibet. Most 
Tibetans practice Tibetan Buddhism. Although the authorities permit 
some traditional religious practices and public manifestations of 
belief, those activities viewed as vehicles for political dissent, such 
as religious activities that are perceived as advocating Tibetan 
independence, including displaying the Dalai Lama's picture, or any 
form of separatism (which is described as ``splittist''), are not 
tolerated and are promptly and forcibly suppressed.
    The Chinese Government strictly controls access to and information 
about Tibet, and it is difficult to determine accurately the scope of 
religious freedom violations; however, repression of religious freedom 
continued, and the Government's record of respect for religious freedom 
deteriorated during the period covered by this report.
    The Government continued its ``patriotic education'' campaign aimed 
at enforcing compliance with government regulations and either cowing 
or weeding out monks and nuns who refuse to adopt the Party line and 
remain sympathetic to the Dalai Lama (the leading religious figure in 
Tibetan Buddhism). The ``patriotic education'' campaign also is 
intended to increase the Government's control over the Tibetan Buddhist 
establishment. The ``patriotic reeducation'' of monks and nuns, which 
began in 1996 in Lhasa area monasteries and in subsequent years was 
intensified and extended throughout Tibet and to monasteries outside of 
the TAR, continued but at a lower level of intensity. A new round of 
political education classes in monasteries began at the end of 1999 in 
Lhasa and in some smaller monasteries in more remote parts of the TAR. 
However, the current pattern of classes several times per week or per 
month seems less frequent than previously. Many persons, including 
monks and nuns, were arrested by authorities while attempting to 
protest peacefully or for refusing to abide by rules applied by 
government authorities in Buddhist monasteries, including the 
renunciation of the Dalai Lama and the acceptance of the unity of China 
and Tibet. Many others remain in detention, some serving long prison 
terms, for similar offenses. There were reports of imprisonment and 
abuse or torture of monks and nuns accused of political activism, and 
the death of prisoners; at least two major monasteries were closed for 
part of the period covered by this report.
    The U.S. Government continues to make a concerted effort to 
encourage greater religious freedom in Tibet, by urging central 
government and local authorities to respect religious freedom in Tibet, 
by protesting credible reports of religious persecution or 
discrimination, by discussing cases with the authorities, and by 
requesting information about specific incidents.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution of the People's Republic of China provides for 
freedom of religious belief and the freedom not to believe; however, 
the Government seeks to restrict religious practice to government-
sanctioned organizations and registered places of worship and to 
control the growth and scope of the activity of religious groups. The 
Government maintains tight controls on religious practices and places 
of worship in Tibet. Although the authorities permit some traditional 
religious practices and public manifestations of belief, those 
activities viewed as vehicles for political dissent, such as religious 
activities that are perceived as advocating Tibetan independence, 
including displaying the Dalai Lama's picture, or any form of 
separatism (which is described as ``splittist''), are not tolerated and 
are promptly and forcibly suppressed.
    The Government continued its harsh rhetorical campaign against the 
Dalai Lama, the most important figure in Tibetan Buddhism, and his 
leadership of a ``government-in-exile''. The official press continued 
to criticize vehemently the ``Dalai clique'' and, in an attempt to 
undermine the credibility of his religious authority, repeatedly 
described the Dalai Lama as a ``criminal'' who was determined to split 
China. Both central government and local officials often insist that 
dialog with the Dalai Lama is essentially impossible and claim that his 
actions belie his repeated public assurances that he does not advocate 
independence for Tibet. Nonetheless, the Government asserts that the 
door to dialog and negotiation is open as long as the Dalai Lama 
publicly affirms that Tibet is an inseparable part of China and that 
Taiwan is a province of China.
    The Government claims that since the end of the Cultural 
Revolution, it has contributed sums in excess of $40 million (300 to 
400 million rmb) toward the restoration of tens of thousands of 
Buddhist sites, which were destroyed before and during that period. The 
Government funding of restoration efforts ostensibly was done to 
support the practice of religion, but also was done in part to promote 
the development of tourism in Tibet. Most recent restoration efforts 
are funded privately; Samye monastery near Lhasa airport is the only 
large site currently known to be enjoying government-funded restoration 
efforts.
Religious Demography
    Most Tibetans practice Tibetan Buddhism to some degree. Many ethnic 
Tibetan government officials and Communist Party members practice 
Buddhism. Chinese officials state that Tibet has more than 46,300 
Buddhist monks and nuns and approximately 1,787 monasteries, temples, 
and religious sites. Officials have used these same figures for several 
years, though there are credible reports that the numbers of monks and 
nuns have dropped at many sites, especially since the beginning of the 
``patriotic education'' campaign, which has resulted in the expulsion 
from monasteries and nunneries of many monks and nuns who refused to 
denounce the Dalai Lama or who were found to be ``politically 
unqualified'' to be monks or nuns. The numbers represent only the Tibet 
Autonomous Region; thousands of monks and nuns live in other Tibetan 
areas of China, including parts of Sichuan, Yunnan, Gansu, and Qinghai 
Provinces.
    While officials state that there is no Falun Gong activity in the 
TAR, reports indicate that there are small numbers of practitioners of 
Falun Gong present in the region, among the ethnic Han population. 
There were reports that a few practitioners of Falun Gong have been 
detained in Tibet since Falun Gong was banned in July 1999.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Buddhist monasteries and proindependence activism are closely 
associated in Tibet, and the Government has moved to curb the 
proliferation of Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, which it charges are a 
drain on local resources and a conduit for political infiltration by 
the Tibetan exile community. The Government states there are no limits 
on the number of monks in major monasteries and that each monastery's 
democratic management committee decides on its own how many monks the 
monastery can support. However, these committees are government-
controlled; and in practice, the Government generally imposes strict 
limits on the number of monks in major monasteries. The Government has 
the right to disapprove any individual's application to take up 
religious orders; however, these restrictions are not always enforced.
    Monasteries continue to house and train young monks. Although by 
regulation monks are prohibited from joining a monastery prior to the 
age of 18, many younger boys in fact continue the tradition of entering 
monastic life. However, many young novices, who traditionally served as 
attendants to older monks while receiving a basic monastic education 
and awaiting formal ordination, have been expelled from monasteries in 
recent years for being underage; the fact that these novices were not 
regular members of the monasteries has allowed authorities to deny that 
there has been a significant decline in the numbers of monks.
    The Government continued to oversee the daily operations of major 
monasteries. The Government, which does not contribute to monasteries' 
operational funds, retains management control of the monasteries 
through the government-controlled democratic management committees and 
the local religious affairs bureaus. During 1999 the Tibet Autonomous 
Region Religious Affairs Bureau confirmed that all RAB officers are 
members of the Communist Party, and that Party members are required to 
be atheists; however, it is not possible to confirm that members of the 
local RAB's are atheists. Regulations restrict leadership of management 
committees of monasteries to ``patriotic and devoted'' monks and nuns 
and specify that the Government must approve all members of the 
committees. At some major monasteries, government officials also sit on 
the committees. Despite these government efforts to control the 
Buddhist clergy and monasteries, antigovernment sentiment remains 
strong.
    In January 2000, officials closed the Tsurphu monastery (the home 
of the Karmapa, the highest ranking lama of Tibetan Buddhism's Karma 
Kargyu school) to visitors after the Karmapa's flight to India. Many 
other persons, including lay persons, were questioned in connection 
with the Karmapa's escape. There were reports that several high ranking 
TAR officials were called to Beijing after the escape to account for 
their actions. According to the Tibet Information Network (TIN), 
authorities replaced monks on the monastic management committee at 
Tsurphu after the Karmapa's escape, while other monks were admonished 
to improve their ``political attitudes'' or face further ``patriotic 
education'' sessions. Officials and monks at the monastery reportedly 
were under investigation by the authorities. The dramatic departure of 
the Karmapa added to tensions and increased the authorities' efforts to 
control monastic activity in the TAR. Consequently, it has also made 
the authorities pay more attention to illegal border crossings. There 
were reports that in May 2000, as many as 50 Tibetan students returning 
to Tibet from India were arrested at the Nepal-China border. The TIN 
reported that the Reting Monastery near Lhasa was closed to visitors in 
May 2000 after the arrest of eight monks for protesting the 
authorities' selection of 2-year-old Sonam Phuntsog in January 2000 as 
the seventh reincarnation of the Reting Rinpoche. The TIN also reported 
that the Taglung Drag monastery in Lhasa municipality was threatened 
with closure and its monks with expulsion if they refused to denounce 
the Dalai Lama after monks from the monastery shouted pro-independence 
slogans in two separate incidents in March and August 1999. According 
to TIN, ``patriotic education'' activities were increased, and 16 of 24 
monks reportedly left the monastery in September 1999 rather than 
denounce the Dalai Lama.
    Agya Rinpoche, former Abbott of Kumbum monastery, and a senior 
Tibetan religious leader and official at the Deputy Minister level, 
left the country in November 1998. In a hearing held in March 2000 
organized by the Commission on International Religious Freedom, he 
stated that his reasons for leaving Tibet were that he was forced to 
denounce the Dalai Lama and his religion and that the Government 
demanded a heightened role for him in legitimizing Gyaltsen Norbu, the 
boy recognized by the Government as the Panchen Lama.
    The Government continued its ``patriotic education'' campaign aimed 
at enforcing compliance with government regulations and either cowing 
or weeding out monks and nuns who refuse to adopt the Party line and 
remain sympathetic to the Dalai Lama (the leading religious figure in 
Tibetan Buddhism). The ``patriotic education'' campaign also is 
intended to increase the Government's control over the Tibetan Buddhist 
establishment. The campaigns, which have been largely unsuccessful in 
changing Tibetans' attitudes, are aimed at controlling the monasteries 
and expelling supporters of the Dalai Lama. The campaigns require monks 
to be ``patriotic'' and sign a declaration agreeing to reject 
independence for Tibet; reject Gendun Choekyi Nyima, the boy recognized 
by the Dalai Lama as the 11th reincarnation of the Panchen Lama; reject 
and denounce the Dalai Lama; recognize the unity of China and Tibet; 
and not listen to the Voice of America. According to some reports, 
monks who refused to sign were expelled from their monasteries and were 
not permitted to return home to work. Others were forced to leave their 
monasteries after failing to pass exams associated with the campaigns, 
and still others left ``voluntarily'' rather than denounce the Dalai 
Lama. Government ``work teams'' remain in some monasteries and conduct 
classes that monks are required to attend on a regular basis. Topics 
include relations between Tibetans and Han Chinese, Tibet's historical 
status as a part of China, and the role of the Dalai Lama in attempting 
to ``split'' the country. Portraits of Gyaltsen Norbu, the boy selected 
by the Government to be the 11th reincarnation of the Panchen Lama, 
were on prominent display in some monasteries, as were sets of rules 
governing religious activity. The Government still banned pictures of 
Gendun Choekyi Nyima, the boy recognized by the Dalai Lama as the 
Panchen Lama. There has been intense resistance to the campaigns. Both 
monks and lay Buddhists deeply resented the Government's efforts. The 
campaign has disrupted religious activities severely in many 
monasteries and prompted monks and nuns to flee to India. Approximately 
3,000 Tibetans enter Nepal each year to escape conditions in Tibet, 
according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees; onethird of these 
refugees claim that they left because of the ``patriotic reeducation'' 
campaigns.
    The Government approved the selection of 2-year-old Sonam Phuntsog 
on January 16, 2000 as the seventh reincarnation of the Reting 
Rinpoche. A Tibetan government official stated that officials 
supervising religion should ensure that the boy ``loves the Communist 
Party of China, the Socialist country, and Tibetan Buddhism'' and that 
he would help to ``preserve the unity of the Chinese nation.'' The 
Dalai Lama, who normally must approve the selection of important 
religious figures such as the Reting Rinpoche, did not recognize this 
choice; many of the monks at Reting monastery reportedly did not accept 
the child as the Reting Rinpoche.
    The Government continued to insist that the boy it selected in 1995 
is the Panchen Lama's 11th reincarnation. The authorities tightly 
control all aspects of his life, and he has appeared publicly in 
Beijing only on rare occasions. The Panchen Lama is Tibetan Buddhism's 
second most prominent figure, after the Dalai Lama. His public 
appearances were marked by a heavy security presence. At all other 
times, the authorities strictly limit access to the boy.
    The ban on the public display of photographs of the Dalai Lama 
continued, and such pictures were not readily available except through 
illegal means. Some monasteries and many individuals displayed them 
privately, but in the spring of 2000 Lhasa area neighborhood committees 
began sending teams to the homes of ordinary citizens to confiscate 
books about and pictures of the Dalai Lama. This restriction is in 
effect in Tibetan areas outside the TAR. Although a few shops still 
quietly sell his photograph, outside the TAR the vast majority of 
monasteries no longer display his photo.
    Some 1,000 religious figures hold positions in local people's 
congresses and committees of the Chinese People's Political 
Consultative Conference. However, the Government continues to insist 
that Communist Party members and government employees adhere to the 
Party's code of atheism. During the period covered by this report, in 
Lhasa and other areas the authorities increased restrictions on 
religious activities, prohibiting government and Communist Party 
officials from going into monasteries, visiting the Jokhang temple, 
having altars in their homes, participating in religious activities 
during the Tibetan New Year, or placing new prayer flags on their roofs 
(a traditional practice during the Tibetan New Year). There were also 
reports during the spring of 2000 that some government employees were 
forbidden to make donations to monks and nuns in Lhasa. In some areas, 
private citizens also were prohibited from engaging in traditional New 
Year's activities such as placing prayer flags on the top of Bumpari, a 
mountain near Lhasa, burning incense, and making the traditional 
``lingkor'' (pilgrimage circuit around the sacred sites of Lhasa) 
during the festival of Sagadawa in June 2000. Government employees 
reportedly were threatened with dismissal if they made the ``lingkor.'' 
According to credible reports, there were instances in which the 
authorities threatened to terminate the employment of Tibetan 
government employees who sent their children to receive a religious 
education in India, and in which authorities searched the homes of 
government workers for religious objects or pictures of the Dalai Lama.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    Tibetan Buddhism came under additional attack during the period 
covered by this report. In August 1999, according to an Amnesty 
International report, two monks from the Taglung Drag monastery were 
detained as part of a protest involving monks and nuns after shouting 
proindependence slogans during a cultural performance held in 
conjunction with the National Minority Games. In late December 1999, 
14-year-old Ugyen Trinley Dorje, recognized by both the Government and 
the Dalai Lama as the Karmapa, left Tibet secretly and fled to India, 
reportedly to seek religious education. He stated that he left because 
of controls on his movements and the refusal either to allow him to go 
to India to be trained by his spiritual mentor or to allow his mentor 
to come to him. The Karmapa, who is the third most well respected and 
influential religious figure in Tibetan Buddhism, arrived in India in 
early January, 2000. Shortly after his departure, the seat of the 
Karmapa, the Tsurphu monastery, was raided. Authorities arrested at 
least two persons from the monastery. There was also a Tibet 
Information Network report that the Karmapa's parents were placed under 
surveillance. Government officials denied that there were any arrests 
at the Tsurphu monastery or that the Karmapa's parents have faced 
restrictions of any kind.
    There were numerous arrests of monks charged with distributing or 
possessing pictures of the Dalai Lama or with having links to exile 
groups; some of these reports came from areas outside of the TAR. In a 
Tibetan area of Sichuan province, at least five monks were arrested 
over the summer and fall of 1999 for engaging in such activities. 
According to TIN, in July 1999, new restrictions were imposed by the 
authorities to prevent celebration of the Dalai Lama's birthday. 
Reports indicate that Tibetans were forbidden to hold traditional 
incense-burning ceremonies anywhere in Lhasa, and that all places of 
worship were closed. Authorities also detained three monks on October 
1, 1999 after a peaceful protest near the Potala palace in Lhasa.
    A foreign nongovernmental organization reported in June 2000 that 
Tashi Rabten, a monk at Thenthok monastery, died on May 1, 2000, after 
falling from a third floor window after interrogation by government 
officials. He allegedly protested the removal of the Dalai Lama's 
photographs during a raid of the monastery. Three other monks who also 
protested the removal of the photos allegedly were beaten severely.
    In July 1999, Phuntsok Legmon, age 16, and Namdrol, age 21, two 
monks who had been detained and reportedly had been beaten severely the 
previous March after demonstrating in Barkhor Square in Lhasa, were 
sentenced to 3 and 4 years respectively in Drapchi prison.
    A large number of monks and nuns have been detained and/or 
imprisoned. A number of individual such cases were cited by the U.N. 
Special Rapporteur on Torture in his report to the 56th session of the 
U.N. Commission on Human Rights in the spring of 2000. The director of 
the Prison Administration Bureau told a visiting foreign delegation 
that there were over 100 monks and nuns imprisoned in the TAR's three 
prisons, of whom 90 percent were incarcerated for ``endangering state 
security.'' There were reports of imprisonment and abuse or torture of 
monks and nuns accused of political activism, and the death of 
prisoners; at least two major monasteries were closed for part of the 
period covered by this report. There are credible reports from a number 
of prisons that prisoners accused of political offenses who resisted 
political reeducation imposed by prison authorities, particularly 
demands to denounce the Dalai Lama and accept Gyaltsen Norbu, the boy 
recognized by the Government as the Panchen Lama, also were beaten. The 
TIN reports severe beatings of several nuns serving long prison 
sentences, including Ngawang Choezon and Puntsog Nyidrol. Nun Ngawang 
Sangdrol also was beaten severely on multiple occasions and held in 
solitary confinement for an extended period, according to credible 
reports. Her prison sentence was extended for a third time in 1998, for 
taking part in demonstrations in prison, to a total of 21 years. 
Ngawang Sangdrol's health is reportedly poor, although government 
officials have claimed that her health is fine. The TIN reported that 
Gyaye Phuntsog, a 68-year-old monk from Qinghai province, may have been 
deprived of food and sleep for several days during his interrogation, 
prior to his release on medical parole during the summer of 1999. 
Several sources report that he is now unable to walk without the use of 
crutches.
    Prisoners have resisted political reeducation imposed by prison 
authorities, particularly demands to denounce the Dalai Lama and accept 
the Panchen Lama appointed by the Government. According to the TIN, 
punishments meted out to uncooperative prisoner leaders have resulted 
in hunger strikes among female prisoners on at least two occasions at 
Drapchi prison. Officials also resort to lengthening periods of 
solitary confinement to isolate demonstrators.
    The Government continued to hold Gendun Choekyi Nyima, who the 
Dalai Lama recognized as the 11th Panchen Lama, along with his family. 
Government officials have claimed that the boy is being held for his 
own protection and that he lives in Tibet and attends classes as a 
``normal schoolboy.'' The location of Gendun Choekyi Nyima and his 
family remains unknown, and all requests from the international 
community for access to the boy to confirm his whereabouts and his 
wellbeing have been refused. The Government denied press reports in 
November 1999 that Gendun Choekyi Nyima died and was cremated secretly; 
however, the Government continued to refuse international observers 
access to the boy. The majority of Tibetan Buddhists recognize the boy 
recognized by the Dalai Lama as the Panchen Lama; refugee monks in 
January 2000 told a foreign official that they believe that virtually 
all Tibetans hold this view. Tibetan monks have claimed that they were 
forced to sign statements pledging allegiance to the boy the Government 
selected as the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama. The Communist Party 
also urged its members to support the ``official'' Panchen Lama, and 
the Propaganda Department of the Communist Party committees at both the 
regional and city levels had pictures of the boy printed for use in 
public and private religious displays.
    According to credible reports, Chadrel Rinpoche, who was accused by 
the Government of betraying state secrets while helping the Dalai Lama 
choose the incarnation of the 11th Panchen Lama, has been held in a 
secret compound of a Sichuan prison where he has been separated from 
other prisoners, denied all outside contacts, and restricted to his 
cell since his 1997 sentence to 6 years' imprisonment after a trial 
that was closed to the public. The Government told a visiting foreign 
delegation that he is ``fine physically.''
    The Chinese Government strictly controls access to and information 
about Tibet, and it is difficult to determine accurately the scope of 
religious freedom violations; however, repression of religious freedom 
continued, and the Government's record of respect for religious freedom 
deteriorated during the period covered by this report.
    During the period covered by this report, many foreign groups, 
including NGO's and tourists, reported increasing restrictions on 
movements. Two NGO's, Medecins Sans Frontieres and the Tibet Heritage 
Fund, were threatened with expulsion. Restrictions on travel also were 
reported during the period covered by this report. The Government 
tightly controlled visits by foreign officials and official foreign 
visitors had few opportunities to meet local Tibetans not previously 
approved by the local authorities.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Most Tibetans practice Tibetan Buddhism. Although the Christian 
population in Tibet is extremely small, there is societal pressure 
aimed at converts, some of whom reportedly have been disinherited by 
their families.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The Department of State, the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, and the 
Consulate General in Chengdu are making a concerted effort to encourage 
greater religious freedom in Tibet. In regular exchanges with the 
Government, including with religious affairs officials, diplomatic 
personnel consistently urge both central government and local 
authorities to respect religious freedom in Tibet. Embassy officials 
protest and seek further information on cases whenever there are 
credible reports of religious persecution or discrimination. Diplomatic 
personnel stationed in the country also regularly travel to Tibet to 
monitor conditions, including the status of religious freedom. However, 
the Special Coordinator for Tibet and a member of her staff were denied 
visas to travel to Tibet during the period covered by this report. U.S. 
officials maintain contacts with a wide spectrum of religious figures, 
and the Department of State's nongovernmental contacts include experts 
on religion in Tibet and religious groups in the United States. The 
Embassy, including the Ambassador and other senior officers, raised 
with government officials the cases of religious prisoners and reports 
of religious persecution. Senior embassy officials meet regularly with 
the head of the Religious Affairs Bureau and raised cases during those 
discussions. Cases raised by the Embassy include those of Gendun 
Choekyi Nyima, the boy recognized by the Dalai Lama as the llth Panchen 
Lama, Abbot Chadrel Rinpoche, Ngawang Sangdrol, and other Tibetan monks 
and nuns. Other embassy officers raised specific cases in meetings with 
officials from the Religious Affairs Bureau and the United Front Work 
Department.
                               __________

                                 TAIWAN

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
authorities respect this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both the authorities' policy and the generally amicable 
relationship among religions in society contribute to the free practice 
of religion.
    The American Institute in Taiwan discusses religious freedom issues 
with the Taiwan authorities in the context of its overall dialog and 
policy of promoting human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
authorities respect this right in practice. The authorities at all 
levels generally protect this right in full, and do not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
    Religious organizations may register with the central authorities 
through their island-wide associations under either the Temple 
Management Law, the Civic Organizations Law, or the chapter of the 
Civil Code that governs foundations and associations. While individual 
places of worship may register with local authorities, many choose not 
to register and operate as the personal property of their leaders. 
Registered organizations operate on a taxfree basis and are required to 
make annual reports of their financial operations. In the past, concern 
over abuse of tax-free privileges or other financial misdeeds 
occasionally prompted the authorities to deny registration to new 
religions whose doctrines were not clear, but there were no reports 
that the authorities sought to suppress new religions during the period 
covered by this report.
Religious Demography
    Approximately 50 percent of the population regularly participate in 
some form of organized religious practice. Sixteen religious 
organizations have registered with the Ministry of the Interior. While 
reliable statistics are not available, it can be estimated from 
registration figures provided to the Ministry of the Interior that of 
the total population approximately 22 percent are Buddhist; 22 percent 
are Taoist; 4 percent follow I Kuan Tao; 2 percent are Protestants; 1.5 
percent are Roman Catholics; 1 percent follow Tien Li Chao (Heaven 
Reason Religion); 1 percent follow Tien Ti Chiao (Heaven Emperor 
Religion); 1 percent follow Tien Te Chiao (Heaven Virtue Religion); 0.7 
percent follow Li-ism; 0.6 percent follow Hsuan Yuan Chiao (Yellow 
Emperor Religion); and .02 percent are Sunni Muslim. There are no 
statistics available for the three religions newly registered in 1999: 
Confucianism, Ta I Chao (Great Changes Religion), and Hai Tzu Chiao 
(Innocent Child Religion). It has also been estimated by knowledgeable 
observers that almost 14 percent of the population are atheists. Among 
the Protestants, the following denominations are represented among the 
population: Presbyterians, True Jesus, Church of Jesus Christ of 
Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), Baptists, Lutherans, Seventh-Day 
Adventists, Episcopalians, and Jehovah's Witnesses. There are also 
small numbers of adherents of Judaism, the Baha'i Faith, Falun Gong, 
and the Mahikari religion. More than 70 percent of the indigenous 
population is Christian. The majority of religious adherents are either 
Buddhist or Taoist, but a large percentage consider themselves both 
Buddhist and Taoist.
    Whatever their religion, many persons also follow a collection of 
beliefs that might be called ``traditional Chinese folk religion,'' 
which is deeply ingrained in Chinese culture. These beliefs include, 
but are not limited to, shamanism, ancestor worship, magic, ghosts and 
other spirits, and aspects of animism. This folk religion may overlap 
with an individual's belief in Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, or other 
traditional Chinese religions. Knowledgeable observers have estimated 
that perhaps as many as 80 percent of the population believe in some 
form of traditional folk religion.
    Religious beliefs cross political and geographical lines. 
Individual members of Taiwan's political leadership practice various 
faiths, including minority religions.
    Foreign missionary groups operate freely. For example, missionaries 
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the Watch Tower 
Society (Jehovah's Witnesses) operate without restriction.
    Religious instruction is not permitted in public or private schools 
at the elementary, middle, or high school levels. However, universities 
and research institutions have religious studies departments, and 
religious organizations operate theological seminaries.
    The Ministry of the Interior promotes inter-faith understanding 
among religious groups by sponsoring symposiums (or helping to defray 
the expenses of privately sponsored symposiums) on religious issues.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners. However, 
there are 10 members of the Watch Tower Society (Jehovah's Witnesses) 
who remain in prison for failing to follow orders while in military 
service. Nonetheless, there is no indication that members of the Watch 
Tower Society have been singled out for their beliefs. In late 1999, 
the Legislative Yuan passed legislation allowing for a civilian 
alternative to military service for conscientious objectors. The 
legislation would benefit members of the Watch Tower Society and others 
who previously had been imprisoned for failing to follow orders while 
in military service. The law is in the process of being implemented, 
and the program is expected to begin on July 1, 2000.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the authorities' refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations among the various religious communities are generally 
amicable. The Taiwan Council for Religion and Peace, the China 
Religious Believers Association, and the Taiwan Religious Association 
are private organizations that promote greater understanding and 
tolerance among adherents of the different religions. Those 
associations and various religious groups occasionally sponsor 
symposiums to promote mutual understanding.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The American Institute in Taiwan is in frequent contact with 
representatives of human rights organizations and occasionally meets 
with leaders of various religious communities.
                               __________

                                  FIJI

    The abrogated Constitution provided for freedom of religion, and 
the Government respects this right in practice. The status of the 
country's Constitution and political organization are uncertain as a 
result of the takeover of Parliament on May 19, 2000.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report. The status of the country's 
Constitution and political organization are uncertain as a result of 
the takeover of Parliament on May 19, 2000. The Constitution was 
abrogated by the military regime that deposed President, Ratu Sir 
Kamisese Mara on May 29, 2000; however, there was no change in 
religious freedom.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Constitution was 
abrogated by the military regime that deposed President Mara on May 29, 
2000; however, there was no change in religious freedom.
    The abrogated Constitution's article on the State and religion 
declared that religion and the State are separate, but that the 
citizenry acknowledged that worship of and reverence for God are the 
source of good government and leadership. This article reflected a 
compromise that was reached in negotiations on the Constitution to 
accommodate the strong Christian religious influence prevalent in the 
ethnic Fijian community as well as the concerns of the largely non-
Christian (Hindu and Muslim) Indo-Fijian community.
    The abrogated Constitution contained a detailed article with 
respect to the protection of freedom of religion and belief. The 
article stated that individuals have the right to freedom of 
conscience, religion, and belief; the right to manifest their religion 
or belief in worship, observance, practice, or teaching; the right not 
to receive religious instruction or to take part in religious 
ceremonies; and that persons cannot be compelled to take an oath that 
is contrary to their religion or belief.
Religious Demography
    The dominant religion is Methodism, followed by Roman Catholicism; 
however, many other Christian denominations also are represented in the 
country. The Methodist Church is supported by the majority of the 
country's chiefs and remains influential in the ethnic Fijian 
community, particularly in rural areas. The nonethnic Fijian community, 
which constitutes slightly less than half the population, consists 
primarily of Indo-Fijians and, in much smaller numbers, Europeans who 
are the descendants of colonial settlers. The European community is 
predominantly Christian (Methodist). The Hindu faith is predominant 
within the Indo-Fijian community. The Muslim (Sunni) minority makes up 
approximately 10 percent of the IndoFijian community. Both the Hindu 
and Muslim communities have a number of active religious and cultural 
organizations. There are a small number of apparently cult-like 
organizations.
    The Government does not restrict foreign clergy and missionary 
activity or other typical activities of religious organizations. There 
are numerous Christian missionary organizations that are active 
nationally and regionally in social welfare, health, and education. 
Many major Christian denominations and notably the Methodist Church 
have missionaries in the country; they operate numerous religious 
schools, including colleges, which are not subsidized by the 
Government.
    The Government partly sponsors an annual ecumenical prayer 
festival.
    The role of religion continues to be a political issue. In the 
past, former Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka publicly indicated his 
willingness to consider making the country ``a Christian state''; 
however, he helped to create the new Constitution's compromise 
language. Several predominantly ethnic Fijian political parties 
contesting the 1999 general elections called for a Christian state and 
the reintroduction of measures to mandate respect for Christian values, 
such as a ban on Sunday for all but essential services. (Fiji 
introduced such a ban following the two 1987 coups, but it was lifted 
in 1995.) Other parties, which are dominated by Indo-Fijians, do not 
support such actions and insist that church and state should remain 
separate. The president of the Methodist Church has stated that the 
church has no official role in politics. However, numbers of senior 
Methodist leaders, including a past church president, were candidates 
for office in the 1999 general elections. The Christian Democratic 
Party used the Methodist Church headquarters to hold the swearing-in 
ceremony for its candidates.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    In general there are amicable relations between the religious 
communities. However, the largest societal divide in the country 
remains ethnic, not religious, between the ethnic Fijian and Indo-
Fijian communities.
    Incidents of desecration of Hindu temples in 1997 continue to be 
under investigation. There were no reports of any attacks on religious 
institutions during the period covered by this report.
    The Muslim Indo-Fijian community, which is a minority within the 
Indo-Fijian community, at times indicated that it is neglected and 
discriminated against by the predominantly Hindu Indian community.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy actively supports efforts to improve and expand 
governmental and societal awareness of and protection for human rights, 
including the right to freedom of religion. Representatives of the U.S. 
Embassy met with leaders of many religious communities during the 
period covered by this report. Embassy officers also met with 
nongovernmental organizations that have an interest in religious 
freedom. Embassy officers made consular visits to one apparently cult-
like organization to ascertain the safety and welfare of U.S. citizens.
                               __________

                               INDONESIA

    The Constitution provides for religious freedom for members of five 
of the six officially recognized religions and belief in one supreme 
God, and the Government generally respects these provisions; however, 
there are some restrictions on certain types of religious activity, 
including unrecognized religions. The law officially ``embraces'' six 
religions--Islam, Catholicism, Protestantism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and 
Confucianism. The Government generally respects the freedom to worship 
of adherents to each of these religions. Presidential Decree No. 6, 
promulgated in January 2000, lifted severe legal restrictions on the 
practice of Confucianism that had existed since 1967. While only these 
six religions are recognized officially, the law states that other 
religions are not forbidden. A few groups are banned explicitly, 
including Jehovah's Witnesses, whose adherents may experience 
difficulty processing civil matters like marriage. Likewise, citizens 
who are members of religions other than the six officially recognized 
may be obliged to identify themselves as Catholics, Muslims, etc., in 
order to obtain national identity cards or process other civil matters.
    The Government's level of respect for religious freedom remained 
generally constant during the period covered by this report; however, 
religious intolerance within society became markedly more visible and 
was manifested in scores of violent incidents in Maluku, Sulawesi, 
Lombok, and elsewhere.
    There were numerous attacks on churches in various locations 
throughout the country, ranging from minor damage to total destruction; 
only a few cases, if any, were investigated thoroughly, and there were 
no reports that any perpetrators were punished. Mosques also were 
targeted for attack in some instances, especially during the ongoing 
inter-religious strife in North Maluku and Maluku provinces (also known 
as the Molucca Islands), and around Poso, Central Sulawesi. Religious 
intolerance led to violence in several regions, particularly in the 
Moluccas and Central Sulawesi. It generally is estimated that 
approximately 4,000 persons have been killed in the Moluccus strife 
since violence erupted in January 1999. The victims were roughly 
equally divided between Christians and Muslims. In addition to 
intercommunal violence in Maluku and North Maluku provinces, 
significant religious conflict also occurred on the islands of Sulawesi 
and Lombok. Churches and other Christian facilities continued to be 
targeted for attack in Java, where Muslims are a majority, although not 
to the extent to which they were targeted in 1996-97.
    The U.S. discusses religious freedom issues with the Government in 
the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for religious freedom for members of five 
of the six officially recognized religions and belief in one supreme 
God, and the Government generally respects these provisions; however, 
there are some restrictions on certain types of religious activity, 
including unrecognized religions. Law No. 1/1965 states that the 
Government ``embraces'' Islam, Protestantism, Roman Catholicism, 
Buddhism, Hinduism, and Confucianism. Law No. 14/1967 on Chinese 
Worship, Religion and Customs restricted severely the practice of 
Confucianism by, for example, confining Chinese worship, religion and 
customs to the home and temple; however, in January 2000, Presidential 
Decree No. 6/2000 revoked the 1967 restrictive legislation. While the 
law formally ``embraces'' only these six religions, it explicitly 
states that other religions, including Judaism, Zoroastarianism, 
Shintoism, and Taoism are not forbidden. The Government permits the 
practice of other religions, including Sikhism and the mystical, 
traditional beliefs called ``Aliran Kepercayaan.'' The Government bans 
other faiths, such as Jehovah's Witnesses and some Islamic groups. The 
People's Consultative Assembly adopted a new Human Rights Charter in 
November 1998 which provides citizens the freedom to practice their 
religion, without specifying any particular religions.
    The legal requirement to adhere to the official state ideology, 
``Pancasila,'' extends to all religious and secular organizations. 
Because the first tenet of Pancasila is belief in one supreme God, 
atheism is forbidden. Although individuals are not compelled to 
practice any particular faith, all citizens must classify themselves as 
members of one of the six officially recognized religions. As this 
choice must be noted on official documents, such as the identification 
card, failure to identify a religion can make it impossible to obtain 
such documents. Members of other religious communities must be 
identified with one of the six sanctioned religions. For example, Sikhs 
generally are classified as Hindus. Prior to the passage of 
Presidential Decree No. 6/2000, Confucians were required to identify 
themselves as one of the other officially recognized religions; 
however, according to domestic news reports, as of May 2000, 
approximately 100 persons had succeeded in obtaining recognition as 
adherents of Confucianism on their identification cards.
    The Government continues to oppose strongly any Muslim group that 
advocates the establishment of an Islamic state or the supplanting of 
civil law with Sharia (Islamic law). However, at times it was reluctant 
to challenge extreme Muslim groups openly (see Section II).
Religious Demography
    The population, estimated at 211,000,000 persons, is approximately 
85 percent Muslim, 10 percent Christian, 2 percent Hindu, and 1 to 1.5 
percent Buddhist, with the remainder members of other religions. 
Animism still is practiced in remote regions of Kalimantan and Papua 
(also known as Irian Jaya).
    Muslims are the majority population in most regions of Sumatra and 
Java. Muslims also predominate in regions of Sulawesi and Kalimantan 
and are present as minorities in most other parts of the country. The 
vast majority of Muslims are Sunni, although there also are Shi'a and 
adherents of Sufism, Ahmadiyah, and other branches of Islam. The Muslim 
community primarily breaks down into two groups: ``modernist,'' mainly 
urban communities, which adhere more closely to orthodox Sunni 
theology, and larger ``traditionalist'' communities, composed mainly of 
rural Javanese Muslims, who incorporate some elements of Javanese 
mysticism, Hinduism, and Buddhism into their practice of Islam.
    Most Christians reside in the eastern part of the country. Roman 
Catholicism is the predominant religion in the provinces of Nusa 
Tenggara Timor and southeast Maluku, while Protestantism is the 
predominant religion in central and north Maluku. In the easternmost 
province of Papua, Protestants are predominant in the north, and 
Catholics are the majority in the south. Other significant Christian 
populations are located in North Sumatra, seat of the influential Batak 
Protestant Church, which in early 1999 reunited after a government-
manipulated division in 1993. There also are significant Christian 
populations in west and central Java, and in Kalimantan. Many urban 
Sino-Indonesians adhere to Christian faiths as well.
    Migration, both government-sponsored and spontaneous, gradually is 
increasing the Muslim population in the eastern part of the country. 
Some Christian critics have alleged that the Government has attempted 
to alter the demographic balance of the eastern part of the country by 
resettling Muslims in the area and providing various subsidies for 
those who settle spontaneously. The critics claim that growing communal 
violence in eastern Indonesia is a product of this policy (see Section 
II). However, government programs have not sponsored most Muslims who 
have moved into the region.
    Most Hindus live in Bali, where they form about 93 percent of the 
population. Balinese Hinduism has developed various local 
characteristics that distinguish it from Hinduism as practiced on the 
Indian subcontinent. There also is a significant Hindu minority (the 
Keharingan) in central Kalimantan.
    Seven schools of Buddhism are practiced in the country: Buddhayana, 
Mahayana, Theravada, Tridharma, Kasogatan, Nichiren, and Maitreya. 
Most, but not all, Buddhists are of ethnic Chinese origin. Like the 
Sino-Indonesian population, most Buddhists are located in major urban 
and trading centers, rather than rural areas.
    The Government actively promotes mutual tolerance and harmony among 
officially recognized religions. Citizens practicing the recognized 
religions maintain active links with coreligionists inside and outside 
the country and travel abroad for religious gatherings. The Government 
both facilitates and regulates Muslims' participation in the annual 
Hajj pilgrimages to Mecca.
    For the first time since the beginning of the Soeharto regime, 
religiously oriented parties, predominantly Islamic but including some 
Christian, were allowed to form and to contest the June 1999 
parliamentary elections. Christian parties received relatively few 
votes; Muslim parties won about 30 percent of the vote. Of the Muslim 
parties, those with moderate views on the role of Islam in government 
and society dominated. Parties that strongly advocated an Islamization 
of government policy won a small percentage of the vote and few 
parliamentary seats.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Restrictions exist on certain types of religious activity, 
including restrictions on officially recognized religions. For example, 
a number of regulations enacted subsequent to the passage of Law No. 1/
1965 severely restrict some religious groups. Moreover, a 1976 decision 
by the Attorney General, reinforced by a separate decision by the same 
office in 1978, banned Jehovah's Witnesses from practicing their faith. 
Jehovah's Witnesses claim that significant abuse, including detention 
and torture, lasted until 1997. Although government hostility toward 
Jehovah's Witnesses has subsided, open practice of the faith remains 
banned, and members report that they continue to experience difficulty 
registering marriages, enrolling children in school, and in other civil 
matters. The Government in some provinces banned the messianic Islamic 
school, Darul Arqam; the Government also bans the Al-Ma'Unah school in 
some provinces. Members of the Baha'i faith did not report problems 
during the period covered by this report. The Government closely 
monitors Islamic groups considered to be deviating from orthodox tenets 
and in the past has dissolved such groups. Historically, the Government 
has tried to control ``heterodox'' Muslim groups, due to pressure by 
nongovernmental leaders of ``mainstream'' or ``orthodox'' Muslim groups 
as well as the Government's concern for national unity. In addition 
``mainstream'' Christian leaders have influenced government policy 
against ``fundamentalist'' Christians. Non-Trinitarians (Jehovah's 
Witnesses) have faced government bans that they claim were instigated 
by Trinitarian Christians. After the passage of Presidential Decree No. 
6/2000, Confucianists, who in the past were restricted severely, were 
permitted to celebrate publicly the Chinese New Year for the first time 
in over 30 years.
    A 1969 regulation dictates that before a house of worship can be 
built, agreement must be obtained from local residents living near the 
site, and a license must be obtained from the regional office of the 
Ministry of Religion. Some Christians claim that this regulation is 
used to discriminate against them and to prevent them from building 
churches. Despite the problems, the building of churches continued, 
sometimes without permits. Muslims contend that Christians, in some 
instances, seek to erect churches in areas with small Christian 
populations with the aim of creating a base in a Muslim area in order 
to proselytize.
    The law allows for conversion between faiths, and such conversions 
do occur. Independent observers note that it has become increasingly 
difficult to gain official recognition of inter-faith marriages between 
Muslims and non-Muslims. Persons from religions outside the six 
accepted religions also have difficulty in getting their marriages 
recognized officially.
    The Government views proselytizing by recognized religions in areas 
heavily dominated by another recognized religion as potentially 
disruptive and discourages it. Foreign missionary activities are 
relatively unimpeded, although in Papua, and occasionally elsewhere, 
missionaries have experienced difficulties and delays in renewing 
residence permits. In addition visas allowing the entrance of new 
foreign clergy sometimes are difficult to obtain. Foreigners present in 
the country holding tourist visas may be deported for proselytizing. 
Laws and decrees from the 1970's limit the number of years that foreign 
missionaries can spend in the country; some extensions were granted in 
remote areas like Papua. Foreign missionary work is subject to the 
funding stipulations of the 1984 ORMAS law, which regulates the 
activities of all nongovernment ``mass'' organizations in the country.
    The October 1999 election of Muslim leader Abdurrahman Wahid as 
President was greeted with optimism by Christians and members of other 
religious minority groups because of his longstanding advocacy of 
religious tolerance and harmony. In addition to Muslims, Wahid 
appointed Christians, a Hindu, and a Buddhist to his Cabinet. Wahid 
continued actively to promote tolerance as President, and demonstrated 
his commitment to religious freedom by calling on leaders of Hindus, 
Buddhists, Sikhs, and others during their religious festivals.
    The Government's level of respect for religious freedom remained 
generally constant during the period covered by this report; however, 
religious intolerance within society became markedly more visible and 
was manifested in scores of violent incidents in Maluku, Sulawesi, 
Lombok, and elsewhere (see Section II).
    The most widespread inter-religious violence erupted in the 
Moluccas, where several hundred houses of worship, both mosques and 
churches, were destroyed and thousands of persons were killed as 
Christians and Muslims waged an internecine conflict (see Section II).
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    Religious violence and the lack of an effective government response 
to punish perpetrators and prevent further attacks led to allegations 
that officials were complicit in some of the incidents or, at a 
minimum, allowed them to occur with impunity. Although the President 
and other officials repeatedly have criticized instances of inter-
religious violence, the Government's efforts to end or reduce such 
violence generally have not been effective. The Government continued to 
demonstrate reluctance to intervene in mob attacks on houses of 
worship. Security forces proved ineffective in controlling the violence 
in North Maluku and Maluku provinces, where both Christians and Muslims 
repeatedly were targeted for attack on the basis of their religion and 
ethnic group.
    In North Maluku and Maluku provinces Christian sources alleged that 
elements of the security forces were biased against them. For example, 
predominantly Muslim units dispatched from Java and Sulawesi allegedly 
sided with Muslim vigilantes and used excessive force against 
Christians. In other instances, security forces appeared to be biased 
against Muslims. For example, Muslims on Ambon charged that members of 
the predominantly Christian police force also were partial in helping 
their coreligionists. There was no evidence to suggest that the 
security forces, as an institution, supported one side or the other. 
Some individuals and some units occasionally sided with their 
coreligionists, but their actions appeared to be random and contrary to 
orders. In fact some military troops were detained and interrogated for 
allegedly openly siding with militia in at least one episode on Haruku; 
however, there were no reports that such perpetrators ever were 
punished. Several hundred police officers have themselves been 
attacked, and some even killed because of their religion; hundreds of 
police members and their families, as well as numerous other government 
officials, are among the refugees.
    Reviving a centuries-old Ambonese practice, in March 2000, the 
provincial government enlisted Muslims and Christians to cooperate in 
the reconstruction of two major places of worship that were destroyed 
during rioting, Silo Church and An'nur Mosque (see Section II). In a 
highly publicized ceremony, the governor, the Vice President, and 
others, presided over the laying of cornerstones for each building. 
However, as of mid-2000, workers had made little progress.
    In response to heightened violence in the Moluccas in the first 
half of 2000 (see Section II), on June 23, 2000, President Wahid banned 
all travel to the Moluccas; on June 26, 2000, the President declared a 
state of civil emergency. However, during the period covered by this 
report, the Government was unable to suppress the violence or fully 
contain the flow of fighters and weapons to the Moluccas.
    In contrast the governors of the provinces of Sulawesi, working 
with military and police leaders, responded to the outbreak of communal 
violence in the Poso area in the first quarter of 2000 by implementing 
a comprehensive program to prevent the violence from spreading. This 
response included investigation and detention of suspects, 
comprehensive weapons searches, and an effort to return refugees to 
their home villages as soon as possible. As of mid-2000, this response 
seemed to have halted the cycle of retaliation.
    In East Timor, before and after the August 30, 1999 vote in favor 
of independence, pro-Indonesia militias killed numerous Catholic 
priests and nuns who were engaged in humanitarian activities and 
destroyed many Catholic places of worship, many of which were being 
used to shelter thousands of internally displaced persons (IDP's). In 
general the abuses were not motivated by religious differences but by 
pro-Indonesia militia groups' efforts to discourage a vote for 
independence and later to take revenge after their efforts failed.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners during 
the period covered by this report.
    In the summer of 1999, two Christians, one a pastor, one a 
parishioner, were sentenced to 5- to 10-year prison terms in a 
sensational case in Padang, West Sumatra. Salmon Ongirwale was 
convicted of kidnaping in connection with his relationship with a 
Muslim woman, then a minor. The pastor was convicted as an accomplice. 
Some members of the Muslim community, including the woman's parents, 
alleged that the two persons had plotted to kidnap their daughter and 
force her to convert to Christianity. Members of the Christian 
community alleged that the defendants had been charged and tried 
unfairly, and were singled out for such harsh treatment because they 
were Christians.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    The concept of religious freedom generally is accepted within 
society. Religious organizations, nongovernmental organizations 
(NGO's), and individuals regularly conduct programs and activities 
aimed at promoting tolerance and cooperation between different 
religious communities. In the political sphere, leading government and 
opposition political figures regularly address the need for inter-
religious harmony. Several of the major political opposition parties 
and the current ruling coalition are nonsectarian.
    There were markedly fewer reports of specifically anti-Chinese 
violence during the period covered by this report. While attacks on 
ethnic Chinese churches clearly reflect religious tensions, other 
contributing factors are underlying socioeconomic and political 
tensions between Muslims and relatively more affluent Sino-Indonesians.
    During the period covered by this report, groups that actively 
advocate a more prominent role for Islam in society continued to 
emerge. However, there currently is minimal public support for the 
establishment of an Islamic state. The Government continues to oppose 
Muslim groups that advocate the establishment of an Islamic state or 
the supplanting of civil law with Shari'a (Islamic law). However, some 
Islamic political parties and Islamic groups advocate the establishment 
of what they describe as ``an Islamic society.''
    In early 2000, a movement known as the Islamic State of Indonesia 
(NII) emerged on university campuses in Java. There were sporadic 
reports from some neighborhoods of Jakarta that student followers of 
the NII movement set up roadblocks, checked identification cards, and 
harassed passing non-Muslims, in some cases forcing them to recite 
passages from the Koran. Similar incidents took place in Makassar, 
South Sulawesi.
    Another Muslim group that appeared in early 2000, the Laskar Jihad 
(``holy war troops'') engaged in paramilitary training and moved about 
freely, armed with swords, daggers, and spears. Some members of the 
movement reportedly believed that they could ``enter heaven by killing 
infidels.'' Leaders of the group announced that they were planning to 
wage war on Christians in the Moluccas. The Government clearly was 
reluctant to challenge them openly. The Government did close a 
conspicuous Laskar Jihad training camp south of Jakarta, but as of June 
2000, the group had not been disbanded. Many of its recruits were 
deployed to Maluku and North Maluku provinces starting in late April 
2000; some continued training elsewhere. In Yogyakarta, central Java, 
members of the Laskar Jihad openly called for intervention in the 
Moluccas, while others collected funds for Laskar Jihad on street 
corners.
    There were numerous instances of attacks on churches, mosques, 
temples, and other religious facilities between July 1, 1999 and June 
30, 2000. Christian groups recorded 135 attacks in which churches and 
other Christian facilities were closed, damaged, or burned during this 
time (including the violence in the Moluccas and Sulawesi). The attacks 
ranged in severity from broken windowpanes to total destruction. For 
example, on December 15, 1999, Muslim crowds burned and ransacked a 
Christian seminary and a social service complex in southeast Jakarta, 
killing 1 person in the process and injuring 20 others. According to 
many Christian officials, the anti-Christian sentiment behind this 
violence is not new, but the impunity associated with such acts is. 
This has contributed significantly to such attacks since Soeharto 
resigned in May 1998. There are no available national estimates of how 
many mosques were damaged or destroyed during the period covered by 
this report. The Government did not investigate fully most cases of 
attacks on religious facilities that occurred during riots, and in 
other cases, did not investigate such incidents at all.
    There also were reports of preaching and publications against 
Christians, which led to concerns that societal support for religious 
tolerance was under pressure.
    In the Jakarta and other incidents, interethnic tensions, as well 
as inter-religious tensions, were factors that contributed to the 
violence. Other factors included a general breakdown in civil and 
military authority and a concomitant rise in societal violence, as 
citizens took justice into their own hands. Security forces, which have 
been criticized widely for previous human rights violations, for 
reasons such as lack of training, fear of criticism, and the potential 
for legal restriction, showed reluctance to intervene, as they 
routinely did under previous regimes, to stop religious and ethnic 
disputes from turning violent.
    During the period covered by this report, thousands of citizens 
were attacked by other citizens, and according to multiple sources (at 
times, official) perhaps as many as 4,000 to 5,000 persons were killed, 
largely because of their religious identity in North Maluku and Maluku 
provinces and in Central Sulawesi province in the eastern part of the 
country. Over 300,000 persons were displaced internally. Some Christian 
IDP's from Ambon fled to the southeastern part of the province; others 
fled to North Maluku; and many others fled to North Sulawesi province, 
which is predominantly Christian in many areas. Muslim IDP's from Ambon 
fled to parts of North Maluku; others fled to South and Southeast 
Sulawesi provinces. Many of these IDP's carried the conflict with them.
    In North Maluku alone, provincial statistics listed 97 mosques and 
106 churches burned, as Christians and Muslims waged an internecine 
conflict. Other mosques and churches were attacked and many destroyed 
in parts of Maluku province and in Poso, Central Sulawesi. This 
represented the most widespread inter-religious violence during the 
period covered by this report. The fighting in all three provinces had 
political, economic, ethnic, and religious overtones. While initial 
conflicts emerged over land tenure issues and the political and 
economic status of local residents versus transmigrants, in many cases 
the conflicts later evolved into highly charged religious clashes.
    Inter-religious fighting in the Moluccas, which began in Ambon on 
January 19, 1999, spread in sporadic but steady waves from Ambon to 
neighboring islands in the central and southern areas of the Moluccas 
from July to December 1999. The use of firearms, mostly homemade but 
increasingly sophisticated, grew, as did the number of deaths. 
Buildings in the central business district of Ambon, many of them 
Chinese-owned, were destroyed in late July 1999 and early August 1999, 
marking the first time that major fighting spread from outlying 
neighborhoods. Allegations of outside provocation and interference rose 
during this period, and authorities came under increasing criticism for 
failing to halt the violence or actively abetting it (see Section I).
    From December 1999 and continuing to June 30, 2000, religious 
clashes rapidly spread to most major islands in the Moluccas. Violence 
erupted in North Maluku province after Christmas as Christian gangs and 
militia (and to a lesser extent, Muslim gangs and militia) launched 
offensives against isolated villages.
    Meanwhile, IDP's fleeing conflict-torn areas of Ambon island poured 
into the city of Ambon. Many directed their anger against Ambon; 
extensive damage resulted in which numerous houses, shops, and places 
of worship were burned. Predominantly Muslim military units dispatched 
from Java and Sulawesi were accused of siding with Muslim vigilantes 
and using excessive force against Christians. Muslims on Ambon charged 
that the predominantly Christian police force also was acting with bias 
(see Section I), and Christian gangs also were guilty of severe 
attacks.
    On December 28, 1999, Christian militia invaded a small Muslim town 
in north Halmahera Island (North Maluku province) and massacred at 
least 113 men, women, and children in and around a mosque. Several 
hundred more persons died in other attacks, apparently initiated by 
Christian gangs.
    Following the December 1999 incident, Muslims became more militant. 
During the first half of the year 2000, they drove Christian 
populations away from many areas of North Maluku and Maluku provinces. 
As IDP's fled to neighboring areas and islands, their resentment 
against those who had attacked them often sparked conflict in their new 
places of residence.
    In response to the increased violence, the armed forces deployed 
fresh troops to the Moluccas in January 2000. In Ambon, army, marines, 
and police personnel enforced a curfew and began disarming civilians in 
house-to-house searches. By late January 2000, a semblance of normality 
had returned to Ambon. However, internecine fighting escalated in 
Halmahera and other parts of North Maluku (including Bacan, Obi, and 
Morotai islands) and in Maluku (Seram and Buru islands).
    By April 2000, there were some signs of reconciliation in Ambon as 
the provincial government inaugurated reconstruction programs and 
markets were established in border areas. The cease-fire in Ambon 
abruptly ended in late April 2000, when serious rioting immediately 
broke out upon the conclusion of Vice President Megawati 
Soekarnoputri's visit. There was a further upsurge in violence in mid-
May as boatloads of Laskar Jihad volunteers (ultimately reaching 2,000 
to 3,000 persons) began arriving in Ambon and other parts of the 
Moluccas. Periodic waves of violence and destruction continued in Ambon 
during the weeks that followed. Law and order continued to deteriorate 
steadily, all but collapsing by late June 2000, when violent mobs 
stormed through the city with little or no interference by the security 
forces.
    In May and June 2000, there were large-scale Muslim attacks against 
Christians in Halmahera, in apparent revenge for the January 2000 
massacre. There were further allegations that the security forces were 
taking sides in the fighting (see Section I). For example, on June 19, 
2000, about 4,000 Muslims surrounded the town of Duma and killed from 
110 to 180 largely defenseless Christians before burning down their 
church. Laskar Jihad later claimed that it was involved, but locally 
based Muslim groups primarily were responsible. The military forces 
admitted that they stood aside because troops were outnumbered 
(officials have alleged that only 70 to 100 troops were available at 
the time). Other witnesses (including a local Laskar Jihad leader) 
claimed that at least six soldiers joined the Muslims in the attack. 
However, troops were able to prevent 300 Christian gang members from 
counterattacking days later.
    On June 23, 2000, President Wahid announced a ban on all travel to 
Maluku and North Maluku provinces; however, the ban was enforced 
loosely. On June 26, 2000, the President declared a state of civil 
emergency for both provinces (see Section I).
    It is estimated that over 2,000 persons died in the Moluccas 
between January and June 2000, and that 300,000 persons, or 15 percent 
of the population, were displaced internally. These population 
movements have resulted, in effect, in the partition of the Moluccas 
into Muslim and Christian areas. For example, in Ternate the original 
population of 105,000 persons included 15,000 Christians. During the 
period covered by this report, all Christians fled, and 80,000 Muslim 
IDP's arrived from elsewhere in the same province.
    While religious tension and hatreds have been the main sources of 
intercommunal warfare in the Moluccas, the conflict partly is rooted in 
social, political, and economic grievances among the many diverse 
communities living there. In some cases, Muslims and Christians from 
the same or affiliated ethnic groups banded together and attacked 
Muslim migrants from another, distant ethnic group. This phenomenon 
occurred in Halmahera in the clash between the villages of Kao (local 
Christian and Muslim ethnic groups) and Malifut (largely settled by 
Muslim transmigrants from the island of Makian). In addition unverified 
reports of provocators and conspiracies have fueled what has become a 
continuous cycle of violence. Both sides claim that outside agitators 
helped trigger the violence. Both insist that coreligionists fought 
back only after being assaulted by persons of the opposite religion. 
Furthermore, traditional leadership structures have eroded, leaving 
conflicting groups without a respected and effective mechanism for 
resolving intercommunal and interreligous tensions.
    In January 2000, there were anti-Christian riots in Mataram, 
Lombok. Several rioters were killed and numerous persons were injured 
in the violence. In addition Muslim gangs destroyed, damaged, and 
looted Christian homes, businesses, and other property. Thousands of 
Christians fled the violence. However, by the end of January 2000 the 
situation became calmer, and as of June 30, 2000, reports of further 
violence were rare; nevertheless, tensions remained.
    Small-scale rioting broke out in pockets of Makassar, South 
Sulawesi on January 17 and 18, 2000. The problem began when about 2,000 
Muslim gang members began stopping motorists in front of Hasanuddin 
University, demanding identification to determine religious 
affiliation, and in at least six cases, dragging out and beating 
Christians ``in retaliation for what happened to their brothers in 
Maluku.''
    On January 30, 2000, there was a series of attacks on churches in 
Yogyakarta, central Java. The problem began after a Muslim rally of 
from 10,000 to 20,000 persons to protest the inter-religious violence 
in the Moluccas ended. Hundreds of participants drove through the city 
on motorcycles and threw rocks through the windows of eight churches, a 
Christian campus dormitory, and two houses.
    Beginning in late May 2000, the area of Poso in Central Sulawesi, 
as well as numerous villages in the region, experienced renewed 
religious riots and violence, resulting in numerous deaths and 
widespread destruction. Christian gangs from surrounding villages 
reportedly expelled Muslims from the town of Poso in retaliation for 
past hostilities, which included the burning of hundreds of Christians' 
houses in the preceding months. In the most serious incident, Christian 
gangs brutally murdered well over 100 unarmed Muslims in a small 
village outside Poso. Foreign Christian missionaries, who were worried 
about the possible spread of religious violence, fled Central Sulawesi. 
While Christian gangs and militia burned mosques and Muslim houses, 
Muslim gangs and militia reportedly burned what Christian property they 
could while fleeing town. As of June 10, 2000, over 120 persons were 
confirmed dead. The most recent casualty estimate listed 214 victims, 
and casualty estimates ranged as high as 500 persons dead. Over 2,000 
houses were destroyed in the Poso area. Both Christian and Muslim 
outsiders were accused of helping to instigate the violence.
    Between July 1999 and July 2000, there were a number of reports of 
persons who practice traditional medicine magic (``dukun santets'') 
being killed. In the Malang area of East Java, villagers broke into the 
home of suspected shamans in the middle of the night on January 18, 
2000, and beat to death a 45-year-old woman in front of her teenage 
sons. The mob then dragged her body to a cemetary and hung it from a 
tree, where it hung until dawn. That morning, 200 villagers turned 
themselves in to the local police station. The police stated that they 
were searching for the ``true instigators'' of the violence; no arrests 
were made. Since then, more individuals were attacked for suspected 
shamanism in the Pasuruan area of East Java. While it is difficult to 
estimate accurately the frequency of such attacks, journalists believe 
that lynch killings still occur. Aside from killings, ``dukun santets'' 
faced other constraints on their freedom. For example, in Banyuwangi, 
East Java, many known shamans essentially were forced (by the 
authorities) to migrate to Bali to get them out of ``harm's way.'' Many 
others were forced to renounce their craft by local Muslim leaders who 
told them that it was forbidden by Muslim law.
    In West Kalimantan, 40,000 persons who were displaced by communal 
fighting in early 1999 remained in temporary camps as of June 2000. 
They were displaced as a result of clashes between groups composed of 
Dayaks (mostly Christian or animist) and Melayu (mostly Muslim) on one 
side and Madurese migrants (Muslims) on the other. Ethnic differences 
and tensions between indigenous people and newcomers appeared to be the 
source of the conflict, rather than religious differences.
    Muslims are a religious minority in the easternmost province of 
Papua (also known as Irian Jaya). Local sentiment against the efforts 
of Muslim missionaries to win converts in the predominantly Christian 
province, as well as resentment of the arrival in the province of 
mainly Muslim migrants from other parts of the country either under 
government sponsored ``transmigration'' programs or with the 
encouragement of various government incentives, has in the past led to 
attacks on mosques in Papua. However, there were no reports of attacks 
on mosques in Papua during the period covered by this report. 
Nevertheless, tensions stemming from ethnic differences and economic 
disparities remain and sometimes are expressed in religious terms.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Government publicly criticized the intercommunal violence 
that occurred in various parts of the country by continually: 
expressing its deep concern with the ongoing cycle of violence and 
retaliation between Christian and Muslim communities in the Moluccas 
and elsewhere; urging the Government to take further measures to 
prevent bloodshed and take action against those who initiate violence, 
while adhering to international standards for the protection of human 
rights and exercising appropriate restraint; and calling on all parties 
to show restraint, refrain from violence, and resolve their differences 
through dialog and negotiation.
    With respect to the violence between Christian and Muslim 
communities in the Moluccas, Central Sulawesi, and elsewhere, President 
Clinton and other senior U.S. Government officials raised their 
concerns with Indonesian counterparts on numerous occasions.
    The Ambassador and embassy and consulate Surabaya staff routinely 
conveyed to government officials at all levels the U.S. view that 
religious freedom must be respected. In addition throughout the period 
covered by this report, the Ambassador and embassy and consulate staff 
regularly met with leaders of religious communities and traveled widely 
throughout the country to keep abreast of developments affecting 
religious freedom.
    During the period covered by this report, the public affairs 
section of the Embassy funded the travel of several persons under the 
International Visitors program, as well as exchange visitors, to study 
human rights and religion in the U.S., among other topics. They 
included religious and student leaders, and legal activists from Aceh, 
Papua, East Timor, and other locations. The Fulbright Commission in 
Indonesia funded one senior U.S. scholar to teach comparative religion 
at the State Islamic Institute (IAIN) in Jakarta and a senior U.S. 
scholar/researcher who studied and taught women's role in Koranic verse 
at the same institution.
    The U.S. Government also provides significant funding for NGO's 
that implement projects to promote religious tolerance in various parts 
of the country.
                               __________

                                 JAPAN

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There are virtually no barriers to registering new religions, and 
organized religious groups enjoy generous tax benefits.
    The Government does not require that religious groups be licensed. 
However, to receive official recognition as a religious organization, 
which brings tax benefits and other advantages, a group must register 
with local or national authorities as a ``religious corporation.'' In 
practice almost all religious groups register. In response to Aum 
Shinrikyo terrorist attacks in 1995, a 1996 amendment to the Religious 
Corporation Law gives governmental authorities increased oversight of 
religious groups and requires greater disclosure of financial assets by 
religious corporations. The Cultural Affairs Agency estimates that 
nearly 5,000 religious groups across the nation appear dormant. In May 
1998, the Matsuyama District Court ordered the dissolution of a 
registered Shinto religious group that had been dormant since 1982. 
This was the first time that a court had accepted the Cultural Affairs 
Agency's request to dissolve a religious body since the Religious 
Corporation Law went into effect in 1951. However, in June 1998, the 
Nagoya High Court upheld a lower court ruling ordering the Toyama 
prefectural government to pay monetary damages to 88 followers of a 
Buddhist group for violating their rights by ignoring for more than 10 
years their application for certification as a religious group. Aum 
Shinrikyo, officially renamed Aleph in February 2000, lost its legal 
status as a religious corporation in 1996 following the indictment of 
several members.
    Some Buddhist and Shinto temples and shrines receive public support 
as national historic or cultural sites. However, this situation may 
change in the aftermath of a 1997 Supreme Court ruling that a 
prefectural government may not contribute public funds to only one 
religious organization, if the donations supported, encouraged, and 
promoted a specific religious group. In July 1998, the Kochi District 
Court ruled that using village government funds to repair two Shinto 
shrines was tantamount to allocating public funds to a religious group 
and therefore was unconstitutional.
Religious Demography
    Participation in religious activities by the public is low, and 
accurately determining the proportions of adherents to specific 
religions is difficult. According to statistics published by the Agency 
for Cultural Affairs in 1998, 49.2 percent of citizens adhered to 
Buddhism, 44.7 percent to Shintoism, 5.3 percent to so-called ``new'' 
religions, and 0.8 percent to Christianity. However, a 1996 Jiji Press 
Service poll showed that 46.6 percent of the population identified 
themselves with no particular religious group, 44.3 percent choose 
Buddhism, 3.2 percent Shintoism, 3.1 percent ``new'' religions, and 1.0 
percent Christianity. A 1994 poll indicated that less than 7 percent of 
the population regularly took part in formal religious services. 
Shintoism and Buddhism are not mutually exclusive religions; most 
members claim to observe both.
    The major Buddhist sects are Tendai, Shingon, Joudo, Zen, Nichiren, 
and Nara. In addition to traditional Buddhist orders, there are a 
number of Buddhist lay organizations, including the 8-million-plus-
member Soka Gakkai. The three main schools of Shintoism are Jinja, 
Kyoha, and Shinkyhoha.
    Among Christians, both Catholic and Protestant denominations enjoy 
modest followings.
    Faiths classified as New Religions include both local chapters of 
international religions such as the Unification Church of Japan and the 
Church of Scientology as well as the Tenrikyo, Seichounoie, Sekai 
Kyusei Kyo, Perfect Liberty, and Risho Koseikai religions, which were 
founded in Japan.
    A small segment of the population, mostly foreign-born residents, 
attend Orthodox, Jewish, and Islamic services.
    There are no known restrictions on proselytizing.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    In September 1999, the Jehovah's Witnesses alleged that police 
maintain surveillance of church activities. The Government denies that 
it monitors the activities of the group or other recognized religious 
groups.
    The only religion under active government surveillance is the Aum 
Shinrikyo ``cult,'' which also was designated by the U.S. Department of 
State as a terrorist organization following the cult's 1995 Sarin gas 
attack in the Tokyo subway system. Aum Shinrikyo lost its legal status 
as a religious organization in 1996 following the indictment of several 
cult members. It reportedly has an estimated 2,000 followers, down from 
10,000 in 1995. From October 1999 through mid-2000, the Tokyo District 
Court gave death sentences to four of the five senior cult members 
guilty of the release of the Sarin gas. The exception, former Aum 
physician Ikuo Hayashi, had been sentenced in October 1998 to life 
imprisonment for his ``cooperative and repentant'' attitude. Cases 
still are pending in district courts against other senior Aum members, 
including cult leader Shoko Asahara. In March 2000, the Tokyo District 
Court ordered the cult to pay 688 million yen ($640,000) to survivors 
and next-of-kin to those killed in the attack. As of mid-2000, Aum had 
remitted but one installment of the damages awarded, and authorities 
publicly expressed concern that the cult is hiding and diverting funds 
to other purposes.
    In February 2000, the Education Ministry asked officials of Saitama 
prefecture to reverse their decision not to allow two 6year-old 
daughters of Aum Shinrikyo cult members to attend the local elementary 
school. However, the national Government did not intervene in decisions 
by local school administrators in Ibaraki and Tochigi prefectures in 
2000 to block the registration of three children of Aum founder Shoko 
Asahara.
    Members of the Unification Church have alleged that police do not 
act in response to allegations of forced deprogramming of church 
members. In April 2000, a national Diet legislator raised this 
allegation in a committee session. National Policy Agency and Ministry 
of Justice officials considered the member's request for ``appropriate 
actions,'' but took no action during the period covered by this report.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are amicable relations between the various religious 
communities. There were few reports of physical violence against 
members of religious organizations. At least eight municipalities in 
which Aum facilities are active refused to register group members as 
residents; other communities continued to block the establishment of 
new Aum settlements through protests and public appeals through mid-
2000.
    Members of the Unification Church alleged in June 1999 that police 
do not act in response to allegations of forced deprogramming of church 
members (see Section I). They also claimed that police do not enforce 
the laws against kidnaping when the victim is held by family members 
and that Unification Church members are subjected to prolonged 
detention by individuals, who are not charged by police. In September 
1999, the Jehovah's Witnesses asserted that their members are 
mistreated similarly.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights 
including the promotion of religious freedom internationally. The U.S. 
Embassy maintains periodic contact with representatives of religious 
organizations.
                               __________

                                KIRIBATI

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
Religious Demography
    There is no state or politically dominant religion. The State does 
not favor a particular religion, nor are there separate categories for 
different religions.
    Christianity was introduced widely into the area by missionaries in 
the 19th century. Major religions include: the Roman Catholic Church; 
the Kiribati Protestant Church (KPC), formerly the Congregational 
Church; Seventh-Day Adventists; the Baha'i Faith; and the Church of 
Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Roman Catholics are the dominant 
Christian denomination and constitute an estimated 54 percent of the 
population; members of the KPC constitute an estimated 38 percent. 
Other religious groups each account for 1 to 2 percent of the 
population. Persons with no religious preference account for about 5 
percent of the population.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the refusal to allow such citizens to be returned 
to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Christianity, the religion more than 90 percent of the population, 
is a dominant social and cultural force, but there are amicable 
relations between the country's religions. Nonbelievers, who constitute 
a very small percentage of the residents, do not suffer discrimination. 
Virtually all governmental and social functions begin and end with an 
interdenominational Christian prayer delivered by an ordained minister, 
cleric, or church official.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                 DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA

    The Constitution provides for ``freedom of religious belief;'' 
however, in practice the Government discourages organized religious 
activity except that which is supervised by officially recognized 
groups. Genuine religious freedom does not exist.
    Overall, there was no change in the status of respect for religious 
freedom during the period covered by this report; however, there were 
several unconfirmed reports of executions of members of underground 
Christian churches.
    There was some easing of religious discrimination policies in the 
late 1980's when the Government launched a campaign highlighting Kim 
Jong Il's ``benevolent politics.'' Although the government-sponsored 
religious groups that were established at that time continue to operate 
and visits by foreign religious figures have increased, the regime 
appears to have cracked down on unauthorized religious groups in recent 
years. In particular, religious persons who proselytize or who have 
ties to overseas evangelical groups operating across the border with 
China appear to have been arrested and subjected to harsh penalties, 
according to several unconfirmed reports. The interKorean summit in 
mid-June 2000 has led to an increase in contacts with the Republic of 
Korea; its impact on the religious freedom situation remains unclear.
    The U.S. Government does not have diplomatic relations with the 
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), and information about the 
situation for religious freedom in the country is limited.
    ``The United States does not have diplomatic relations with the 
Democratic People's Republic of Korea. North Korea does not allow 
representatives of foreign governments, journalists, or other invited 
visitors the freedom of movement that would enable them to fully assess 
human rights conditions there. This report is based on information 
obtained over more than a decade, updated where possible by information 
drawn from recent interviews, reports, and other documentation. While 
limited in detail, this information is nonetheless indicative of the 
religious freedom situation in North Korea today.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for ``freedom of religious belief;'' 
however, in practice the Government discourages organized religious 
activity except that which is supervised by officially recognized 
groups. Genuine religious freedom does not exist. The Constitution also 
stipulates that religion ``should not be used for purposes of dragging 
in foreign powers or endangering public security.''
    During and immediately after the Korean War, large numbers of 
religiously active persons were branded as ``counterrevolutionaries,'' 
and many of them were executed or sent to concentration camps. The peak 
of this oppression was in the early 1970's when a constitutional 
revision added a clause about ``freedom of anti-religious activity.'' 
The DPRK began to moderate its religious discrimination policies in the 
late 1980's, when it launched a campaign highlighting North Korean 
leader Kim Jong Il's ``benevolent politics.'' As part of this campaign, 
the regime eased the system it instituted after a period of factional 
strife in the 1950's of classifying the population into dozens of 
rigidly defined categories according to family background and loyalty 
to the regime, and allowed the formation of several government-
sponsored religious organizations. These serve as interlocutors with 
foreign church groups and international aid organizations. Foreigners 
who have met with representatives of these organizations believe that 
some are genuinely religious but note that others appear to know little 
about religious dogma or teaching.
    A constitutional change in 1992 deleted the clause about freedom of 
anti-religious propaganda, authorized religious gatherings, and 
provided for ``the right to build buildings for religious use.''
Religious Demography
    The number of religious believers is unknown but has been estimated 
at 10,000 Protestants, 10,000 Buddhists, and 4,000 Catholics. In 
addition, the Chondogyo Young Friends Party, a government-sponsored 
group based on a traditional Korean religious movement, is still in 
existence. There has been a limited revival of Buddhism with the 
translation and publication of Buddhist scriptures that had been carved 
on 80,000 wooden blocks and kept at an historic temple. In the late 
1980's, the Government sent two novice priests to study religion in 
Rome. However, the two returned before being ordained, so it still is 
not known whether any Catholic priests, whose role is a fundamental 
element for the practice of the Catholic faith, remain in the country. 
Seoul Archbishop Nicholas Jin-Suk Cheong, appointed by the Pope as 
Apostolic Administrator of Pyongyang, was quoted in July 2000 as 
stating that while there were 50 priests in the country in the 1940's, 
it is not known if they are still alive today. A visit to the DPRK by 
the Archbishop and Cardinal Stephen Sou-hwan Kim in mid-May 2000 was 
postponed because of the inter-Korean summit but reportedly is to be 
rescheduled.
    There are 300 Buddhist temples. Most of the temples are regarded as 
cultural relics, but in some of them religious activity is permitted. 
Two Protestant churches under lay leadership and a Roman Catholic 
church (without a priest) have been opened since 1988 in Pyongyang. One 
of the Protestant churches is dedicated to the memory of North Korean 
leader Kim Il Sung's mother, Kang Pan Sok, who was a Presbyterian 
deacon. Several foreigners resident in Pyongyang attend Korean services 
at these churches on a regular basis. Although some foreigners who have 
visited the DPRK over the years say that church activity appears 
staged, others believe that church services are genuine, although 
sermons contain both religious and political content supportive of the 
regime. The Government claims, and visitors confirm, that there are 
more than 500 authorized ``house churches.'' Hundreds of religious 
figures have visited the DPRK in recent years, including papal 
representatives, the Reverend Billy Graham, and religious delegations 
from the Republic of Korea, the United States, and other countries. 
Overseas religious relief organizations also have been active in 
responding to the country's food crisis. An overseas Buddhist group has 
been operating a factory in the Najin-Sonbong Free Trade Zone since 
1998 to produce food for preschool children.
    Several schools for religious education exist. There are 3-year 
religious colleges for training Protestant and Buddhist clergy. A 
religious studies program also was established at Kim Il Sung 
University in 1989; its graduates usually go on to work in the foreign 
trade sector.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Persons engaging in religious proselytizing may be arrested and are 
subject to harsh penalties, including imprisonment and prolonged 
detention without charge. The Government appears concerned about 
religiously based South Korean relief and refugee assistance efforts 
along the northeast border with the People's Republic of China becoming 
entwined with more political goals, including overthrow of the regime. 
The food crisis apparently has heightened government concern about 
antiregime activity. An article in the Korean Workers Party newspaper 
in 1999 criticized ``imperialists and reactionaries'' for trying to use 
ideological and cultural infiltration, including religion, to destroy 
socialism from within. South Korean law requires all parties, including 
religious groups, travelling to North Korea or contacting North Koreans 
to request permission from the South Korean security agency. This 
requirement increases suspicions among North Korean officials about the 
intentions of such groups.
    Little is known about the actual life of religious persons in the 
DPRK. Members of government-recognized religious groups do not appear 
to suffer discrimination; in fact, some reports claim they have been 
mobilized by the regime. Persons whose parents were believers but who 
themselves are nonpracticing are able to rise to at least the midlevels 
of the bureaucracy, despite their family background. Such individuals, 
as a category, suffered broad discrimination in the past. Members of 
underground churches connected to border missionary activity appear to 
be regarded as subversive elements.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    The Government deals harshly with all opponents, including those 
engaging in religious practices deemed unacceptable to the regime. In 
April 1999, witnesses testified before the U.S. Congress on the 
treatment of persons held in prison camps through the early 1990's. The 
witnesses stated that prisoners held on the basis of their religious 
beliefs generally were treated worse than other inmates were. One 
witness, a former prison guard, testified that those believing in God 
were regarded as insane, as the authorities taught that ``all religions 
are opium.'' He recounted an instance in which a woman was kicked 
repeatedly and left with her injuries unattended for days because a 
guard overheard her praying for a child who was being beaten. Because 
of the effectiveness of the Government in barring outside observers, 
such allegations could not be substantiated.
    Religious and human rights groups outside the country have provided 
numerous, unconfirmed reports that members of underground churches have 
been beaten, arrested, or killed because of their religious beliefs. 
One unconfirmed report stated that a dozen Christians were executed 
during the period covered by this report. According to another 
unconfirmed report, 23 Christians were executed between October 1999 
and April 2000; some reportedly were executed under falsified criminal 
charges, and some reportedly were tortured prior to their executions. A 
religious nongovernmental organization quoted an unnamed South Korean 
pastor's claims that 400 Christians were executed in 1999. These 
reports could not be confirmed or disproved because of the 
effectiveness of the Government in barring outside observers.
    Nonetheless, the collective weight of anecdotal evidence of harsh 
treatment of unauthorized religious activity lends credence to such 
reports. The regime deals harshly with its critics, and views religious 
believers belonging to underground congregations or with ties to 
evangelical groups in North China as opponents. Reports of executions, 
torture, and imprisonment of religious persons in the country continue 
to emerge.
    There is no reliable information on the number of religious 
detainees or prisoners, but there have been unconfirmed reports that 
some of those detained in the country are detained because of their 
religion.
    It appears that there was no verifiable change in the status of 
respect for religious freedom during the period covered by this report. 
There was some easing of religious discrimination policies in the late 
1980's, and several government-sponsored religious groups established 
at that time continue to operate. The regime appears to have cracked 
down on unauthorized religious groups in recent years, especially 
persons who proselytize or who have ties to overseas evangelical groups 
operating across the border with China. There were several unconfirmed 
reports of executions of such persons. The interKorean summit in mid-
June 2000 has led to an increase in contacts with the Republic of 
Korea; its impact on the religious situation remains unclear.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There was no information available on societal attitudes toward 
religious freedom. The regime does not allow representatives of foreign 
governments, journalists, or other invited guests the freedom of 
movement that would enable them to assess fully religious freedom in 
the country. The Unification Church, which has business ventures in the 
country, currently is constructing an inter-faith religious facility in 
Pyongyang.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The United States does not have diplomatic relations with the 
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and has no official 
presence there. The DPRK is a closed society, and is extremely averse 
and resistant to outside influences. U.S. policy allows U.S. citizens 
to travel to the country and a number of churches and religious groups 
have organized efforts to alleviate suffering caused by shortages of 
food and medicine.
                               __________

                           REPUBLIC OF KOREA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promotion 
of human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. There is no state religion, 
and the Government does not subsidize or favor a particular religion.
    There are no government-established requirements for religious 
recognition. To protect cultural properties such as Buddhist temples, 
the Government established the Traditional Temples Preservation Law. In 
accordance with this law, Buddhist temples receive some subsidies from 
the Government for their preservation and upkeep.
    The Religious Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism 
takes the lead in organizing groups such as the Korea Religious Council 
and the Council for Peaceful Religions to promote inter-faith dialog 
and understanding. The Bureau also is responsible for planning regular 
events such as the Religion and Art Festival, the Seminar for Religious 
Leaders, and the Symposium for Religious Newspapers and Journalists.
Religious Demography
    According to a 1995 government survey, the country's major 
religions and the number of adherents of each are: Buddhism--
10,321,012; Protestantism--8,760,336; Roman Catholicism--2,950,730; 
Confucianism--210,927; Won Buddhism--86,923; and other religions--
267,996. There were 21,593,000 atheists or non-practitioners.
    Among those practicing a faith, 41.7 percent said that they attend 
religious services or rituals at a temple or church at least once a 
week. Six percent responded that they attend religious services two to 
three times a month; 9.4 percent attend once a month; 6.8 percent 
attend once every 2 to 3 months; 26.9 percent attend once a year; and 
9.2 percent do not attend any services.
    Among practicing Buddhists, 1.2 percent responded that they attend 
religious services. A total of 71.5 percent of Protestants and 60.4 
percent of Catholics responded that they attend religious services.
    Buddhism has approximately 38 orders, such as the ``Korea Buddhist 
Kwaneum Order.'' The Catholic Church has 15 dioceses, including Seoul. 
There are 83 Protestant denominations, including the Methodist, 
Lutheran, Baptist, and Presbyterian denominations, the Anglican Church, 
and the Korean Gospel Church Assembly.
    Although no official figures for the number of adherents are 
available, there are also several minority religions, such as the 
Elijah Evangelical Church, the Jesus Morning Star Church, and the All 
People's Holiness Church. Muslims, members of the Unification Church, 
members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and 
Jehovah's Witnesses are also present.
    There are 17 Protestant and 6 Catholic missionary groups operating 
in the country. Among the Protestant groups are: Christians in Action, 
Korea; the Church of the Nazarene, Korea Mission; the Overseas Mission 
Fellowship; and World Opportunities International, Korea Branch. Among 
the Catholic missionary groups are the Missionaries of Guadalupe, the 
Prado Sisters, and the Little Brothers of Jesus. In accordance with the 
March 1, 1999 change in the Immigration Control Law, foreign missionary 
groups no longer are required to register with the Government. There 
were no reports of foreign missionaries being arrested or detained for 
their missionary activities.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
    In August 1998, Catholic priest Moon Kyu Hyun was arrested on 
charges of violating the National Security Law after returning from 
North Korea, where he allegedly wrote in praise of Kim IlSung in a 
North Korean visitor's book and participated in a North Korean-
sponsored reunification festival in Panmunjom. The eight other priests 
who traveled with him were not arrested, and Father Moon's arrest 
apparently was not based on his religious beliefs. Moon was released on 
bail in October 1998; as of late 1999 his trial was still underway.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between religious groups are generally amicable and free 
of incident, and religious tolerance is widespread. There have been 
press reports of so-called ``Protestant fanatics'' damaging Buddhist 
temples and artifacts through vandalism and arson. Such reports 
generate calls for religious tolerance and mutual respect in the media 
and among the general public. However, such incidents are rare, and 
religious leaders regularly meet both privately and under the aegis of 
the Government to promote mutual understanding and tolerance. These 
meetings are given wide and favorable coverage by the media. Violence 
in October 1999 at the Chogye-sa Temple between Buddhist groups 
resulted from a leadership struggle rather than from religious motives.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. 
Embassy officials also meet regularly with members of various religious 
communities to discuss issues related to human rights.
                               __________

                                  LAOS

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion; however, the 
Government restricts this right in practice. Some government officials 
committed abuses of citizens' religious freedom.
    The Government's already poor record of respect for religious 
freedom deteriorated in some aspects during the period covered by this 
report.
    The Government sought greater and more uniform regulation of the 
activities of religious organizations. Although some officials of the 
central government occasionally attempted to restrain antireligious 
activities by local officials, such problems continued. Largely due to 
the actions of a few party cadres in a few provinces, renunciation 
campaigns, harassment, and detentions increased at the end of 1999, but 
slackened by mid-2000. Official mistrust of ``foreign'' religions and 
ethnic tensions contributed to the deteriorating conditions for 
religious freedom.
    U.S. Embassy representatives remained in contact with religious 
leaders. They discussed the need for greater religious freedom at 
working levels in the central Government. The Charge pressed the 
governor of Luang Prabang province to facilitate greater religious 
freedom there. The U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Religious Freedom 
visited the country twice during the period covered by this report. He 
urged the Government to respect citizens' rights to religious freedom.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion; however, the 
Government restricts this right in practice. The Constitution prohibits 
``all acts of creating division of religion or creating division among 
the people.'' The Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and Government 
appear to interpret this constitutional provision narrowly, thus 
inhibiting religious practice by all persons including the Buddhist 
majority and a large population of animists. Although official 
pronouncements accept the existence of religion, they emphasize its 
potential to divide, distract, or destabilize.
    The Constitution notes that the State ``mobilizes and encourages'' 
monks, novices, and priests of other religions to participate in 
activities ``beneficial to the nation and the people.'' The Department 
of Religious Affairs in the Lao Front for National Construction 
(formerly known as the Lao National Front for Reconstruction), an LPRP 
mass organization, is responsible for overseeing all religions. 
Although the Government does not require registration, all functioning 
religious groups report to the Department of Religious Affairs 
quarterly. Reports of activities effectively constitute a system of 
approval; the approval process for new facilities is bureaucratic and 
time consuming.
    The Department of Religious Affairs reportedly drafted regulations 
for religious organizations in late 1999, but took no further action. 
It held no public consultations with religious leaders on the new 
guidelines during the period covered by this report.
    Although the State is secular in both name and practice, members of 
the LPRP and governmental institutions pay close attention to Theravada 
Buddhism, which is practiced by more than 60 percent of the population. 
The Government's observation, control of clergy, training support 
(including Marxist-Leninist training for monks), and oversight of 
temples and other facilities constitutes less a form of favoritism than 
a means to supervise and limit religious freedoms among the dominant 
Buddhist faith. Many persons regard Buddhism as both an integral part 
of the national culture and a way of life. In 1999 the National 
Assembly formally raised the possibility of a constitutional amendment 
to make Buddhism the state religion. However, no action was taken on 
this matter, after the National Assembly leadership indicated that a 
national consultation would be held before any proposed constitutional 
amendments would be considered.
Religious Demography
    Estimates of the number of persons who practice various faiths rank 
Theravada Buddhism first, with from 60 to 65 percent of the population, 
especially among lowland Lao. Many believers in animism--an estimated 
30 percent of the population--are found among Lao Theung (mid-slope 
dwelling) and Lao Soung (highland) minority tribes. Among lowland Lao, 
particularly in the countryside, there is both a certain syncretistic 
practice of, and tolerance for, animist customs among those who devote 
themselves to Buddhist beliefs and rituals. Christians, including Roman 
Catholics, constitute at most 1.5 percent of the population. Other 
minority religions include the Baha'i Faith, Islam, Mahayana Buddhism, 
and Confucianism. A very small number of citizens follow no religion.
    In Vientiane there are five Mahayana Buddhist pagodas, two serving 
the Lao-Vietnamese community and three the Lao-Chinese community. 
Buddhist monks from Vietnam, China, and India have visited these 
pagodas freely to conduct services and minister to worshipers. There 
are at least four more large Mahayana Buddhist pagodas in other urban 
centers. There are also unconfirmed reports of other, smaller Mahayana 
pagodas in villages near the borders of Vietnam and China. A few of the 
pagodas are served by Buddhist nuns. Whether a monk could reside 
permanently in any of these pagodas is unknown; the key determinant 
appears to be the expense for the congregation. One Mahayana pagoda in 
Pakse has at least one monk from Vietnam in residence at all times.
    The Catholic Church has a following of 30,000 to 40,000 adherents. 
It is unable to operate effectively in the highlands and much of the 
north. However, it has an established presence in five of the most 
populous central and southern provinces, where Catholics are able to 
worship openly. There are three bishops, located in Vientiane, Thakhek, 
and Pakse, who visited Rome in late 1998, where they were able to 
confer with other bishops and the Pope. Although the Government does 
not recognize the Vatican, the Papal Nuncio visits from Bangkok, 
Thailand and coordinates with the Government on assistance programs, 
especially for lepers and the disabled. A Catholic seminary opened in 
Thakhek in early 1998 and is expected to train enough priests to serve 
the Catholic Community. As of June 2000, the status of the Catholic 
Church in Luang Prabang town continued to be in doubt; there appears to 
be a congregation there but, due to local obstructions, worship may not 
be conducted readily. However, Catholics are now able to practice more 
openly in neighboring Sayabouly province, and a priest visits the Luang 
Prabang diocese regularly.
    Over 250 Protestant congregations conducted services throughout the 
country for a Protestant community numbering from 30,000 to 40,000 
persons. The Lao National Front has recognized two Protestant groups, 
the Lao Evangelical Church, the umbrella Protestant church, and the 
Seventh-Day Adventist Church. The Front strongly encourages all other 
Protestant groups to become a part of the Lao Evangelical Church. The 
Government has granted permission to four Protestant congregations from 
the approved denominations to have church buildings in the Vientiane 
area. In addition the Lao Evangelical Church has church buildings in 
Savannakhet and Pakse.
    There are two active mosques in Vientiane that minister to the 
Sunni and Shafie branches of Islam. All persons in the 400strong 
Islamic community--the vast majority of whom are foreign permanent 
residents--appear to practice their faith openly, freely attending 
either mosque. Daily prayers and the weekly Jumaat prayer on Fridays 
proceed unobstructed and all Islamic celebrations are allowed. Citizens 
who are Muslims are able to go on the hajj. Groups that conduct Tabligh 
teachings for the faithful come from Thailand once or twice per year. A 
former mosque in Sayabouli province closed in the early 1990's due to 
the lack of an active Islamic community, since most Muslims in the 
province had moved to Vientiane.
    The Baha'i Faith has more than 1,200 adherents and four centers: 
Two in Vientiane municipality, one in Vientiane province, and one in 
Pakse. Local spiritual assemblies and the national spiritual assembly 
routinely hold Baha'i 19-day feasts and celebrate all holy days. The 
National Spiritual Assembly meets regularly and is free to send a 
delegation to the Universal House of Justice in Mount Carmel, Haifa, 
Israel.
    There were unconfirmed reports that small groups of followers of 
Confucianism and Taoism practice their beliefs in the larger cities.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Party controls the Buddhist clergy (Sangha) in an attempt to 
direct national culture. After 1975 the Government attempted to 
``reform'' Buddhism and ceased to consider it the state religion, 
causing thousands of monks to flee abroad, where most still remain. The 
Government has only one semireligious holiday, Boun That Luang, which 
is also a major political and cultural celebration. However, the 
Government recognizes the popularity and cultural significance of 
Buddhist festivals, and many senior officials openly attend them. 
Buddhist clergy are featured prominently at important state and party 
functions. The Lao National Front directs the Lao Buddhist Fellowship 
Association, which adopted a new charter in April 1998. The Front 
continues to require monks to study Marxism-Leninism, to attend certain 
party meetings, and to combine the party-state policies with their 
teachings of Buddhism. In recent years, some individual temples have 
been able to receive support from Theravada Buddhist temples abroad, to 
expand the training of monks, and to focus more on traditional 
teachings.
    The Government's tolerance of religion varied by region. In general 
central government authorities appeared unable to control or mitigate 
harsh measures that were taken by some local or provincial authorities 
against the practices of members of minority religious denominations. 
Although there was almost complete freedom to worship among 
unregistered groups in a few areas, particularly in the largest cities, 
government authorities in many regions allowed properly registered 
religious groups to practice their faith only under circumscribed 
conditions.
    Although authorities tolerate diverse religious practices in the 
southern panhandle, a pattern of petty local harassment persists. Many 
converts must run a gauntlet of harsh government interviews; however, 
after overcoming that initial barrier, they are permitted to practice 
their new faith unhindered.
    The authorities continue to remain suspicious of parts of the 
religious community other than Buddhism, including some Christian 
groups, in part because these faiths do not share a similar high degree 
of direction and incorporation into the government structure, as is the 
case with Theravada Buddhism. Authorities especially appear to suspect 
those religious groups that gain support from foreign sources, that 
aggressively proselytize among the poor or uneducated, or that give 
targeted assistance to converts. The Government permits major religious 
festivals of all established congregations without hindrance.
    The Government prohibits foreigners from proselytizing, although it 
permits foreign nongovernmental organizations with religious 
affiliations to work in the country. Although there is no prohibition 
against proselytizing by citizens, there has been increased local 
government investigation and harassment of citizens who do so under the 
constitutional provision against creating division of religion.
    The Government does not permit the printing of religious texts or 
their distribution outside a congregation and restricts the import of 
foreign religious texts and artifacts. However, in practice all 
approved congregations are able to supply texts to the faithful and 
decorate their places of worship. The Government requires and routinely 
grants permission for formal links with coreligionists in other 
countries. However, in practice the line between formal and informal 
links is blurred, and relations generally are established without much 
difficulty.
    Recognized, organized religious groups appeared to grow in size but 
to derive only minimal benefit from increased personal freedoms in 
economic activity, travel, and availability of media. While the 
Government continued to prohibit proselytizing by foreigners, Lao 
Christian proselytizers were active in some areas, resulting in some 
new conversions. However, the Government's response to evangelizing was 
strong and tended to restrict this activity. These conflicting trends--
maintaining limited freedoms among established groups, alongside a 
clash between small bands of highly active proselytizers and some 
government hard-liners--tended to contribute to an overall atmosphere 
that was not conducive to change, particularly in the easing of 
existing government restrictions.
    Some minority religious groups reported that they were unable 
during the period covered by this report to register new congregations 
or receive permission to establish new places of worship, including 
places in Vientiane. Authorities sometimes advised new denominations to 
join other religious groups having similar historical antecedents, 
despite clear differences between the groups' beliefs. Some groups did 
not submit applications for establishment of places of worship because 
they did not believe that their applications would be approved.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    In areas such as Luang Prabang, Houaphanh, Savannakhet, Oudomxay, 
Phongsaly, and Attapeu, the authorities arrested and detained religious 
believers and their spiritual leaders without charge. In Luang Prabang, 
three evangelical Christians were sentenced on November 26, 1999 to 5 
years' imprisonment under Article 66 of the Penal Code for gathering to 
create social turmoil. Each of the three was a well-known Christian 
spiritual leader. In an appeal that the three submitted jointly to the 
national appellate court on February 25, the defendants stated that two 
were in the house of the third only to stop by while waiting for the 
return of a neighbor, that they had private business with the neighbor, 
and that they did not see the third defendant, let alone meet with him.
    In more isolated cases, provincial authorities instructed their 
officials to monitor and arrest persons who professed belief in 
Christianity, Islam, or the Baha'i Faith. For example, there is clear 
evidence that in Luang Prabang and Savannakhet provinces the 
authorities continued to force hundreds of Christians to sign 
renunciations of their faith. Some civil servants were threatened with 
loss of their positions if they did not sign the renunciations. 
Citizens in Luang Prabang since 1999 reported that authorities ordered 
them to stop completely their Christian activities, under threat of 
arrest. The order appeared to apply only to new converts; believers of 
long standing were allowed to continue their beliefs but not to conduct 
worship or openly practice their faith. Despite general inaction by 
officials on their threats, such threats have had a chilling effect on 
religious practice in these provinces. The overwhelming preponderance 
of arrests in the country have been of religious leaders and the most 
active and visible proselytizers, not of practitioners. For example, in 
a southern province in 1998, police refused to release a Lao Christian 
who was arrested for proselytizing until the detainee pledged not to 
proselytize again.
    In Savannakhet province, district authorities supported by police, 
military, and representatives of the National Front, closed Christian 
churches in at least three districts in the latter part of 1999. Most 
of the churches closed had been built in the past 10 years. Churches of 
longer standing remained open, and most practitioners who found that 
their churches had been closed were able to move their activities to 
these places of worship. In a few villages in which churches had been 
closed in late 1999, security forces set up roadblocks during Sunday 
worship hours that prevented villagers from traveling to other places 
to conduct worship services. Although the closed churches were not 
reopened, physical obstruction of church attendance appeared to have 
abated by mid-2000.
    Members of long-established congregations have few problems in 
practicing their faith; however, in the second half of 1999 some 
churches established a century ago were subjected to harassment by 
local government officials in Savannakhet. Many groups of 
coreligionists seeking to assemble in a new location are thwarted in 
attempts to meet, practice, or celebrate major religious festivals.
    Authorities continued to arrest persons for their religious 
activities. With new arrests in Houaphanh and Phongsaly provinces at 
the end of 1999 and in early 2000, an estimated 55 to 60 members of 
religious minorities were in detention at one time. This number 
decreased with releases in 2000 in Houaphanh and Phongsaly and a 
release of 16 detainees in Savannakhet in June 2000. However, another 
11 persons were arrested in Luang Prabang in March 2000 but then 
released within a few weeks. In total about 100 persons were arrested 
and detained at least briefly for their religious activities during the 
period covered by this report.
    In rare cases, some local authorities harassed citizens who 
traveled outside the country for short-term religious training on the 
grounds that these persons had not provided their full travel plans to 
the authorities prior to departing from the country. At least five such 
persons were detained for this reason in early 1999. This restriction 
on freedom of movement appeared to affect primarily those who applied 
for crossborder passes into Thailand. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
has the power to grant exit visas and usually grants them as a matter 
of routine. There is no evidence that the central Government 
investigated travelers on their return.
    The enhanced status given to Buddhism in Luang Prabang--famed for 
its centuries-old Buddhist tradition and numerous temples--apparently 
led some local officials there to act more harshly toward minority 
religions, particularly toward Christian and Baha'i groups, than in 
other areas of the country.
    As of June 30, there were 5 known convicted religious prisoners and 
an estimated 20 religious detainees. They were detained in the 
following locations: Savannakhet, 2; Attapeu, 10; Houaphanh, 2; 
Oudomxay, 4; Luang Prabang, 3; Phongsaly, 2; and Vientiane, 2. In Luang 
Prabang, three persons were tried and convicted; in Savannakhet, two 
persons were tried and convicted.
    A few of the religious detainees are singled out for special 
treatment: They must wear chains on their legs or fixed manacles on 
their wrists. One detainee was in solitary confinement for a period of 
3 to 4 weeks; others had one foot placed in a fixed stock.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Because society places a high premium on harmonious relations, and 
because the dominant Buddhist faith is generally tolerant of other 
religious practices, the various religious communities coexist 
amicably. Although there is no ecumenical movement, and there are no 
efforts to create greater mutual understanding, cultural mores 
generally instill respect for longstanding, wellknown differences in 
belief. However, the Government is considerably less tolerant of newly 
introduced religions, especially ``foreign'' religions introduced among 
ethnic groups. Some evidence suggests that the Government makes little 
effort to ameliorate existing societal discrimination against ethnic 
minorities when that social tension can be used to restrict religious 
activities.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    U.S. Embassy representatives discussed religious freedom issues 
included in this report with the Human Rights Unit of the Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs (MFA). The Charge has raised high profile cases with 
high-ranking MFA officials and relevant provincial governors. In 
addition the Embassy has an ongoing dialog with the Department of 
Religious Affairs in the Lao National Front and with other high ranking 
officials in the National Front.
    Embassy representatives have met with all religious leaders in the 
country. Embassy officials have actively encouraged religious freedom 
despite an environment that is restricted by the government-owned and 
government-controlled media.
    U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Religious Freedom Robert A. Seiple 
visited the country in July 1999 and in January 2000. Seiple met with 
high ranking officials in ministries and offices concerned with the 
administration of religious affairs. He also visited places of worship 
and met with religious leaders, including the supreme patriarch of the 
Buddhist hierarchy. During his second visit, Ambassador Seiple sat at a 
first-ever group meeting of religious leaders and officials, where he 
raised religious freedom as a topic for discussion. Although government 
officials' presence did not encourage frank dialog, the meeting was 
unprecedented. Ambassador Seiple stressed to government officials the 
importance of honoring the universally recognized right to freedom of 
religion. Underlining Ambassador Seiple's public diplomacy mission, the 
Embassy ensured wide press coverage of the visit by national media, 
which stated explicitly his intent to discuss the U.S. International 
Religious Freedom Act.
                               __________

                                MALAYSIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion; however, the 
Government places some restrictions on this right. Islam is the 
official religion; however, the practice of Islamic beliefs other than 
Sunni Islam is restricted significantly.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    The country's various believers generally live amicably.
    Religious minorities generally worship freely although with some 
restrictions. The Government enforces some restrictions on the 
establishment of non-Muslim places of worship and on the activities of 
political opponents in mosques.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion; however, the 
Government places some restrictions on this right. Islam is the 
official religion; however, the practice of Islamic beliefs other than 
Sunni Islam is restricted significantly. Religious minorities include 
Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, and Sikh communities. Government funds 
support an Islamic religious establishment (the Government also grants 
limited funds to nonIslamic religious communities), and it is official 
policy to ``infuse Islamic values'' into the administration of the 
country. The Government imposes Islamic religious law on Muslims only 
in some matters and does not impose Islamic law beyond the Muslim 
community. Adherence to Islam is considered intrinsic to Malay ethnic 
identity, and therefore Islamic religious laws bind ethnic Malays.
Religious Demography
    According to government census figures, in 1991 59 percent of the 
population were Muslim; 18 percent practiced Buddhism; 8 percent 
Christianity; 6 percent Hinduism; 5 percent Confucianism, Taoism, or 
other religions that originated in China; 1 percent animism; and 0.5 
percent other faiths, including Sikhism and the Baha'i Faith. Estimates 
of the religious practices of the remainder were not stated.
    Non-Muslims are concentrated in East Malaysia, major urban centers, 
and other areas.
    In February 2000, the opposition-controlled state of Kelantan 
announced plans to form an Inter-religious Council.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    For Muslims, particularly ethnic Malays, the right to leave the 
Islamic faith and adhere to another religion is a controversial 
question, and in practice it is very difficult for Muslims to change 
religions. Persons who wish to do so face severe obstacles. The legal 
process of conversion is unclear; in practice it is very difficult for 
Muslims to change their religion legally. In March 1999, the country's 
highest court ruled that secular courts have no jurisdiction to hear 
applications by Muslims to change religions. According to the ruling, 
the religious conversion of Muslims is solely the jurisdiction of 
Islamic courts. If the High Court continues to affirm this ruling in 
future cases, it would make conversion of Muslims nearly impossible in 
practice.
    The issue of Muslim apostasy is very sensitive. In 1998 after a 
controversial incident of attempted conversion, the Government stated 
that apostates (i.e., Muslims who wish to leave or have left Islam for 
another religion) would not face government punishment as long as they 
did not defame Islam after their conversion. The Government opposes 
what it considers deviant interpretations of Islam, maintaining that 
the ``deviant'' groups' extreme views endanger national security. In 
the past, the Government imposed restrictions on certain Islamic 
schools, primarily the small number of Shi'a. The Government continues 
to monitor the activities of the Shi'a minority, and the Government 
periodically detained members of what it considers Islamic ``deviant 
sects'' without trial or charge under the Internal Security Act (ISA) 
during the period covered by this report. In April 2000, the state of 
Perlis passed a Shari'a law subjecting Islamic ``deviants'' and 
apostates to 1 year of ``rehabilitation.'' In early 2000, other states 
were reportedly considering similar Shari'a laws. (Under the 
Constitution, religion, including Shari'a law, is a state matter.) 
However, there were no reports of arrests for apostasy.
    In June 2000, the Government announced that all Muslim civil 
servants must attend religious classes, but only Islamic classes would 
be held. In addition only teachers approved by the Government would be 
employed.
    The Government generally respects non-Muslims' right of worship; 
however, state governments carefully control the building of non-Muslim 
places of worship and the allocation of land for non-Muslim cemeteries. 
Approvals for such permits sometimes are granted very slowly. After a 
violent conflict in Penang between Hindus and Muslims in March 1998, 
the Government announced a nationwide review of unlicensed Hindu 
temples and shrines. However, implementation was not vigorous, and the 
program is no longer a subject of public debate.
    In July 1999, the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, 
Christianity, Hinduism, and Sikhism (MCCBCHS), a nongovernmental 
organization representing minority religions, protested the planned 
implementation of Ministry of Housing and Local Government guidelines 
governing new non-Muslim places of worship. The MCCBCHS specifically 
complained that the guidelines required an area to have at least 2,000 
adherents to a particular non-Muslim faith for a new non-Muslim place 
of worship to be approved (no such requirement exists for Muslim places 
of worship). The group also complained that, under the guidelines, the 
State Islamic Council must approve the establishment of all non-Muslim 
places of worship. In September 1999, the Government agreed to revise 
the proposed guidelines. By mid-2000, the guidelines still had not been 
implemented, and there were no reports on the status of the revisions.
    Proselytizing of Muslims by members of other religions is 
prohibited strictly, although proselytizing of non-Muslims faces no 
obstacles. The Government discourages--and in practical terms forbids--
the circulation in peninsular Malaysia of Malay-language translations 
of the Bible and distribution of Christian tapes and printed materials 
in Malay. However, Malay-language Christian materials are available. 
Some states have laws that prohibit the use of Malay-language religious 
terms by Christians, but the authorities do not enforce them actively. 
The distribution of Malay-language Christian materials faces few 
restrictions in East Malaysia. Visas for foreign Christian clergy are 
restricted severely.
    For Muslim children, religious education according to a government-
approved curriculum is compulsory. There are no restrictions on home 
instruction.
    The Government generally restricts remarks or publications that 
might incite racial or religious disharmony. This includes some 
statements and publications critical of particular religions, 
especially Islam. The Government also restricts the content of sermons 
at mosques.
    After the November 1999 national elections, the Government 
significantly expanded efforts to restrict the activities of the 
Islamic opposition party at mosques. Several states announced measures 
including banning opposition-affiliated imams from speaking at mosques, 
more vigorously enforcing existing restrictions on the content of 
sermons, replacing mosque leaders and governing committees thought to 
be sympathetic to the opposition, and threatening to close down 
unauthorized mosques with ties to the opposition. The Government 
justified such measures as necessary to oppose the ``politicization of 
religion'' by the opposition.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners during 
the period covered by this report.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covering by this report.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    The country's various believers generally live amicably.
    The Government has a comprehensive system of preferences in 
housing, education, business, and other areas for Bumiputras, ethnic 
Malay Muslims, and a few other groups that practice various religions.
    Ecumenical and inter-faith organizations of the non-Muslim 
religions exist and include the Malaysian Consultative Council of 
Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, and Sikhism, the Malaysian Council of 
Churches, and the Christian Federation of Malaysia. Muslim 
organizations generally do not participate in ecumenical bodies.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. 
Embassy representatives have met with some religious leaders.
                               __________

                            MARSHALL ISLANDS

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among the religious communities in society contribute to the free 
practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
Religious Demography
    Major religions include the United Church of Christ (formerly--
Congregational) with 54.8 percent of the population; the Assembly of 
God with 25.8 percent; and the Roman Catholic Church with 8.4 percent. 
Also represented are Bukot Nan Jesus (also known as Assembly of God 
Part Two) with 2.8 percent; the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-
Day Saints with 2.1 percent; Seventh-Day Adventists with 0.9 percent; 
Full Gospel with 0.7 percent; and Baha'i Faith with 0.6 percent. 
Persons without any religious affiliation account for 1.5 percent of 
the population, and another 1.4 percent belong to religions not named 
by the census.
    There are missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
Day Saints and Seventh-Day Adventists. Religious schools include the 
Assumption Catholic School and the Rita Christian School as well as 
facilities operated by the United Church of Christ and the Assembly of 
God.
    The Government takes no active steps to promote inter-faith 
understanding, and it does not intervene in inter-faith discussion.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Although Christianity is a dominant social and cultural force, 
there are amicable relations between the country's religious 
denominations. Nonbelievers, who constitute a very small percentage of 
the residents, do not suffer discrimination. Typically, governmental 
and social functions begin and end with an interdenominational 
Christian prayer delivered by an ordained minister, cleric, or church 
official.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                     FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

                     Section I. Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Bill of Rights forbids 
establishment of a state religion and governmental restrictions on 
freedom of religion.
Religious Demography
    Most Protestant denominations as well as the Roman Catholic Church 
are present on the four major islands of the country. The most 
prevalent Protestant denomination is the United Church of Christ. 
Baptists, Seventh-Day Adventists, members of the Church of Jesus Christ 
of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon), and adherents of the Baha'i Faith are 
also represented. On Kosrae 99 percent of the population are members of 
the United Church of Christ; on Pohnpei approximately 50 percent of the 
population are Protestant and 50 percent are Catholic; on Chuuk and 
Yap, approximately 60 percent are Catholic and 40 percent are 
Protestant. There is a small group of Buddhists on Pohnpei.
    On the island of Pohnpei, clan divisions mark religious boundaries 
in some measure. More Protestants live on the western side of the 
island, but more Catholics live on the eastern side.
    Missionaries of many faiths work within the nation. Seventh-Day 
Adventists, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 
and other foreign missionary groups operate without hindrance on all 
four islands.
    Most immigrants are from the Philippines; most of these are 
Catholics and join local Catholic churches.
    There is no government-sponsored ecumenical activity.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    In general there are amicable relations between the religious 
communities.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                                MONGOLIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, 
proselytizing is limited by forbidding the use of incentives, pressure, 
or deceptive methods.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Relations between the various religious communities are amicable. 
However, some conservative elements of society resent foreign 
interference in the form of religion. Government limits on 
proselytizing and bureaucratic harassment of groups that seek to 
register hinder the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of conscience and religion, 
the right both to worship and not to worship, and the Government 
generally respects these provisions in practice; however, the law 
limits proselytizing, and some groups that sought to register have 
faced bureaucratic harassment. The Constitution explicitly recognizes 
the separation of church and state. The law regulating the relationship 
between church and state was passed in 1993 and amended in 1995. While 
the Ministry of Justice is responsible for registrations, local 
assemblies have the authority to approve applications at the local 
level.
    Although there is no official state religion, traditionalists 
believe that Buddhism is the ``natural religion'' of the country. The 
Government has contributed to the restoration of several Buddhist 
sites. These are important religious, historical, and cultural centers. 
The Government does not subsidize the Buddhist religion otherwise.
    Under the provisions of the law, the Government may supervise and 
limit the numbers of both places of worship and clergy for organized 
religions, but there were no reports that it has done so. However, 
religious groups must register with the Ministry of Justice. Some 
groups encountered harassment during the registration process, 
including random demands by mid-level city officials for financial 
contributions in return for securing legal status. Even when 
registration was completed, the same authorities threatened some 
religious groups with withdrawal of approval. The registration process 
is decentralized with several layers of bureaucracy, in which officials 
sometimes demand financial benefits in exchange for authorization. 
Additionally, registration in the capital may not be sufficient if a 
group intends to work in the countryside where local registration also 
is necessary. In general it appears that difficulties in registering 
primarily are the consequence of bureaucratic action by local officials 
and attempts to extort financial assistance for projects not funded by 
the city. Of the 260 temples and churches founded in the past 10 years, 
about 150 are registered, including 90 Buddhist, 40 Christian, and 4 
Baha'i, in addition to 1 Muslim mosque and other organizations.
Religious Demography
    Buddhism and Mongolian traditions are tied closely, and it appears 
likely that almost all ethnic Mongolians (93 percent of the population) 
practice some form of Buddhism. Lamaist Buddhism of the Tibetan variety 
is the traditional and dominant religion, but this circumstance does 
not adversely affect religious freedom for others. Since the end of 
Socialist controls on religion and Mongolian traditions in 1990, active 
interest in and practice of Buddhism has grown. The Buddhist community 
is not completely homogenous, and there are several competing schools, 
including a small group that believes that the sutras should be in the 
Mongolian language and that all religious clergy should be Mongolian. 
However, the rivalry between the schools has not affected religious 
freedom, nor is it a matter of public concern.
    Kazakhs are the largest of the ethnic minorities, constituting 
approximately 4 percent of the population nationwide and 85 percent of 
the population of the western province, Bayan-Olgiy. Most Kazakhs are 
practicing Muslims. The Kazakhs freely worship and run Islamic schools 
for their children. They sometimes receive financial assistance from 
religious organizations in Kazakhstan and Turkey. Their status as a 
majority in Bayan-Olgiy was established in the former Socialist period 
and continues in much the same circumstances.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The law does not prohibit proselytizing, but limits it by 
forbidding use of incentives, pressure, or deceptive methods to 
introduce religion. With the opening of the country following the 1990 
democratic changes, religious groups began to arrive to provide 
humanitarian assistance and open new churches. Some friction between 
missionary groups and citizens developed because this assistance was 
mixed with proselytizing activities. Proselytizing by registered 
religious groups is allowed, although a Ministry of Education directive 
bans mixing foreign language or other training with religious teaching 
or instruction. The edict is enforced, particularly in the capital 
area. Contacts with coreligionists outside the country are allowed.
    Foreign missionaries include Roman Catholics, Lutherans, 
Presbyterians, various evangelical Protestant groups, the Church of 
Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-Day 
Adventists, and adherents of the Baha'i Faith. Some of these groups are 
still in the process of registering with the Ministry of Justice; the 
process is protracted for some groups, but others are registered 
quickly. Religious groups are being granted the right to hold church 
services and have their own church buildings in addition to operating 
charitable institutions.
    There are no government-sponsored ecumenical activities.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners. A report 
that in April 2000 a Christian in Bayan-Olgiy (a predominantly Muslim 
province) was imprisoned for distributing religious material was 
determined to be false.
Forced Religious Conversions of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the various religious communities are amicable, 
but there are no significant ecumenical movements or inter-faith 
dialog. Citizens generally are tolerant of the beliefs of others, and 
there were no reports of religiously motivated violence, although there 
has been some friction between missionary groups and citizens because 
humanitarian assistance in the past was mixed with proselytizing 
activity (see Section I). Some conservatives have criticized foreign 
influences on youth and children, including religion and the use of 
incentives to attract believers.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    U.S. Embassy officials have discussed with mid-level bureaucrats 
specific registration difficulties encountered by Christian churches. 
These discussions focused attention on U.S. concern for religious 
freedom and opposition to corruption; they resulted in a clarification 
of the requirements for registration.
    When draft amendments to the law that would have limited religious 
freedom were circulated by the Ministry of Justice in the fall of 1999, 
the Embassy made official demarches to the Government, informally 
discussed U.S. concerns with key legislators, and coordinated a 
response with other embassies and multilateral organizations. 
Subsequently the Government did not consider these amendments.
    The U.S. Embassy maintains regular contact with Buddhist leaders. 
Additionally, embassy officials have met with representatives of U.S.-
based religious and humanitarian organizations. The Embassy also 
maintains contact with the staff of the local office of the United 
Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the United Nations 
Development Programme (UNDP) to discuss human rights and religious 
freedom.
                               __________

                                 NAURU

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both Government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
Religious Demography
    Christianity is the primary religion. Approximately two-thirds of 
the Christians are Protestants, and the remaining one-third are Roman 
Catholics. The population as a whole is 58 percent Nauruan, 26 percent 
other Pacific Islanders, 8 percent European, and 8 percent Chinese. 
Some of the latter group may be Buddhist or Taoist.
    Christianity was introduced in the late 19th and early 20th 
centuries by Western missionaries. There are a few active Christian 
missionary organizations, including representatives of the Anglican, 
Methodist, and Catholic faiths.
    The Government has not taken specific actions to improve inter-
religious relations. However, it has set aside land for the renovation 
and construction of places of worship.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Inter-faith relations appear amicable.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    Representatives of the U.S. Embassy in Fiji visit periodically to 
discuss religious freedom issues with the Government in the overall 
context of the promotion of human rights. They also meet with leaders 
of religious communities and nongovernmental organizations that have an 
interest in religious freedom.
    The U.S. Embassy actively supports efforts to improve and expand 
governmental and societal awareness of and protection for human rights, 
including the right to freedom of religion.
                               __________

                              NEW ZEALAND

    The law provides for freedom of religion, and the Government 
respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The law provides for freedom of religion, and the Government 
respects this right in practice.
Religious Demography
    The religious composition of the country is predominantly Christian 
but is becoming more diverse. According to the 1996 census, 60.6 
percent of citizens identified themselves as Christian or as affiliated 
members of individual Christian denominations; less than 3 percent were 
affiliated with nonChristian religions.
    The four major Christian denominations of Anglican, Roman Catholic, 
Presbyterian, and Methodist experienced a decline in membership between 
1991 and 1996, with the proportion of the population affiliated with 
these denominations falling from 57.6 percent to 49.1 percent. 
Anglicans remained by far the largest Christian denomination, with 18 
percent of the population in 1996. Pentecostals were the only major 
Christian group to experience significant growth (55 percent) during 
the same period. Among non-Christian religions, the number of Buddhists 
and Muslims more than doubled, while the number of Hindus increased by 
approximately 50 percent, although each of these groups still 
constitutes less than 1 percent of the population. The number of 
persons who indicated no religious affiliation also increased markedly 
between 1991 and 1996, rising by 33 percent to over one-fourth of the 
population. The indigenous Maori (approximately 15 percent of the 
population) are overwhelmingly members of Presbyterian, Church of Jesus 
Christ of the Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), Ratana, Ringatu, and other 
faiths.
    According to 1996 census data, the following were the numbers and 
percentages of the population's religious affiliation: Anglican--
631,764 (18.42 percent); Roman Catholic--473,112 (13.79 percent); 
Presbyterian--458,289 (13.36 percent); Methodist--121,650 (3.55 
percent); Baptist--53,613 (1.56 percent); Mormons--41,166 (1.20 
percent); Pentecostal--39,228 (1.14 percent); Ratana (a Maori/Christian 
group with services in the Maori language)--36,450 (1.06 percent); 
Buddhist--28,131 (0.82 percent); Hindu--25,293 (0.74 percent); 
Brethren--19,950 (0.58 percent); Jehovah's Witnesses--19,524 (0.57 
percent); Assemblies of God--17,520 (0.51 percent); Salvation Army--
14,625 (0.43 percent); Islam--13,548 (0.39 percent); Seventh-Day 
Adventist--12,324 (0.36 percent); Apostolic Church of New Zealand--
8,913 (0.26 percent); Congregational--8,838 (0.26 percent); Ringatu (a 
Maori/Christian group with services in the Maori language)--8,268 (0.24 
percent); Orthodox Christian--6,936 (0.20 percent); Spiritualist--5,097 
(0.15 percent); Lutheran--5,007 (0.15 percent); Jewish--4,812 (0.14 
percent); Churches of Christ--4,233 (0.12 percent); Reformed--3,288 
(0.10 percent); Baha'i--3,111 (0.09 percent); Elim--3,018 (0.09 
percent); Sikh----814 (0.08 percent); Protestant--2,778 (0.08 percent); 
Exclusive Brethren--1,986 (0.06 percent); Christadelphians--1,743 (0.05 
percent); Uniting/Union Church--1,728 (0.05 percent); Evangelical--
1,584 (0.05 percent); Religious Society of Friends--1,161 (0.03 
percent); Satanist--909 (0.03 percent); Worldwide Church of God--624 
(0.02 percent); Rastafarianism--582 (0.02 percent); Taoism--561 (0.02 
percent); Nazarene--459 (0.01 percent); Hauhau--408 (0.01 percent); 
Christian Science--294 (0.01 percent); Revival Centres--273 (0.01 
percent); Unitarian--267 (0.01 percent); Hare Krishna--258 (0.01 
percent); Church of Scientology--216 (0.01 percent); Commonwealth 
Covenant Church--168 (less than 0.01 percent); Unification Church--135 
(less than 0.01 percent); other Christian--188,670 (5.50 percent); 
other non-Christian--4,596 (0.13 percent); other response including no 
religion--893,910 (26.06 percent); object to statement--256,593 (7.48 
percent); not specified--187,881 (5.50 percent); total--3,618,303 
(100.00 percent).
    The Auckland statistical area (which accounts for roughly 30 
percent of the country's total population) exhibits the greatest 
religious diversity. Farther south on the North Island, and on the 
South Island, the percentage of citizens who identified themselves with 
Christian faiths increased while those affiliated with non-Christian 
religions decreased.
    The Education Act of 1964 specifies in its ``secular clause'' that 
teaching within public primary schools ``shall be entirely of a secular 
character.'' However, it also permits religious instruction and 
observances in state primary schools within certain parameters. If the 
school committee in consultation with the principal or head teacher so 
determines, any class may be closed at any time of the school day 
within specified limits for the purposes of religious instruction given 
by voluntary instructors. However, attendance at religious instruction 
or observances is not compulsory. According to the Legal Division of 
the Ministry of Education, public secondary schools also may permit 
religious instruction at the discretion of their individual school 
boards. The Ministry of Education does not keep centralized data on how 
many individual primary or secondary schools permit religious 
instruction or observances, but a curriculum division spokesperson 
maintains that in practice religious instruction, if it occurs at a 
particular school, usually is scheduled after normal school hours.
    Under the Private Schools Conditional Integration Act of 1975, the 
Government, in response to a burgeoning general primary school role and 
financial difficulties experienced by a large group of Catholic 
parochial schools, permitted the incorporation of private schools into 
the public school system. Designated as ``integrated schools,'' they 
were deemed to be of a ``unique character'' and permitted to receive 
public funding provided that they allowed space for nonpreference 
students. A total of 303 of the 2,784 primary schools are integrated 
schools with this designation. More than 250 of these 303 schools are 
Catholic; there are a handful of non-Christian or non-religious 
schools, such as Islamic, Hare Krishna, or Rudolph Steiner--a school of 
spiritual philosophy. Primary school students are not required to 
attend an integrated school.
    Christmas Day, Good Friday, and Easter Monday are official 
holidays. The small but growing non-Christian communities called for 
the Government to take into account the increasingly diverse religious 
makeup regarding holiday flexibility.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious prisoners or detainees.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Amicable relations exist among the various religious communities.
    Incidents of religiously-motivated violence are extremely rare. Due 
to the infrequency of their occurrence and difficulties in clearly 
establishing such motivations, the police do not attempt to maintain 
data on crimes that may have been motivated by religion. However, in 
August 1998, arsonists burned the Islamic mosque in Hamilton. The 
mosque was later rebuilt, and Ramadan services were conducted there in 
1999 and 2000 without incident.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                                 PALAU

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report. Both government policy and 
the generally amicable relationship among religions in society 
contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religion freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
    The Government does not promote or restrain religious activities. 
However, the Government regulates the establishment of religious 
organizations by requiring them to obtain charters as nonprofit 
organizations from the office of the Attorney General. This 
registration process is not protracted, and no applicants have been 
denied during the period covered by the report. As nonprofit 
organizations, these churches and missions are tax exempt. There is 
government financial support for religious schools; the Government also 
provides small scale financial assistance to cultural organizations.
Religious Demography
    There are 15 Christian denominations. The Roman Catholic Church is 
the dominant religion and approximately 65 percent of the population of 
18,000 are members. Other religions with a sizable membership include 
the Evangelical Church (with approximately 2,000 members), the Seventh-
Day Adventists (with approximately 1,000), the Church of Jesus Christ 
of Latter-Day Saints (about 300), and Jehovah's Witnesses (about 70). 
Modekngei, which embraces both pagan and Christian beliefs and is 
unique to Palau, has about 800 adherents.
    A large percentage of citizens do not practice their faith 
actively. However, the primarily Catholic Filipino labor force 
(approximately 3,100 persons) practices its faith actively. There is 
active participation by the majority of the country's religious groups 
in Easter and Christmas services. There is also a small group of 
Bangladeshi Muslims in the labor force who practice their faith 
actively. However, employers have complained to the Division of Labor 
under the Ministry of Commerce and Trade that the Muslims' religious 
practices interfere both with activity in the workplace and with the 
living arrangements of the employing families. As a consequence of 
these complaints, the Ministry of Commerce and Trade decided to deny 
work permits to Bangladeshi workers in the future. Current workers are 
not being expelled.
    There are two religious groups with independent radio stations, the 
High Adventure Ministries and the Seventh-Day Adventists.
    Since the arrival of Jesuit priests in the early 19th century, 
foreign missionaries successfully have converted the population to 
their various faiths. Some missionaries have been in the country for 
years and speak the language fluently. A number of groups (the Baha'i 
Faith, the Roman Catholic Church, the Chinese Agriculture Mission, the 
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the Evangelical Church, 
the High Adventure Ministries, the Iglesia ni Cristo, Jehovah's 
Witnesses, the Korean Church, the Korea Presbyterian Church, the 
Pacific Missionary Aviation, the Palau Assembly of God, and the 
Seventh-Day Adventists) have missionaries in the country on 
proselytizing or teaching assignments.
    The Seventh-Day Adventist and the Evangelical Churches have 
missionaries teaching in their respective elementary and high schools. 
The Government does not permit religious instruction in the public 
schools.
    There are no government sponsored ecumenical activities.
    Although the Government does not affiliate with religious groups or 
promote religious activities, official ceremonies at the national or 
state level, such as public and private school graduations, always are 
conducted with a prayer to open and close the ceremonies.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    In general there are amicable relations between the religious 
communities. Most religious groups and activities are concentrated in 
the capital of Koror, where approximately 80 percent of the population 
lives.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                            PAPUA NEW GUINEA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    The predominance of Christianity is recognized in the preamble of 
the Constitution, which refers to ``our noble traditions and the 
Christian principles that are ours.'' Nevertheless, the Constitution's 
provisions for freedom of conscience, thought, and religion have 
consistently been interpreted to mean that any religion may be 
practiced or propagated as long as it does not interfere with the 
freedom of others. The population largely belongs to various Christian 
churches. Many Christian denominations and some non-Christian groups 
meet and preach freely in the country, and there is a high level of 
regular participation in group worship and religious activities. 
However, many citizens combine their Christian faith with some pre-
Christian traditional indigenous practices.
Religious Demography
    According to the 1990 census, the churches with the largest number 
of members are the Roman Catholic Church, the Evangelical Lutheran 
Church, the United Church, the Evangelical Alliance, and the Seventh-
Day Adventists. At that time, 97 percent of citizens identified 
themselves as members of a Christian church. Less than 0.3 percent 
identified themselves as non-Christian, and less than 3 percent 
identified themselves as having no religion.
    The mainstream churches are those that proselytized on the island 
of New Guinea in the 19th century. Initially, colonial governments 
assigned different missions to different geographic areas. Since 
territory in Papua New Guinea is synonymous with language group and 
ethnicity, this policy led to the identification of certain churches 
with certain ethnic groups. However, as the country's economy 
modernized and populations became more mobile, churches of all 
denominations moved with them, and churches of major denominations are 
now found in all parts of the country.
    Nonmainstream Christian churches and non-Christian religious groups 
are active throughout the country as well. According to the Papua New 
Guinea Council of Churches, recently both Muslim and Confucian 
missionaries have become active.
    Immigrants and noncitizens are free to practice their religion. The 
Muslim community has a mosque in the capital of Port Moresby. In 
general the Government does not subsidize the practice of religion. The 
Department of Family and Church Affairs has a nominal policymaking role 
that until recently has been confined to reiterating the Government's 
respect for church autonomy. In late 1999, a privately-sponsored bill 
was introduced in Parliament that proposed to replace the existing 
Council of Churches with a National Council of Christian Churches, the 
leadership of which would be appointed by the Minister for Family and 
Church Affairs and which would be funded by the Government. The 
churches did not support the bill, and it was not adopted.
    However, most of the schools and many of the health services in the 
country were built and continue to be run by the churches, and the 
Government provides support for those institutions. At independence the 
Government recognized that it had neither the funds nor the human 
capital with which to take over these institutions and agreed to 
subsidize their operations on a per pupil/per patient basis. The 
Government also pays the salaries of national teachers and health 
staff. In recent years, although the education and health 
infrastructures continue to rely heavily on churchrun institutions, 
some have closed periodically because they did not receive the promised 
government support. These problems are due in part to endemic financial 
management problems in the Government.
    It is the policy of the Department of Education to set aside 1 hour 
a week for religious instruction in the public schools. Church 
representatives teach the lessons, and the students attend the class 
run by the church of their choice. Children whose parents do not wish 
them to attend the classes are excused.
    Foreign missionary activity is high. The Pentecostal Church 
particularly has made inroads into the congregations of the more 
established churches, but nearly every conceivable movement and faith 
that proselytizes has representatives in the country. The Summer 
Institute of Linguistics is an important missionary institution; it 
translates the New Testament into native languages.
    The Roman Catholic Church is the only mainstream church that still 
relies to a large extent on foreign clergy.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are generally amicable relations between the various 
religious communities.
    As new missionary movements proliferate, representatives of some 
established churches and some individuals have questioned publicly 
whether such activity is socially desirable. Some persons have proposed 
legislation to limit such activity. However, the courts and government 
practice have upheld the constitutional right to freedom of speech, 
thought, and belief, and no legislation to curb those rights has ever 
been adopted. For example, when the Muslim community applied to the 
Land Board for permission to acquire property on which to build a 
mosque, some churches objected, citing Papua New Guinea's historical 
character as a Christian country. Nevertheless, permission to acquire 
the land was granted.
    The Papua New Guinea Council of Churches makes the only effort at 
inter-faith dialog. The Council members consist of the Anglican, 
Gutnius and Union Baptist, Catholic, Lutheran and United churches, and 
the Salvation Army. In addition, it has 15 para-religious 
organizations, like the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA), 
which participate in its activities. However, the Council has only 
Christian affiliates. The Council is self-financing. The ecumenical 
work of the Council of Churches is confined primarily to cooperation 
between churches on social welfare projects.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy engages the Government on a wide range of human 
rights issues, including religious freedom. The Ambassador continued 
discussions with the Council of Churches and individual church leaders 
throughout the period covered by this report. The Ambassador and the 
Embassy's consular officer visit regularly with U.S. citizen 
missionaries of all denominations.
                               __________

                              PHILIPPINES

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Adherents of all faiths are free to exercise their religious 
beliefs in all parts of the country without government interference or 
restriction. However, there is a socioeconomic disparity between the 
Christian majority and the Muslim minority. There is also some ethnic-
cultural discrimination against Muslims. This has led some Muslims to 
seek--and the Government to grant--a degree of political autonomy to 
Muslims in the southwestern part of the country. The principal 
remaining armed insurgent Muslim group continued to seek greater 
autonomy or an independent Muslim state. Negotiations between the 
Government and this group are punctuated by violent clashes that have 
claimed many lives on both sides, including noncombatants. Militant 
Muslim splinter groups, which demand the immediate establishment of an 
Islamic state, have resorted to terrorism. Mainstream Muslim leaders 
strongly criticized these tactics.
    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights. Embassy staff members have met with representatives of 
all major faiths to learn about their concerns on a variety of issues. 
In addition the U.S. Government supports the Government's peace process 
with Muslim insurgents in Mindanao, which has the potential to 
contribute to a better climate for inter-faith relations. The U.S. 
Agency for International Development provides training and economic 
assistance to former Muslim combatants who seek jobs and business 
opportunities, and support for their agricultural livelihood projects.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. Both national and other 
levels of government generally protect this right and do not tolerate 
its abuse, either by government or private institutions. Although 
Christianity, particularly Roman Catholicism, is the dominant religion, 
there is no state religion. The Government does not restrict adherents 
of other religions from practicing their faith. The Government provides 
no direct subsidies to institutions for religious purposes, including 
aid to the extensive school systems maintained by religious orders and 
church groups.
    Organized religions must register with the Securities and Exchange 
Commission as nonstock, nonprofit organizations, and with the Bureau of 
Internal Revenue to establish their taxexempt status. There were no 
reports of discrimination in the registration system during the period 
covered by this report.
    The Office of Muslim affairs, funded through the Office of the 
President, generally limits its activities to fostering Islamic 
religious practices, although it also has the authority to coordinate 
projects for economic growth in predominantly Muslim areas. The 
office's Philippine Pilgrimage Authority helps coordinate the travel of 
religious pilgrimage groups to Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, providing bus 
service to and from airports, hotel reservations, and guides. The 
Presidential Assistant for Muslim Affairs helps coordinate relations 
with countries that have large Islamic populations that have 
contributed to Mindanao's economic development and to the peace process 
with insurgent groups.
    In 1996 the Government signed a peace agreement with the Islamic 
Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), concluding an often violent 
struggle that had lasted more than 20 years. The Government is working 
with the MNLF's leaders on a variety of development programs to 
reintegrate former MNLF fighters into the market economy through jobs 
and business opportunities. During the first half of 2000, government 
forces engaged in armed clashes with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front 
(MILF), the chief remaining armed separatist group. Peace talks were 
suspended in April 2000. The MILF continued its armed struggle for an 
independent Islamic state in Mindanao for the Bangsa Moro, who are 
Islamic citizens. Most Philippine Muslims do not support the MILF.
    The Code of Muslim Personal Laws, enacted in 1977, recognizes the 
Shari'a civil law system as part of national law. However, it applies 
only to Muslims regardless of their place of residence in the country. 
As part of their strategy for a moral and religious revival in western 
Mindanao, some Muslim religious leaders (ulamas) argue that the 
Government should allow Islamic courts to extend their jurisdiction to 
criminal law cases, a step beyond the many civil law cases that they 
already can settle as part of the judicial system in western Mindanao. 
Some ulamas also support the MILF's goal of forming an autonomous 
region governed in accordance with Islamic law.
Religious Demography
    Over 85 percent of citizens of this former Spanish colony claim 
membership in the Roman Catholic Church, according to the most recent 
official census data on religious preference (1990). Believers within 
the Christian tradition comprised 93.7 percent of the population. 
Followers of the Islamic faith totaled 4.6 percent, and Buddhists 0.1 
percent. Indigenous and other religious traditions accounted for 1.2 
percent of those surveyed. Atheists and persons who did not designate a 
religious preference equaled 0.3 percent. Some academics question the 
accuracy of the statistical sampling in the 1990 census. Some Muslim 
scholars argue that census takers seriously undercounted the number of 
Muslims because security concerns in western Mindanao, where Muslims 
are still a majority, often prevented them from conducting accurate 
counts outside urban areas. Current estimates place the number of 
Muslims at about 5 million, or approximately 7 percent of the 
population. Muslims reside principally in Mindanao and nearby islands 
and are the largest single minority religious group in the country.
    There is no available data on ``nominal'' members of religious 
organizations. Estimates of nominal members of the largest group, Roman 
Catholics, range from 60 to 65 percent of the total population. These 
estimates are based on regular church attendance. El Shaddai, a lay 
charismatic movement affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, has 
grown rapidly in the last decade; it claims over 6 million members, but 
this figure includes congregations abroad, largely composed of Filipino 
workers.
    Among Protestant and other Christian groups, there are numerous 
denominations, including Seventh-Day Adventists, United Church of 
Christ, United Methodist, Assemblies of God, and Philippine (Southern) 
Baptist denominations. In addition there are two churches established 
by Filipino religious leaders, the Independent Church of the 
Philippines or Aglipayan and the Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of Christ). 
A majority of the country's nearly 12 million indigenous people 
reportedly are Christians. However, observers note that many indigenous 
groups mix elements of their native religions with Christian beliefs 
and practices.
    Most Muslims belong to the Sunni branch of Islam. There is a small 
number of Shi'a believers in the provinces of Lanao del Sur and 
Zamboanga del Sur. Approximately 19 percent of the population of 
Mindanao is Muslim, according to the 1990 census. Members of the Muslim 
minority are concentrated in five provinces of western Mindanao: 
Maguindanao; Lanao del Sur; Basilan; Sulu; and Tawi-Tawi. There are 
also significant Muslim communities in nearby Mindanao provinces, 
including Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, Sultan Kudarat, Lanao 
del Norte, and North Cotabato. There are sizable Muslim neighborhoods 
in metropolitan Manila on Luzon, and in Palawan.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Intermittent government efforts to integrate Muslims into political 
and economic society have achieved only limited success to date. 
Muslims, who are concentrated in the most impoverished parts of western 
Mindanao, complained that the Government has not made sufficient effort 
toward economic development in those areas.
    The Government's National Ecumenical Commission (NEC) fosters 
inter-faith dialog among the major religious groups--the Roman Catholic 
Church, Islam, Iglesia ni Cristo, the Philippine Independent Church 
(Aglipayan), and Protestant denominations. The Protestant churches are 
represented in the NEC by the National Council of Churches of the 
Philippines and the Council of Evangelical Churches of the Philippines. 
Members of the NEC met periodically with the President to discuss 
social and political questions.
    Christians, Muslims, and others are free to proselytize.
    Based on a traditional policy of promoting moral education, local 
public schools make available to church groups the opportunity to teach 
moral values during school hours. Attendance is not mandatory, and 
various churches rotate in sharing classroom space. In many parts of 
Mindanao, Muslim students routinely attend Catholic schools from 
elementary to university level. These students are not required to 
undertake Catholic religious instruction.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Religious affiliation is customarily a function of a person's 
family, ethnic group, or tribal membership. Historically, Muslims have 
been alienated socially from the dominant Christian majority. 
Intermittent government efforts to integrate Muslims into political and 
economic society have achieved only limited success to date. Muslims, 
who are concentrated in the most impoverished parts of western 
Mindanao, complained that the Government made insufficient efforts 
toward economic development in these areas.
    Christian and Muslim communities live in proximity throughout 
central and western Mindanao and, in many areas, their relationship is 
harmonious. However, efforts by the dominant Christian population to 
resettle in traditionally Muslim areas, particularly over the past 60 
years, have brought resentment from some Muslim residents.
    Muslims view Christian proselytizing as an extension of a 
historical effort by the Christian majority to deprive them of their 
homeland and cultural identity as well as their religion. Christian 
missionaries work in most parts of western Mindanao, often within 
Muslim communities. The killing of Roman Catholic bishop Benjamin de 
Jesus in Jolo City in Sulu province near Mindanao in 1997 still has not 
been resolved, but most observers doubt that the motivation for the 
killing was rooted in religious differences.
    Religious dialog and cooperation among the country's various 
religious communities are generally amicable. Many religious leaders 
are involved in ecumenical activities and also in interdenominational 
efforts to alleviate poverty. The Inter-faith Group, which is 
registered as a nongovernmental organization, includes Roman Catholic, 
Islamic, and Protestant church representatives who have joined together 
in an effort to support the Mindanao peace process through work with 
communities of former combatants. Besides social and economic support, 
the Inter-faith Group seeks to encourage Mindanao communities to 
instill their faiths in their children.
    Amicable ties between religious groups are reflected in many 
nonofficial organizations. The leadership of human rights groups, trade 
union confederations, and industry associations represent many 
religious persuasions.
    The national culture, with its emphasis on familial, tribal, and 
regional loyalties, creates informal barriers whereby access to jobs or 
resources is provided first to those of one's own family or group. Some 
employers have a biased expectation that Muslims have a lower 
educational level. Many Muslims claim that they continue to be 
underrepresented in senior civilian and military positions. 
Predominantly Muslim provinces in Mindanao continue to lag behind the 
rest of the island of Mindanao in almost all aspects of socioeconomic 
development.
    As part of their strategy for a moral and religious revival in 
western Mindanao, some Muslim religious leaders (ulamas) argue that the 
Government should allow Islamic courts to extend their jurisdiction to 
criminal law cases, a step beyond the many civil law cases they already 
can settle as part of the judicial system in western Mindanao. Some 
ulamas also support the MILF's goal of forming an autonomous region 
governed by Islamic law.
    Some Muslim religious leaders asserted that Muslims suffer from 
economic discrimination, which is reflected in the Government's failure 
to provide money to stimulate southwestern Mindanao's sluggish economic 
development. They also cited the lack of proportional Muslim 
representation in the national government institutions. At present 
there are no Muslim cabinet secretaries, senators, or Supreme Court 
justices. Nine Muslims hold seats in the 222-member House of 
Representatives. Leaders in both Christian and Muslim communities 
contend that economic disparities and ethnic tensions, more than 
religious differences, are at the root of the modern separatist 
movement that emerged in the early 1970's.
    The Bishops-Ulamas Conference, which meets periodically to deepen 
mutual doctrinal understanding between Roman Catholic and Muslim 
leaders in Mindanao, helps further the Mindanao peace process. The co-
chairs of the conference are the Archbishop of Davao, Ferdinand 
Capalla, and the president of the Ulama Association, Majid Mutilan, who 
is also the governor of Lanao del Sur province. The conference seeks to 
foster exchanges at the local level between parish priests and local 
Islamic teachers. Paralleling the dialog fostered by religious leaders, 
the Silsila Foundation in Zamboanga City hosts a regional exchange 
among Muslim and Christian academics and local leaders meant to reduce 
bias and promote cooperation.
    Despite the pronounced increase in fighting between government 
forces and the MILF, there was continuing progress in improving 
Christian-Muslim relations through the Southern Philippines Council on 
Peace and Development, which coordinates economic growth in 14 
provinces in Mindanao. MNLF chairman Nur Misuari chairs the council. He 
also serves as the elected governor of the four-province Autonomous 
Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). The ARMM was established in 1990 to 
meet the demand of Muslims for local autonomy in areas where they are a 
majority or a substantial minority. In September 1999, the plebiscite 
promised in the 1996 peace agreement between the Government and the 
MNLF on autonomy for an expanded Islamic region was postponed for 1 
year, and it appears unlikely to take place before 2001.
    Continued integration of ex-MNLF fighters into the armed forces and 
police generally was accomplished without difficulty; in some cases, it 
eased suspicions between Christians and Muslims. However, progress 
leading to economic development has been halting, and there was a sharp 
increase in hostilities between the Government and separate MILF forces 
beginning in January 2000.
    Two prominent terrorist kidnapings by splinter Muslim separatist 
groups occurred in the first half of 2000 and remain unresolved at the 
end of the period covered by this report. In both cases, political and 
religious motives have been voiced.
    On March 20, members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), an extremist 
MNLF offshoot that seeks a separate Islamic state in the southern 
Philippines, kidnaped 53 persons on Basilan island. Most of the victims 
were teachers and school children from two schools, one public and one 
private (Roman Catholic). The headmaster of the Catholic school, a 
priest, was among those kidnaped. In addition to money, the ASG 
kidnapers' demands included the creation of a separate Islamic state in 
Mindanao, the removal of crosses from public places, and an end to the 
teaching of Christian values in schools. Following negotiations with 
the Government in April, the ASG released all 24 Muslim hostages but 
continued to hold all 29 Christians captive. In May 2000, as government 
troops approached and 15 hostages attempted to escape their captors, 
the ASG killed four hostages, including the priest. The kidnapers had 
tortured some victims, including the priest. Five of the students 
between the ages of 10 and 13 years were released in June in a 
``hostage swap'' for members of the family of an ASG leader.
    On Easter Sunday, April 23, 2000, another band of Islamic 
separatists with links to the Basilan ASG kidnaped 21 tourists and 
workers of several nationalities in Malaysia's Sabah province and 
brought them to the Philippine island of Jolo in Sulu province. The 
hostages suffered from hunger, diarrhea, and malnutrition. One 
Malaysian hostage was released in June 2000, but the others remained in 
custody at the end of that month. Although the kidnapers originally 
demanded the establishment of a separate Islamic state and the release 
of terrorists held in a Western country, their principal objective was 
ransom money.
    The ASG seeks the immediate establishment of an independent Islamic 
state in the southwestern Philippines. Although many Muslims believe 
that discrimination against them is rooted in their religious culture, 
most do not favor the establishment of a separate state, and the 
overwhelming majority rejects terrorism as a means of achieving a 
satisfactory level of autonomy. Mainstream Muslim leaders, both 
domestic and foreign, have strongly criticized the actions of the ASG 
and its renegade offshoots as ``un-Islamic.''

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights. Embassy staff members have met with representatives of 
all major faiths to learn about their concerns on a variety of issues. 
The United States supports the Government's peace process with Muslim 
insurgents in Mindanao as a way of contributing to a better climate for 
inter-faith cooperation. The U.S. Agency for International Development 
provides training and economic assistance to former MNLF combatants 
seeking jobs and business opportunities.
                               __________

                                 SAMOA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion along with 
freedom of thought and conscience, and the Government generally 
respects these rights in practice. However, local officials at times 
infringe on these rights.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion along with 
freedom of thought and conscience, and the Government generally 
respects these rights in practice; however, local officials at times 
infringe on these rights.
    The preamble to the Constitution acknowledges ``an Independent 
State based on Christian principles and Samoan custom and traditions.'' 
Nevertheless, while Christianity is constitutionally favored, there is 
no official or state denomination.
Religious Demography
    As a result of a strong missionary movement in the 19th century, 
nearly 100 percent of the population is Christian; most of the 
population is Protestant, although Roman Catholicism is a significant 
force. Based on the 1991 census, the religious distribution of the 
population is estimated to be: Congregational Christian Church (43 
percent); Catholic (21 percent); Methodist (17 percent); the Church of 
Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (10 percent); and Seventh-Day 
Adventist (about 3 percent). There are small congregations of other 
Christian denominations, as well as members of the Baha'i Faith and 
adherents of Islam. This distribution of church members is reflected 
throughout the population, but individual villages, particularly small 
ones, may have only one or two of the major churches represented.
    Missionaries operate freely, either as part of one of the 
established churches, or by conducting independent revival meetings. 
The major denominations, for example, Congregational, Methodist, 
Catholic, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, that are present 
in the country also have missionaries. There is an independent 
Christian radio and television station.
    The Constitution provides freedom from unwanted religious 
indoctrination in schools but gives each denomination or religion the 
right to establish its own schools; these provisions are adhered to in 
practice. There are both religious and public schools; the public 
schools do not have religious instruction as part of their curriculum. 
There are pastoral schools in most villages to provide religious 
instruction following school hours.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    Although the Constitution grants each person to right to change 
religion or belief and to worship or teach religion alone or with 
others, in practice the matai (village chiefs) often choose the 
religious denomination of the aiga (extended family). In previous 
years, despite the constitutional protection, village councils--in the 
name of maintaining social harmony within the village--sometimes 
banished or punished families that did not adhere to the prevailing 
religious belief in the village. In June 1999, 32 persons were 
convicted of assault and arson in connection with destruction of the 
home of a family banished by the Salamumu village council for rejecting 
the Methodist Church. The families instead were holding private prayer 
meetings at home. The defendants were fined the equivalent of about 
$1,000 each. The judge ruled that the village council should have 
arraigned them. Sentencing was scheduled to have taken place in August 
1999.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious prisoners or detainees.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    A high percentage of the population attends church weekly. There is 
strong societal pressure at the village and local level to attend 
church, participate in church services and activities, and support 
church leaders and projects financially. In some denominations, such 
financial contributions often total more than 30 percent of family 
income.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                               SINGAPORE

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, the 
Government bans some religious groups.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    The relationship among religious communities in society is 
generally amicable. The Government does not tolerate speech or actions 
that affect religious harmony.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, the 
Government bans some religious groups. The Constitution provides that 
every citizen or person in the country has a constitutional right to 
profess, practice, or propagate his religious belief as long as such 
activities do not breach any other laws relating to public order, 
public health, or morality.
    There is no state religion. However, all religious groups are 
subject to government scrutiny and must be registered legally under the 
Societies Act. The 1990 Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act, which was 
prompted by actions that the Government perceived as threats to 
religious harmony, including aggressive and ``insensitive'' 
proselytizing and ``the mixing of religion and politics,'' gave the 
Government the power to restrain leaders and members of religious 
groups and institutions from carrying out political activities, 
criticizing the Government, creating ``illwill'' between religious 
groups or carrying out subversive activities. The act also prohibits 
judicial review of its enforcement or of any possible denial of rights 
arising from it. The Government deregistered the Singapore Convention 
of Jehovah's Witnesses in 1972 and the Unification Church in 1982, 
making them unlawful societies.
    The Government plays an active but limited role in religious 
affairs. It does not tolerate speech or actions, including ostensibly 
religious speech or action, that affect racial and religious harmony. 
The Government also seeks to assure that citizens, the great majority 
of whom live in publicly subsidized housing, have ready access to 
religious organizations traditionally associated with their ethnic 
groups by assisting religious institutions to find space in these 
public complexes. The Government maintains a semiofficial relationship 
with the Muslim community through the Islamic Religious Council (MUIS) 
set up under the Administration of Muslim Law Act. The MUIS advises the 
Government on concerns of the Muslim community and has some regulatory 
functions over Muslim religious matters. The Government facilitates 
some financial assistance to build and maintain mosques.
Religious Demography
    Approximately 77 percent of the citizen and permanent resident 
population of just over 3.2 million are Chinese, 15 percent are Malay, 
and 7 percent are Indian. According to an official survey, 86 percent 
of citizens and residents profess some religious faith or belief. Of 
this group, slightly more than half (54 percent) practice Buddhism, 
Taoism, ancestor worship, or other faiths traditionally associated with 
ethnic Chinese. Approximately 15 percent are Muslim, 13 percent are 
Christian, and 3 percent are Hindu. Among Christians, the majority of 
whom are Chinese, non-Catholics, mostly Protestants, outnumber Roman 
Catholics slightly more than two-to-one. There are also small Sikh, 
Jewish, Zoroastrian, and Jain communities.
    The Constitution acknowledges ethnic Malays as ``the indigenous 
people of Singapore'' and charges the Government to support and promote 
their political, educational, religious, economic, social, cultural, 
and language interests. Virtually all ethnic Malays are Muslim.
    The Presidential Council on Minority Rights examines all pending 
bills to ensure that they are not disadvantageous to a particular 
group. It also reports to the Government on matters affecting any 
racial or religious community and investigates complaints. In June 
1998, the Government established a select committee, at the request of 
members of the Muslim community, to consider the community's views on 
legislation that could affect the scope of Islamic courts. In October 
1999, the Government proposed compulsory education for all children, 
which prompted concern from the Malay/Muslim community on the fate of 
madrasahs (Islamic religious schools). In response the Government 
proposed to exempt madrasah students from compulsory attendance in 
national schools provided that the students meet minimum standards in 
core secular subjects such as science, mathematics, and English. No 
decision was reached by mid-2000.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Government restricts certain religions by application of the 
Societies Act; it has banned Jehovah's Witnesses and the Unification 
Church. The Government deregistered and banned the Singapore 
Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses in 1972 on the grounds that its 
roughly 2,000 members refuse to perform military service (which is 
obligatory for all male citizens), salute the flag, or swear oaths of 
allegiance to the State. The Government regards such refusal as 
prejudicial to public welfare and order. Although the Court of Appeals 
in 1996 upheld the rights of Jehovah's Witnesses to profess, practice, 
and propagate their religious belief, the result of deregistration has 
been to make meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses illegal. The Government 
also has banned all written materials published by the International 
Bible Students Association and the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, 
both publishing arms of Jehovah's Witnesses. In practice this has led 
to confiscation of Bibles published by the group, even though the Bible 
itself has not been outlawed.
    In 1998 a member of Jehovah's Witnesses lost a law suit against a 
government school for wrongful dismissal, allegedly because he refused 
to sing the national anthem or salute the flag. The Court of Appeals 
heard his appeal in March 1999 and subsequently denied it.
    The Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World 
Christianity, also known as the Unification Church, was dissolved in 
1982 by the Minister for Home Affairs.
    Missionaries, with the exception of Jehovah's Witnesses and 
representatives of the Unification Church, are permitted to work and to 
publish and distribute religious texts. However, while the Government 
does not prohibit evangelical activities in practice, it discourages 
activities that might upset the balance of intercommunal relations.
    The Presidential Council on Religious Harmony reports to the 
Ministry of Home Affairs on matters affecting the maintenance of 
religious harmony that are referred to the Council by the Minister or 
by Parliament. The Council also considers and makes recommendations to 
the Minister on restraining orders referred to the Council by the 
Minister. Such orders are directed at individuals to restrain them from 
causing feelings of enmity, hatred, ill-will, or hostility among 
religious groups, putting them on notice that they should not repeat 
the act of conduct, and advising that failure to do so would result in 
prosecution in a court of law.
    The Government does not promote inter-faith understanding directly. 
However, it sponsors activities to promote interethnic harmony, and, 
since the primary ethnic minorities are predominantly of one faith 
(most Malays are Muslim, and most Indians are Hindu), its programs to 
promote ethnic harmony have implications for inter-faith relations.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations among religious communities in society are generally 
amicable. Virtually all ethnic Malay citizens are Muslim, and ethnic 
Malays constitute the great majority of the country's Muslim community. 
The perspectives held by non-Malays on the Malay community and by 
Malays on the non-Malay community are made up of attitudes toward 
ethnicity and religion that are virtually impossible to separate.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                            SOLOMON ISLANDS

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Department of Home and Cultural Affairs has a nominal 
policymaking role concerning religion. It characterizes this role, on 
the one hand, as keeping a balance between constitutionally protected 
rights of religious freedom, free speech, and expression; and, on the 
other hand, maintenance of public order. All religious institutions are 
required to register with the Government; however, there is no evidence 
that registration has been denied to any group.
Religious Demography
    Most citizens are members of Christian churches. The Anglican, 
Roman Catholic, Evangelical, Methodist, and Seventh-Day Adventist 
denominations are represented. Traditional indigenous religious 
believers, consisting primarily of the Kwaio community on the island of 
Malaita, account for approximately 5 percent. Other groups, such as the 
Baha'i Faith, Jehovah's Witnesses, the Church of Jesus Christ of 
Latter-Day Saints, and indigenous churches that have broken off from 
traditional Christian churches, account for another 2 percent. There 
are believed to be members of additional world religions within the 
foreign community who are free to practice their religion, but they are 
not known to proselytize or hold public religious ceremonies. According 
to the most recent census figures there are only six Muslims in the 
country.
    In general the Government does not subsidize religion. Several 
schools and health services in the country were built by and continue 
to be operated by religious organizations. There are schools sponsored 
by Roman Catholics, the Church of Melanesia, the United Church 
(Methodist), the South Sea Evangelical Church, and Seventh-Day 
Adventists. Upon independence the Government recognized that it had 
neither the funds nor the personnel to take over these institutions and 
agreed to subsidize their operations. The Government also pays the 
salaries of most teachers and health staff in the national education 
system.
    The public school curriculum includes 30 minutes daily of religious 
instruction, the content of which is agreed upon by the Christian 
churches; students whose parents do not wish them to attend the class 
are excused. However, the Government does not subsidize church schools 
that do not align their curriculums with governmental criteria. There 
is mutual understanding between the Government and the churches but no 
formal memorandum of understanding. Although theoretically non-
Christian religions can be taught in the schools, there is no such 
instruction at present.
    Christianity was brought to the country in the 19th and early 20th 
centuries by missionaries representing several Western churches: 
Anglican; Roman Catholic; South Seas Evangelical; Seventh-Day 
Adventist; and the London Missionary Society (which became the United 
Church). Some foreign missionaries continue to work in the country. 
However, with the exception of the Roman Catholic Church, whose clergy 
is about 50 percent indigenous, the clergy of the other traditional 
churches is indigenous. Traditional church missionaries are represented 
by religions such as the Seventh-Day Adventists, the United Church 
(Methodist), the South Sea Evangelical Church, the Church of Jesus 
Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and Jehovah's Witnesses.
    There are no government-sponsored ecumenical activities. 
Customarily, government oaths of office are taken on the Bible; 
however, religious oaths are forbidden by the Constitution and cannot 
be required.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report. Although a government 
minister threatened in late 1999 to deny the Baha'i Faith future 
program access to the national radio, the matter was settled amicably, 
and the Baha'i continue to broadcast.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    In general there are amicable relations between the religious 
communities. Joint religious activities, such as religious 
representation at national events, are organized through the Solomon 
Islands Christian Association, which is composed of the five 
traditional churches of the country. Occasionally individual citizens 
object to the activities of nontraditional denominations and suggest 
that they be curtailed. However, society in general is tolerant of 
different religious beliefs and activities.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. 
During the period covered by this report, the Ambassador and the 
Embassy's consular officer talked with a representative of the Solomon 
Islands Christian Council, the director of a human rights 
nongovernmental organization, and American citizen missionaries 
regarding the status of religious freedom.
                               __________

                                THAILAND

    Freedom of religion is protected by law, and the Government 
generally respects this right in practice; however, it does not 
register new religious groups that have not been accepted into one of 
the existing religious governing bodies on doctrinal or other grounds.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Relations among the major religious communities were generally 
amicable. However, the Government places some limits on foreign 
missionaries, and it does not recognize new religious faiths outside of 
the seven existing groupings.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    Freedom of religion is protected by law, and the Government 
generally respects this right in practice; however, it restricts the 
activities of some groups. The Constitution requires that the monarch 
be a Buddhist. The state religion is in effect Therevada Buddhism; 
however, it is not designated as such. When the Constitution was being 
drafted in 1997, the Constitutional Drafting Assembly rejected a 
proposal to have Therevada Buddhism named the official religion on the 
grounds that such an action would create social division and be 
``offensive'' to other religious communities in the country.
    The Government plays an active role in religious affairs. The 
Religious Affairs Department (RAD), which is located in the Ministry of 
Education, registers religious organizations. In order to be 
registered, a religious organization first must be accepted into an 
officially recognized ecclesiastical group. During the reporting 
period, there were seven groups including one for the Buddhist 
community, one for the Muslim community, one for the Catholic 
community, and four for Protestant denominations. Government 
registration confers some benefits, including access to state 
subsidies, tax-exempt status, and preferential allocation of resident 
visas for organization officials. In practice unregistered religious 
organizations operate freely.
    There were no reports of extortion by local officials.
    Under the provisions of the Religious Organizations Act of 1969, 
the Department of Religious Affairs recognizes a new religion if a 
national census shows that it has at least 5,000 adherents, has a 
uniquely recognizable theology, and is not politically active. However, 
since 1984 the Government has maintained a policy of not recognizing 
any new religious faiths. This has restricted the activities of some 
groups that have not been accepted into one of the existing religious 
governing bodies on doctrinal or other grounds.
    The Constitution requires the Government ``to patronize and protect 
Buddhism and other religions.'' The State subsidizes the activities of 
the three largest religious communities (Buddhist, Islamic, and 
Christian.) During the period covered by this report, the Government 
provided approximately the equivalent of $56.3 million to support 
religious groups. Included in this amount are funds to support Buddhist 
and Muslim institutes of higher education; to fund religious education 
programs in public and private schools; to provide daily allowances for 
monks and Muslim clerics who hold administrative and senior 
ecclesiastical posts; and to subsidize travel and health care for monks 
and Muslim clerics. This figure also includes an annual budget for the 
renovation and repair of Buddhist temples and Muslim mosques, the 
maintenance of historic Buddhist sites, and the daily upkeep of the 
Central Mosque in Pattani.
    During the period covered by this report, the Government also 
provided approximately the equivalent of $75,000 to Christian 
organizations to support social welfare projects. Catholic and 
Protestant churches can request government support for renovation and 
repair work but do not receive a regular budget to maintain church 
buildings nor do they receive government assistance to support their 
clergy. The Government considers donations made to maintain Buddhist, 
Muslim, or Christian buildings to be tax-free income; contributions for 
these purposes are also tax-deductible for private donors.
Religious Demography
    In a 1997 survey, over 99 percent of the population of 60-million 
professed some religious belief or faith. According to government 
statistics, 93 percent of the population are Buddhist, and 5 percent 
are Muslim. However, recent estimates by academics and religious groups 
suggest that approximately 85 to 90 percent of the population are 
Therevada Buddhist, and up to 10 percent of the population are Muslim. 
Estimates also suggest that Christians constitute about 1 percent of 
the population. There are small animist, Hindu, Sikh, Taoist, Jewish, 
and Brahman populations. No official statistics exist for atheists or 
individuals who do not profess a religious faith or belief, but recent 
surveys suggest that they make up less than 1 percent of the 
population.
    The dominant religion is Therevada Buddhism. The Buddhist clergy or 
Sangha consists of two main schools, which are governed by the same 
ecclesiastical hierarchy. Monks belonging to the older Mahanikaya 
school far outnumber those of the Dhammayuttika School, an order that 
grew out of a 19th century reform movement led by King Mongkut (Rama 
IV).
    Islam is the dominant religion in four of the five southernmost 
provinces, which border Malaysia. Minority Muslim populations also live 
in 74 of the 76 provinces. The majority of Muslims are ethnic Malay, 
but the Muslim population encompasses groups of diverse ethnic and 
national origin, including descendants of immigrants from South Asia, 
China, Cambodia, and Indonesia. Government agencies did not use 
consistent figures to describe the size of the Muslim population during 
the period covered by this report, but most estimates suggest that 
Muslims constitute as much as 10 percent of the population. There are 
approximately 3,200 mosques in 57 provinces, with the largest number 
(552) in Pattani province. All but a very small number of these mosques 
are associated with the Sunni branch of Islam. The remainder, estimated 
by the Religious Affairs Department to be from 1 to 2 percent of the 
total, are associated with the Shi'a branch.
    According to Government statistics, Christians constituted 
approximately 1.6 percent (1,012,871) of the population in January. 
Almost half the Christian population lives in Chiang Mai. The rest are 
in the Bangkok area and in the northeastern provinces. Approximately 25 
percent of the Christian population is Roman Catholic. There are also 
several Protestant denominations. Most Protestant churches belong to 
one of four umbrella organizations. The oldest of these groupings, the 
Church of Christ in Thailand, was formed in the mid-1930's. The largest 
is the Evangelical Foundation of Thailand. Baptists and Seventh-Day 
Adventists are recognized by government authorities as separate 
Protestant denominations and are organized under similar umbrella 
groups.
    There are six tribal groups (chao khao) recognized by the 
Government, with an estimated population of 500,000 to 600,000 persons, 
whose members generally are described as animists. Syncretistic 
practices drawn from Buddhism, Christianity, Taoism, and ethnic Tai 
spirit worship are common. The Hindu and Sikh communities have an 
estimated population of about 19,000 persons. Both are associated with 
small immigrant groups that arrived from South Asia during the 
twentieth century, although Brahman temples had been established in 
Bangkok as early as 1784. The majority of Hindus and Sikhs live in 
Chonburi, Bangkok, and Phuket provinces.
    The ethnic Chinese minority (Sino-Thai) has retained some popular 
religious traditions from China, including adherence to popular Taoist 
beliefs. Members of the Mien hill tribe follow a form of Taoism.
    Mahayana Buddhism is practiced primarily by small groups of Chinese 
and Vietnamese immigrants. There were 8 Chinese temples and 11 
Vietnamese temples in 1998.
    The Government actively sponsors inter-faith dialog in accordance 
with the Constitution, which requires the State to ``promote good 
understanding and harmony among followers of all religions.'' The 
Government funds regular meetings and public education programs. These 
programs included the RAD annual inter-faith meeting for 
representatives of all religious groups certified by RAD. The September 
meeting in Bangkok drew 200 participants. They also included monthly 
meetings of the 17-member Subcommittee on Religious Relations, located 
within the Prime Minister's National Identity Promotion Office (The 
Subcommittee is composed of one representative from the Buddhist, 
Muslim, Roman Catholic, Hindu, and Sikh communities in addition to 
civil servants from several government agencies), and a 1-week 
education program coorganized by the National Identity Promotion Office 
and the National Council on Social Welfare. The latter event is held 
each December in celebration of the King's birthday. Representatives 
from every religious organization recognized by the RAD are invited to 
attend seminars associated with the event. The program also targets the 
general public through films and public displays.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Government has not recognized the Church of Jesus Christ of 
Latter-Day Saints (Mormons).
    Two branches of the Government investigated religious groups 
alleged to be engaged in cult activities prior to the period covered by 
this report. In 1998 the National Security Council and the House 
Standing Committee on Religion, Arts, and Cultural Affairs initiated an 
investigation into the alleged ``cultish practices'' of the Hope of 
Thai People Foundation after complaints were filed at the Religious 
Affairs Department by parents claiming that their children had isolated 
themselves from friends and family after joining the church. In January 
1999, the House Standing Committee moved to consider a petition filed 
by a Senator requesting that the foundation's activities be 
investigated. In response the foundation filed a law suit against the 
committee chairman for defamation in May 1999. The law suit against the 
former chairman, now a senator-elect, remains in litigation. No further 
committee action was taken.
    The Government permitted foreign missionary groups to work freely 
throughout the country, although it also maintained policies that 
favored proselytizing by its citizens.
    The number of foreign missionaries officially registered with the 
Government is limited to a quota that originally was established by the 
Religious Affairs Department in 1982. The quota is divided along both 
religious and denominational lines and is considered sensitive for this 
reason. The Government does not publish or release its quotas for 
particular religious denominations. In May 2000, there reportedly were 
from 1,900 to 2,000 foreign missionaries legally registered, including 
422 Roman Catholic, 1,050 Protestant, 150 Mormon, and 10 Muslim 
missionaries. In September 1999, the RAD increased the quota for Mormon 
missionaries from a quota of 100 to 150.
    While official registration conferred some benefits, such as longer 
terms for visa stays, it was not a significant barrier to foreign 
missionary activity during the period covered by this report. Many 
foreign missionaries entered the country using tourist visas and 
proselytized or disseminated religious literature without the 
acknowledgment of the Religious Affairs Department. There were no 
reports that foreign missionaries were deported or harassed for working 
without registration, although the activities of Muslim professors and 
clerics were subjected disproportionately to scrutiny on national 
security grounds because of continued government concern about the 
potential resurgence of Muslim separatist activities in the south.
    Citizens proselytize freely. Monks working as Buddhist missionaries 
(Dhammaduta) have been active since the end of World War II, 
particularly in border areas among the country's tribal populations. In 
April 2000, there were approximately 3,000 Dhammaduta working in the 
country. In addition the Government sponsored the international travel 
of another 748 Buddhist monks sent by their temples to disseminate 
religious information abroad. Christian and Muslim organizations also 
reported having smaller numbers of citizens working as missionaries in 
Thailand and abroad.
    Religious instruction is required in public schools at both the 
primary (grades 1 through 6) and secondary (grades 7 through 12) 
education levels. Students at the primary level are required to take 80 
hours of instruction per academic year in religious studies classes. 
Instruction is limited to Buddhism and Islam. During the period covered 
by this report, some parts of the country with large Muslim student 
populations did not have Muslim studies courses. Muslim students in 
these schools generally were directed to school libraries to 
participate in Muslim self-study courses.
    The Constitution provides for, and citizens generally enjoy, a 
large measure of freedom of speech. However, laws prohibiting speech 
likely to insult Buddhism remain in place under the 1997 Constitution. 
The police, who have legal authority under the Printing and 
Advertisement Act of 1941 to issue written warnings or orders 
suspending the publication or distribution of printed materials 
considered offensive to public morals, confiscated a book in December, 
written by a Phra Dhammakaya temple follower, which attacked a monk who 
is one of the chief critics of that temple. In December the police 
issued an arrest warrant for the author for defamation of character.
    National Identity Cards produced by the Ministry of Interior since 
April 12, 1999 include a designation of the religious affiliation of 
the holder for the first time. The 1999 change in policy was 
implemented in response to the demands of parliamentarians who wanted 
easier identification of individuals requiring Muslim burial. 
Individuals who fail or choose not to indicate religious affiliation in 
their applications can be issued cards without religious information.
    Muslim female civil servants are not permitted to wear headscarves 
when dressed in civil servant uniforms.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the major religious communities were generally 
amicable. As of June, the case of a March 1999 attack in Nonthaburi 
province, while still open, has not generated any new actions. Although 
police continue to suspect intradenominational conflict, whether the 
bombing was due to religious motives is not known.
    None of the religious communities led ``ecumenical'' movements.
    The Constitution states that discrimination against a person on the 
grounds of ``a difference in religious belief'' shall not be permitted. 
There was no significant pattern of religious discrimination during the 
period covered by this report. Religious groups closely associated with 
ethnic minorities, such as Muslims, experience some societal economic 
discrimination. The Government maintained longstanding policies 
designed to integrate Muslim communities into society through 
developmental efforts and expanded educational opportunities, as well 
as policies designed to increase the number of appointments to local 
and provincial positions where Muslims traditionally have been 
underrepresented.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discussed religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. The 
current Ambassador as well as his predecessor, met repeatedly with 
government officials to request an increase in the number of visas for 
missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 
(Mormons) and to call for official recognition of the church.
                               __________

                                 TONGA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    The Constitution states that the ``Sabbath day'' (Sunday) ``be kept 
holy'' and that no business can be conducted ``except according to 
law.'' Although an exception is made for hotels and resorts that are 
part of the tourism industry, the ``Sunday ban'' is enforced strictly. 
All religious groups are permitted dutyfree entry of goods intended for 
religious purposes, but no religious group is subsidized or granted tax 
free status.
Religious Demography
    According to the last official census (1996), the membership by 
percentage of population of major denominations is: Free Wesleyan 
Church of Tonga, 41 percent; Roman Catholic, 16 percent; Church of 
Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), 14 percent; Free Church of 
Tonga, 12 percent; others, 17 percent. However, both Roman Catholics 
and the Mormon Church state that from 30 to 40 percent of all citizens 
are members of their faiths. Members of the Tokaikolo Church, Seventh-
Day Adventists, Assembly of God, Anglicans, the Baha'i Faith, Islam, 
and Hinduism are represented in much smaller numbers.
    Western missionaries, particularly members of the Church of Jesus 
Christ of Latter-Day Saints and other Christian denominations, 
proselytize freely. There are a number of schools operated by the 
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and by the Wesleyan Church.
    There are no government-sponsored ecumenical activities.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Tonga Broadcasting Commission (TBC) maintains policy guidelines 
regarding the broadcast of religious programming on Radio Tonga. The 
TBC guidelines state that in view of ``the character of the listening 
public'' those who preach on Radio Tonga must confine their preaching 
``within the limits of the mainstream Christian tradition.'' Due to 
this policy, the TBC does not allow discussions by members of the 
Baha'i Faith of its founder, Bahaullah, by name, or of the tenets of 
their religions. Similarly, the TBC does not allow the Mormon Church to 
discuss its founder, Joseph Smith, and the Book of Mormon by name. This 
policy applies to all churches. Mormons utilize Radio Tonga for the 
announcement of church activities and functions. The church appears to 
be thriving. Members of the Baha'i Faith utilize a privately owned 
radio station for program activities and the announcement of functions.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    In general there are amicable relations among the religious 
communities.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. 
Officials from the U.S. Embassy in Fiji meet with religious officials 
and nongovernmental organizations during visits to the country.
                               __________

                                 TUVALU

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religious communities in society contribute to the free practice 
of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for separation of church and state and 
imposes no restrictions on freedom of religion, and the Government 
respects these provisions in practice.
Religious Demography
    Both Protestants (Methodists and Anglicans) and Catholics are 
represented in the country, as well as members of the Church of Jesus 
Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Specific figures on church membership are 
not available.
    There are a number of active Christian missionary organizations 
representing the same religious faiths practiced in the country. 
Missionaries practice without special restrictions.
    The Government has not taken any specific actions to improve inter-
religious relations.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Inter-faith relations are amicable. There are no ecumenical 
movements.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    Representatives of the U.S. Embassy in Fiji visit periodically to 
discuss religious freedom issues with the Government in the overall 
context of the promotion of human rights. They also meet with 
representatives of the religious communities and nongovernmental 
organizations that have an interest in religious freedom.
    The U.S. Embassy actively supports efforts to improve and expand 
governmental and societal awareness of and protection for human rights, 
including the right to freedom of religion.
                               __________

                                VANUATU

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by the report.
    Although traditions of communal decisionmaking sometimes conflict 
with the introduction of new churches in rural communities, government 
officials use modern law and traditional authority to maintain amicable 
relations among established and new churches. Both government policy 
and the strength of traditional authority figures contribute to the 
free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The preamble of the Constitution refers to a commitment to 
traditional values and Christian principles; however, the Constitution 
also provides for freedom of religion, and the Government respects this 
right in practice.
    In 1995 in response to concerns expressed by some established 
churches about the activities of new missionary groups, such as the 
Holiness Fellowship, Jehovah's Witnesses, and the Church of Jesus 
Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Parliament passed the Religious Bodies 
Act. However, the President never signed the act, and it never has been 
enforced. A few churches registered with the Government voluntarily, 
while some church representatives believe that it had a chilling effect 
on new missionary activity.
Religious Demography
    The great majority of the population belongs to Christian churches, 
although many combine their Christian faith with some pre-Christian 
cultural practices. Church membership is primarily Presbyterian 
(approximately 48 percent), Roman Catholic (15 percent), and Anglican 
(12 percent). Another 30 percent are shared by the Church of Christ, 
the Apostolic Church, the Assemblies of God, and the Seventh-Day 
Adventists. The John Frum Movement is centered on the island of Tanna 
and includes less than 5 percent of the population. Muslims, Jehovah's 
Witnesses, and Latter-Day Saints reportedly also are active. There are 
believed to be members of other religions within the foreign community 
who are free to practice their religions, but they are not known to 
proselytize or hold public religious ceremonies.
    The Government interacts with churches through the Department of 
Internal Affairs and the Vanuatu Christian Council. Customarily, 
government oaths of office are taken on the Bible. The Government 
provides some financial help for the construction of churches for 
council members, provides grants to churchoperated schools, and pays 
the national teaching staffs. These benefits are not available to non-
Christian religious organizations. Government schools also schedule 
time each week for religious education conducted by representatives of 
council churches, using materials designed by those churches. Students 
whose parents do not wish them to attend the class are excused. Non-
Christian religions are not permitted to teach their religions in the 
public schools.
    Aside from the activities of the Department of Internal Affairs, 
use of government resources to support religious activities is not 
condoned (although there is no specific law prohibiting such support). 
If a formal request is given to the Government and permission is 
granted, governmental resources may be used. The Ombudsman's Office 
investigated the Minister of Health for allegedly using his office and 
stationery to solicit contributions for the John Frum Movement, a 
political party that is an indigenous religious movement on the island 
of Tanna.
    Missionaries representing several Western churches brought 
Christianity to the country in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Some 
foreign missionaries continue this work; however, the clergy of the 
established churches is now primarily indigenous. Current missionary 
activity includes the Summer Institute of Linguistics, which translates 
the New Testament into indigenous languages. The Government does not 
attempt to control missionary activity, which includes representatives 
from the Church of Christ, Presbyterians, Seventh-Day Adventists, 
Anglicans, and Roman Catholics.
    There are no government-sponsored ecumenical activities.
    There was no change in the status for respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    In general there are amicable relations between the religious 
communities. However, some churches and individuals object to the 
missionary activities of nontraditional denominations and continue to 
suggest that they be curtailed. There continues to be pressure to 
reinstate controls.
    Religious representation at national events is organized through 
the Vanuatu Christian Council. Ecumenical activities of the council are 
limited to the interaction of its members.
    In rural areas, traditional Melanesian communal decisionmaking 
predominates. If a member of the community wants to start something 
new, such as a new church, the chief and the rest of the community must 
agree. If a new church is started without community approval, the 
community views this action as a gesture of defiance by those who join 
the new church and as a threat to community solidarity. However, the 
resulting turmoil so far has been resolved through appeals from 
traditional leaders to uphold individual rights. For example, during 
the period covered by this report, threats that community members in 
North Ambrym had made against fellow villagers who supported a new 
church in the area were defused by a radio appeal to the villagers from 
the national police commissioner. This appeal was couched in terms of 
respect for the Constitution and individual rights.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                                VIETNAM

    Both the Constitution and government decrees provide for freedom of 
worship; however, the Government continued to restrict significantly 
those organized activities of religious groups that it declared to be 
at variance with state laws and policies. The Government generally 
allowed persons to practice individual worship in the religion of their 
choice, and participation in religious activities throughout the 
country continued to grow significantly. However, government 
restrictions on the hierarchies and clergy of most religious groups 
remained in place, and religious groups faced difficulties in training 
and ordaining clergy, publishing religious materials, and conducting 
educational and humanitarian activities. The Government requires 
religious groups to register and uses this process to control and 
monitor church organizations. The Government recognizes six official 
religious bodies: One each for Buddhist, Roman Catholic, Protestant, 
Hoa Hao, Cao Dai, and Muslim believers.
    On balance, conditions for religious freedom remained fundamentally 
the same during the period covered by this report compared with the 
period from mid-1998 to mid-1999. However, there were improvements in 
some areas such as the release of more than 1 dozen ethnic Hmong 
Protestants and 3 Catholic priests and growth in worship activities. In 
addition, in some parts of the country, there was continued gradual 
expansion of the parameters for individual believers of officially 
recognized churches, particularly some Buddhists and Catholics, to 
practice their faiths publicly without major interference from 
government officials. However, most of the serious restrictions imposed 
on religious freedom between mid1998 and mid-1999 continued.
    The Government used the lack of official recognition of several 
groups as a pretext to harass some believers, in particular certain 
groups of Buddhists, as well as Protestants, and Hoa Hao, who lack 
legal sanction. Police routinely questioned persons who held dissident 
religious views and arbitrarily detained persons based on their 
religious beliefs and practices. Many Protestant Christians who 
worshipped in house churches in ethnic minority areas were subjected to 
arbitrary detention by local officials who broke up unsanctioned 
religious meetings there. Authorities imprisoned persons for practicing 
religion illegally by using provisions of the Penal Code that allow for 
jail terms of up to 3 years for ``abusing freedom of speech, press, or 
religion.'' There were at least 15 reported Hoa Hao and Protestant 
religious detainees held without charge. In addition the Supreme 
Patriarch of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV), Thich Huyen 
Quang, continued to be held in Quang Ngai in conditions resembling 
administrative detention. An unconfirmed report stated that one Hmong 
Christian, Lu Seo Dieu, died in prison in 1999 in Lao Cai province from 
mistreatment and lack of medical care in detention. There are 
reportedly 13 religious prisoners. In general there are amicable 
relations among the various religious communities, and there were some 
modest attempts at ecumenical cooperation and dialog in Ho Chi Minh 
City.
    The U.S. Embassy in Hanoi and the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi 
Minh City maintained an active and regular dialog with senior- and 
working-level government officials to advocate for greater religious 
freedom. The U.S. Ambassador and other embassy officers raised with 
cabinet ministers, Communist Party officials, and provincial officials, 
concerns of the U.S. government and citizens of other countries about 
the detention and arrest of religious figures and other restrictions on 
religious freedom. The Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious 
Freedom, Robert Seiple, visited the country in July 1999 for 
discussions with government officials and leaders of several religious 
bodies. In several cases, intervention by the U.S. Government resulted 
in improvements such as the release of some prisoners.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    Both the Constitution and government decrees provide for freedom of 
worship; however, the Government continued to restrict significantly 
those organized activities of religious groups that it declared to be 
at variance with state laws and policies. The Government generally 
allowed persons to practice individual worship in the religion of their 
choice, and participation in religious activities throughout the 
country continued to grow significantly. However, the Government uses 
regulations to control religious hierarchies and organized religious 
activities closely, in part because the Communist Party fears that 
organized religion may weaken its authority and influence by serving as 
a political, social, and spiritual alternative to the authority of the 
central Government.
    The Government requires religious groups to register and uses this 
process to control and monitor church organizations. Under the law, 
only those activities and organizations expressly sanctioned by the 
Government are deemed to be legal. The granting or withholding of the 
official recognition of religious bodies is one of the means by which 
the Government actively intervenes to restrict religious activities by 
some believers. In order for a group to obtain official recognition, it 
must obtain government approval of its leadership and the overall scope 
of its activities.
    Officially recognized religious organizations are able to operate 
openly in most parts of the country, and followers of these religious 
bodies are able to worship without government harassment, except in 
some isolated provinces. Officially recognized organizations must 
consult with the Government about their religious and administrative 
operations, although not about their religious tenets of faith. In 
general religious organizations are confined to dealing specifically 
with spiritual and with organizational matters. There has been a trend 
in the past 5 years to accord much greater latitude to followers of 
recognized religious organizations, and the majority of followers of 
the country's Buddhist and Catholic traditions have benefited from this 
development. The Government holds conferences to discuss and publicize 
its religion decrees.
    Religious organizations must obtain government permission to hold 
training seminars, conventions, and celebrations outside the regular 
religious calendar; to build or remodel places of worship; to engage in 
charitable activities or operate religious schools; and to train, 
ordain, promote, or transfer clergy. Many of these restrictive powers 
lie principally with provincial or city people's committees, and local 
treatment of religious persons varied widely. Because of the lack of 
meaningful due process in the legal system, the actions of religious 
believers are subject to the discretion of local officials in their 
respective jurisdictions.
    National laws that prescribe freedom of belief are enforced 
unevenly. In some areas, such as parts of Ho Chi Minh City, local 
officials allow relatively wide latitude to believers; in others, such 
as isolated provinces of the northwest, central highlands, and central 
coast, religious believers are subject to significant harassment 
because of the lack of effective legal enforcement. Some provincial 
leaders, such as those in certain northwestern provinces, have claimed 
that there are no religious believers in their provinces since the 
religious believers there are not recognized officially.
    In general religious groups faced difficulty in obtaining teaching 
materials, expanding training facilities, publishing religious 
materials, and expanding the number of clergy in religious training in 
response to increased demand from congregations.
    In particular local officials harass a significant minority of 
religious believers because they operate without legal sanction. Since 
1981 leaders of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) have 
requested repeatedly that their church be granted official recognition, 
but their requests continue to be rejected in large part because of the 
strong criticism of the Communist Party by UBCV leaders and their call 
for democracy and improved conditions of human rights in Vietnam. UBCV 
leaders continue to be harassed, and their rights severely restricted 
by the Government. In early 2000, leaders of several churches belonging 
to the Evangelical Church of Vietnam (ECV) (the Protestant Tin Lanh 
churches) in the southern region engaged in quiet discussions with the 
Government on official recognition of their congregations. These 
discussions, although stalled at mid-year, were expected to lead 
eventually to official recognition of the roughly 300 ECV churches 
throughout the country. In early 2000, several leaders of the Hoa Hao 
community, including several pre-1975 leaders, openly criticized the 
Government's 1999 recognition of an official Hoa Hao organization; they 
claimed that the official group is subservient to the Government and 
demanded official recognition of their own leadership instead. The 
Government neither acknowledged the claims of these Hoa Hao believers 
nor permitted their independent activities.
    In practice there are no effective remedies under the law for 
violations of persons' rights to religious freedom due to the 
capricious actions of officials. On occasion central authorities have 
intervened to curb the worst excesses of local harassment. For example, 
after a district official in Binh Phuoc province ordered the 
destruction of three Protestant churches in his province, authorities 
from Hanoi intervened to prevent further destruction, then forced the 
district leader to retire. However, the court system is subservient to 
the Communist Party and its political decisions, and in no known case 
have the courts acted to interpret laws so as to protect a person's 
right to religious freedom.
Religious Demography
    The Government officially recognizes Buddhist (approximately 50 
percent), Roman Catholic (8 percent), Protestant (0.9 percent), Cao Dai 
(1 percent), Hoa Hao (2 percent), and Muslim (0.1 percent) religious 
organizations. However, some Buddhist, Protestant, Cao Dai, and Hoa Hao 
believers do not recognize or participate in the government-approved 
associations. Some organize their own associations, and thus their 
organizations are considered illegal by the authorities.
    Among the country's religious communities, Buddhism is the dominant 
religious belief. Many Buddhists practice an amalgam of Mahayana 
Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucian traditions that sometimes is called 
Vietnam's ``triple religion.'' Some estimates suggest that more than 
half the population of approximately 80 million persons are at least 
nominally Buddhist, visit pagodas on festival days, and have a world 
view that is shaped in part by Buddhism, although in reality these 
beliefs rely on a very expansive definition of the faith. One prominent 
Buddhist official has estimated that 30 percent of Buddhists are devout 
and practice their faith regularly. The Government's Office of 
Religious Affairs uses a much lower estimate of 7 million practicing 
Buddhists. Mahayana Buddhists, most of whom are part of the ethnic Kinh 
majority, are found throughout the country, especially in the populous 
areas of the northern and southern delta regions. There are 
proportionately fewer Buddhists in certain highlands and central 
lowlands areas, although migration of Kinh to highland areas is 
changing the distribution somewhat.
    A Khmer minority in the south practices Theravada Buddhism. 
Numbering from perhaps 700,000 to 1 million persons, they live almost 
exclusively in the Mekong delta.
    There are an estimated 6 million Roman Catholics in the country 
(about 8 percent of the population). The largest concentrations are in 
southern provinces around Ho Chi Minh City, with other large groups in 
the northern and central coastal lowlands. In recent years, the 
Government has eased its efforts to control the Roman Catholic 
hierarchy by relaxing the requirements that all clergy belong to the 
government-controlled Catholic Patriotic Association. Few clergy 
actually belong to this association, which is a loose affiliation of 
clergy that holds conferences and participates in events with the 
Communist Party and the Vietnam Fatherland Front.
    Authorities allowed the Vatican's ordination of a new archbishop in 
Ho Chi Minh City in 1998 as well as the ordination of five bishops in 
other dioceses in 1998 and 1999. A high-level Vatican envoy made his 
annual visit to the country in May 2000, during which the filling of 
other vacant bishoprics was discussed. In June 2000, a bishop was named 
for Da Nang province, and in August 2000, a bishop was named for Vinh 
Long province. In 1998 a number of bishops traveled to Rome, Italy, for 
a synod of Asian bishops. Up to 200,000 Catholics gathered in August 
1999 at an annual Marian celebration in La Vang in the central part of 
the country and celebrated their faith freely there.
    There are approximately 700,000 Protestants in the country (less 
than 1 percent of the population), with more than half of these persons 
belonging to a large number of unregistered evangelical ``house 
churches'' that operate in members' homes or in rural villages, many of 
them in ethnic minority areas. Perhaps 150,000 of the followers of 
house churches are Pentecostals, who celebrate ``gifts of the spirit'' 
through charismatic and ecstatic rites of worship.
    Reports from believers indicated that Protestant church attendance 
grew substantially during the period covered by this report, especially 
among the house churches, despite continued government restrictions on 
proselytizing activities.
    Based on believers' estimates, two-thirds of Protestants are 
members of ethnic minorities, including ethnic Hmong (some 120,000 
followers) in the northwest provinces and some 200,000 members of 
ethnic minority groups of the central highlands (Ede, Jarai, Bahnar, 
and Koho, among others). The house churches in ethnic minority areas 
have been growing rapidly in recent years, sparked in part by radio 
broadcasts in ethnic minority languages from the Philippines.
    The Office of Religious Affairs estimates that there are 1.1 
million Cao Dai followers (just over 1 percent of the population). Some 
nongovernmental organization (NGO) sources estimate that there may be 
from 2 to 3 million followers. Cao Dai groups are most active in Tay 
Ninh province, where the Cao Dai Holy See is located, and in Ho Chi 
Minh City, the Mekong delta, and Hanoi. There are separate groups 
within the Cao Dai religion, which is syncretistic, combining elements 
of many faiths. Its basic belief system is influenced strongly by 
Mahayana Buddhism, although it recognizes a diverse array of persons 
who have conveyed divine revelation, including Siddhartha, Jesus, Lao-
Tse, Confucius, and Moses.
    Hoa Hao, considered by some of its followers to be a ``reform'' 
branch of Buddhism, was founded in the southern part of the country in 
1939. Hoa Hao is a largely privatistic faith that does not have a 
priesthood and rejects many of the ceremonial aspects of mainstream 
Buddhism. Hoa Hao followers are concentrated in the Mekong delta, 
particularly in provinces such as An Giang, where the Hoa Hao were 
dominant as a political and religious force before 1975. According to 
the Office of Religious Affairs, there are 1.3 million Hoa Hao 
followers; church-affiliated expatriate groups suggest that there may 
be 2 million to 3 million. A government-organized group of 160 Hoa Hao 
held a congress in May 1999 in An Giang. The congress established an 
11-member committee to oversee the administrative affairs of the 
religion. Establishment of the committee constituted official 
governmental recognition of the religion for the first time in 25 
years, although a number of the pre1975 leaders of the Hoa Hao oppose 
the official group as subservient to the Government and not faithful to 
Hoa Hao traditions.
    Mosques serving the country's small Muslim population, estimated at 
50,000 persons, operate in western An Giang province, Hanoi, Ho Chi 
Minh City, and other provinces in the southern part of the country. The 
Muslim community is composed of ethnic Cham in the southern coastal 
provinces and western Mekong delta. The Muslim community also includes 
some ethnic Vietnamese, and migrants originally from Malaysia, 
Indonesia, and India. Most practice Sunni Islam.
    The Muslim Association of Vietnam was banned in 1975 but authorized 
again in 1992. It is the only official Muslim organization. Association 
leaders say that they are able to practice their faith, including daily 
prayer, fasting during the month of Ramadan, and the pilgrimage to 
Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The Government no longer restricts Muslims from 
making the Hajj. Roughly 1 dozen Muslims journey to Mecca for the Hajj 
each year.
    There are a variety of smaller religious communities. An estimated 
8,000 Hindus are concentrated in the south, including some ethnic Chams 
on the south central coast who practice Hinduism.
    There are estimated to be between from several hundred to 2,000 
Baha'i believers, largely concentrated in the south; prior to 1975, 
there were an estimated 130,000 believers, according to church 
officials.
    There are several hundred members of the Church of Jesus Christ of 
Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) who are spread throughout the country but 
live primarily in the Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi areas.
    The prominent position of Buddhism does not affect adversely 
religious freedom for others, including those who wish not to practice 
a religion. The secular Government does not favor a particular 
religion. The Constitution expressly protects the right of 
``nonbelief'' as well as ``belief.'' Of the country's approximately 80 
million citizens, 14 million or more reportedly do not practice any 
organized religion. Some sources strictly define those considered to be 
practicing Buddhists, excluding those whose activities are limited to 
visiting pagodas on ceremonial holidays. Using this definition, the 
number of nonreligious persons would be much higher, perhaps as high as 
50 million persons.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Government continued to maintain broad legal and policy 
restrictions on religious freedom, although in many areas, Buddhists, 
Catholics, and Protestants reported an increase in religious activity 
and observance. However, worshipers in several Buddhist, Catholic, and 
Cao Dai centers of worship reported that they believed that undercover 
government observers attended worship services to monitor the 
activities of the congregation and the clergy.
    Operational and organizational restrictions on the hierarchies and 
clergy of most religious groups remained in place. Religious groups 
faced difficulty in obtaining teaching materials, expanding training 
facilities, publishing religious materials, and expanding the number of 
clergy in religious training in response to increased demand from 
congregations. The Roman Catholic Church, for example, faces many 
restrictions on the training and ordination of priests, nuns, and 
bishops, and this restriction limits pastoral ministry. Likewise, the 
Government restricted the number of clergy that the Buddhist, Catholic, 
Protestant, and Cao Dai Churches may train. Restrictions remained on 
the numbers of Buddhist monks and Catholic seminarians. Protestants 
were not allowed to operate a seminary or to ordain new clergy.
    The Government requires all Buddhist monks to work under an 
officially approved umbrella organization, the Central Buddhist Church 
of Vietnam. The Government opposed efforts by the nongovernment-
sanctioned Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) to operate 
independently, and tension between the Government and the UBCV 
continued. Several prominent UBCV monks, including Thich Huyen Quang 
and Thich Quang Do, continued to face government restrictions on their 
civil liberties during the period covered by this report.
    In April 2000, a local people's committee in Hanoi reportedly 
pressured the chief abbot of the historic One-Pillar Pagoda to step 
down in favor of an abbot with close ties to the Communist Party but no 
links to the pagoda. The chief abbot, whose pagoda is affiliated with 
the official Buddhist organization, resisted the effort and protested 
that this violated the state-sponsored church's statutes.
    The Evangelical Church of Vietnam (ECV), which comprises the 
network of Tin Lanh (Good News) churches and originally was founded by 
the Christian and Missionary Alliance early in the 20th century, 
generally operated with greater freedom than did the house churches. 
The roughly 300 Tin Lanh churches in the country are concentrated in 
the major cities, including Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, Hanoi, and in 
lowland areas. Some 15 ECV churches in the northern provinces are the 
only officially recognized Protestant churches. Leaders of several ECV 
churches in the south discussed with the Government official 
recognition of their congregations, and, although stalled at mid-year, 
this process is expected to lead to eventual official recognition of 
the ECV churches throughout the country.
    One of the pastors of the main ECV church in Hanoi continued to be 
pressured by local authorities to step down from the church; government 
authorities proposed that he be replaced by a church official from 
Haiphong who was supported by local authorities. The pastor received a 
letter from local police stating that he had violated the law because 
of his past support of unsanctioned religious activities. However, the 
pastor and the congregation continued to resist this effort to force 
him to step down, as they have for the past year.
    The Government restricts Protestant congregations from cooperating 
on joint religious observances or other activities, although in some 
localities there was greater freedom to do so. There is some ecumenical 
networking among Protestants, particularly in Ho Chi Minh City.
    The Government banned and actively discouraged participation in 
``illegal'' religious groups, including the UBCV, Protestant house 
churches, and the unapproved Hoa Hao and Cao Dai groups. Religious and 
organizational activities by UBCV monks are illegal, and all UBCV 
activities outside private temple worship are proscribed. Protestant 
groups in central and southern provinces and some groups of Hoa Hao 
believers not affiliated with the group that held the May 2000 congress 
petitioned the Government for official recognition. They were 
unsuccessful as of mid-2000. Most evangelical house churches do not 
attempt to register because they believe that their applications would 
be denied, and they want to avoid government control.
    Provincial officials in Ha Giang and Lai Chau provinces in the 
north pressured Hmong Christians to recant their faith. Local officials 
in these areas circulated official provincial documents urging persons 
to give up illegal ``foreign'' religion and to practice traditional 
animist beliefs and ancestor worship. Regional and police newspapers 
printed articles documenting how persons were deceived into following 
the house church ``cults.'' There is evidence that some individuals 
engaged in deceptive practices under the guise of religious activities.
    The local Catholic Church hierarchy remained frustrated by the 
Government's restrictions but has learned to accommodate itself to them 
for many years. A number of clergy reported a modest easing of 
government control over church activities in certain dioceses. In some 
areas, the Government relaxed its outright prohibition on the Catholic 
Church. The Church is able to participate in religious education and 
charitable activities.
    The degree of government control of church activities varied 
greatly among localities. In some areas, especially in the south, 
Catholic churches operated kindergartens and engaged in a variety of 
humanitarian projects. Buddhist groups engage in humanitarian acts in 
many parts of the country.
    Roman Catholic seminaries throughout the country have approximately 
500 students enrolled. The Government limits the church to operating 
six major seminaries and to recruitment of new seminarians only every 2 
years. All students must be approved by the Government both upon 
entering the seminary and prior to their ordination as priests. The 
Church believes that the number of students being ordained is 
insufficient to support the growing Catholic population.
    A government-controlled management committee has full powers to 
control the affairs of the Cao Dai faith, thereby managing the church's 
operations, its hierarchy, and its clergy. Independent church officials 
oppose the edicts of this committee as unfaithful to Cao Dai principles 
and traditions. Despite the Government's statement in 1997 that it had 
recognized the Cao Dai Church legally and encouraged Cao Dai believers 
to expand their groups and practice their faith, many senior clerical 
positions remain vacant.
    The national authorities continue to restrict the distribution of 
the sacred scriptures of the Hoa Hao.
    In April 1999, the Government issued a decree on religion that 
prescribes the rights and responsibilities of religious believers. The 
religion decree states that persons formerly detained or imprisoned 
must obtain special permission from the authorities before they may 
resume religious activities. The decree also states that no religious 
organization can reclaim lands or properties taken over by the State 
following the end of the 1954 war against French rule and the 1975 
Communist victory in the south. Despite this blanket prohibition, the 
Government has returned some church properties confiscated since 1975. 
The Catholic Church in Ho Chi Minh City has received back two 
properties from the People's Committee of the city. On one of the 
properties, in Cholon, the Church is constructing an HIV/AIDS hospice 
to be operated by the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul. 
The other property is now a churchoperated orphanage. One of the vice-
chairmen of the official Buddhist Sangha said that about 30 percent of 
Buddhist properties confiscated in Ho Chi Minh City have been returned 
since 1975, and from 5 to 10 percent of all Buddhist properties 
confiscated in the south were returned. By contrast UBCV leaders stated 
that their properties were not returned. Information concerning 
prominent Protestant properties, such as the former seminary in Nha 
Trang, is not available. Most Cao Dai and Hoa Hao properties have not 
been returned, according to church leaders.
    The Government does not permit religious instruction in public 
schools. The Government restricts persons who belong to dissident and 
unofficial religious groups from speaking publicly about their beliefs. 
It officially requires all religious publishing to be done by 
government-approved publishing houses. Many Buddhist sacred scriptures, 
Bibles, and other religious texts and publications are printed by these 
organizations and allowed to be distributed.
    The Government allows, and in some cases encourages, links with 
coreligionists in other countries when the religious groups are 
approved by the Government. The Government actively discourages 
contacts between the illegal UBCV and its foreign Buddhist supporters, 
and between illegal Protestant organizations such as the house churches 
and their foreign supporters. Contacts between Vatican authorities and 
the domestic Catholic Church are permitted, and the Government 
maintains a regular, active dialog with the Vatican on a range of 
issues including organizational activities, the prospect of 
establishing diplomatic relations, and a possible papal visit. The 
Government allows religious travel for some, but not all, religious 
persons; Muslims are able to undertake the Hajj, and many Buddhist and 
Catholic officials also have been able to travel abroad. Persons who 
hold dissident religious opinions generally are not approved for 
foreign travel.
    The Government does not designate persons' religions on passports, 
although citizens' ``family books,'' which are household identification 
books, list religious and ethnic affiliation.
    The Government prohibits proselytizing by foreign missionary 
groups, although some missionaries visited the country despite this 
prohibition. The Government deported some foreign persons for 
unauthorized proselytizing, sometimes defining proselytizing very 
broadly. A U.S. pastor who worked as a missionary prior to 1975 was 
questioned by police and pressured to pay a fine, which he refused to 
do, after a meeting that he held with Protestant Vietnamese pastors was 
raided by police in November 1999. His passport and Bible were 
confiscated temporarily; they were returned shortly before his 
departure several days later.
    Proselytizing by citizens is restricted to regularly scheduled 
religious services in recognized places of worship. Immigrants and 
noncitizens must comply with the law when practicing their religions. 
Catholic and Protestant foreigners exercise leadership in worship 
services that are reserved for foreigners.
    The Office of Religious Affairs hosts periodic meetings to address 
religious matters according to government-approved agendas that bring 
together leaders of diverse religious traditions.
    Adherence to a religious faith generally does not disadvantage 
persons in civil, economic, and secular life, although it likely would 
prevent advancement to the highest government and military ranks. 
Avowed religious practice is a bar to membership in the Communist 
Party, although anecdotal reports indicate that a handful of the 2 
million Communist Party members are religious believers.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    The Government restricts and monitors all forms of public assembly, 
including assembly for religious activities. On some occasions, large 
religious gatherings have been allowed, such as the 1998 and 1999 
celebrations at La Vang. Since July 1999, the Hoa Hao also have been 
allowed to hold two large public gatherings in An Giang province on Hoa 
Hao festival days. However, dissident Hoa Hao have been prevented by 
forcible means from organizing their own independent commemorations.
    The growth of Protestant house churches in ethnic minority areas 
has led to tensions with local officials in some provinces. There have 
been crackdowns on leaders of these churches, particularly among the 
Hmong in the northwest. The secretive nature of the house churches, 
particularly among ethnic minorities, has contributed to greater 
repression against these groups. Provincial officials in certain 
northwest provinces do not allow churches or pagodas to operate and 
have arrested and imprisoned believers for practicing their faith 
nonviolently in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.
    The authorities in the northwest provinces severely restrict the 
religious freedom of evangelical Protestants, including ethnic Hmong 
and ethnic Tai. Credible reports from multiple sources stated that at 
the beginning of 1999 there were more than 25 Hmong Protestants 
imprisoned primarily in Lai Chau province for ``teaching religion 
illegally'' or ``abusing the rights of a citizen to cause social 
unrest.'' Following protests by church leaders and international 
attention to the detentions, officials and Protestant church leaders 
stated that most of the detainees had been released by the end of 1999. 
Among those in Lai Chau who were confirmed as released--several of them 
before their sentences were up--were: Ly A Giang, Giang A Ly, Vang Gia 
Chua, Giang A To, and Giang A Cat. In addition Hmong leader Vu Gian 
Thao was released in the April 2000 amnesty, and the Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs (MFA) reported that Wang Gia Chua, Sung Seo Chinh, and 
Sinh Phay Pao also had been released. The sentence of Hmong leader Sung 
Phai Dia reportedly was to end in March 2000, but there is no 
confirmation that he was released from prison.
    Among those Hmong Protestant leaders still believed to be 
imprisoned are four Hmong Protestant leaders--Sinh Phay Pao, Va Sinh 
Giay, Vang Sua Giang, and Phang A Dong--who had been arrested in Ha 
Giang province late in 1999. Phang A Dong was charged with illegally 
traveling to China without a visa or passport.
    The Government's repression of the Hmong is complicated by several 
factors that include religious practices. Some Hmong citizens fought 
against the Government in the past, and they live in sensitive regions 
that border China and Laos; these factors together lead the Government 
to question their civic loyalty. Among the Hmong, there are two 
distinct religious groups. One group's members follow a traditional 
form of Christianity, and another group's beliefs are characterized by 
an element that is cultic in nature. The latter group's eschatological 
worldview includes a predicted cataclysmic event in 2000. However, the 
Government does not differentiate between the two groups; their beliefs 
exacerbate the authorities' anxiety about the Hmong.
    In December 1999, Nguyen Thi Thuy, a Protestant house church leader 
in Phu Tho province, was sentenced to 1 year in prison for 
``interfering with an officer doing his duty.'' Thuy was arrested 
during a police raid on her home, where she was leading a Bible study 
group. In March 2000, in what is believed to be the first case of its 
kind, a defense lawyer appealed Thuy's conviction by arguing that her 
arrest in her home while practicing her faith violated her 
constitutional right to religious freedom. However, a judge dismissed 
her appeal, and her 1-year sentence was upheld. She is scheduled to be 
released in October 2000. An ethnic Hre church leader, Dinh Troi, was 
detained in Quang Ngai province in 1999, and it is believed that he was 
still in detention as of mid-2000. Two of his church colleagues, Dinh 
Bim and Dinh Hay, were released in July and September 1999, 
respectively.
    In July 1999, district authorities in Binh Phuoc province 
demolished three Protestant churches. Their congregations, composed of 
ethnic Mnong and Stieng Christians, protested to the central government 
authorities and the international community. Church officials reported 
that the central authorities intervened to prevent the further razing 
of churches. In December 1999, the district official responsible was 
removed from office. Binh Phuoc province Christians reported that they 
were able to celebrate Christmas openly and peacefully.
    There were reported instances, particularly in isolated provinces 
in the northwest and central highlands, in which Protestant house 
church followers were punished or fined by local officials for 
participation in peaceful religious activities such as worship and 
Bible study. Unconfirmed reports from the central highlands suggested 
that some local officials extorted cattle and money from Protestants in 
those areas. It is unclear whether their religious affiliation or other 
factors led to this extortion.
    In recent years, the conditions faced by Baha'is have improved in 
some localities where Baha'is have been able to practice their faith 
quietly with local permission. However, a Baha'i community in Danang 
was unable to obtain approval of its recent application for 
registration of official religious activities.
    In mid-1999, the Government sharply criticized adherents of the 
Taiwan-based group Thanh Hai Vo Thuong Su in official media. In July 
1999, a local police paper publication criticized the group, stating 
that more than 100 followers joined the group in Long An province. 
Government media portray the group's leader, an ethnic Taiwanese woman 
named Thanh Hai, who founded the group in 1989, as a charlatan.
    Credible reports from multiple sources stated that Hmong Protestant 
Christians in several northwestern villages were forced by local 
officials to recant their faith and to perform traditional Hmong 
religious rites such as drinking blood from sacrificed chickens mixed 
with rice wine. Similarly, a group of Catholics in Son La province also 
reported that they were forced by local officials to recant their faith 
publicly in December 1999.
    Hmong Protestant Church leaders told a North American church 
official that one Hmong Christian, Lu Seo Dieu, died in prison in 1999 
in Lao Cai province from mistreatment and lack of medical care. This 
report could not be confirmed.
    Police authorities routinely question persons who hold dissident 
religious or political views. In May 1999, two pastors of the 
unsanctioned Assemblies of God, pastors Tran Dinh ``Paul'' Ai and Lo 
Van Hen, were detained and questioned by police after a Bible study 
session that they were conducting in Hanoi was raided by local police. 
Ai was questioned daily for more than 2 weeks regarding his religious 
activities, and Lo Van Hen, a member of the Black Tai ethnic minority, 
was returned to Dien Bien Phu for further questioning by police. Both 
were released before the end of May 1999 and allowed to return home. In 
December 1999, Ai was issued a passport and allowed to travel to the 
United States with his family on a religious worker visa. Similarly, on 
two occasions, UBCV leader Thich Khong Tanh was called in for 
questioning by police for what appeared to be purely religious 
activities.
    Credible reports suggest that police arbitrarily detained persons 
based on their religious beliefs and practice. On several occasions, 
small groups of Protestant Christians belonging to house churches were 
subjected to arbitrary detention after local officials broke up 
unsanctioned religious meetings. In September 1999, in Quang Nam 
province, 17 Protestant Christians were handcuffed together and forced 
to go to a government office for several hours of questioning about 
their religious activities. One man who reportedly was beaten by police 
required medical treatment. In October 1999, police raided a church 
meeting in a hotel in Ha Long Bay town and detained 30 Protestants. 
Most were released after questioning, although three were held for 
several days.
    A 1997 directive on administrative detention gives national and 
local security officials broad powers to detain and monitor citizens 
and control where they live and work for up to 2 years if they are 
believed to be threatening ``national security.'' In their 
implementation of administrative detention, authorities held some 
persons under conditions resembling house arrest. The authorities use 
administrative detention as a means of controlling persons whom they 
believe hold dissident opinions.
    The Government continued to isolate certain political and religious 
dissidents by restricting their movements and by pressuring the 
supporters and family members of others. For the past 6 years, Thich 
Huyen Quang, the Supreme Patriarch of the UBCV, lived at a pagoda in 
Quang Ngai province under conditions resembling administrative 
detention. From 1981 until 1994, he was held at another pagoda in that 
province. In March 1999, he was visited by senior UBCV leader Thich 
Quang Do for the first time in 18 years, but after 3 days of meetings 
both were held for questioning by police, and Thich Quang Do was 
escorted by police to his pagoda in Ho Chi Minh city. Thich Huyen Quang 
confirmed that he must request permission before leaving the pagoda and 
is not allowed to lead prayers or participate in worship activities as 
a monk. He is able to receive visits from sympathetic monks, sometimes 
several per week; UBCV monk Thich Khong Thanh visited in November. 
After meeting with him, visitors are questioned by police. Thich Huyen 
Quang has called for the Government to recognize and sanction the 
operations of the UBCV. In December 1999, he told a Western visitor 
that he was receiving adequate medical care. Later that month, because 
of heavy flooding in the province, police temporarily evacuated him 
from the pagoda, then returned him there 2 days later, after the waters 
had receded. Government officials reportedly have proposed to move 
Thich Huyen Quang to Hanoi, where medical care for his chronic 
conditions would be better, but he has refused.
    In September 1999, Thich Duang Do complained that fellow UBCV monk 
Thich Khong Tanh, who is head of the church's social affairs board, was 
summoned by police for questioning in Ho Chi Minh City. In April 2000, 
Thich Khong Tanh similarly complained that he was detained for 
questioning by police after visiting fellow monks in central Vietnam. 
Thich Quang Do continued to experience close surveillance by police 
around his pagoda, Thanh Minh Zen monastery in Ho Chi Minh City, and 
police pressured lay Buddhists at the pagoda in an apparent effort to 
isolate Thich Quang Do further.
    The Government allowed many bishops and priests to travel freely 
within their dioceses and allowed greater, but still restricted, 
freedom for travel outside these areas, particularly in many ethnic 
areas. Local government officials reportedly discourage priests from 
entering Son La and Lai Chau provinces. Upon return from international 
travel, citizens, including clergy, officially are required to 
surrender their passports; this law is enforced unevenly. Some persons 
who express dissident opinions on religious or political issues are not 
allowed to travel abroad.
    Some Cao Dai believers were detained arbitrarily. In October 1998, 
the authorities detained two Cao Daists in Kien Giang province, Le Kim 
Bien and Pham Cong Hien, who sought to meet with United Nations Special 
Rapporteur on Religious Intolerance Abdelfattah Amor. They were 
sentenced to 2 years' imprisonment and are scheduled to be released in 
October 2000. Three Cao Daists, Lam Thai The, Do Hoang Giam, and Van 
Hoa Vui, who were arrested several years ago, reportedly remain 
imprisoned in Xuan Loc prison in Dong Nai province. Ly Cong Cuong, a 
Cao Daist arrested in 1983 in An Giang province, was released in July 
1999.
    The Hoa Hao have faced severe restrictions on their religious and 
political activities since 1975, in part because of their previous 
armed opposition to the Communist forces. Since 1975 all administrative 
offices, places of worship, and social and cultural institutions 
connected to the faith have been closed, thereby limiting public 
religious functions. Believers continue to practice their religion at 
home. The lack of access to public gathering places contributed to the 
Hoa Hao community's isolation and fragmentation. In July 1999, 
following official recognition of a Hoa Hao religious organization, an 
estimated 500,000 Hoa Hao believers gathered for a religious festival 
in An Giang province in the largest Hoa Hao gathering since 1975. Hoa 
Hoa believers stated that a number of church leaders continue to be 
detained.
    In March 2000, hundreds of Hoa Hao gathered in An Giang province 
for a traditional holy day celebration despite reports of police 
roadblocks and interception of boats on the river surrounding the 
island where the celebration was organized. A group of dissident Hoa 
Hao followers, including prominent pre1975 leaders such as Le Quang 
Liem, were attempting to organize an unofficial commemoration of the 
death of the Hoa Hao founder, but they were blocked by government 
authorities. In connection with that event, 13 Hoa Hao supporters were 
detained on March 11, 2000, at Thoai Son in An Giang province; 8 of 
them were released after being interrogated. Three others--Vo Thanh 
Liem, Nguyen Van Dien (Bay Dien), and Vo Van Hai--were tried and 
sentenced on May 26 to 30 months, 20 months, and 12 months' 
imprisonment, respectively. Two others--Nguyen Van Hoang and Nguyen Van 
Nhuom--still were detained in Thoai Son as of mid-2000. On March 28, 
2000, eight other Hoa Hao supporters were arrested at Phu My (Hoa Hao) 
village, and five of them still were detained in mid-2000 at the Bang 
Lang detention facilities in Long Xuyen. These five are: Truong Van 
Thuc; Tran Van Be Cao; Tran Nguyen Hon; Nguyen Chau Lan; and Le Van 
Mong (Le Thien Hoa). In addition, in protest of government restrictions 
on the Hoa Hao, several Hoa Hao believers reportedly have threatened to 
immolate themselves.
    The Penal Code establishes penalties for offenses that are defined 
only vaguely, including ``attempting to undermine national unity'' by 
promoting ``division between religious believers and nonbelievers.'' In 
some cases, particularly involving Hmong Protestants, authorities 
imprisoned persons for practicing religion illegally. They use 
provisions of the Penal Code that allow for jail terms of up to 3 years 
without trial for ``abusing freedom of speech, press, or religion.'' 
Some of the provisions of the law used to convict religious prisoners 
contradict the right to freedom of religion in the Universal 
Declaration of Human Rights and the International Convention on Civil 
and Political Rights.
    It is difficult to determine the exact number of religious 
detainees and religious prisoners. There is little transparency in the 
justice system, and it is very difficult to obtain confirmation when 
persons are detained, imprisoned, tried, or released. As of mid-2000, 
there were at least 13 religious detainees who were held without arrest 
or charge; however, the number may be greater since sometimes persons 
are detained for questioning and held under administrative detention 
regulations without being charged or without their detention being 
publicized. These persons include: Le Minh Triet (Tu Triet), a Hoa Hao 
leader detained at a Government house in the south; four Hmong 
Protestants in Ha Giang province, Sinh Phay Pao, Va Sinh Giay, Vang Sua 
Giang, and Phang A Dong; Dinh Troi, an ethnic Hre Protestant detained 
in Quang Ngai in 1999; and seven Hoa Hao followers who were detained in 
An Giang province in March. These Hoa Hao followers are: Nguyen Van 
Hoang; Nguyen Van Nhuom; Truong Van Thuc; Tran Van Be Cao; Tran Nguyen 
Huon; Nguyen Chau Lan; and Le Van Mong (Le Thien Hoa). In addition, 
others, most prominently Supreme Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang of the 
UBCV, are held under conditions that resemble administrative detention. 
Thich Huyen Quang is not allowed to leave the pagoda where he lives in 
Quang Ngai province without express police permission, and only then 
for medical appointments in the isolated town where he stays.
    There are at least 16 religious prisoners, although the actual 
number may be higher. This figure is difficult to verify because of the 
secrecy surrounding the arrest, detention, and release process. In a 
positive development, many of the ethnic Hmong Protestants who were 
imprisoned in Lai Chau province at the beginning of 1999 are believed 
to have been released. Those persons believed to be religious prisoners 
as of May include: UBCV monks Thich Thein Minh and Thich Hue Dang; 
Catholic priests Pham Minh Tri, Pham Ngoc Lien, and Nguyen Thien Phung; 
Protestant house church leader Nguyen Thi Thuy, scheduled to finish her 
1-year sentence in October; Hmong Protestant Va Sinh Giay; Hoa Hao lay 
persons Le Van Son, Vo Thanh Liem, Nguyen Van Dien (Bay Dien), and Vo 
Van Hai; Cao Daists Le Kim Bien and Pham Cong Hien, who are scheduled 
to finish their 2year sentences in October; and Cao Daists Lam Thai 
The, To Hoang Giam, and Van Hoa Vui, who reportedly remain imprisoned 
in Dong Nai province.
    Credible reports suggest that three Roman Catholic priests 
belonging to the Congregation of the Mother Co-Redemptrix remain 
imprisoned. The release in 1999 of one priest, Nguyen Minh Quan, was 
confirmed, and another, Mai Duc Chuong (Mai Huu Nghi), was released in 
the April 2000 prisoner amnesty. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said 
that another person, Nguyen Van De, also was released in 1999.
Improvements in Respect for Religious Freedom
    On balance conditions for religious freedom remained fundamentally 
the same during the period covered by this report, compared with the 
period from mid-1998 to mid-1999. However, there were improvements in 
some areas, such as the release of some persons detained or arrested 
because of their religious beliefs. In addition, in some parts of the 
country, there was continued gradual expansion of the parameters for 
individual believers of officially recognized churches to practice 
their faiths. Many lay believers who worship in officially recognized 
churches, especially Buddhists and Catholics in large cities, are able 
to practice their faith publicly without interference from government 
officials. This continues a trend of the past few years toward less 
official interference in the lives of citizens, such as the diminution 
of the block warden system, which is now much less pervasive and 
intrusive in monitoring persons. On religious celebration days, 
churches and pagodas are filled by worshipers. Most of the country's 
Buddhist and Catholic lay persons benefit from this development.
    During the period covered by this report, many of the ethnic 
minority Protestant prisoners in Lai Chau province were released. 
Although severe restrictions on religious life remain in the northwest, 
U.S. and international advocacy on behalf of ethnic minority Christians 
in those provinces apparently had a positive impact; many of the 25 
Hmong church leaders held at the beginning of 1999 were released by 
mid-2000.
    In addition the April 2000 prisoner amnesty included two religious 
prisoners, Catholic priest Mai Duc Chuong (Mai Huu Nghi) and Hmong 
Protestant Vu Gian Thao. The MFA said that two other Catholic priests 
of the Congregation of the Mother CoRedemptrix, Nguyen Minh Quan and 
Nguyen Van De, had been released in 1999.
    In some provinces where harassment of religious believers has been 
egregious, local officials have lost their positions because of 
religious restrictions. Most prominently, the district committee 
chairman in Bu Bang district of Binh Phuoc province was not reelected 
by the local people's council to his position, and he was forced to 
retire in November 1999.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    In general there are amicable relations among the various religious 
communities. In Ho Chi Minh City, there are nascent efforts at informal 
ecumenical dialog by leaders of disparate religious communities. In 
October 1999, four outspoken religious leaders based in Ho Chi Minh 
City--UBCV Buddhist leader Thich Quang Do, Redemptorist Catholic priest 
Chan Tin, Hoa Hao leader Le Quang Liem, and Cao Dai leader Tran Quang 
Chau--signed a public ecumenical petition urging the Communist Party to 
respect religious freedom and to establish clear separation of church 
and state.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy in Hanoi and U.S. Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City 
actively and regularly raised U.S. concerns about religious freedom 
with a wide variety of government officials including the Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs, the Office of Religion, the Ministry of Public 
Security, and other government offices in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and 
provincial capitals. Embassy and consulate officials also meet and talk 
with leaders of all of the major religious groups, recognized as well 
as unregistered.
    The U.S. Ambassador raised religious freedom issues with senior 
cabinet ministers including the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, 
senior government and Communist Party advisors, the head of the 
Government's Office of Religion, Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs 
and Public Security, and the chairpersons of Provincial People's 
Committees around the country, among others. Other embassy and 
consulate officials also raised U.S. concerns on religious freedom with 
senior officials of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Public 
Security and with provincial officials. The Embassy and Consulate 
maintained regular contact with the key government offices responsible 
for respect for human rights. Embassy officers informed government 
officials that progress on religious issues and human rights have an 
impact on the degree of full normalization of bilateral relations. The 
Embassy's public affairs officer distributed information about U.S. 
concerns about religious freedom to Communist Party and government 
officials.
    In their representations to the Government, the Ambassador and 
other embassy officers urged recognition of a broad spectrum of 
religious groups in accordance with international standards of 
religious freedom, including members of the UBCV and the Protestant 
house churches. In general representations by the Embassy and Consulate 
focused on specific restrictions on religious freedom. These abuses 
included the detention and arrest of religious figures and restrictions 
on church organizational activities such as training religious leaders, 
ordination, church building, and foreign travel of religious figures. 
Several times the Embassy's and the Consulate's interventions on 
problems involving religious freedom resulted in improvements. For 
example, the release of several religious prisoners during amnesties in 
September 1999 and April 2000 followed long-term and direct advocacy on 
their behalf by the Embassy. The releases of some 20 Hmong Protestants 
detained in early 1999 by authorities in Lai Chau province followed 
demarches by the Embassy. One foreign nongovernmental organization 
(NGO) first told the U.S. Embassy that officials in Lai Chau had 
complained that, following the visit of Ambassador Pete Peterson to the 
province in the spring of 1999, during which he had presented a list of 
Hmong religious prisoners, the provincial officials had been told by 
national government authorities to ease up on their treatment of Hmong 
people.
    Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Robert 
Seiple visited in July 1999 for discussions with officials and leaders 
of several religious bodies. He urged that the parameters for religious 
freedom be expanded, during meetings with officials of the Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs, the government Committee on Religion, and other 
government offices.
    Representatives of the Embassy and Consulate met on several 
occasions with leaders of all the major religious communities, 
including Buddhists, Catholics, Protestants, Cao Dai, Hoa Hao, and 
Muslims. Embassy officials, including the Ambassador, maintain a 
regular dialog with NGO's. An embassy officer visited UBCV Supreme 
Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang in Quang Ngai province in December, which 
was the first visit by a Westerner to the Supreme Patriarch in 18 
years. Following the visit, Thich Huyen Quang was featured on national 
television for the first time in years, was moved out of his pagoda 
during flooding (unlike the previous year), and received improved 
medical care. On several occasions, embassy and consulate officers met 
with prominent religious prisoners after their release from prison. 
Consulate officers maintained an ongoing dialog with Thich Quang Do and 
other UBCV monks and with officially recognized Buddhists, as well as 
wide contacts within the Catholic, Protestant, Hoa Hao, Cao Dai, and 
Muslim communities. A consulate officer attended the first officially 
recognized Hoa Hao festival in An Giang in July 1999. Consulate and 
embassy officials worked closely with Assemblies of God pastor Tran 
Dinh ``Paul'' Ai to obtain a passport from the Government, then a 
religious worker's visa to travel to the United States to work in 
December, following many months of continuous harassment by local 
police in several areas.
    The U.S. Department of State in Washington commented publicly on 
the status of religious freedom in Vietnam on several occasions. These 
comments included statements on the conditions faced by Thich Huyen 
Quang; the status of Paul Ai and his eventual travel to the United 
States, using a religious worker visa; and gatherings of Hoa Hao 
believers in An Giang province.

                           EUROPE AND CANADA

                              ----------                              


                                ALBANIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among the religions in society contribute to the free practice of 
religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice. According to the 
1998 Constitution, there is no official religion, and all religions are 
equal. However, the predominant religious communities (Muslim, 
Orthodox, and Roman Catholic) enjoy de facto recognition by the 
authorities that gives them the legal right to hold bank accounts, to 
own property and buildings, and to function as juridical persons based 
on their historical presence in the country.
    Religious movements--with the exception of the three de facto 
recognized religions--can acquire the official status of a juridical 
person only by registering under the Law on Associations, which 
recognizes the status of a nonprofit association irrespective of 
whether the organization has a cultural, recreational, religious, or 
humanitarian character. The Government does not require registration or 
licensing of religious groups; however, the State Committee on Cults 
maintains a working knowledge, but not official records of foreign 
religious organizations. The chairman of the committee has the status 
of a deputy minister.
    The State Committee on Cults, which was founded in September 1999 
according to a decision of Council Ministers, aims to regulate the 
relations between the State and religious communities. The committee 
recognizes the equality of religious communities and respects their 
independence. The committee works to protect freedom of religion and to 
promote interreligious development, cooperation, understanding and 
tolerance. The Committee claims that registration facilitates the 
granting of residence permits by police to foreign employees of various 
religious organizations.
    Some foreign religious organizations have complained that obtaining 
registration has not made gaining residence permits any less cumbersome 
administratively. There is no law or sublegal provision that forces 
religious organizations to register with the committee. There is no law 
on religious communities, although one is mandated by the new 
Constitution. Most religious communities recognize the need for such a 
law to clarify their rights and responsibilities and relationship to 
the Government. The committee has shown a willingness to act as a 
mechanism for creation and passage of such a law.
Religious Demography
    The majority of citizens are secular in orientation after decades 
of rigidly enforced atheism. Muslims make up the largest traditional 
religious group and are divided into two communities: those who adhere 
to a moderate form of Sunni Islam and those who adhere to the Bektashi 
school (a particularly liberal form of Shi'a Sufism). Albania is the 
world center of the Bektashi school, which moved from Turkey to Albania 
in 1925 after the revolution of Ataturk. Bektashis are concentrated 
mainly in middle and southern Albania and claim that 45 percent of the 
country's Muslims belong to their school. The Albanian Orthodox and 
Roman Catholic Churches are the other large denominations. 
Approximately 70 percent of the population are Muslim, 20 percent are 
Albanian Orthodox, and 10 percent are Roman Catholic. The Albanian 
Orthodox Church split from the Greek Orthodox Church early in the 
century and adherents strongly identify with the Autocephalous National 
Church as distinct from the Greek Church. The Albanian Orthodox 
Church's 1929 statute states that all its archbishops must be of 
Albanian heritage. However, the current archbishop is a Greek citizen, 
because there are no Albanian clerics qualified for this position.
    The Muslims are concentrated mostly in the middle of the country 
and somewhat in the south; Orthodox believers are concentrated mainly 
in the south, and Catholics in the north of the country; however, this 
division is not strict. The Greek minority, concentrated in the south, 
belongs to the Orthodox Church. There are no data available on active 
participation in formal religious services, but unofficial sources 
state that 30 to 40 percent of the population practice religion. 
Foreign clergy, including Muslim clerics, Christian and Baha'i 
missionaries, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, and many others freely 
carry out religious activities.
    The State Committee on Cults estimates that there are 12 different 
Muslim societies and groups with some 324 representatives in the 
country. There are more than 79 Christian societies and groups, with 
344 missionaries representing Christian or Baha'i organizations. The 
main foreign missionary groups are mostly American, British, Italian, 
Greek, and Arab.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    In 1967 the Communists banned all religious practices and 
expropriated the property of the established Islamic, Orthodox, and 
Catholic Churches. The Government has not yet returned all the 
properties and religious objects under its control that were 
confiscated under the Communist regime. In cases where religious 
buildings were returned, the Government often failed to return the land 
that surrounds the buildings, sometimes due to redevelopment claims by 
private individuals who began farming it or using it for other 
purposes. The Government does not have the resources to compensate 
churches adequately for the extensive damage many religious properties 
suffered. The Orthodox Church has complained that it has had difficulty 
in recovering some religious icons for restoration and safekeeping.
    The State recognizes the de facto existence of the Bektashis, but 
they did not have the right to their own representative in the former 
State Secretariat of Religions. The Secretariat has been replaced by 
the State Committee on Cults, which is not composed of representatives 
of religious groups. There is no indication of the Bektashis' 
activities being placed under the supervision of the Sunni community.
    The Albanian Evangelical Alliance, an association of more than 100 
Protestant churches throughout the country, has complained that it has 
encountered administrative obstacles to building churches, accessing 
the media, and receiving exemptions from customs duties. The growing 
evangelical community continues to seek official recognition and 
participation in the religious affairs section of the Council of 
Ministers.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations among the various religious groups are generally 
amicable, and tolerance is widespread. Society is largely secular. 
Intermarriage among religious groups is extremely common. There are 
amicable relations between the three main religions in the country. At 
the beginning of 2000, the Orthodox and the Catholic churches wrote, 
for the first time in their history, a joint declaration on the 
beginning of the new millennium and the celebration of 2000 years of 
Christianity.
    The Archbishop of the country's Orthodox Church has noted incidents 
in which the Orthodox and their churches or other buildings have been 
the targets of vandalism. There were reports that a number of Orthodox 
churches in the south were burned. The Albanian Helsinki Committee 
issued a report on August 26, 1999, stating that unknown persons 
damaged or desecrated more than 10 Orthodox churches and monasteries in 
1998 and 1999. In July 1999, a Greek Orthodox church in Ksamil was 
desecrated with human feces smeared on icons, then set on fire. Also in 
July 1999, a Greek Orthodox church in Metohi was burned down. However, 
the Archbishop concluded that the problem in such attacks against the 
ethnic Greek minority was the country's general climate of insecurity, 
rather than religious repression. Members of the ethnic Greek minority 
as well as of the Orthodox Church left the country in large numbers 
between 1990 and 1991, with another large exodus between 1997 and 1998 
because of the lack of security and poor economic prospects. Ethnic 
Greek citizens, among others, continue to leave the country in search 
of employment and/or permanent residence elsewhere.
    The longstanding concerns among Christians about the growing 
support for Islamic fundamentalism were heightened as a result of the 
influx of Kosovar refugees into the country. After the war, nearly all 
the Kosovar refugees left the country, and there were no indications of 
a growth of fundamentalism among the few that remained. The concern 
among the Christians regarding this issue remains the same as before 
the influx of Kosovars. After the war, the fundamentalist associations, 
active in Albania during the war, were later displaced into Kosovo.
    The Baha'is are no longer considered a threat by the Sunnis and 
Orthodox Christians. They have established a good reputation and the 
community is expanding rapidly.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Government has numerous initiatives to foster the 
development of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in the 
country, which also furthers religious freedom and tolerance. The U.S. 
Embassy periodically has urged the Government to return the church 
lands to the denominations that lost them under Communist rule. In 1999 
and 2000 the U.S. Embassy urged the Government to restore land that was 
seized from the Orthodox Church in Gjirokastra and asked the U.S. 
Agency for International Development (USAID) to assist through the Land 
Tenure Center Project. The Embassy and USAID also are providing support 
together with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe 
(OSCE) and the U.N. for the drafting of the law on freedom of religion.
    Embassy officers--including the Chief of Mission--meet frequently, 
both in formal office calls and at representational events, with the 
heads of the major religious communities in the country. The U.S. 
Embassy has been active in urging tolerance and moderation on the part 
of the Albanian Government's Committee on Cults.
                               __________

                                ANDORRA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    The Constitution acknowledges a special relationship with the Roman 
Catholic Church ``in accordance with Andorran tradition'' and 
recognizes the ``full legal capacity'' of the bodies of the Catholic 
Church, granting them legal status ``in accordance with their own 
rules.'' One of the two constitutionally-designated princes of the 
country (who serves equally as joint head of state with the President 
of France) is Bishop Joan Marti Alanis of the Spanish town of La Seu 
d'Urgell.
    The Catholic Church receives no direct subsidies from the 
Government. However, the Government continues to pay monthly stipends 
to each of the seven parishes (administrative units of government, 
though the term was originally religiously determined) for the 
continuance of their historic work in maintaining vital records, such 
as birth and marriage, despite having a fully legal civil registry 
system in the country.
    There is currently no law that clearly requires legal registration 
and approval of religions and religious worship. However, the 
Government is considering completing a draft law on associations that 
may ultimately govern some aspects of religious activity. Although the 
terms of the draft law are not publicly known, the authorities 
reportedly are considering how to treat the activity of so-called 
``sects'' or other groups whose activities may be considered injurious 
to public health, safety, morals, or order. Under a 1993 law, 
associations must be registered. This register has documented civic 
associations, but to date no religious organization, including the 
Roman Catholic Church, has requested registration or been asked by the 
Government to register.
Religious Demography
    Very few official statistics are available relative to religion; 
however, traditionally approximately 90 percent of the population are 
Roman Catholic. The population consists largely of immigrants, with 
full citizens representing less than 20 percent of the total. 
Immigrants, primarily from Spain, Portugal, and France, compose the 
bulk of the population and are also largely Roman Catholic. It is 
estimated that, of the Catholic population, about half are active 
church attendees. Other religions include Islam (predominately 
represented among the roughly 2,000 North African immigrants); the New 
Apostolic Church; the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; 
several Protestant denominations, including the Anglican Church; the 
Reunification Church; and Jehovah's Witnesses.
    Instruction in the tenets of the Catholic faith is available in 
public schools on an optional basis, outside of both regular school 
hours and the time frame set aside for elective school activities, such 
as civics or ethics. The Catholic Church provides teachers for religion 
classes, and the Government pays their salaries. Some parental groups 
and Co-Prince Bishop Marti reportedly prefer restoring the optional 
religion classes to the time frame set aside for elective activities.
    Foreign missionaries are active and operate without restriction. 
For example, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and 
Jehovah's Witnesses proselytize door to door.
    The Government has not taken any official steps to promote inter-
faith understanding, nor has it sponsored any programs or forums to 
coordinate inter-faith dialog. On occasion the Government has made 
public facilities available to various religious organizations for 
religious activities.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such persons to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Societal attitudes between and among differing religious groups in 
general appear to be amicable and tolerant. The Catholic Church of la 
Massana, for example, lends its sanctuary twice per month to the 
Anglican community, so that visiting Anglican clergy can conduct 
services for the English speaking community. Although those who 
practice religions other than Roman Catholicism tend to be immigrants 
and otherwise not integrated fully into the local community, there 
appears to be little or no obstacle to their practicing their own 
religions.
    There are no significant ecumenical movements or activities to 
promote greater mutual understanding among adherents of different 
religions.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    U.S. officials discuss religious freedom issues with the Government 
in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. Both the U.S. 
Ambassador, resident in Madrid, and the Consul General, resident in 
Barcelona, have met with Bishop Marti, the leader of the Catholic 
community. The Consul General met with the Minister of Education to 
discuss the issue of religious instruction in public schools in March 
2000.
                               __________

                                ARMENIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion; however, the law 
specifies some restrictions on the religious freedom of adherents of 
faiths other than the Armenian Apostolic Church, which has formal legal 
status as the national church.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Most citizens are free to worship as they please, and there is a 
generally amicable relationship among religions in society; however, 
societal attitudes toward minority religions are ambivalent, and 
antipathy toward Muslims remains a serious problem. Although the law 
mandates separation of church and state, most officials are at least 
nominally members of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Proselytizing by 
other religions is prohibited, and other denominations occasionally 
report acts of discrimination, usually by mid-level or lower level 
bureaucrats. Jehovah's Witnesses are not recognized as a registered 
denomination and face bureaucratic and legal obstacles; however, the 
group operates in a fairly open manner, despite periodic harassment.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and its policy of 
promoting human rights, the rule of law, and official transparency and 
accountability in government functions.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion; however, the law 
specifies some restrictions on the religious freedom of adherents of 
faiths other than the Armenian Apostolic Church. The Constitution also 
provides for freedom of conscience, including the right either to 
believe or to adhere to atheism.
    The 1991 Law on Freedom of Conscience, amended in 1997, establishes 
the separation of church and state but grants the Armenian Apostolic 
Church official status as the national church.
    A presidential decree issued in 1993, later superceded by the 1997 
law, supplemented the 1991 law and strengthened the position of the 
Armenian Apostolic Church. The decree enjoins the Council on Religious 
Affairs to investigate the activities of the representatives of 
registered religious organizations and to ban missionaries who engage 
in activities contrary to their status. However, the Council largely 
has been inactive except for registering religious groups, and no 
action was taken against missionaries during the period covered by this 
report. A religious organization that has been refused registration may 
not publish newspapers or magazines, rent meeting places, broadcast 
programs on television or radio, or officially sponsor the visas of 
visitors. No previously registered religious group seeking 
reregistration under the 1997 law has been denied. However, the Council 
still denies registration to Jehovah's Witnesses. Several other 
religious groups are unregistered, specifically the Molokhodny, a 
branch of the ``old Believers,'' and most Yezidis. According to an 
official of the State Council on Religious Affairs, the Yezidis, whose 
congregations are small (numbering in the hundreds), have not sought 
registration.
    Members of faiths other than the Armenian Apostolic Church are 
subject to some government restrictions. In particular, the 1991 law 
forbids ``proselytizing'' (which is undefined in the law) except by the 
Armenian Apostolic Church, and requires all other religious 
denominations and organizations to register with the State Council on 
Religious Affairs. Petitioning organizations must ``be free from 
materialism and of a purely spiritual nature,'' and must subscribe to a 
doctrine based on ``historically recognized holy scriptures.'' To 
qualify, a religious organization must have at least 200 adult members 
(raised in 1997 from the previous figure of 50). The law bans foreign 
funding for foreign-based churches. It also mandates that religious 
organizations other than the Armenian Apostolic Church must seek prior 
permission from the State Council on Religious Affairs to engage in 
religious activities in public places, to travel abroad, or to invite 
foreign guests to the country. As of mid-2000, 50 religious 
organizations, some created by splits in previously registered groups, 
were registered with the State Council on Religious Affairs.
    As a result of extended negotiations between the Government and the 
Armenian Apostolic Church, a memorandum was signed in April 2000 that 
provides for the two sides to negotiate a concordat in time for signing 
by the 1,700th anniversary celebrations of Armenia's conversion to 
Christianity, scheduled to take place in 2001. This document is 
expected to regulate relations between the two bodies, settle disputes 
over ecclesiastical properties and real estate confiscated during 
Soviet times, and define the role of the Armenian Apostolic Church in 
such fields as education, morality, and the media.
Religious Demography
    Armenia is an ethnically homogenous country, with around 95 percent 
of the population classified as ethnic Armenian. Approximately 90 
percent of the population nominally belong to the Armenian Apostolic 
Church, an eastern Christian denomination whose spiritual center is 
located at the cathedral and monastery of Echmiatsin. Religious 
observance was discouraged strongly in Soviet times, leading to a sharp 
decline in the number of active churches and priests, the closure of 
virtually all monasteries, and the nearly total absence of religious 
education. As a result, the level of religious practice is relatively 
low, although many former atheists now identify themselves with the 
national church. For many citizens, Christian identity is an ethnic 
marker, with only a loose connection to religious belief. This 
identification was accentuated by the combat over Nagorno-Karabakh in 
1988-94, when Armenia and Azerbaijan expelled their respective Azeri 
Muslim and Armenian Christian minorities, creating huge refugee 
populations in both countries.
    The death in June 1999, of the Armenian Supreme Catholicos-
Patriarch Garegin I, the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, 
required the election of a new church leader. Catholicos-Patriarch 
Garegin II was elected in October 1999 at Echmiatsin with the 
participation of Armenian delegates from around the world. The belief 
was widespread that his predecessor, although well respected, had been 
imposed by former President Levon Ter-Petrossian; however, the election 
of his successor took place without visible government interference in 
the election process. Some adherents of one of the candidates 
complained that government officials were supporting another candidate; 
however, President Robert Kocharian announced that they were doing so 
as private citizens and that the Government formally took no position 
for or against any candidate.
    In addition to the Armenian Apostolic Church, there are 
comparatively small, but in many cases growing, communities of the 
following faiths: Yezidi (a Kurdish religious/ethnic group whose 
practices include elements derived from Zoroastrianism, Islam, and 
animism), with some 50,000 to 60,000 nominal adherents); Catholic--both 
Roman Catholic and Mekhitarist (Armenian Uniate), with approximately 
180,000; Pentecostal (approximately 25,000); Armenian Evangelical 
Church (approximately 5,000); Greek Orthodox (approximately 6,000); 
Baptist (2,000); Jehovah's Witnesses; charismatic Christian; Seventh-
Day Adventist; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 
(Mormon); Jewish (500 to 1,000); Muslim; Baha'i; Hare Krishna; and 
pagan. Yezidis are concentrated mostly in agricultural areas around 
Mount Aragats, northwest of Yerevan. Catholics and Greek Orthodox are 
concentrated in the northern region, while most Jews, Mormons, and 
Baha'is are located in Yerevan. There is a remnant Muslim Kurdish 
community of a few hundred, many of whose members live in the Abovian 
region; a small group of Muslims of Azeri descent, mostly along the 
eastern or northern borders; and approximately 1,000 Muslims in 
Yerevan, including Kurds, Iranians, and temporary residents from the 
Middle East.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    During the period covered by this report, most registered religious 
groups reported no serious consequences from their activity as a result 
of the laws regarding religion. Although religious personnel require 
prior government permission to travel abroad, there is in practice no 
restriction on travel within the country. Although the law prohibits 
proselytizing, no action has been taken against missionaries; however, 
the State Council on Religious Affairs allows some less established 
groups such as the Mormons to have only a limited number of official 
missionaries present in the country. Such groups also avoid high-
profile events.
    The ban on foreign funding has not been enforced and is considered 
unenforceable by the State Council on Religious Affairs. Members of the 
Council report such limited resources that they can accomplish very 
little apart from annual reregistration of existing groups. No 
registered religious groups have been denied reregistration under the 
amended law. All existing denominations have been reregistered annually 
except the Hare Krishnas, whose numbers by 1998 had dropped below even 
the previous membership threshold of 50.
    The State Council on Religious Affairs continued to deny 
registration to Jehovah's Witnesses during the period covered by this 
report. A regional leader of Jehovah's Witnesses held meetings with the 
Council on Religious Affairs in September 1999, which he described as 
``encouraging,'' but there was no change in the denial of registration. 
The President's Human Rights Commission declined to intervene, 
recommending that Jehovah's Witnesses challenge their denial of 
registration through the courts, as provided by law. Although Jehovah's 
Witnesses officials claimed that they had filed such a legal challenge, 
it had not been heard by the courts by mid-2000. An assembly of 
Jehovah's Witnesses approved slight changes to their charter to meet 
the country's legal requirements (for example, changing a commitment to 
``proselytize'' into one to ``witness'') but cautioned that they could 
not change fundamental articles of faith, for example, opposition to 
military service. Although it had argued previously that the denial was 
because the group was opposed to military service, the Council on 
Religious Affairs stated when it denied a further application in May 
2000 that the group could not be registered because they practice 
``illegal proselytism.'' Discussions between Jehovah's Witnesses and 
the Council were continuing as of mid-2000.
    According to the law, a religious organization that has been 
refused registration may not publish newspapers or magazines, rent 
meeting places, broadcast programs on television or radio, or 
officially sponsor the visas of visitors. Jehovah's Witnesses continue 
to experience difficulty renting meeting places and report that private 
individuals who are willing to rent them facilities frequently are 
visited by police and warned not to do so. Lack of official visa 
sponsorship means that Jehovah's Witnesses visitors must pay for a 
tourist visa. When shipped in bulk, Jehovah's Witnesses publications 
are seized at the border. Although members of the church supposedly are 
allowed to bring in small quantities of printed materials for their own 
use, Jehovah's Witnesses officials reported that mail from one 
congregation to another, which they said was meant for internal 
purposes rather than for proselytizing, was still confiscated by 
overzealous customs officials. Despite these legal obstacles, Jehovah's 
Witnesses continue their missionary work fairly visibly and reported a 
gain in membership during 1999.
    In July 1998, President Kocharian created a human rights 
commission, which has met with many minority organizations. The Law on 
Religion states that the State Council on Religious Affairs is to serve 
as a mediator in conflicts between religious groups. The Council has 
yet to play this role; for example, according to Jehovah's Witnesses 
officials, Council representatives have met with them but have refused 
to intervene in the group's efforts to win registration.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    Police curtailed a Jehovah's Witnesses convention held in September 
1999 at a privately owned, rented facility outside Yerevan and 
attempted to disperse the meeting nonviolently, citing an alleged 
decree by the National Security Council; however, they were unable to 
produce such a decree, and an official of the Council on Religious 
Affairs stated that it had not authorized dispersal of the meeting and 
was not aware of the decree. The police left without dispersing the 
meeting, but shortly thereafter electrical power to the building was 
interrupted. Jehovah's Witnesses ended their meeting prematurely but 
peacefully. No agency admitted responsibility for the power 
interruption.
    In April 2000, police observed, but did not intervene to halt, 
physical assaults on members of Jehovah's Witnesses by local toughs 
(see Section II).
    There are reports that hazing of new conscripts, a problem 
throughout the former Soviet Union, is more severe for Yezidis and 
other minorities. Jehovah's Witnesses are subject to even harsher 
treatment by military and civilian security officials because their 
refusal to serve in the military is seen as a threat to national 
survival.
    As of April 30, 2000, nine members of Jehovah's Witnesses were in 
prison charged with draft evasion or, if forcibly drafted, with 
desertion due to refusal to serve, and nine more were free on 
probation. One more was in detention pending trial, another had been 
released because of illness, and the President had pardoned a third. A 
group estimated by an official of Jehovah's Witnesses as numbering 
approximately 40 reportedly was in hiding from draft officials. 
Alternative nonmilitary service is sometimes available for persons 
willing to act as teachers in remote villages, an option not offered to 
Jehovah's Witnesses. At least one member of Jehovah's Witnesses 
detained for draft evasion during 1999 indicated in writing his 
willingness to perform alternative service. A Jehovah's Witnesses 
official noted that some forms of alternative service would be 
problematic for members of his group, due to it's creed's prohibition 
against participation in some government organs.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners, apart 
from Jehovah's Witnesses who were conscientious objectors.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    The Armenian Apostolic Church is a member of the World Council of 
Churches and, despite doctrinal differences, has friendly official 
relations with many major Christian denominations, including the 
Eastern Orthodox churches, the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican 
Church, and major Protestant churches. Relations between foreign-based 
religious groups and the dominant Armenian Apostolic Church also are 
strengthened through cooperation in assistance projects. Various 
registered Christian humanitarian organizations are working with the 
Armenian Apostolic Church to distribute humanitarian assistance and 
educational religious materials. In connection with the 1700th 
anniversary of Armenian Christianity in September 2001, the office of 
the Catholicos/Patriarch has announced that world religious leaders, 
including Pope John Paul II and the Patriarch of Moscow, will be 
invited to attend the dedication of a new Cathedral of the Armenian 
Apostolic Church in Yerevan.
    Although these activities are contributing to mutual understanding, 
they take place in an undercurrent of competition. After 70 years of 
Soviet rule, the Armenian Apostolic Church has neither the trained 
priests nor the material resources available to fill immediately the 
spiritual void created by the demise of Communist ideology. Newer 
religious organizations are viewed with suspicion, and foreign-based 
denominations feel the need to operate cautiously due to fear of being 
perceived as a threat by the Armenian Apostolic Church. Upon his 
election in October 1999, one of the first actions of Catholicos-
Patriarch Garegin II (formerly Archbishop of Yerevan) was to create a 
department for outreach to other Christian denominations.
    Societal attitudes toward minority religions are ambivalent. Many 
Armenians are not religiously observant, but the link between religion 
and Armenian ethnicity is strong. As a result of the Nagorno-Karabakh 
conflict with Azerbaijan, most of the Muslim population was forced to 
leave the country. Antipathy to Muslims remains a problem, and the few 
Muslims who remain in the country keep a low profile, despite generally 
amicable relations between the Government and Iran. There is no mosque 
that operates formally, although Yerevan's one surviving 18th century 
mosque--newly restored with Iranian funding--is open for prayers on a 
tenuous legal basis.
    There were some instances of societal violence against minority 
religious groups during the period covered by this report. Yezidi 
children on occasion report hazing by teachers and classmates. In April 
2000, Jehovah's Witnesses returning from a religious service in Yerevan 
reported being abused verbally and in some cases assaulted physically 
by local toughs while police observed but did not intervene. There are 
reports of increasingly unfavorable attitudes towards Jehovah's 
Witnesses among ordinary citizens, both because they are seen as 
``unpatriotic'' for refusing military service and because of a 
widespread but unsubstantiated belief that they pay money to persons 
who are extremely poor in exchange for their conversions. The press 
reported a number of complaints lodged by citizens against Jehovah's 
Witnesses for alleged illegal proselytizing. They are the target of 
religious tracts and hostile preaching by some Armenian Apostolic 
Church clerics.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Government is engaged actively in promoting freedom of 
religion. The U.S. Ambassador and embassy officials maintain close 
contact with the Catholicosate at Echmiatsin and with leaders of other 
major religious and ecumenical groups. In September 1999, Embassy 
officials met with the military prosecutor to discuss, among other 
topics, hazing of minority conscripts and the status of Jehovah's 
Witnesses. The Embassy also maintains regular contact with traveling 
regional representatives of foreign-based religious groups like the 
Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses and raises their concerns with 
government officials.
    In Washington, State Department officials from the Bureau of 
Democracy, Human Rights and Labor met with representatives of the 
Armenian government to discuss human rights, including religious 
freedom.
                               __________

                                AUSTRIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There are generally amicable relations among the various religious 
groups. However, there is widespread societal mistrust and 
discrimination against members of some nonrecognized religious groups, 
particularly those referred to as ``sects.'' The installation of a new 
right-of-center coalition government in February 2000 led to increased 
concern among members of minority religions that the atmosphere of 
tolerance in the country was deteriorating.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    The status of religious organizations is governed by the 1874 Law 
on Recognition of Churches and by a January 1998 law that establishes 
the status of ``confessional communities.'' Religious organizations may 
be divided into three different legal categories (listed in descending 
order of status): officially recognized religious societies, religious 
confessional communities, and associations.
    Religious recognition under the 1874 law has wide ranging 
implications, e.g., the authority to participate in the statecollected 
religious taxation program, to engage in religious education, and to 
import religious workers to act as ministers, missionaries, or 
teachers. Under the 1874 law, religious societies have ``public 
corporation'' status. This status permits religious societies to engage 
in a number of public or quasi-public activities that are denied to 
other religious organizations. The Constitution singles out religious 
societies for special recognition. State subsidies for religious 
teachers (at both public and private schools) constitute one of the 
benefits provided to religious societies that is not granted to other 
religious organizations.
    Previously, some nonrecognized religious groups were able to 
organize as legal entities or associations, although this route has not 
been available universally. Some groups even have done so while 
applying for recognition as religious communities under the 1874 law. 
Many such applications for recognition were not handled expeditiously 
by the Ministry of Education and Culture; in some cases, years passed 
before a decision was made.
    Following years of bureaucratic delay and an administrative court 
order instructing the Ministry of Education to render a decision, in 
1997 the Ministry denied the request for recognition of Jehovah's 
Witnesses. Jehovah's Witnesses appealed this decision to the 
Constitutional Court. In a decision issued in March 1998, the 
Constitutional Court voided the Education Ministry's decision on 
Jehovah's Witnesses based on technical grounds and ordered a new 
decision in accordance with the January 1998 law on the Status of 
Confessional Communities. In July 1998, Jehovah's Witnesses received 
the status of a confessional community. According to the January 1998 
law, the group is now subject to a 10-year observation period before 
they are eligible for recognition.
    When the new law on the status of religious confessional 
communities came into effect in January 1998, there were only 12 
recognized religious societies. Although the new law allowed these 12 
religious societies to retain their status, it imposed new criteria on 
other churches that seek to achieve the status, including a 10-year 
observation period between the time of the application and the time it 
is granted.
    The January 1998 law allows nonrecognized religious groups to seek 
official status as ``confessional communities'' without the fiscal and 
educational privileges available to recognized religions. To apply 
groups must have 300 members and submit to the Government their written 
statutes describing the goals, rights, and obligations of members; 
membership regulations; officials; and financing. Groups also must 
submit a written version of their religious doctrine, which must differ 
from that of any existing religion recognized under the 1874 law or 
registered under the new law, for a determination that their basic 
beliefs do not violate public security, public order, health and 
morals, or the rights and freedoms of citizens. The new law also sets 
out additional criteria for eventual recognition according to the 1874 
law, such as a 20-year period of existence (at least 10 of which must 
be as a group organized as a confessional community under the new law) 
and membership equaling at least two one-thousandths of the country's 
population. Many religious groups and independent congregations do not 
meet the 300-member threshold for registration under the new law. Only 
Jehovah's Witnesses currently meet the higher membership requirement 
for recognition under the 1874 law.
    Religious confessional communities, once they are recognized 
officially as such by the Government, have juridical standing, which 
permits them to engage in such activities as purchasing real estate in 
their own names, contracting for goods and services, and other 
activities. The category of religious confessional community did not 
exist prior to the adoption of the 1998 Law on the Status of Religious 
Confessional Communities. A religious organization that seeks to obtain 
this new status is subject to a 6-month waiting period from the time of 
application to the Ministry of Education and Culture. According to the 
Ministry, as of April 1999 only 11 organizations had applied for the 
status of religious confessional community. Of the 11, 9 were granted 
the new status including, for example, Jehovah's Witnesses, Baptists, 
and Seventh-Day Adventists. The Church of Scientology and the Hindu 
Mandir Association withdrew their applications. The Hindu Mandir 
Association reapplied under the name Hindu Religious Community. The 
Ministry rejected the application of the Sahaja Yoga group.
    The nine religious groups that have constituted themselves as 
confessional communities according to the 1998 law are: Jehovah's 
Witnesses, the Baha'i Faith, the Baptists, the Evangelical Alliance, 
the Movement for Religious Renewal, the Pentecostalists, the Seventh-
Day Adventists, the Coptic-Orthodox Church, and the Hindu Religious 
Community.
    After the Education Ministry granted Jehovah's Witnesses the status 
of a confessional community, the group immediately in 1998 requested 
that it be recognized as a religious group under the 1874 law. The 
Education Ministry denied the application on the basis that, as a 
confessional community, Jehovah's Witnesses would need to submit to the 
required 10-year observation period. The group has appealed this 
decision to the Constitutional Court, arguing that a 10-year 
observation period is unconstitutional. A decision is expected in 2000.
    Proponents of the law describe it as an opportunity for religious 
groups to become registered officially as religious organizations, 
providing them with a government ``quality seal.'' However, numerous 
religious groups not recognized by the State, as well as some religious 
law experts dismiss the purported benefits of obtaining status under 
the new law and have complained that the new law's additional criteria 
for recognition under the 1874 law obstruct claims to recognition and 
formalize a second class status for nonrecognized groups. Some experts 
have questioned the new law's constitutionality.
    Religious associations that do not qualify for either religious 
society or confessional community status may apply to become 
associations, under the 1951 Law on Associations. Associations are 
corporations under private law and have many of the same rights as 
confessional communities, including the right to purchase real estate.
    The Government provides subsidies to private schools run by any of 
the 12 officially recognized religions.
Religious Demography
    According to the Ministry of Education and Culture, as of August 
2000, the memberships of the 12 officially recognized religions are as 
follows: Roman Catholic Church--78.14 percent; Lutheran Church 
(Augsburger and Helvetic Confessions)--5 percent; Islamic community--
2.04 percent; Old Catholic Church--0.24 percent; Jewish community--0.09 
percent; Eastern Orthodox (Russian, Greek, Serbian, Romanian, 
Bulgarian)--1.5 percent; Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 
(Mormons)--0.2 percent; New Apostolic Church--0.2 percent; Syrian 
Orthodox Church--under 0.1 percent; Armenian-Apostolic Church--under 
0.1 percent; Methodist Church of Austria--under 0.1 percent; Buddhist 
community--under 0.1 percent. Approximately 2 percent of the population 
belong to nonrecognized ``other faiths,'' while 8.64 percent consider 
themselves atheists. Four percent did not indicate a religious 
affiliation. Only about 17 percent of Roman Catholics actively 
participate in formal religious services. According to the Catholic 
Church, 44,359 Catholics left the Church in 1999, an increase of 14 
percent over the previous year.
    The provinces of Carinthia and Burgenland have somewhat higher 
percentages of Protestants than the national average, as the Counter-
Reformation was less successful in those areas. The number of Muslims 
is higher than the national average in Vienna and the province of 
Vorarlberg, due to the higher share of guestworkers from Turkey in 
these provinces.
    The vast majority of groups termed ``sects'' by the Government are 
small organizations, having under 100 members. Among the larger groups 
are the Church of Scientology, with between 5,000 and 10,000 members, 
and the Unification Church, with approximately 700 adherents throughout 
the country. Other groups found in the country include: Brahma Kumaris, 
Divine Light Mission, Divine Light Center, Eckankar, Hare Krishna, the 
Holosophic community, the Osho movement, Sahaja Yoga, Sai Baba, Sri 
Chinmoy, Transcendental Meditation, Landmark Education, the Center for 
Experimental Society Formation, Fiat Lux, Universal Life, and the 
Family.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Government continued its information campaign against religious 
sects considered potentially harmful to the interests of individuals 
and society. In September 1999, the Ministry for Social Security and 
Generations issued a new edition of a controversial brochure that 
described numerous nonrecognized religious groups in negative terms, 
which many of the groups deemed offensive. This brochure includes 
information on Jehovah's Witnesses, despite its status as a 
confessional community. On April 6, 2000, the new Minster for Social 
Security and Generations, Elisabeth Sickl, a Freedom Party (FPO) 
member, announced plans to support the training of ``specialists'' 
among teachers and youth leaders in order to sensitize them to the 
dangers posed by some nonrecognized religious groups to the young. She 
also pledged to include representatives from provincial governments in 
an interministerial working group to decide on measures to ``protect 
citizens from the damaging influence of sects, cults, and esoteric 
movements.'' These statements were interpreted in some circles as 
evidence that the rightwing Freedom Party's participation in government 
may strengthen efforts to curb the role of nonrecognized religious 
groups. The Federal Office on Sects continues to collect and distribute 
information on organizations considered sects. Under the law, this 
office has independent status, but its head is appointed and supervised 
by the Minister for Social Security and Generations.
    In April 1999, the conservative Austrian People's Party (OeVP) 
convention formally accepted a decision made by the party's executive 
board in 1997 that party membership is incompatible with membership in 
a sect.
    With the installation in February 2000 of a new right-of-center 
coalition government made up of the OeVP and the FPO, there was 
increased concern among members of minority religions that the general 
atmosphere of tolerance in the country is deteriorating. The former 
head of the Freedom Party, Jorg Haider, repeatedly has made statements 
deemed intolerant and anti-Semitic. While he has expressed regret for 
any offense caused by his statements, there is a widespread belief that 
Haider and the Freedom Party have contributed to a climate of 
intolerance.
    There were no reports of complaints by members of the Unification 
Church of discrimination and harassment by the police and the public 
during the period covered by this report.
    Although in the past nonrecognized religious groups have had 
problems obtaining resident permits for foreign religious workers, 
administrative procedures adopted in 1997 have addressed this problem 
in part. The Austrian Evangelical Alliance, the umbrella organization 
for nonrecognized Christian organizations, has reported no significant 
problems in obtaining visas for religious workers. While visas for 
religious workers of recognized religions are not subject to a 
numerical quota, visas for religious workers who are members of 
nonrecognized religions do have a numerical cap; however, this appears 
to be sufficient to meet current demand.
    In October 1999, the Constitutional Court ruled that denying 
prisoners who are members of Jehovah's Witnesses access to pastoral 
care because the organization was not a recognized religious society 
was a violation of the Constitution's provisions on religious freedom. 
The verdict stressed that pastoral care should be available to any 
person of any religious belief. Following this verdict, the Justice 
Ministry issued a decree on February 28, 2000, in which it instructed 
prisons to make pastoral care available to prisoners who are members of 
Jehovah's Witnesses.
    It remains unclear how the Constitutional Court verdict affects 
prisoners of other religious confessions, in particular those who are 
members of neither a recognized religious society nor a confessional 
community. Access of the clergy of nonrecognized religious societies to 
hospitals and the military chaplaincy continue to be an area of 
concern.
    The Government offers funding for religious instruction in public 
schools and churches for children belonging to any of the 12 officially 
recognized religions. A minimum of three children is required to form a 
class. In some cases, officially recognized religions decide that the 
administrative cost of providing religious instruction is too great to 
warrant providing such courses in all schools. Unless students age 14 
and over (or their parents for children under age 14) formally withdraw 
from religious instruction (if offered in their religion) at the 
beginning of the academic year, attendance is mandatory.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations among the 12 officially recognized religious groups are 
generally amicable. Fourteen Christian churches, among them the Roman 
Catholic Church, various Protestant confessions, and eight Orthodox and 
old-oriental churches are engaged in a dialog in the framework of the 
so-called ``Ecumenical Council of Austrian Churches.'' The Baptists and 
the Salvation Army have observer status in the Council. The 
international Catholic organization ``Pro Oriente,'' which promotes a 
dialog with the Orthodox churches, also is active in the country.
    The Austrian Roman Catholic Church traditionally has been active in 
fostering amicable relations and promoting a dialog among the 
Christian, Jewish, and Islamic communities. The international Catholic 
group ``Pax Christi,'' which pursues efforts toward international 
interreligious understanding with projects involving Christianity, 
Islam, Judaism, and Buddhism, has an Austrian chapter.
    There were no reports of violence or vigilante action against 
members of religious minorities. However, there is widespread societal 
mistrust and discrimination against members of some nonrecognized 
religious groups, particularly those considered to be sects. Austrians 
perceive such groups as exploiting the vulnerable for monetary gain, 
recruiting and brainwashing youth, promoting anti-democratic 
ideologies, and denying the legitimacy of government authority. 
Societal discrimination of sects is, at least in part, fostered by the 
Government (see Section I).
    In June 2000, the pastor of the English-speaking United Methodist 
Church of Austria stated that there had been several instances of 
discrimination against the Methodist Church because of the inaccurate 
belief that it was not a recognized religion, and therefore qualified 
as a ``sect.'' Members of the Methodist Church have been denied access 
to prisoners in some jails and have had problems reserving hotels for 
religious retreats.
    A number of recent incidents indicate that sensitivity to 
Scientology in the country remains high. In November 1999 and June 
2000, a U.S. singer experienced harassment by an anti-Scientology group 
at two of his performances. The American previously had supported the 
Church of Scientology at events; however since 1998 he no longer 
publicly has supported the organization. Police authorities fined the 
demonstrators and offered police protection for the singer's next 
appearances. In October 1999, Austrian Telekom, the largest telephone 
company in the country, transferred a computer specialist from a 
sensitive position in an emergency-phone-line coordination office to a 
comparable, nonsensitive position. The company became concerned about 
the employee's access to sensitive information following media reports 
that he was a high-ranking Scientologist.
    The head of the Lutheran Church in Burgenland, Gertrude Knoll, who 
spoke out against intolerance and xenophobia at a February 19, 2000 
political demonstration, was subjected to hate mail and threats against 
herself and her family. A petition also was organized, calling for her 
removal from office. Some citizens, including members of the Burgenland 
Lutheran Church, considered it inappropriate for a church leader to 
speak out on political issues. It was widely assumed, but never proven, 
that FPO supporters were behind the hate campaign.
    The leader of the country's Jewish community reported that persons 
within the community who had taken a stand against racism and 
xenophobia (including himself) had been subjected to verbal and written 
threats. The FPO's repeated remarks concerning National Socialism 
reportedly led some members of the Jewish community to consider leaving 
the country.
    According to the Interior Ministry's 1999 annual report on 
rightwing extremism, there was an increase in the number of complaints 
about anti-Semitic incidents. Compared with 1998, the number of 
complaints increased by 87.5 percent, from 8 to 15.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy follows religious developments and reports on them 
regularly. The Embassy monitors the Government's adherence to 
commitments to religious tolerance and freedom of expression as part of 
its evaluation of the new Government's policies and its efforts to 
encourage the Government to adhere to the commitments to diversity and 
freedom of expression outlined in the preamble of the new Government's 
program.
    The U.S. Ambassador regularly meets with religious and political 
leaders to reinforce the U.S. Government's commitment to religious 
freedom and tolerance. The Ambassador and other members of the Embassy 
have met repeatedly with Ariel Muzicant and Gertrude Knoll regarding 
the threats against them and their concerns about the new Government. 
Following these threats, the Ambassador met with Chancellor Wolfgang 
Schuessel to convey the concerns of the U.S. Government. The Ambassador 
also raised concerns about Minister Sickl's intentions to enhance the 
role of the Office on Sects. The Deputy Chief of Mission and members of 
the political section maintain strong contacts with political leaders 
and members of the various religious communities. The Embassy's Public 
Affairs Office highlights issues involving religious freedom and 
tolerance in the majority of its programs. The Embassy consistently 
urged the Government to respect its commitments to religious freedom 
and discussed the concerns of nongovernmental organizations (NGO's) and 
religious communities regarding the Government's policies towards 
religion.
    The Ambassador regularly hosts events in support of tolerance and 
pluralism. In May 2000, the Ambassador participated in the annual 
commemoration of the victims of the Holocaust at the Matthausen 
concentration camp. In April 2000, the Ambassador hosted an event at 
her residence featuring U.S. Congressman Tom Lantos, who is a Holocaust 
survivor. This event included members of the Government, religious 
leaders, and other opinion makers. It focused on religious and racial 
tolerance, including a screening of a documentary on Holocaust 
survivors. In February 2000, the Ambassador hosted a benefit conference 
to raise money for the renovation of St. Stephen's Cathedral. She 
utilized the event to focus on the issues of ecumenical partnerships to 
combat intolerance. Following a December 1999 unveiling of a statue 
symbolizing tolerance, the Ambassador hosted a reception for government 
officials and representatives from NGO's concerned with minorities, 
tolerance, and issues of genocide prevention.
                               __________

                               AZERBAIJAN

    The Constitution provides that persons of all faiths may choose and 
practice their religion without restrictions, and the Government 
generally respected these rights for most citizens throughout the 
period covered by this report; however, until late in 1999, the 
Government frequently used clauses in the Law on Religious Freedom and 
other laws to restrict religious activity by foreigners and 
nontraditional religious groups, particularly in the fall of 1999, when 
police and security officials disrupted a number of services, detained 
ministers, and ordered foreigners deported. Although the national 
Government generally respects legal provisions for religious freedom in 
practice, the acting Chairman of the Religious Affairs Department and 
some other mid- and lower-level and local government officials 
continued to restrict religious activity by some foreign and local 
nontraditional groups. There were some reports that indicated that in 
Nagorno-Karabakh, a region occupied by Armenian forces and forces of 
the self-styled ``Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh'' (which is not 
recognized by any government but over which the Azerbaijani central 
Government does not exercise control) the Armenian Apostolic Church 
enjoys at least quasi-official status and that the practice of some 
other religious faiths is discouraged.
    There was a marked improvement in the Government's respect for 
religious freedom following President Heydar Aliyev's November 1999 
public announcement of his commitment to religious freedom. The 
national Government subsequently redressed a number of outstanding 
grievances and generally respected religious freedom during the 
remainder of the period covered by this report. Following President 
Aliyev's November 1999 announcement, a number of groups with long-
pending registration applications were registered. However the 
Religious Affairs Department, the government office charged with 
implementing the country's laws on religion, continued to delay 
selectively the registration of a few groups and to intervene 
selectively in the importation of religious literature.
    Societal attitudes toward religion generally continued to be marked 
by tolerance for different religious groups; however, some groups 
continued to voice suspicion of non-traditional faiths, and there is 
widespread popular hostility towards groups that proselytize (largely 
evangelical Christians, but also Muslim missionary groups), and towards 
Muslims who convert to other faiths. Ethnic and territorial conflict 
between Azerbaijanis and Armenians over the Nagorno-Karabakh region 
limits the religious freedom of each in the territory controlled by the 
other.
    The U.S. Government actively encouraged the authorities to address 
violations of religious freedom, particularly after the fall 1999 
crackdown. Embassy officials met with several ministerial level 
officials in an effort to call the Government's attention to violations 
of constitutional standards. A U.S. State Department official from the 
Office of International Religious Freedom visited Baku to discuss the 
problems with religious groups and government officials. In November 
the Ambassador met with President Aliyev to raise the problems and 
deliver letters of concern from U.S. Congressmen. President Aliyev 
responded by ordering his Government to adhere to constitutional 
standards and redress the problems. Following President Aliyev's public 
commitment to observe constitutional standards in November 1999, most 
of the reported problems were addressed. After November, the Embassy 
continued to work with officials to address violations of religious 
freedom, particularly those committed by the Religious Affairs 
Department.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides that persons of all faiths may choose and 
practice their religion without restrictions, and the Government 
generally respected these rights for most citizens throughout the 
period covered by this report; however, until late in 1999, the 
Government frequently used clauses in the Law on Religious Freedom and 
other laws to restrict religious activity by foreigners and 
nontraditional religious groups, particularly in the fall of 1999, when 
police and security officials disrupted a number of services, detained 
and imprisoned ministers, and ordered foreigners deported. Although the 
national Government generally respects legal provisions for religious 
freedom in practice, the acting Chairman of the Religious Affairs 
Department and some other mid- and lower-level and local government 
officials continued to restrict religious activity by some foreign and 
nontraditional groups. Under the Law on Religious Freedom, each person 
has the right to choose and change his or her own religious 
affiliation, including atheism, to join or form the religious group of 
his choice, and to practice his or her religion. The State is expressly 
forbidden from interfering in the religious activities of any 
individual or group; however there are exceptions, including cases 
where the activity of a religious group ``threatens public order and 
stability.'' There were some reports that indicated that the Armenian 
Apostolic Church enjoys at least quasi-official status in Nagorno-
Karabakh, and that the practice of some other religious faiths is 
discouraged.
    There are a number of legal provisions that enable the Government 
to regulate religious activity, including a requirement in the Law on 
Religion that all religious organizations be registered by the 
Government in order to function legally. This is in principle done by 
obtaining approval from the Department of Religious Affairs, which is 
subordinated directly to the Council of Ministers, and then applying 
for formal registration with the Ministry of Justice. Registration, 
which is regarded by many groups as burdensome, enables a religious 
organization to maintain a bank account, legally rent property, and 
generally to act as a legal entity. Lack of registration makes it 
harder, but not impossible, for a religious group to function. 
Unregistered groups continued to operate. Since President Aliyev 
expressed his commitment to religious freedom in November 1999, there 
has been no repetition of earlier reports that participants in 
unregistered groups were subject to arrest, fines, and--in the cases of 
foreigners--deportation. In contrast to the previous situation, there 
were no reports of allegations during the period covered by this report 
that officials responsible for registration took bribes in order to 
facilitate registration. Religious groups are permitted to appeal 
registration denials to the courts. The Law on Religious Freedom also 
subordinates all Islamic religious organizations to the Azerbaijan-
based Spiritual Directorate of Caucasus Muslims.
    Press reports indicate that in the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh 
region, a predominantly ethnic Armenian area over which the authorities 
of the Republic of Azerbaijan have no effective control, the Armenian 
Apostolic Church enjoys a special status. Courses in religion are 
mandatory in Karabakh schools and local officials frequently underline 
their commitment to supporting the oldest Armenian national 
institution. This status also means serious restrictions on the 
activities of other confessions, mostly various Christian sects. The 
highly charged military atmosphere surrounding the region reportedly 
has given rise in particular to hostility toward Jehovah's Witnesses, 
whose beliefs prohibit the bearing of arms.
Religious Demography
    The population is approximately 90 percent Muslim, 3 percent 
Christian, and less than 1 percent Jewish. The rest of the population 
adheres to other faiths or consists of nonbelievers. Among the Muslim 
majority, religious observance is minimal, and Muslim identity tends to 
be more cultural and ethnic than religious. The Muslim population is 
approximately 70 percent Shi'a and 30 percent Sunni, but differences do 
not appear to be sharply defined, and those Shi'a and Sunni Muslims who 
are observant freely intermingle on religious occasions. The vast 
majority of the country's Christians are Russian Orthodox, whose 
identity, like that of the Muslims, tends to be as much cultural and 
ethnic as religious. They are concentrated in the urban areas of Baku 
and Sumgait. Most of the country's Jews belong to one of two groups: 
``Mountain'' Jews--descendents of Jews given religious asylum in the 
northern part of the country more than 2,000 years ago--number about 
18,000; and ``European''
    Jews--descendents of Jews who migrated to Baku during Azerbaijan's 
time as a Russian and Soviet colony--number about 3,000. These four 
groups (Shi'a, Sunni, Russian Orthodox, and Jewish) are considered 
``traditional'' religious groups. There also have been small 
congregations of Evangelical Lutherans, Roman Catholics, Baptists, and 
Baha'is in Baku for over 100 years.
    In the last 10 years, a number of new religious groups that are 
considered ``foreign'' or ``nontraditional'' have begun activity 
throughout the country. These include ``Wahhabist'' Muslims, 
Pentecostals, evangelical Christians, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Hare 
Krishnas. Most observers agree that membership in these groups, while 
growing, is still small and currently estimate the total number of 
adherents for all these groups at fewer than 5,000.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Despite the general prohibition on state interference in the 
religious activities of individuals or groups, there are exceptions. 
These include areas such as registration of religious groups and 
oversight of the import and production of religious literature. The Law 
on Religious Freedom permits the production and dissemination of 
religious literature only with the approval of the Department of 
Religious Affairs and with the agreement of local government 
authorities. Although some mid- and low-level officials express views 
about the need to ``protect traditional Azerbaijani values and mores,'' 
particularly where proselytizing by foreign-based groups is concerned, 
these views contradict President Aliyev's commitment to religious 
freedom.
    In most cases the Government adheres to constitutional provisions 
for religious freedom, however, officials of the Religious Affairs 
Department, the government office charged with implementing the 
country's laws on religion, and local officials acted in some instances 
to restrict religious activity by foreign and nontraditional religious 
groups. A number of religious groups complained that the Religious 
Affairs Department's Acting Chairman, Mustafa Ibrahimov, delayed their 
registration and refused to release religious literature they had 
imported. After long delays and intervention by the President's office, 
several groups, including Jehovah's Witnesses, the Nehemiah, the 
Cathedral of Praise, and the Azerbaijani Baptists, were registered. 
However, several other groups continued to report that they had not 
been registered, despite intervention by the President's office. As of 
mid-2000, Living Stones, New Life, and Baptist congregations from the 
towns of Aliabad, Sumgait, and Neftchala were not registered. In 
addition, a citizen reported that Ibrahimov refused to release 
religious videos that she had imported in February 2000. In March 2000, 
132 pounds of books were confiscated from a Baptist returning home from 
Russia; however, they subsequently were released for entry. Other 
groups, including Baha'i and Jewish groups, reported no problems 
importing religious literature.
    Prior to November 1999, the Department for Religious Affairs used 
the provision of the Law on Foreigners and Stateless Persons that 
prohibits religious ``propaganda'' (i.e., proselytizing) by foreigners, 
to harass foreign missionaries and religious figures. In September 
1999, nine foreigners were arrested and sentenced to deportation under 
this provision. However, in November 1999, the Supreme Court overturned 
these sentences, ruling that they violated constitutional provisions 
for religious freedom.
    Press reports indicated that three religious groups in Baku were 
seeking the return of places of worship seized during the Soviet 
period. These were the city's European (Ashkenazi) synagogue, the 
Lutheran church and a Baptist church. They report that government 
authorities are resisting their return. The Baha'is reportedly are no 
longer seeking the return of their center, now used as a kindergarten.
    There were instances in early 2000 in which groups were harassed 
for disseminating religious materials. Since their registration in 
December 1999, Jehovah's Witnesses have been able to hold large 
gatherings for the first time in 3 years. However, on April 1, 2000, in 
what they regard as an isolated incident, a meeting of Jehovah's 
Witnesses was dispersed by police who claimed that they lacked 
permission from the mayor's office. The manager of the venue has since 
declined to permit them to use it again.
    There were no repetitions during the period covered by this report 
of earlier instances in which government officials or those allied with 
the Government had used veiled anti-Semitic comments against perceived 
opponents for politically motivated reasons.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    Government officials committed a number of abuses prior to November 
1999. In some instances, these abuses appeared to reflect the strong 
popular prejudice against ethnic Azerbaijanis who have converted to 
Christianity and other religions. For example, an ethnic Azerbaijani 
was subjected to administrative fines by local officials in Baku in 
July 1999 for possessing Christian literature, and another ethnic 
Azerbaijani reported that he was arrested, beaten, and imprisoned in 
August 1999 for changing his religious affiliation and becoming a 
member of Jehovah's Witnesses. In August and September, police and 
security officials disrupted services at Baku Baptist, Lutheran, and 
Pentecostal churches on the grounds that these groups (the first two of 
whom were registered legally) were engaged in illegal activity. Several 
congregants were detained and two Azerbaijani pastors Sari Mirzoyev and 
Yahya Mamedov, pastors in the Baku Baptist church, were imprisoned for 
2 weeks. Nine foreigners were tried and ordered deported for engaging 
in ``religious propaganda.''
    In September 1999, at the instigation of a local security official, 
management at a state factory near Baku subjected six employees to 
public humiliation and then fired them because they had become members 
of Jehovah's Witnesses. Following President Aliyev's November 
reaffirmation of religious freedom, the employees were reinstated with 
back pay and the deportation orders against the foreigners were 
overturned. There have been no further reported problems involving 
harassment of religious groups by police or security officials.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.
Improvements in Respect for Religious Freedom
    President Aliyev's public commitment to religious freedom in 
November 1999 led to a significant improvement in the Government's 
respect for religious freedom. Outstanding complaints resulting from 
police harassment of religious services, legal action against Christian 
clerics and foreigners attending religious services, and quasi-
governmental harassment of persons who convert to ``nontraditional'' 
religions were resolved. There were no further reports of such abuses.
    Intervention by the President's office resolved the problems in a 
number of instances, and groups such as Jehovah's Witnesses, the 
Nehemiah, and the Cathedral of Praise were registered, as was the Love 
Baptist Community, whose Pastors Sari Mirzoey and Yahya Mamdeov were 
imprisoned earlier. Nevertheless, the Religious Affairs Department 
continues to delay registration of some new religious groups.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    In recent years, evangelical activity on behalf of religious faiths 
new to the country has weakened the country's earlier tradition of 
religious tolerance that survived many decades of Communist propaganda 
against all religion. This change is particularly apparent in the 
popular concern about conversion of ethnic Azerbaijanis that convert to 
non-Muslim faiths considered alien to Azerbaijani tradition.
    Opposition to proselytizing within the population thus far has been 
limited to verbal criticism, which also occasionally is reflected in 
the media and the speeches of some political figures. For example, 
Islamic Party of Azerbaijan Supreme Council member Muzaffar Jebrailzade 
called on the President in January 2000 to ban foreign missionary 
proselytizing, and Yusuf Cunaydin, the Deputy Chairman of the 
progovernment Motherland Party, on February 16 reportedly said that 
various minority religious groups are carrying out ``sabotage against 
Azerbaijan,'' and urged that the Government create a special ministry 
for national relations and religions. Other speakers at a February 1999 
conference on religious confessions joined in this recommendation. 
Opposition to proselytizing is focused largely against evangelical 
Christian and other ``western'' or nontraditional religious groups, 
although there is also hostility toward ``foreign'' (mostly Iranian and 
``Wahhabist'') Muslim missionary activity, which in part is viewed as 
seeking to spread political Islam and thus a threat to stability and 
civil peace. There are regular reports of prejudice against ethnic 
Azerbaijanis who convert to Christianity. Such persons routinely face 
accusations that they are betraying their ethnic identity.
    Popular hostility between Armenians and Azeris, intensified by the 
unresolved conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, remains intense. In those 
portions of Azerbaijan controlled by ethnic Armenians, all ethnic 
Azerbaijanis have fled and those mosques that have not been destroyed 
are not functioning. Animosity toward the Armenian population elsewhere 
in Azerbaijan forced most Armenians to depart, and all Armenian 
churches, many of which were damaged in ethnic riots that took place 
over a decade ago, remain closed. As a consequence, the estimated 
10,000 to 30,000 Armenians who remain in Azerbaijan are unable to 
attend their traditional places of worship.
    Prominent members of the Jewish community report that there are no 
societal restrictions on their freedom to worship.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Government worked closely with the Government to encourage 
respect for religious freedom throughout the period covered by this 
report. The U.S. Embassy maintained regular contact with a wide variety 
of religious groups. Embassy involvement was particularly heavy in the 
fall, in response to a crackdown on religious activity by government 
officials. When police broke up a Baku Baptist service and detained 60 
congregants on September 5, embassy officials were called by local 
worshippers to meet with detainees, police, and security officials at 
the police station. Throughout the ensuing week, embassy officers 
attended court hearings for two Azerbaijani pastors and eight 
foreigners arrested during the police raid. Other religious groups 
quickly came forward to report similar incidents of harassment, and the 
Embassy carefully followed up each report with those groups and with 
the Government. Over the ensuing months, the Ambassador met with the 
Ministers of Interior, Justice, and National Security, as well as the 
Prosecutor General, to express concerns over this pattern of incidents, 
characterizing them as violations of Organization for Security and 
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) standards of religious freedom as well as 
of the Constitution.
    Throughout fall 1999, the Embassy maintained regular contact with 
responsible government officials and local religious groups to monitor 
the situation and promote a resolution consistent with the 
Constitution's standards of religious freedom. The U.S. State 
Department sent an official from the International Office of Religious 
Freedom in October to express U.S. concern to the Government and to the 
local groups affected. On November 3, 1999, the Ambassador personally 
delivered a letter from several congressmen to President Aliyev 
expressing concern over the incidents. On November 8, President Aliyev 
publicly reiterated his country's full commitment to constitutional and 
OSCE standards of religious freedom, and ordered his government to 
resolve immediately all reported problems. The problems raised by the 
Embassy were addressed fully (see Section I).
    The U.S. Government also worked on a regular basis with religious 
groups and the President's office to resolve problems caused by the 
Religious Affairs Department in the areas of registration of religious 
groups and importation of religious literature (see Section I). That 
cooperation continued throughout the period covered by this report. In 
mid-2000, the Embassy was continuing to work on the delayed 
registrations and the problem of imported religious literature (see 
Section I).
                               __________

                                BELARUS

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion; however, the 
Government restricts this right in practice. President Alexandr 
Lukashenko has pursued a deliberate policy of favoring the Russian 
Orthodox Church as the country's main religion and the Government has 
increased harassment of some nontraditional or minority religions. Some 
of these, including many Protestant denominations, the Belarusian 
Orthodox Autocephalous Church (BOAC), and some eastern religions, 
repeatedly have been denied registration by the Government. Without 
registration, many of these groups find it difficult, if not 
impossible, to rent or purchase property to conduct religious services. 
Despite continued harassment, minority faiths sometimes have been able 
to function if they maintain a low profile.
    The status of the freedom of religion continued to worsen during 
the period covered by this report. The Government continued to enforce 
a 1995 Cabinet of Ministers decree that controls religious workers, in 
an attempt to protect orthodoxy and curtail the growth of evangelical 
religions. Most notably, in March 2000 the Government arrested Catholic 
priest Zbigniew Karoljak, a Polish national who has been ministering in 
the country for 10 years, for alleged violations of visa regulations 
and ordered him to depart the country by May 20. Karoljak departed the 
country in early June, 2000. Some Protestant denominations have been 
threatened with judicial action by the Government for allowing 
foreigners to preach in their churches.
    After over 70 years of Communism, society remains largely secular 
in its orientation. There are, for the most part, amicable relations 
among registered, so-called traditional, religious communities. 
However, societal anti-Semitism persists, and sentiment critical of 
minority faiths is rising. The Government has done little to counter 
the spread of anti-Semitic literature. In May 2000, the Minsk City 
Court refused to hear an appeal brought by Jewish organizations to stop 
the publishing and sale of the book ``War According to Mean Laws,'' 
which, among other anti-Semitic writings, included the ``Protocols of 
the Elders of Zion'' and blamed Jews for societal and economic problems 
in the country. Articles critical of minority faiths also have appeared 
in state-owned newspapers.
    The U.S. Government raised problems of religious freedom with the 
Government in the context of frequent demarches on the overall poor 
human rights situation in the country and in specific cases when 
warranted.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion; however, the 
Government restricts this right in practice. Although Article 16 of the 
1996 amended Constitution, which resulted from an illegal referendum 
used by Lukashenko to broaden his powers, reaffirms the equality of 
religions and denominations before the law, it also contains 
restrictive language that stipulates that cooperation between the State 
and religious organizations ``is regulated with regard for their 
influence on the formation of spiritual, cultural, and country 
traditions of the Belarusian people.''
    Since his election as the country's president in July 1994, 
Lukashenko has pursued a deliberate policy of favoring the Orthodox 
Church as the country's chief religion and harassing other non-Orthodox 
religions. The Government and the President encourage a greater role 
for the Orthodox Church, largely as part of an overall strategy to 
strengthen Slavic unity in the region and promote greater political 
unification between Belarus and Russia. The President grants the 
Orthodox Church special financial advantages that other denominations 
do not enjoy and has declared the preservation and development of 
Orthodox Christianity a ``moral necessity.'' On April 30, 2000, 
Lukashenko said on state radio that ``nobody will disturb our 
Orthodoxy'' and pledged that the State ``will do everything for the 
Church to be a pillar of support for our State in the future.'' In 
December 1999, Lukashenko said that politicians and the Head of State 
bear responsibility for preserving Christian values, for maintaining 
religious peace in society, and for harmonious cooperation between the 
State and the Church. Lukashenko also said that the Church should be 
more active in promoting the unity of Slavic nations because Slavic 
integration is in the interests of both the State and the Church. In 
1998 Lukashenko pledged state assistance to the Orthodox Church and 
stressed that Orthodoxy would remain the ``main religion.''
    The Government's State Committee on Religious and National Affairs 
(SCRNA), which was established in January 1997, appears to categorize 
religions and denominations. Some are viewed as ``traditional,'' 
including Russian Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism, Judaism, and Islam (as 
practiced by a small community of ethnic Tatars with roots in the 
country dating back to the 11th century); some are viewed as 
``nontraditional,'' including some Protestant and other faiths; and 
some are viewed as ``sects,'' including Eastern religions and other 
faiths. The authorities deny permission to register legally at the 
national level to some faiths considered to be nontraditional, and to 
all considered to be sects. The Government states that it denies some 
groups permission to register as religious organizations because their 
activities ``run counter to the Constitution.'' Without official 
registration, religious faiths have great difficulty renting or 
purchasing property in which to establish places of worship, or in 
openly training clergy. Some religious groups that have not been able 
to register have had services or religious meetings, which were being 
conducted peacefully in private homes, disrupted by police.
    While all registered religious organizations enjoy tax-exempt 
status, any government subsidies appear limited principally to the 
Orthodox Church.
Religious Demography
    Seven decades of religious repression under the Soviet regime have 
resulted in a culture that is secular in orientation. According to one 
opinion poll taken during 1998, fewer than half of the population 
believe in God. Nonetheless, between 60 and 80 percent identify for 
cultural or historical reasons with the Russian Orthodox Church. The 
SCRNA indicates that about 80 percent of all believers belong to this 
Church.
    Belarus was designated an Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church 
in 1989, thereby creating the Belarusian Orthodox Church. Patriarchal 
Exarch Filaret celebrated his 20th anniversary as head of the Orthodox 
community on October 24, 1998. Under Filaret's leadership, the number 
of Orthodox parishes scattered throughout the country has grown from 
approximately 787 to 1,081 during the last 5 years.
    During a religious conference held in Minsk on April 22, 1999, 
Filaret stated that the Orthodox Church does not seek the role of 
interconfessional leader or to become a state-run church. However, he 
stressed that the Orthodox Church would cooperate only with religious 
faiths that have ``historical roots'' in the country. Filaret also 
remarked that he was against the ``invasion of those foreign religions 
that corrupt souls.''
    Situated between Poland and Russia, Belarus historically has been 
an area of interaction, as well as competition and conflict, between 
Russian Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism. Between 8 and 20 percent of 
the country's population (the second largest religious grouping) are 
estimated to be either practicing Roman Catholics or to identify 
themselves with the Roman Catholic Church. Cardinal Kazmierz Swiatek, 
Archbishop of the Minsk-Mogilev Archdiocese, heads the approximately 
400 Roman Catholic parishes.
    As a result of its revival during the post-Soviet period, the Roman 
Catholic Church has experienced a shortage of qualified native clergy. 
The Church reportedly has had difficulty sometimes getting permission 
from government authorities to bring in a sufficient number of foreign 
religious workers, mostly from Poland, to make up for the shortage. 
According to the independent media, the Lukashenko Government has 
allowed the Catholic Church to open a seminary and indicated that, in 
light of this development, foreign priests no longer would be allowed 
to work in the country; however, this change may not be enforced at the 
local level, and at least some foreign priests still are allowed to 
work in the country. Bishops must receive permission from the SCRNA 
before transferring a foreign priest to another parish.
    Roman Catholics traditionally have been associated with the 
country's ethnic Polish community, which currently numbers at least 
400,000 persons. Although Roman Catholic parishes can be found 
throughout the country, most Roman Catholics reside in areas located in 
the west, near the border with Poland. Sensitive to the dangers of its 
being viewed as a ``foreign'' church or some kind of political threat, 
Cardinal Swiatek, who himself spent 10 years in a Soviet labor camp, 
has tried to keep the Roman Catholic Church out of the country's 
internal political problems. Although the Cardinal has prohibited the 
display of Polish national symbols in churches and encouraged the use 
of Belarusian, rather than Polish, in church services, the Government 
claimed that some churches in western Belarus continue to conduct 
services in Polish.
    It is estimated that approximately 120,000 citizens were considered 
as ethnic Jews near the end of the Soviet period in 1989. The current 
Jewish population numbers between 60,000 and 80,000. At least half of 
the present Jewish population are estimated to live in or near the 
capital city of Minsk. A majority of the country's Jews are not 
actively religious. Of those who are, most are believed to be either 
Reform or Conservative. There is also a small but active Lubavitch-run 
Orthodox synagogue in Minsk.
    Adherents of Protestant faiths, although representing a relatively 
small percentage of the population, are growing in number. Since 1990 
the number of Protestant congregations, registered and unregistered, 
has increased more than twofold and now totals over 1,000, according to 
state and independent sources. Protestant faiths, although historically 
small in comparison with Orthodoxy, have been active in the country for 
hundreds of years. During the Soviet period, a number of Protestant 
faiths were placed forcibly under the administrative roof of a joint 
Pentecostal-Baptist organization. Currently, the two largest Protestant 
groups fall under separate Pentecostal and Baptist unions. A 
significant number of Protestant churches, including charismatic and 
Pentecostal groups, remain unregistered.
    There are a number of congregations of the Greek Rite Catholic 
Church, which was once the majority religion. The Greek Catholic Church 
was established in the 16th century and once had a membership of 
approximately three-quarters of the population, until it was banned by 
the Russian Government in 1839. An attempt following Belarusian 
independence to revive the Church, which maintains Orthodox rituals but 
recognizes the Pope as its spiritual leader, so far has met with mixed 
success. Its emphasis on the use of the Belarusian language, the 
promotion of which is associated with the opposition Belarusian Popular 
Front, as well as historical tensions between the Greek Catholic and 
Orthodox churches, reportedly has caused the Greek Catholic Church to 
be viewed with suspicion by the Lukashenko Government.
    Other minority religious faiths include, but are not limited to, 
the following: Seventh-Day Adventist; Old Believer; Muslim (the Supreme 
Administration of Muslims, abolished in 1939, was reestablished in 
early 1994); Jehovah's Witnesses; Apostolic Christian; Calvinist; and 
Lutheran.
    The SCRNA claims that 26 religious confessions are registered 
officially. The significance of this figure is uncertain, however. Some 
congregations are registered only on a local basis, which entails only 
limited rights. Only congregations registered nationally are allowed to 
invite foreign religious workers and open new churches.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Government denies some minority religious faiths permission to 
register officially and treats them as sects. In 1998 SCRNA official 
Vyacheslav Savitskiy announced that ``11 destructive religious 
organizations, which have been denied registration after expert 
examination, illegally function in the country.'' In April 1999, a 
conference organized by the Orthodox Church and Lukashenko's National 
Assembly discussed the need to introduce legislation to combat 
``destructive sects'' that operate illegally in the country. More 
recently, the authorities continue to deny repeated attempts by the 
BOAC to register. Following a raid by local police on a private house 
where a prayer service was being held, Ivan Spasyuk, a BOAC priest, 
went on a hunger strike on November 7, 1999 in order to protest the 
authorities' refusal to register his parish in the Grodno region. On 
November 28, 1999, at the urging of his family and parishioners, 
Spasyuk called off the hunger strike. Local courts so far have refused 
to hear appeals made by the BOAC to overturn the Government's decision 
not to register their churches. Because of ongoing registration 
problems, including the inability to register a seminary, the 
Belarusian Orthodox Autocephalous Church is unable to train a 
sufficient number of priests to meet the growing needs of its 
parishioners.
    A number of Protestant faiths confront a situation in which they 
are refused registration because they do not have a legal address, and 
are refused property that could qualify as a legal address because they 
are not registered. The Full Gospel Pentecostal churches regularly are 
refused registration in this way. Article 272 of the Civil Code, which 
states that property may only be used for religious services once it 
has been converted from residential use. However, the authorities 
decline to permit such conversion to unregistered religions. Religious 
groups that can not register often are forced to meet illegally or in 
the homes of individual members. Several charismatic and Pentecostal 
churches have been evicted from property they were renting because they 
were not registered as religious organizations. A number of 
nontraditional Protestant and other faiths have not attempted to 
register because they do not believe that their applications would be 
approved. The publication of religious literature for unregistered 
religions likely would be restricted in practice, especially at state-
controlled publishing houses. However, there were no reports of 
restrictions on the importation of religious literature. Government 
employees are not required to take any kind of religious oath or 
practice elements of a particular faith. However, the practice of a 
faith not viewed to be traditional, especially one not permitted to 
register, could disadvantage possible advancement within the 
bureaucracy or state sector.
    Citizens are not prohibited from proselytizing; however, the 
Government enforces a July 1995 Council of Ministers decree that 
controls religious workers in an attempt to protect Orthodoxy and 
prevent the growth of evangelical religions. A 1997 Council of 
Ministers directive prohibits teaching religion at youth camps. In 
February 1999, the Council of Ministers passed Decree No. 280 which 
expanded upon these earlier regulations. The decree appears to 
stipulate, among other things, that among foreign religious workers, 
only male clergy may engage in religious work upon invitation from a 
religious organization already officially registered, a provision that 
could be invoked to prohibit female religious clergy, such as Catholic 
nuns, from engaging in religious activity. However, this provision has 
not been tested in the courts.
    The Government stepped up its efforts to curb the role of foreign 
clergymen during the period covered by this report. In April 2000, the 
Council of Ministers introduced changes to its regulations, allowing 
internal affairs agencies to expel foreign clergymen from the country 
by not extending their registration or by denying them a temporary stay 
permit. Under the new regulations, these authorities are allowed to 
make decisions on expulsion on their own or based on recommendations 
from religious affairs councils, regional executive committees, or from 
the Religious Affairs Department of the Minsk City Executive Committee. 
Appeals to judicial bodies are not provided for.
    As part of the Government's efforts to curb the influence of 
foreign clergy, on March 18, 2000, two law enforcement officials 
entered the Roman Catholic Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross 
in Brest, during a church service, and arrested Catholic priest 
Zbigniew Karoljak, a Polish citizen, for allegedly violating visa 
regulations and charged that his religious work in the country was 
``illegal.'' Regional government officials publicly have criticized 
Karoljak for his ``undermining'' views. In addition, a court in Brest 
issued warnings to four supporters of Karoljak for staging an 
unauthorized demonstration following the priest's arrest. Karoljak 
departed the country in early June, following warnings from government 
authorities that he would be removed by force if he did not depart the 
country.
    Foreigners generally are prohibited from preaching or heading 
churches, at least with respect to what the Government views as 
nontraditional faiths or sects, which include Protestant groups. 
Foreign missionaries may not engage in religious activities outside the 
institutions that invited them. One-year validity, multiple-entry, 
``spiritual activities'' visas, which are required officially of 
foreign missionaries, can be difficult to get, even for faiths that 
registered with the Government and have a long history in the country. 
Foreign clergy or religious workers who do not register with the 
authorities or who have tried to preach without government approval or 
without an invitation from, and the permission of, a registered 
religious organization, have been expelled from the country. Approval 
often involves a difficult bureaucratic process. According to 
independent media accounts, in February 2000, the Belarusian pastor of 
a Pentecostal church was warned by SCRNA authorities that a public 
sermon was performed in his church by a citizen of Ukraine, in 
violation of the law on religion. The pastor was warned that a future 
violation of the law would lead the SCRNA to request that judicial 
bodies curtail the activities of that church.
    Government officials share societal anti-Semitic attitudes and took 
a number of actions that indicated hostility or insensitivity toward 
the Jewish community. In March 2000, a Minsk court dismissed a 
complaint filed by Jewish organizations against the Orthodox Initiative 
for publishing an anti-Semitic book, ``The War According to Mean Laws'' 
(see Section II). The judge in the case declared that the book 
contained ``scientific information'' and, therefore, was not within the 
jurisdiction of the court. A higher court subsequently upheld the lower 
court ruling. On April 18, 2000, tax inspectors prohibited the central 
synagogue of Minsk from distributing matzoh for Passover among members 
of the Jewish community. The Tax Police informed the synagogue that, in 
order to distribute the matzoh, the synagogue would need to obtain a 
special license, register as a taxpayer, and open a store that would 
meet certain additional requirements, thereby effectively making 
distribution in time for the Passover celebration impossible. In 
December 1999, the Supreme Court rejected an appeal by the World 
Association of Belarusian Jews (WABJ) against the Ministry of Justice's 
refusal to register the association.
    The Government does not require religious instruction in public 
schools. While individuals may speak freely about their religious 
beliefs, the authorities would be likely to prevent, interfere with, or 
punish individuals who proselytize on behalf of a unregistered 
religion.
    Restitution of religious property remained limited during the 
period covered by this report. A key obstacle is the lack of a legal 
basis for restitution of property that was seized during the Soviet era 
and the Nazi occupation. The few returns of property to religious 
communities have been on an individual and inconsistent basis, and 
local government authorities in general are reluctant to cooperate on 
the issue. Over the past several years, the Jewish community has 
lobbied the Government successfully to return several properties in 
Minsk and other cities. However, most properties have not been 
returned. In August 1998, following extensive restoration, the Catholic 
community reconsecrated a church in Pruzhany that had been shut down by 
Soviet authorities following World War II. The consecration ceremony 
was led by the church's former priest who had spent 10 years in prison 
in Siberia during the Soviet period. The Orthodox Church appears to 
have had the most success on the issue of property restitution.
    Officially sanctioned newspaper attacks on minority faiths also are 
rising in frequency. For example, on April 19, 2000, the Narodnaya 
Gazetta, a state-owned and published newspaper, carried an article with 
the headline ``The prospect looms for Belarus to become a Protestant 
republic, or we are incessantly being urged to deny the faith of our 
ancestors.'' The article stated that Protestant groups engage in 
fanatical rituals, including the ritual use of human blood and human 
sacrifice. The article claimed that these same Protestant groups 
threaten Orthodox priests with physical violence and present a threat 
to the country, its psychological health, and its security. The article 
also called on the Government to take steps to protect Orthodoxy. 
Appeals to the SCRNA by Protestant leaders to halt distribution of the 
article were unsuccessful. In a similar article in January 2000, the 
Narodnaya Gazetta criticized the leader of the Belarusian Orthodox 
Autocephalous Church, Ivan Spasyuk, accusing him of criminal activities 
and characterized the church as ``the spiritual followers of Hitler.''
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    In November 1999, local police raided a private house where a BOAC 
congregation was engaged in a prayer service.
    According to eyewitness and media reports, during their March 18, 
2000 arrest of Catholic priest Zbigniew Karoljak, a Polish citizen, for 
allegedly violating visa regulations, two law enforcement officials 
used excessive force. Karoljak's hands were secured behind his back and 
he was not allowed to bow before the altar before leaving the church. 
Karoljak was detained for several hours after his arrest.
    Petro Hushcha, the head of a branch of the Belarusian Orthodox 
Autocephalous Church (BOAC), was originally arrested in 1998 on a 
criminal charge that some believe to have been politically motivated. 
Hushcha has been in hiding since December 1998; his whereabouts are 
unknown.
    There was a continued deterioration in the status of respect for 
religious freedom during the period covered by this report. Restrictive 
regulations, passed by the Council of Ministers in February 1999, which 
govern the activities of foreign clergy and religious workers, remain 
in effect and were implemented routinely.
    Except for the detention, for several hours, of Catholic priest 
Zbigniew Karoljak, there were no reports of religious detainees or 
prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversions of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are, for the most part, amicable relations among registered, 
so-called traditional, religious communities. However sentiment 
critical of minority faiths is rising.
    A number of attacks on Protestant groups, including the beating of 
a Pentecostal minister in Minsk by a group of skinheads in late winter 
of 2000, also have been reported. In August 1999, a mosque in Slonim 
was vandalized, a few days prior to the start of a Tatar youth 
convention to be held at the mosque. There were no reports of arrests 
in the April 1999 arson attack on the synagogue in Minsk or in a number 
of cases of desecration of Jewish cemeteries in 1997 and 1998.
    There have been some instances of vandalism that appeared related 
to societal anti-Semitism. On May 11, 2000, the Minsk city court upheld 
the dismissal by an inferior court of a suit filed by Jewish 
organizations and individuals against the authors and publishers of the 
book ``The War According to Mean Laws.'' The book, published by the 
Orthodox Initiative and distributed in Orthodox bookstores, includes 
the ``Protocols of the Elders of Zion'' and other anti-Semitic articles 
and blames Belarusian Jews for social and economic problems in the 
country. A Minsk district court ruled on March 16, 2000 that the book 
contained ``scientific information'' and dismissed the suit. The Union 
of Belarusian Jewish Associations and Communities and the World 
Association of Belarusian Jews, both of which joined in the suit, 
consider the book anti-Semitic and punishable under the Criminal Code 
for inciting religious and ethnic hatred. There has been a noticeable 
lack of government action in redressing instances of anti-Semitic 
vandalism in previous years. According to the Anti-Defamation League 
and the World Jewish Congress, there are a number of small ultra-
nationalist organizations on the fringes of society, and a number of 
newspapers regularly print anti-Semitic material. One of these 
newspapers, Slavianskaia Gazeta, although distributed locally, 
reportedly was published in Moscow. The State Committee on the Press 
issued an official warning in June 1999 to the local newspaper Lichnost 
for anti-Semitic articles. Anti-Semitic material from Russia also 
circulates widely.
    Many persons in the Jewish community remain concerned that the 
Lukashenko Government's plans to promote greater unity with Russia may 
be accompanied by political appeals to groups in Russia that tolerate 
or promote anti-Semitism. Lukashenko's calls for ``Slavic solidarity'' 
are well received and supported by anti-Semitic, neo-Fascist 
organizations in Russia. For example, the organization, Russian 
National Unity, has an active local branch. Its literature is 
distributed in public places in Minsk. The concept of a ``Greater 
Slavic Union,'' the leadership of which Lukashenko seeks, is a source 
of concern to the Jewish community given the nature of support that it 
engenders.
    There are several areas of pressing human rights concerns related 
to increasing political repression, and most local human rights 
nongovernmental organizations do not focus significant resources on the 
issue of religious freedom.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy has raised problems of religious freedom with the 
Government in the context of frequent demarches on the overall poor 
human rights situation in the country. On April 13, 2000, the 
Ambassador sent a letter to the Governor of the Brest Oblast and the 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs urging a resolution of the conflict 
concerning Catholic priest Karoljak (see Section I), following a 
meeting in Brest by the Ambassador with Karoljak's congregation. 
Representatives of the U.S. Embassy have had frequent contacts with 
leaders and members of religious communities throughout the period 
covered by this report, and have worked with OSCE representatives to 
promote religious freedom.
    In Washington, officials of the Department of State met on a number 
of occasions with representatives of the Government of Belarus to raise 
issues in support of religious freedom and other human rights concerns.
                               __________

                                BELGIUM

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, the 
Government took action against groups that it considers ``harmful 
sects.''
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There are generally amicable relations among the various religious 
communities; however, several religious groups complain of 
discrimination, in particular groups considered by the Government to be 
sects. In September 1999, police raided offices and homes of members of 
the Church of Scientology.
    The U.S. Embassy maintains constant contact with the Government in 
an effort to address problems of religious freedom.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    The law accords ``recognized'' status to Roman Catholicism, 
Protestantism, Judaism, Anglicanism, Islam, and Greek and Russian 
Orthodoxy, and these religions receive subsidies from general 
government revenues. Taxpayers who object to contributing to religious 
subsidies have no recourse. By law, each recognized religion has the 
right to provide teachers at government expense for religious 
instruction in schools, but not all avail themselves of this right. For 
recognized religions, the Government pays the salaries, retirement, and 
lodging costs of ministers and also subsidizes the construction and 
renovation of church buildings. The ecclesiastical administrations of 
recognized religions have legal rights and obligations, and the 
municipality where they are located must pay any debts that they incur.
    The Government applies the following five criteria in deciding 
whether to grant recognition: 1) the religion must have a structure or 
hierarchy; 2) the group must have a sufficient number of members; 3) 
the religion must have been in existence in Belgium for a long period 
of time; 4) the religion must offer a social value to the public; and 
5) the group must abide by the laws of the State and respect public 
order. The five criteria are not listed in decrees or laws. The law 
does not further define ``sufficient,'' ``a long period of time,'' or 
``social value.'' However, as early as 1834 the Court of Cassation 
ruled that no subjective values should be used in determining what 
constitutes a religion. If a religion is not recognized by the Ministry 
of Justice, the decision may be appealed to the State Council.
    The lack of independent recognized status does not prevent 
religious groups from practicing freely.
    The Government also supports the freedom to participate in 
nonconfessional philosophical organizations (laics). Laics serve as a 
seventh recognized ``religious'' group, and their organizing body, the 
Central Council of Non-Religious Philosophical Communities of Belgium, 
receives funds and benefits similar to the six recognized religions. 
According to the Government, the nonconfessional philosophical 
organizations have 350,000 members. However, the laics claim 1.5 
million members, or 15 percent of the population.
    In 1999 the Evangelical Association (a group of evangelical 
Christian organizations) claimed discrimination due to the Government's 
refusal to grant it recognized status separate from the recognized 
Protestant group. Despite the Government's refusal, it is negotiating 
with the group in an effort to ensure that the Evangelical Association 
enjoys the same benefits as recognized religions. The Ministry of 
Justice is assisting in discussions intended to enable the Evangelical 
Association to be involved in the leadership of the recognized 
Protestant group.
Religious Demography
    The population of approximately 10 million is predominantly Roman 
Catholic. Approximately 75% of the population belongs to the Catholic 
Church. The Muslim population numbers approximately 350,000, 90 percent 
of which are Sunni. Protestants number between 90,000 and 100,000. 
Greek and Russian Orthodox churches have about 100,000 adherents. The 
Jewish population is approximately 40,000, and the Anglican Church has 
approximately 21,000 members. In addition to the recognized faiths, the 
largest nonrecognized religions are Jehovah's Witnesses, with 
approximately 27,000 baptized members, the Church of Jesus Christ of 
Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), with approximately 3,000 members, and 
Buddhists, whose population numbers approximately 2,000. Unofficial 
estimates indicate that approximately 10 percent of the population does 
not practice any religion.
    The most recent statistics available from the Catholic Church 
indicate that in 1995, 71 percent of children born in the country were 
baptized in the Catholic Church, 52 percent of all marriages took place 
in the Catholic Church, and funerals for 78 percent of all registered 
deaths were held in the Catholic Church.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    In 1997 a parliamentary commission, established by the Government 
to recommend a policy to deal with the potential dangers that sects may 
represent to society--especially children--issued its report. It 
divided sects into two broadly defined categories. The report 
characterized a sect as an organized group of individuals espousing the 
same doctrine within a religion. The Commission considers sects in this 
sense to be respectable and to reflect the normal exercise of the 
freedom of religion and assembly provided for by fundamental rights. 
Harmful sectarian organizations, the second category, are defined as 
groups having or claiming to have a philosophical or religious purpose 
whose organization or practice involves illegal or injurious 
activities, harms individuals or society, or impairs human dignity. 
When the commission published its report, it attached a list of 189 
sectarian organizations that were mentioned during testimony presented 
to the commission. The list did not characterize any of the groups as 
harmful. Parliament adopted the report's recommendations but did not 
adopt the attached list of sects.
    To implement one of the report's recommendations, in May 1998 
Parliament passed legislation creating a ``Center for Information and 
Advice on Harmful Sectarian Organizations.'' Although the Center is not 
yet fully operational, it has begun to collect open source information 
on a wide range of religious and philosophical groups and to provide 
information and advice to the public regarding the legal rights of 
freedom of association, freedom of privacy, and freedom of religion.
    The Government established a budget for the Center, which was 
scheduled to open in 1999, but has not yet published regulations to 
govern its operations. The Center is expected to become fully 
operational in summer 2000. In April 2000, regulations to govern the 
Center's operations were submitted to Parliament for approval. The 
Center is authorized to propose policy or legislation on the problem of 
sects but is not authorized to provide opinions or assessments of 
individual sectarian organizations. Parliament also passed legislation 
in October 1998 creating an interagency body that is to work in 
conjunction with the Center to coordinate government policy on sects, 
and on May 3, 2000, the Minister of Justice signed a decree to 
establish the interagency body. The names of the members of this body 
are to become public in June 2000. The Minister of Justice is the 
principal coordinator of the Administrative Coordination Cell, which is 
expected to begin functioning when the Center for Information becomes 
fully operational in the summer of 2000. Neither the Government nor 
Parliament has yet taken any action to establish a special police unit 
on sects, but the Government has designated one national magistrate in 
the District Court of First Instance to monitor cases involving sects. 
Both measures were recommendations of the 1997 parliamentary report.
    The law creating the Center also stipulates that the harmful nature 
of a sectarian group is to be evaluated in reference to principles 
contained in the Constitution, orders, laws, decrees, and in 
international human rights instruments ratified by the Government.
    The parliamentary report also recommended that the country's 
community governments sponsor information campaigns to educate the 
public--especially children--regarding the phenomenon of harmful sects. 
In March 1999, the Francophone Community government launched a 
prevention campaign called ``Gurus, Beware!'' The campaign was intended 
to fulfill the commission's recommendation to educate the country's 
youth on the dangers posed by harmful sects. Information for the 
campaign was disseminated through pamphlets, brochures, television, and 
cinema advertisements. On one page, the brochure discussed 20 of the 
groups listed in the 1997 commission report and stated that Belgium 
harbors certain ``dangerous sects.'' In April 1999, one of the groups 
discussed in the brochure, the Anthroposophic Society (based in 
Antwerp), filed suit to halt its distribution. An Antwerp court issued 
an order enjoining the Francophone Community government from further 
distribution of the brochure until all defamatory language referring to 
this group is removed from the text. The Francophone Community agreed 
not to publish any additional brochures. Other sectarian organizations 
placed on the 1997 parliamentary list continue to complain that the 
list is discriminatory.
    In December 1998, Parliament enacted legislation formally charging 
Belgian State Security with the duty to monitor harmful sectarian 
organizations as potential threats to the internal security of the 
country. This legislation uses the same language as the Parliamentary 
commission's report and defines ``harmful sectarian organizations'' as 
any religious or philosophical group that, through its organization or 
practices, engages in activities that are illegal, injurious, or 
harmful to individuals or society.
    Several religious groups complain of incidents of religious 
discrimination. For example, leaders of the Muslim Executive Council 
report that women and girls wearing traditional dress or headscarves in 
some cases face discrimination in employment and school admissions.
    Some courts in Flanders have stipulated, in the context of child 
custody proceedings and as a condition of granting visitation rights, 
that a noncustodial parent who is a member of Jehovah's Witnesses may 
not expose his or her children to the teachings or lifestyle of that 
religious group during visits. These courts have claimed that such 
exposure would be harmful to the child. However, other courts have not 
imposed this restriction.
    The Government permits religious instruction in public schools but 
does not require students to attend religion classes. Public school 
religion teachers are nominated by a committee from their religious 
group and appointed by the Minister of Education. All public schools 
have a teacher for each of the six recognized religions. The Catholic 
Church also maintains a network of private schools at the primary and 
secondary levels. Catholic schools receive government subsidies for 
working expenses and teacher salaries. Children and their parents may 
choose the religious course in which they wish to be enrolled. A 
seventh choice, a nonconfessional course, is available if the child 
does not wish a religious course.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    On September 30, 1999, a 110-officer police force raided offices 
and homes of members of the Church of Scientology. No arrests or 
convictions resulted from this raid. The Government is unwilling to 
provide further statements, as the matter is still under investigation. 
Church members stated that the Government's seizure and retention of 
church computers, materials, and files impede the ability of the Church 
to practice freely. The Church also filed a complaint that the 
Prosecutor's Office provided a statement to the press in violation of 
secrecy laws; the complaint is pending and no action was taken by mid-
2000.
    The Church of Scientology expressed frustration with a lack of 
access and communication with the Government, both before and after the 
September 1999 raids of church property and followers' homes.
    In April 2000, the Belgian Consulate in Los Angeles refused 
missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 
(Mormons) visas to enter Belgium for missionary work. Similar visas had 
been processed for decades without problems. In May 2000, the Ministry 
of Interior instituted temporary procedures to ensure the issuance of 
visas to Mormon missionaries and undertook to establish permanent 
procedures by October 2000.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are amicable relations among the various religious 
communities. At the national level, there is an annual general assembly 
of the National Ecumenical Commission to discuss various religious 
themes. The Catholic Church sponsors working groups at the national 
level to maintain dialog and promote tolerance among all religious 
groups. At the local level, every Catholic diocese has established 
commissions for inter-faith dialog.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy maintains constant contact with the Government in 
an effort to address problems of religious freedom.
    At the October 1999 Organization for Security and Cooperation in 
Europe (OSCE) meeting, Belgium was criticized by the U.S. delegate for 
religious discrimination/intolerance and failure to meet OSCE 
commitments on protecting religious freedom. The U.S. delegate asked 
what steps Belgium would take to ensure that the Government's ``anti-
sect'' organizations do not become vehicles for promoting prejudice and 
stereotypes. In response, the Government stated that it had an open 
dialog with sects, and that this dialog takes place both in public and 
behind closed doors.
    U.S. Embassy representatives discussed the issue of religious 
freedom throughout the period covered by this report with officials 
from the Ministries of Justice, Foreign Affairs, and Interior, as well 
as with Members of Parliament. There is an ongoing dialog between the 
Embassy and the Ministry of Justice at the cabinet level regarding the 
implementation of recommendations of the 1997 parliamentary report on 
sectarian organizations. During the period covered by this report, 
embassy officials also met with representatives of all recognized 
religions (Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, Judaism, Anglicanism, 
Islam, and Greek and Russian Orthodoxy), as well as with groups such as 
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Jehovah's Witnesses, 
and the Church of Scientology.
    The U.S. Embassy and the Government worked in international human 
rights forums to criticize religious rights abuses in other countries. 
Embassy officials met with high-level government officials and actively 
assisted in resolving outstanding complaints of religious 
discrimination.
    In response to a U.S. request, the Government has addressed the 
problem of visas for Mormon missionaries (see Section I.)
                               __________

                         BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and in general 
individuals enjoy this right in predominately mixed and religious-
majority areas. However, the efforts of individuals to worship in areas 
in which they are an ethnic/religious minority were restricted, 
sometimes by societal violence.
    There was a slight improvement in the status of respect for 
religious freedom during the period covered by this report. Decreasing 
support for nationalist parties among the electorate and increasing 
refugee returns are moderating ethnic/religious discrimination in many 
areas, although serious problems remain.
    Religious intolerance in the country is a reflection of ethnic 
intolerance because the identification of ethnicity with religious 
background is so close as to be virtually indistinguishable. As ethnic 
tensions in the country ease, religious tensions ease as well. However, 
incidents of religiously motivated violence continued.
    The U.S. Government has sought to engage leaders from all three 
major religious communities to play a more supportive role in promoting 
a multiethnic society that is conducive to religious freedom. U.S. 
support for full implementation of the Dayton Accords and refugee 
returns is helping to improve tolerance.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and in general, 
individuals enjoy this right in predominately mixed and religious-
majority areas. However, the efforts of individuals to worship in areas 
in which they are an ethnic and religious minority were restricted by 
government and institutional harassment and sometimes by societal 
violence.
    The Constitutions of the State and of both entities provide for 
religious freedom. While the majority of the population of the 
Federation consists of Bosniaks and Croats, neither Islam nor Roman 
Catholicism enjoys special status under the Federation Constitution. In 
the Republika Srpska (RS), although the Constitution provides for 
religious freedom, it also states that ``the Serbian Orthodox Church 
shall be the church of the Serb people and other people of Orthodox 
religion.'' The Constitution also directs the State to ``materially 
support the Orthodox Church.'' However, these provisions are being 
contested before the Constitutional Court in a case that claims that 
special status for any ethnic group is contrary to the European 
Convention on Human Rights, which is incorporated in the Constitution.
Religious Demography
    Because of the close identification of ethnicity with religious 
heritage, it is difficult to distinguish clearly between religious 
freedom and freedom from ethnic discrimination. The three largest 
ethnic groups are identified with three distinct religions, or at least 
religious ancestries. These groups include Bosniaks, who are Muslim or 
of Muslim descent, Croats, who are Roman Catholic or of Roman Catholic 
descent, and Serbs, who are Serbian Orthodox or of Orthodox descent. 
Many individuals are of mixed descent. Many also came of age under 
Tito's socialism when religion was suppressed and identification as 
``Yugoslav'' was encouraged. While no census has been taken in the 
country since 1991, a credible estimate of the ethnic breakdown is that 
46 percent of the population would be considered Bosniak, 14 percent 
Croat, and 31 percent Serb. The remainder of the population includes 
those of Romani, Jewish, and other origin.
    As a legacy of the Communist period of 1945 to 1991 when religion 
was discouraged, the practice of religion is low among all groups. 
However, religious practice reportedly is increasing among the young. 
Religious practice is reportedly highest among Croats in the 
Herzegovina region.
Government Abuses of Religious Freedom
    All three major religious groups and the Jewish community have 
claims to property confiscated from them during World War II, the 
Communist period, or the 1992-95 war. Neither the State nor the entity 
governments have enacted laws clarifying the legal status or ownership 
rights of religious organizations. However, the leaders of the Muslim, 
Roman Catholic, Serbian Orthodox, and Jewish communities are working on 
a law setting out the status of religious organizations, including 
property rights and tax status (see Section II). Municipal and cantonal 
authorities have broad discretion regarding disposition of this 
property. Many use this as a tool of political patronage. This renders 
religious leaders dependent on the whims of nationalist politicians to 
regain lost property. Some international observers believe that a legal 
framework providing equal religious status for all religious 
communities throughout the country would decrease the dependence of 
religious leaders on nationalist politicians from their respective 
communities.
    Prior to mid-1998, car license plates identified vehicles as being 
registered in predominantly Bosniak, Serb, or Croat areas. This 
constituted a major obstacle to freedom of minorities to safely visit 
cemeteries and other religious sites in areas of the country with a 
majority population of a different group. The introduction in June 1998 
of universal license plates significantly improved the ability of 
religious minorities to visit such sites.
    An estimated 1.2 million citizens remained internally displaced 
persons (IDP's) or refugees abroad as a result of the 1992-95 war. 
Virtually all had fled areas where their ethnic/religious community had 
been in the minority or had ended up in the minority as a result of the 
war.
    In certain instances, local officials have blocked the return of 
minority religious leaders by using administrative obstacles.
    Numerous buildings belonging to the Islamic, Serbian Orthodox, and 
Roman Catholic communities were damaged or destroyed during the 1992-
1995 war, usually in deliberate attempts at ethnic intimidation. 
Administrative and financial obstacles to rebuilding religious 
structures impeded the return of minorities in many areas. RS 
authorities have blocked the reconstruction of any of the mosques or 
other Islamic community-owned buildings in Banja Luka and other areas 
destroyed during the war. In June 1999, the Muslim community won a case 
against RS authorities filed with the Human Rights Chamber, a legal 
institution established by the Dayton Accords. The RS Government has 
allowed the Muslim community to block off the sites, but has not yet 
allowed reconstruction to begin on one site near Zvornik. Local 
authorities in the RS also have obstructed attempts to rebuild mosques, 
particularly the symbolically important Ferhadija Central Mosque in 
Banja Luka.
    In August 1998, the municipal government of Prnjavor, in the RS, 
ordered a Bosniak to move his deceased wife's remains from the Muslim 
cemetery to a ``new'' Muslim cemetery. The municipal authorities 
claimed that the Muslim cemetery in which the deceased had been buried 
was closed. At a February 1999 Human Rights Chamber hearing concerning 
the case, evidence indicated that there was in fact no ``new'' Muslim 
cemetery in the area and that no reasonable grounds had existed for 
closing the old Muslim cemetery (nearby Catholic and Orthodox 
cemeteries remained open). In February 2000, the Human Rights Chamber 
determined that the municipal government of Prnjavor had discriminated 
against the Islamic community by closing the cemetery. Prnjavor 
municipal authorities were ordered to allow burials within a month. As 
of mid-2000, Prnjavor authorities had not complied.
    Public schools offer religious education classes. In theory, these 
classes are optional. However, in some areas, children who do not 
choose religion classes are subject to pressure and discrimination from 
peers and teachers. Schools generally do not hire teachers to offer 
religious education classes to students of minority religions. In 
Sarajevo canton schools, except for non-Bosniak schools, only offer 
Islamic religion classes. In Croat-majority West Mostar minority 
students theoretically have the right to take classes in non-Catholic 
religions; however, this option reportedly does not exist in practice. 
Orthodox symbols are present in public schools throughout the RS. For a 
variety of reasons, minority families with children have been slow to 
return to the RS. Consequently, municipalities have not yet been 
compelled to deal with the issue of minority religious education. On 
May 10, 2000, the Education Ministers of both entities and the Deputy 
Federation Education Minister agreed on a standard curriculum, which 
requires all schools to teach the shared cultural heritage of all three 
communities.
    Parties dominated by a single ethnic group remain powerful in the 
country, particularly in Serb and Croat-dominated areas. All these 
parties have identified themselves closely with the religion associated 
with their predominant ethnic group. Many leaders of these parties are 
former Communists who have adopted the characteristics of ethnicity, 
including religion, to strengthen their credibility with voters.
    However, the nationalist lock on power appears to be weakening 
somewhat. The defeat of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) in 
Croatia's January 2000 general elections and February 2000 presidential 
elections is expected to weaken eventually the HDZ hard-liners in 
Herzegovina. In the Federation, the Bosniak-dominated Party of 
Democratic Action (SDA) and the HDZ continue to dominate the Federation 
Government, but a number of municipalities came under the control of 
the multiethnic Social Democratic Party (SDP) as a result of municipal 
elections held on April 8, 2000. The Serb Democratic Party (SDS) 
remained ideologically committed to Serb cultural and religious 
authority in the territory of the RS. The Serb Radical Party (SRS) was 
banned from participation in the April 2000 elections, but retains an 
even more hard-line Serb nationalist philosophy. However, more 
moderate, pro-Dayton parties in the RS significantly improved their 
showing in the municipal elections. The RS Government and the RS 
National Assembly (RSNA) continued to promote the Serbian Orthodox 
Church through the official endorsement of Orthodox symbols in schools 
and government buildings, and prayers led by Serbian Orthodox clergy at 
the opening of RSNA sessions. The religious background of minorities 
generally is ignored.
    Bosniak deputies in the RS Assembly, the entity parliament that 
meets in Banja Luka, have been subjected to harsh rhetoric, and on one 
occasion to physical violence, from Serb colleagues at Assembly 
sessions. At the beginning of every Assembly session, an Orthodox 
priest recites a prayer, which leads Bosniak members to feel obliged to 
excuse themselves. Orthodox priests also deliver a sectarian blessing 
every time a new Assembly is sworn in.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor US. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the refusal to allow such citizens to be returned 
to the United States.
Improvements in Respect for Religious Freedom
    There was a slight improvement in the status of respect for 
religious freedom during the period covered by this report. In April 
2000, RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik shared the stage in the RS 
Government's headquarters in Banja Luka with the newly appointed mufti 
of Banja Luka and three other Muslim clerics. In Mostar religious 
leaders representing all groups except Catholics attended celebrations 
for Muslim, Jewish, and Orthodox holidays. Also in Mostar, the Bosniak 
mayor has committed to providing $10,000 (20,000 deutsche marks) to 
rebuild the home of the resident Orthodox priest, which was destroyed 
in the war. The priest currently lives in Trebinje in the RS. In 
Zvornik, for the first time since the war, the RS Government has 
allowed the Muslim community to begin reconstruction of a destroyed 
mosque. A significant number of citizens remained IDP's or refugees 
abroad as a result of the 1992-95 war. Virtually all had fled areas 
where their ethnic/religious community had been in the minority or had 
ended up in the minority as a result of the war. Both organized and 
spontaneous returns significantly increased during the period covered 
by this report.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Until the 19th century, most Bosnians identified themselves by 
religious affiliation. With the rise of Balkan nationalism in the 19th 
century, Bosnians came to identify themselves in ethnic, as well as 
religious terms. This tendency increased during the Communist era when 
the regime discouraged religious affiliation. Under the Communists, 
most Bosnians identified themselves by ethnic group, or simply as 
``Yugoslavs.'' Since the country's independence, there have continued 
to be Bosnians who decline to accept either ethnic or religious 
identification and consider themselves simply as ``Bosnians.''
    The 1992-1995 war resulted in over 270,000 deaths. While the war 
was not a religious conflict per se, due to the close association of 
ethnicity and religion in the country, bitterness over the war has 
contributed to mutual suspicion among members of all three major 
religious groups.
    Despite the constitutional provisions for religious freedom, a 
degree of discrimination against minorities occurs in virtually all 
parts of the country. Discrimination is significantly worse in the RS 
than in the Federation. Sarajevo, the Bosniak-majority capital of the 
country, has preserved in part its traditional role as a multiethnic 
city. However, instances of discrimination exist in Sarajevo, 
especially in the areas of housing and support for the return of 
minority refugees and displaced persons.
    Throughout the country, religious minorities felt pressure and were 
intimidated by the ethnic/religious majority. In 1999 violent incidents 
continued to hinder worship and cause damage to religious edifices and 
cemeteries. In the first half of 2000, there reportedly were incidents 
of vandalism.
    There were instances of mob violence in the RS aimed at preventing 
Catholics from worshiping. In December 1999, a group of young men 
attacked a group of Catholic priests that was led by Archbishop Vinko 
Cardinal Puljic and was on its way to celebrate Mass in Derventa in the 
western RS. One member of Puljic's party was injured, but the service 
took place as planned. There was no known RS Government involvement in 
the attack. In Bosniak-dominated Zenica, the Catholic school closed 
temporarily in March 2000 after school officials received a bomb 
threat. Though local authorities later discovered that the threat was a 
hoax, Zenica's few remaining Catholics are concerned for their safety. 
On June 25, 2000, an explosive device destroyed a Catholic chapel in 
Zivinice.
    In Croat-dominated areas of Herzegovina, Muslims felt pressure not 
to practice their religion in public and have been the subject of 
violent attacks. In the Croat-dominated western Bosnian town of Glamoc, 
a building housing all local Muslim organizations and the apartment of 
a Muslim cleric was bombed and seriously damaged in April 2000.
    Leaders of the Muslim, Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Jewish 
communities have committed themselves publicly to building a durable 
peace and national reconciliation. The leaders of these four 
communities are members of the Interreligious Affairs Council of Bosnia 
and Herzegovina, which operates with the active involvement of the 
World Conference on Religion and Peace, a U.S.-based nongovernmental 
organization. During the period covered by this report, the council was 
more active than in the previous year. In November 1999, it published, 
without international assistance, a glossary of religious terms 
designed to promote mutual understanding of other religious traditions. 
The council members made several joint appearances together, including 
one in Brcko in October 1999. The council is drafting a law to set out 
the rights and status of religious organizations in regard to the 
Bosnian Government (see Section I). The council members plan to work 
together for the law's passage. The Organization for Security and 
Cooperation in Europe and the Office of the High Representative 
facilitated many inter-faith meetings at the local level as well.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    In addition to its broad and active efforts to foster return, 
democracy, and human rights throughout Bosnia, the U.S. Government has 
sought to engage leaders from all major religious communities to play a 
more supportive role in promoting a multiethnic society that is 
conducive to religious freedom. The U.S. Government has provided 
financial support to the Human Rights Chamber, which has heard cases on 
religious discrimination (see Section II). The Ambassador has met with 
the principal religious leaders, individually and collectively, to urge 
them to work toward moderation and multiethnicity. The U.S. Agency for 
International Development has funded training for lawyers and judges 
concerning the European Convention on Human Rights, which provides for 
religious freedom, and to which the parties to the Dayton Accords 
agreed to adhere.
                               __________

                                BULGARIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion; however, the 
Government restricts this right in practice for some non-Orthodox 
religious groups. This restriction is manifested primarily in a 
registration process that is selective, slow, and nontransparent. The 
Government prohibits the public practice of religion by groups that are 
not registered.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Public opinion and periodic media articles continued to suggest a 
somewhat hostile and alarmist attitude toward nontraditional religious 
groups, although less frequently than in earlier years. Periodic 
episodes of government harassment of nontraditional religious groups 
continue to occur on an occasional basis, especially at the local and 
regional levels. The legislature considered several versions of a draft 
law on religion that caused concern among some religious and human 
rights groups, because of its potential to give the Government an 
intrusive and controlling role in the affairs of religious 
denominations. The final bill has not been voted on yet.
    The U.S. Government has raised the issue of religious freedom 
repeatedly in contacts with government officials and Members of 
Parliament. The Ambassador and other embassy officers periodically have 
urged the Government to expedite registration of church groups, and on 
numerous occasions have pointed out problems with several aspects of 
the proposed law on religion under discussion in the Parliament.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion; however, the 
Government restricts this right in practice for some non-Orthodox 
religious groups. This restriction is manifested primarily in a 
registration process that is selective, slow, and nontransparent. The 
Government prohibits the public practice of religion by groups that are 
not registered.
    The legal requirement that groups whose activities have a religious 
element register with the Council of Ministers remained an obstacle to 
the activity of some religious groups, such as the Unification Church 
and the Church of the Nazarene (which has tried repeatedly to register 
for over 5 years), prior to or in the absence of registration. 
Furthermore several municipal governments established local 
registration requirements for religious groups, despite the lack of 
clear legal authority to do so. In some cases, local authorities used 
the lack of registration as a pretext for interference against some 
groups and employed arbitrary harassment tactics against others. During 
the period covered by this report, the ability of a few religious 
groups to conduct services or to spread their religious message freely 
came under occasional attack, both as a result of action by local 
government authorities and because of public intolerance. Although 
fewer instances were reported than in earlier years, sporadic reports 
of this nature persist.
    The Constitution designates Eastern Orthodox Christianity as the 
``traditional'' religion. The Government provides financial support for 
the Eastern Orthodox Church, as well as several other religious 
communities perceived as holding historic places in society, such as 
the Muslim, Roman Catholic, and Jewish faiths. These groups generally 
benefit from a relatively high degree of governmental and societal 
tolerance.
Religious Demography
    Official census statistics indicate that approximately 86 percent 
of citizens are Orthodox, 13 percent are Muslim, 1 percent is Catholic, 
and most of the remainder belong to a variety of Protestant religions. 
The country's Jewish community, with only a few thousand persons, 
constitutes less than 1 percent of the population and generally is well 
accepted and integrated into society. Some observers believe that this 
census gives disproportionate strength to the Orthodox Church, in part 
because reportedly many essentially nonreligious or anti-religious 
persons were listed as Orthodox by default. Muslim leaders claim that 
their adherents constitute as much as 20 percent of the population.
    Some religious minorities are concentrated geographically. The 
Rhodope Mountains (along the country's southern border with Greece) are 
home to many Muslims, including ethnic Turks, Roma, and Pomaks (Slavic 
Bulgarians who converted to Islam centuries ago under Ottoman rule). At 
the western extreme of the Rhodopes, there are greater numbers of 
Pomaks, and on the eastern end, more ethnic Turks. Muslim ethnic Turks 
and Roma also live in large numbers in the northeast of the country, 
primarily in and around the cities of Shumen and Razgrad, as well as 
along the Black Sea coast. There are comparatively large numbers of 
Roman Catholics in Plovdiv, Assenovgrad, and in cities along the Danube 
River, as well as eastern rite Catholic communities in Sofia and 
Smolyan. Many members of the country's small Jewish community live in 
Sofia, Ruse, and along the Black Sea coast. However, Protestant groups 
are dispersed more widely throughout the country.
    Although no exact data are available on attendance levels, most 
observers agree that evangelical Protestants tend to participate in 
religious services more frequently than other religious groups. Members 
of the country's Catholic community also are regarded as more likely 
than members of other faiths to regularly attend religious services.
    For most registered religious groups there were no restrictions on 
attendance at religious services or on private religious instruction. A 
school for imams, a Muslim cultural center, university theological 
faculties, and religious primary schools operated freely. Bibles and 
other religious materials in the Bulgarian language were imported 
freely and printed on most occasions, and Muslim, Catholic, and Jewish 
publications were published regularly.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    There were several incidents of harassment of Mormons and Jehovah's 
Witnesses by police and local authorities. For example, in July 1999, 
police in Stara Zagora interrupted a Mormon church service, demanded 
that worshippers produce their identity documents, and recorded the 
names and identification numbers of everyone present. They also 
required that church leaders present registration papers and a contract 
for the use of the building, which the church representatives did not 
have with them. The police alleged that the Mormon church was not 
registered properly with the city authorities.
    On July 15, 1999, a member of Jehovah's Witnesses was required to 
pay approximately $250 (500 leva) because of his participation in a 
June 1998 Bible study meeting in Plovdiv, which was deemed unlawful 
because Jehovah's Witnesses was an unregistered denomination. Jehovah's 
Witnesses alleges that the accused man and his lawyer were not present 
for the hearing at which the fine was imposed because the venue was 
changed without notice, and they therefore arrived 5 minutes late for 
the proceedings. Two other members of Jehovah's Witnesses who have been 
ordered to pay approximately $250 (500 leva) fines for similar offenses 
still await a final determination on their cases.
    In December 1999, police in Pernik interrupted a meeting of 
Jehovah's Witnesses. The police examined and recorded the identity 
documents of those present, and warned that such meetings should not be 
held in the future. The group was cited for violation of a city 
ordinance.
    In April 2000, several Mormon missionaries in Plovdiv were 
challenged by police while distributing literature and were required to 
go to the police station. They were charged with distributing brochures 
without a license.
    In April 2000, a member of Jehovah's Witnesses was refused entry 
into the country by border police, reportedly on the grounds that she 
had been deported from the country in 1997 for practicing her then-
unregistered faith.
    A number of religious groups have complained that foreign-national 
missionaries and religious leaders experience difficulties in obtaining 
and renewing residence visas in the country; the issuance of residence 
visas appears to be subject to the whim of individual authorities.
    The Ministry of Education initiated a course on religion in the 
high school curriculum beginning with the 1998/1999 school year. The 
original plan called for a world religion course that avoided endorsing 
any particular faith; however, members of other religions, especially 
ethnic Turkish Muslims, maintain that the Bulgarian Orthodox Church 
receives privileged coverage in the textbooks. The religion course is 
optional and is not available at all schools. The Ministry of Education 
has cooperated with the chief mufti to initiate a pilot program of 
optional Islamic education classes in primary schools. If the pilot 
program is successful, the program purportedly would be made more 
broadly available in the school system.
    At the Department of Theology of Sofia University all students are 
required to present an Orthodox Church baptismal certificate, and 
married students must present an Orthodox marriage certificate, in 
order to enroll in the Department's classes. These requirements make it 
impossible for non-Orthodox students to enroll in the Department.
    The Government has committed to eliminating its military 
construction and transportation battalions, and has begun the phaseout 
process, which is expected to take 2 more years. Turkish and Roma 
minorities, who predominantly are Muslim, traditionally have been 
conscripted into these special work battalions, rather than being 
assigned to regular military units, to fulfill their mandatory military 
service requirements. Despite the phaseout of these units, the 
underlying discrimination issue remains unresolved. Ethnic and 
religious minorities continue to be conscripted into forced labor in 
military work units, while simultaneously remaining essentially barred 
from the professional military officer corps.
    In March 1999, a schoolteacher in Gabrovo who is a member of a 
Pentecostal church resigned from her job. She claimed that she was 
intimidated into resigning as a result of her religious beliefs. She 
has filed two lawsuits, one for violation of contract and a second for 
libel. She received a favorable ruling on the first case, and the 
second remains pending.
    There were no indications that the Government discriminated against 
members of any religious group in making restitution to previous owners 
of properties that were nationalized during the Communist regime. The 
Government has supported in principle the need for restitution, 
although actual progress apparently has stalled on two lucrative 
commercial properties believed to belong rightfully to the Jewish 
community. The Orthodox Church and the Muslim community each claim 
significant numbers of properties currently held by the Government, 
although the validity of some of these claims may be open to dispute.
    The Government refused to recognize an alternative Patriarch 
elected by supporters in 1996, and the schism that opened in the 
Orthodox Church in 1992 continued, despite the death of this 
alternative Patriarch in April 1999. The Government nevertheless 
encouraged the feuding factions to heal their prolonged rift. To date, 
these efforts have not been successful.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    In March 2000, two members of Jehovah's Witnesses in Turgovishte 
were detained briefly by police and charged with disruption of public 
order under a city ordinance because of their public proselytizing.
    The National Assembly passed a law on alternatives to military 
service in October 1998, which entered into force on January 1, 1999. 
Under this new law, alternative service is now 2 years, more than twice 
as long as military service. (Conscripted military service has been 
reduced to 9 months for most recruits, while university graduates are 
to serve just 6 months.) Reportedly, several individuals currently are 
serving in an alternative civilian capacity in lieu of military 
service, although human rights observers complain that procedures for 
invoking this alternative as a conscientious objector are unclear. 
Among those already performing alternate service is Krassimir Savov, a 
member of Jehovah's Witnesses previously imprisoned for refusing 
mandatory military service, who was released from prison by 
presidential pardon in March 1999. There were no new reports of 
incarcerations on religious grounds during the period covered by this 
report.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report. The Government generally has 
encouraged greater religious tolerance since early 1998 by generally 
seeking to promote greater understanding among different faiths. 
However, while the observance of religious freedom has improved for 
some nontraditional groups, other groups have faced official disfavor 
and been disadvantaged by the Government's persistent refusal to grant 
registration. Other church groups have obtained registration from the 
national Government, but continue to face some discrimination and 
antipathy from many local governments. The national Government has not 
sought to dissuade local governments from abiding by these municipal 
government decisions, which appear to fall into a gray area of the law. 
Burgas, Plovdiv, and Stara Zagora are among the municipalities that 
have prompted the greatest number of complaints of harassment of 
nontraditional religious groups. Some observers note with concern a 
tendency by certain municipalities to enact regulations that may be 
used to limit religious freedom if a perceived need arises. For 
example, a regulation passed by Sofia municipality in February 1999 
forbids references to miracles and healing during religious services, a 
provision that many fear may be employed as a pretext to ban or 
interrupt services by charismatic evangelical groups. The regulation 
cites a Communist-era law dating from 1949, which is technically still 
in effect, and which forbids foreigners from proselytizing and 
administering religious services in the country. Other municipalities 
have enacted similar regulations. The 1949 law also has been criticized 
in its own right as an outmoded potential impediment to free religious 
activity. However, despite the law's continued technical validity, 
foreign missionaries can and do receive permission to proselytize in 
the country.
    A new law on religion currently is being developed in Parliament. 
Several variations have been introduced and are under discussion by 
parliamentarians. As written, the bills that have been put forward 
contain a number of provisions that potentially could infringe on 
religious freedom, and tend to grant the central Government a 
controlling role in overseeing religious groups. However, there are 
indications that some of these problems may be mitigated through the 
consultation process during which the final draft language is prepared 
(see Section III).
Forced Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between religious communities generally were good; 
however, discrimination, harassment, and general public intolerance of 
nontraditional religious minorities (primarily newer evangelical 
Protestant groups) remained an intermittent problem. Strongly held 
suspicion of evangelical denominations among the Orthodox populace is 
widespread and pervasive across the political spectrum and has resulted 
in discrimination. Often cloaked in a veneer of ``patriotism,'' 
intolerance of the religious beliefs of others is extremely common. 
Such mainstream public pressure for the containment of ``foreign 
religious sects'' inevitably influences policymakers. Nevertheless, 
human rights observers agreed that such discrimination has lessened 
somewhat over the last 2 years as society has appeared to become more 
accepting of a least some previously unfamiliar religions.
    Certain religions, including both groups denied registration and 
those officially registered, such as Jehovah's Witnesses, faced 
discriminatory practices prior to registration in late 1998, as did 
other groups, which, despite full compliance with the law, were greeted 
with hostility by the press, segments of the public, and certain 
government officials. However, this problem continued during the period 
covered by this report, and is more pervasive, affecting more than just 
one group.
    In August 1999, the Mormon Church in Burgas suffered vandalism when 
stones were thrown through two of the church windows. In October 1999, 
in Kotel a group of youths who claimed to be activists of the Internal 
Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO) political party chased a 
representative of the Lutheran Church and his family from the home in 
which there were staying. In December 1999, the Zion Christian Church 
in Stara Zagora was vandalized with hate graffiti.
    Non-Orthodox religious groups continued to be affected adversely by 
periodic negative media coverage. A variety of media outlets drew lurid 
and inaccurate pictures of the activities of NonOrthodox religious 
groups. For example, the Open Bible Fellowship church was accused of 
being financed by drug and gun smuggling profits. Members of the press 
commonly accuse nontraditional religious groups of promoting suicide, 
drug use, and the breakup of families.
    In May 2000, in Maritsa volunteer workers representing the 
Christian Unity Foundation were beaten, one severely, when they 
attempted to conduct a scheduled screening of a documentarystyle film 
on the life of Jesus Christ. The film itself was stolen from their car. 
The attack was carried out by six to eight youths, under the apparent 
direction of a local Bulgarian Orthodox priest.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy regularly monitors religious freedom in ongoing 
contacts with government officials, clergy, lay leaders of minority 
communities, and nongovernmental organizations (NGO's). Embassy 
officers have met with Orthodox clergy from both sides of the schism, 
with the chief mufti of the Muslim community, with religious and lay 
leaders of the Jewish community, as well as with the leaders of 
numerous Protestant denominations. During the period covered by this 
report, the Embassy was particularly active in engaging the Government 
on its proposed new law on religion, which remains pending in the 
Parliament (see Section I). The Ambassador, embassy officers, and a 
visiting State Department official from the Office of International 
Religious Freedom met with a diverse cross-section of relevant 
government officials and Members of Parliament to advocate a liberal 
approach to religious freedom under the new law. Embassy officers have 
maintained close contact with human rights and religious groups to 
remain attuned to their concerns about the proposed law. The U.S. 
Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe 
(OSCE) also raised the issue of a liberal approach to religious freedom 
under the new law with Bulgaria's OSCE ambassador.
                               __________

                                 CANADA

    The Charter of Rights and Freedoms provides for freedom of 
religion, and the Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among the religions in society contribute to the free practice of 
religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Charter of Rights and Freedoms provides for freedom of 
religion, and the Government respects this right in practice.
    Religious groups do not have to register with the Government.
Religious Demography
    There is no state or dominant religion; however, 82.1 percent of 
the population belong to Christian denominations, with Roman Catholics 
(45.2 percent) forming the largest single group. Other Catholic groups 
include Eastern Orthodox (1.4 percent) and Ukrainian Catholics (0.5 
percent). Protestants constitute 36.4 percent of the population, 
consisting of the United Church (11.5 percent), Anglicans (8.1 
percent), Presbyterians (2.4 percent), Lutherans (2.4 percent), 
Baptists (2.5 percent), Pentecostals (1.6 percent), and other 
Protestant denominations (7.9 percent). Members of other religions 
include Jews (1.2 percent), Muslims (0.9 percent), Buddhists (0.6 
percent), Hindus (0.6 percent), Sikhs (0.5 percent), groups such as 
Scientology, Kabalarianism, and Rastafarianism (0.1 percent), and other 
religions (0.1 percent). Those professing no religion constitute 12.5 
percent of the population.
    A wide range of religious faiths practice missionary activity 
throughout the country without special legal restrictions.
    The Constitution and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms protect the 
rights or privileges possessed by denominational schools at the time of 
national union in 1867. In practice this protection has meant that some 
provinces have funded and continue to fund Catholic school education, 
and some provinces (such as Quebec) have funded some Protestant 
education. In March 1999, the government-mandated Proulx task force 
submitted its report to Quebec's National Assembly. Its 14 
recommendations include abolishing Catholic and Protestant status for 
public schools and creating secular public schools instead, with 
religions studied from a cultural perspective. School boards are 
scheduled to respond to the Quebec government by July 1, 2001.
    In July 1999, a one-person Board of Inquiry ruled that it was 
discriminatory to require recitation of the Lord's Prayer in Saskatoon 
public schools. Saskatchewan joined Canada under the terms of the 
Saskatchewan Act, which forms part of the provincial constitution, 
permitting prayer and Bible readings. As a result of the ruling, the 
Lord's Prayer is not recited in Saskatoon public schools. The Saskatoon 
school board began public hearings on the issue in the fall of 1999, 
and is attempting to find alternatives to satisfy both sides.
    There is no official government council for inter-faith dialog, but 
the Government provides funding for individual ecumenical projects on a 
case-by-case basis.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    In general amicable relations exist between the various religious 
communities.
    The B'nai Brith Canada League for Human Rights received 267 reports 
of anti-Semitic incidents in 1999. This represented an increase of 11 
percent from the 240 incidents reported in 1998. At mid-2000, the Human 
Rights Tribunal, a government entity, was examining whether a specific 
web site exposed Jews to hatred or contempt on the basis of their race, 
religion, or ethnic origin. The Tribunal is expected to hear the case 
in October 2000.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                                CROATIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of conscience and religion 
and free public profession of religious conviction, and the Government 
respects these rights in practice.
    The overall situation for religious freedom improved somewhat 
during the period covered by this report, with representatives of 
various religious communities pointing to the election of a democratic 
coalition government in January 2000 as the first positive step towards 
a fuller respect for religious freedom. Officials of the new Government 
expressed a commitment to eliminating discrimination and to improving 
respect for human rights; however, the Government's approach thus far 
has been ad hoc, addressing problems as they arise and resolving issues 
with individual religious communities rather than setting uniform non-
discriminatory standards and practices for all communities.
    Notions of religion and ethnicity are closely intertwined in 
society. During the past 10 years religious institutions of all faiths 
have been targets of violence, reflecting the conflicts underway. Such 
incidents still occur, particularly in the Danubian region (eastern 
Slavonia), where there were persistent reports of vandalism directed 
against Serb Orthodox buildings and cemeteries.
    The U.S. Government continues to encourage the Government to 
respect religious freedom in practice. The Secretary of State met with 
Catholic Archbishop Bozanic in February 2000. Embassy officials 
frequently meet with representatives of religious and ethnic minority 
communities and with government officials to promote respect for 
religious freedom and protection of human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of conscience and religion 
and free public profession of religious conviction, and the Government 
respects these rights in practice.
    While there is no official state religion, the Roman Catholic 
Church receives state financing to support pensions for priests and 
nuns through the government-managed pension and health funds. Other 
religious communities still do not have such an agreement with the 
State, nor is there a law that regulates these issues. (Orthodox 
priests and imams have been paying their contributions to the health 
and pension funds from their own resources, in order to be covered by a 
pension plan.) In the past, the dividing line between the Catholic 
Church and the State often was blurred, as the then-ruling HDZ party 
periodically attempted to identify itself more closely with the 
Catholic Church. However, parliamentary elections in January 2000 
brought to power a democratic Government committed to respect human 
rights and to improve cooperation with all religious communities. Since 
Archbishop Josip Bozanic took office in 1997, the Catholic Church has 
sought an independent role for itself and was at times openly critical 
of the previous government. In November 1999, the Croatian Catholic 
Bishops' Conference refused to endorse the HDZ party in the January 
2000 elections, calling on the faithful to vote freely and to overcome 
the ``old, intolerant one-party mentality.''
    Representatives of several religious communities state that the 
overall situation has improved somewhat during the reporting period. 
The election of a democratic government in January 2000 is a positive 
step toward greater respect for religious freedom. While the new 
Government has expressed interest in eliminating religious 
discrimination, its approach is ad hoc, treating problems as they arise 
and addressing specific issues (for example, the validity of religious 
marriage ceremonies) with individual religious communities rather than 
setting uniform non-discriminatory standards and practices. No law on 
religious communities has been adopted as yet by the new Government to 
set general and uniform standards for all religious communities, 
although several religious leaders expressed hope that one would be 
passed soon.
Religious Demography
    The religious breakdown of the country is approximately: Roman 
Catholic, 85 percent; Orthodox Christian, 6 percent; Muslim, 1 percent; 
Jewish, less than 1 percent; other, 4 percent; atheist, 2 percent. 
(These numbers are approximate because no national census has been 
conducted since 1991, before the recent conflict and its associated 
population shifts.) These statistics correlate closely with the 
country's ethnic makeup. The Orthodox can be found in Serb areas, 
notably cities and the war-affected regions, and other minority 
religions can be found mostly in urban areas. Most immigrants are Roman 
Catholic ethnic Croats. Protestants from a number of denominations and 
foreign clergy and missionaries actively practice and proselytize.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    No formal restrictions are imposed on religious groups, and all 
religious communities are free to conduct public services and to open 
and run social and charitable institutions.
    Facilitating the return of refugees is a challenge for the new 
Government, which has made progress in a number of areas relating to 
returns. However, many ethnic Serbs who wish to return to Croatia, 
including Serbian Orthodox clergy, continued to encounter difficulties 
in obtaining citizenship and travel documents. There were no reports of 
specific discrimination against Orthodox clergy beyond that faced by 
other ethnic Serb citizen refugees. However, religion and ethnicity are 
so closely intertwined in the country that it is difficult to 
distinguish between ethnic discrimination and religious discrimination 
against Serbs, who are Orthodox Christians, and against Muslims. A 
pattern of often open and severe discrimination continues against 
ethnic Serbs, and, at times, other minorities in a wide number of 
areas, including the administration of justice, employment, housing, 
and freedom of movement. The then-HDZ party government often maintained 
a double standard of treatment based on ethnicity. Although in recent 
years the Government had discriminated against a particular group of 
Muslims in the issuance of citizenship documents, the Government began 
recognizing their citizenship in autumn 1999. In the area of Topusko, 
most cases have been resolved of the approximately 2,500 Muslims who 
for several years were unable to obtain citizenship because their 
period of residency was interrupted by the military conflict.
    Protestants and foreign clergy actively practice and proselytize, 
as do representatives of Eastern religions. Missionaries from a number 
of different groups are present in the country, including the Church of 
Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), Jehovah's Witnesses, 
Greek-Catholics, Pentecostals, Hare Krishnas, and a wide range of 
evangelical Protestant Christians (including Baptists, Seventh-Day 
Adventists, Church of Christ, and various nondenominational 
organizations, such as the Campus Crusades for Christ).
    The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints reported 
difficulties in obtaining missionary visas. It reported receiving only 
about 30 visas of a requested 50, resulting in several of its 
missionaries being obliged to work on a series of 90-day tourist visas. 
However, Baptist missionaries reported that their longstanding 
difficulties in obtaining missionary visas were resolved, in part due 
to pressure from the international community on the previous 
government, and they obtained the visas in fall 1999.
    The Government requires that religious training be provided in 
schools, although attendance is optional. Schools filling the necessary 
quota of seven minority students per class offered separate religion 
classes for these students. In classes not meeting this quota, minority 
students could fulfill the religion requirement by bringing a 
certificate that they had received classes from their religious 
community. Generally, the lack of resources, minority students, and 
qualified teachers impeded catechism in minority faiths, and the 
Catholic catechism was the one predominantly offered. Although 
religious training is not obligatory, in the past some students 
reportedly felt pressured to participate. Jewish officials noted that 
basic information provided to students about Judaism was inaccurate, 
and their offers to improve the material continued to go unheeded.
    Missionaries do not operate registered schools, but the Mormon 
community provides free English lessons, which normally are followed by 
some sort of religious class. The Muslim community has a secondary 
school in Zagreb; however, the Ministry of Education continued to 
refuse to recognize the diploma conferred upon graduation; a lawsuit to 
resolve the matter has not been decided. Approximately 20 students per 
year graduate from the school. In a positive development, in September 
1999, the Government directed public schools that reached the minimum 
quota of Muslim students to sign work contracts with Muslim 
instructors. In the past, Muslim catechism instructors were not paid by 
the Government, whereas Roman Catholic catechism teachers were.
    The Ministry of Defense employs 19 Catholic priests to minister to 
Catholics in the military. However, neither Orthodox nor Muslim clerics 
were given this opportunity. A Catholic priest is present and gives a 
blessing at the oath-giving ceremony upon entering the army, but other 
clerics have not been invited to participate.
    The Catholic Church operates the country's only private national 
radio station, Catholic Radio, which is financed by private 
contributions. The Jewish community reports no restrictions on 
religious broadcasting. Jewish topics are covered periodically on 
weekly religious programming of state broadcaster Croatian State Radio 
and Television (HRT), for example, at times of Jewish holidays. The 
Muslim community has 4.5 minutes of radio broadcast time per month, as 
well as 4.5 minutes per month on Radio Zagreb. In addition, the Bairam 
ceremony from the Zagreb mosque is broadcast annually on television.
    Muslims have the right to observe their religious holidays. They 
are granted a paid holiday for one Bairam and have the right to observe 
the other as well (although they are not paid for the day).
    There is no government-sponsored ecumenical activity, nor is there 
funding for such efforts. Ecumenical activity is initiated by the 
religious leaders themselves (see Section II).
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    Religion and ethnicity are closely intertwined in society, and many 
incidents of discrimination appear motivated by ethnicity rather than 
religion or religious doctrine.
    The previous HDZ Government implemented property restitution in a 
discriminatory manner: the Government signed a concordat with the 
Vatican in 1998 that provided for the return of all Catholic Church 
property confiscated by the Communist regime after 1945. This agreement 
stipulates that the Government would return seized properties or 
compensate the Church where return is impossible. Some progress has 
been made with some returnable properties being restituted, but there 
has been no compensation to date for nonreturnable properties. Three 
other agreements with the Vatican regulate Catholic marriages, public 
school catechism, and military chaplains.
    There have been no such agreements between the Government and other 
religious groups. The Orthodox community has filed several requests for 
the return of seized properties, and some cases have been resolved 
successfully, particularly cases involving buildings in urban centers. 
However, several buildings in downtown Zagreb have not been returned, 
nor have properties that belonged to monasteries, such as arable land 
and forest. This uneven progress may be the result of a slow judicial 
system rather than a systematic effort to deny restitution of Orthodox 
properties. In December 1999, the Government returned to the Jewish 
community a site in downtown Zagreb where the main synagogue was 
located until its destruction in World War II. However other Jewish 
properties, including some Zagreb buildings, have not been returned. 
The Jewish community identifies property return as one of its top 
priorities.
    Catholic marriages are recognized by the State, eliminating the 
need to register them in the civil registry office. The Muslim and 
Jewish communities, seeking similar status, have raised this issue 
repeatedly with the Government, but there has been no resolution to 
date.
    Dinko Sakic, commander of Croatia's Jasenovac concentration camp in 
1944, was convicted in October 1999 of crimes against humanity and 
sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment, the maximum possible sentence. 
Sakic was extradited from Argentina in 1998. The Jasenovac camp, site 
of a memorial and museum, was badly damaged during the recent conflict 
and renovation is ongoing. In April 2000, a government delegation, led 
by the Minister of Culture, attended a commemoration ceremony there 
that also was attended by several leaders of ethnic and religious 
minority communities.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.
Improvements in Respect for Religious Freedom
    Constitutional amendments passed in May 2000 added Bosnian Muslims 
and Albanians to the list of officially recognized minorities. Muslims 
were removed from this list by the previous government in 1998, despite 
being the second largest minority in the country after Serbs.
    In April 2000, the new Government established a Commission for 
Religious Minorities under the authority of Deputy Prime Minister Goran 
Granic. This Commission replaced a similar, ineffective one under the 
previous regime. The new commission held its first session in April 
2000 with representatives from several religious communities and 
government bodies, soliciting suggestions from the religious 
communities and presenting plans to draw up a law on religious 
minorities. However, only ``traditional'' denominations were invited to 
the first meeting, and smaller groups such as the Mormons and Hindus, 
were excluded. The Commission has not achieved concrete results to 
date.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Notions of religion and ethnicity are closely intertwined in 
society, and religion often was used to identify non-Croats and to 
single them out for discriminatory practices. This caused religious 
institutions to be targets of violence. In the past 10 years, religious 
institutions of all faiths have been targets of violence. Such 
incidents still occur, particularly in the tense Danubian region 
(eastern Slavonia), where there were persistent reports of vandalism 
directed against Serb Orthodox buildings and cemeteries. Of 14 
incidents recorded by international observers during the period covered 
by this report, at least 11 were directed against Serbs or Serb 
Orthodox structures, including the October 1999 assault on a 69-year 
old Orthodox priest who was beaten at a Vukovar bus stop by a Croat 
youth. The youth was arrested quickly and in November 1999 was 
convicted of ``disturbing public order'' and fined approximately $80. 
Also, in December 1999, an Orthodox cemetery was vandalized in Vukovar; 
in January 2000, two crucifixes were damaged on the property of the 
local Orthodox priest in Tenja, and windows were broken at an Orthodox 
church in Borovo. No arrests were made in any of these incidents.
    Two incidents of vandalism directed against Jewish structures were 
reported throughout the country, including the August 1999 damage to 15 
headstones at a Jewish cemetery in Koprivnica and an April 2000 
incident in which swastikas were painted on the wall of the Jewish 
center in Zagreb. No arrests were made in these cases.
    Since Catholic Archbishop Bozanic took office in 1997, the Catholic 
Church has sought a more proactive role in advocating reconciliation. 
Catholic Radio includes a monthly program on ecumenism, inviting 
speakers from other religious communities. The Catholic Church has 
initiated several meetings with Orthodox clergy from Serbia, including 
a February 18, 2000, bishops' meeting at Novi Sad, Serbia. Bozanic has 
been active in publicly promoting the return of (mostly Serb Orthodox) 
refugees and in ecumenical reconciliation efforts.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    U.S. Government actions have been aimed at encouraging the 
Government to respect religious freedom in practice and at supporting 
the efforts of the Catholic Church to foster a constructive environment 
in post-conflict society. The Secretary of State met with Archbishop 
Bozanic on February 18, 2000 and noted the positive role played by the 
Catholic Church during the period of transition to a new government. 
Embassy officials have frequent meetings at all levels with 
representatives of the ethnic Serb (Orthodox) community as well as the 
Jewish and Muslim communities and are engaged in the promotion of human 
rights, including the religious rights, of these groups. Embassy 
officials meet and hold frequent discussions at all levels with 
government officials about respect for religious freedom and issues of 
discrimination against religious communities. The Embassy is a leader 
of the ``article 11 commission,'' a group of 21 international missions 
in the country that deals directly with issues of ethnic and religious 
reconciliation and human rights.
                               __________

                                 CYPRUS

    The Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus provides for freedom of 
religion, and the Government respects this right in practice.
    The basic law in the Turkish Cypriot community also provides for 
freedom of religion, and the authorities respect this right in 
practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both official policy and the generally amicable relationship among 
religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion; 
however, there were a few instances of vandalism on unused religious 
sites, and one of arson on a mosque in the south.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
authorities in the context of its overall dialog and policy of 
promoting human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus provides for freedom of 
religion, and the Government respects this right in practice. The basic 
law in the Turkish Cypriot community also provides for freedom of 
religion and the authorities respect this right in practice. Turkish 
Cypriots residing in the south and Greek Cypriots living in the north 
are allowed to practice their religions.
    Prior to 1974, Cyprus experienced a long period of intercommunal 
strife between its Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities. In response, 
the United Nations Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) began peacekeeping 
operations in March 1964. The island has been divided since the Turkish 
military intervention of 1974, following a coup d'etat directed from 
Greece. Since 1974 the southern part of the island has been under the 
control of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus. The northern part 
is ruled by a Turkish Cypriot administration. In 1983 that 
administration proclaimed itself the ``Turkish Republic of Northern 
Cyprus'' (``TRNC''), which is recognized only by Turkey.
    The 1960 Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus specifies that the 
Greek Orthodox Church (which is autocephalous and not under the 
authority of the mainland Greek Orthodox Church) has the exclusive 
right to regulate and administer its internal affairs and property in 
accordance with its holy canons and charter. Similarly, the 
Constitution states that the Turkish Cypriot religious trust, the Vakf 
(the Muslim institution that regulates religious activity for Turkish 
Cypriots), has the exclusive right to regulate and administer its 
internal affairs and property in accordance with Vakf laws and 
principles. No legislative, executive, or other act can contravene or 
interfere in the Orthodox Church or the Vakf. Accordingly, both the 
Greek Orthodox Church and the Vakf are tax-exempt with regard to 
religious activity. According to law, they are required to pay taxes 
only on strictly commercial activity.
    Three other religious groups are recognized in the Constitution: 
Armenian Orthodox; Maronite Christians; and Latins (Roman Catholics). 
They are exempt from taxes and are eligible, along with the Orthodox 
Church and the Vakf, for government subsidies to their religious 
institutions. No other religious group is recognized in the 
Constitution.
    Religions other than the five recognized religions are not required 
to register with government authorities; however, if they desire to 
engage in financial transactions, such as maintaining a bank account, 
they must register as a nonprofit company, and most do so. The 
registration process involves submission through an attorney of an 
application that states the purpose of the nonprofit organization and 
provides the names of the organization's directors. Registration is 
granted promptly and many religious groups are recognized. Annual 
reports of the organization's activities are required. Such nonprofit 
organizations are tax-exempt.
    In the northern part of the island, the Turkish Cypriot basic law 
refers specifically to a ``secular republic,'' and provides for 
religious freedom; no specific religion is recognized in the basic law. 
However, based on the 1960 Constitution, the Turkish Cypriot religious 
trust (Vakf), which pays the costs of Muslim religious activities and 
the salaries of Muslim religious leaders, is tax-exempt in regard to 
its religious activities (the Vakf pays taxes on its commercial and 
real estate operations) and receives official subsidies. No other 
religious organization is tax-exempt or receives subsidies.
    Religious organizations are not required to register unless they 
wish to engage in commercial activity or apply for tax-exempt status. 
There are no legal restrictions on missionary activity; however, such 
activity is rare and is monitored closely by Turkish Cypriot 
authorities.
Religious Demography
    Approximately 96 percent of the population in the government-
controlled area are Greek Orthodox. Approximately 0.5 percent are 
Maronite or Latin, slightly under 0.5 percent are Armenian Orthodox, 
and 3 percent belong to other groups; the latter category includes 
small groups of Cypriot Protestants and foreigners of all religious 
beliefs.
    A January 1998 opinion poll indicated that about 48 percent of 
Greek Cypriots attend church services regularly, while 49 percent 
attend only for major religious holidays and ceremonies such as 
weddings and funerals. The remainder does not attend religious services 
at all. Approximately 10 percent of the population in the north attend 
religious services regularly.
    Ninety-nine percent of the Turkish Cypriot population are at least 
nominally Muslim. There is a small Turkish Cypriot Baha'i community. 
Approximately 650 Greek Cypriots and Maronites live in the north. They 
have freedom of worship, although there are complaints of vandalism of 
unused Orthodox churches and disagreements related to the assignment of 
Orthodox priests to work in the north. There are no longer restrictions 
on the right of Greek Cypriots resident in the north to visit Apostolos 
Andreas monastery. However, an application to replace a retiring priest 
has been pending for more than 3 years. Most other non-Muslims in the 
north are foreigners from Western Europe who are frequently members of 
the Roman Catholic or Anglican Church.
    There are no prohibitions against missionary activity or 
proselytizing in the government-controlled area, and there is some 
Western Protestant missionary activity in this area. Although 
missionaries have the legal right to proselytize in both communities, 
missionary activities are monitored closely by the Greek Cypriot 
Orthodox Church and by both Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot 
authorities. The Orthodox Church is suspicious of any attempts to 
proselytize among Greek Cypriots. On occasion the Greek Cypriot media 
has given extensive coverage to the activities of foreign missionaries, 
creating a chilling effect on those activities. The police may initiate 
investigations of religious activity based on a citizen's complaint 
under laws that make it illegal for a missionary to use ``physical or 
moral compulsion'' in an attempt to make religious conversions, or when 
missionaries may be involved in illegal activities that threaten the 
security of the republic, constitutional or public order, or public 
health and morals. There are occasional apprehensions under these laws 
resulting in publicity but no arrests. Foreign missionaries, like all 
other foreigners, must obtain and periodically renew residence permits 
in order to live in the country; normally renewal requests are not 
denied.
    The Greek Orthodox religion is taught in all public primary and 
secondary schools in classes held twice per week in the government-
controlled area. Parents can request that their children be excused 
from such instruction.
    There is instruction in religion, ethics, and comparative religions 
in two grades of the primary school system in the Turkish Cypriot 
community. There is no formal Islamic religious instruction in public 
schools and no state-supported religious schools.
    There is no government-sponsored inter-faith activity.
    There is no inter-faith activity sponsored by the Turkish Cypriot 
authorities.
    Both the Government of Cyprus and the Turkish Cypriot 
administration have constitutional or legal bars against 
discrimination. The basic agreement covering treatment of Greek 
Cypriots and Maronites living in the north and Turkish Cypriots living 
in the south remains the 1975 Vienna III Agreement. Among other things, 
this agreement provides for facilities for religious worship.
    In May 2000, the Turkish Cypriot authorities eliminated the system 
of fees imposed in 1998 for crossing the buffer zone, although a 1 
British pound processing fee remains in effect. Reciprocal visits to 
religious sites continue, with several thousand Greek Cypriots visiting 
the Apostolos Andreas monastery in the north on designated Christian 
religious holidays, and several thousand Turkish Cypriots visiting the 
Hala Sultan mosque in the south on certain Muslim religious holidays. 
In January 2000, both sides agreed to initiate a project to restore 
these two religious sites (see Section III).
    In both the government-controlled areas and the Turkish Cypriot 
community there was no change in the status of respect for religious 
freedom during the period covered by this report.
    In both the government-controlled areas and the Turkish Cypriot 
community there were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    In both the government-controlled areas and the Turkish Cypriot 
community there were no reports of the forced religious conversion of 
minor U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the authorities' refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are polite relations between the Greek Cypriot Orthodox 
Church and the other religious communities in the south. In the north 
there are few non-Muslims, but there is no friction between them and 
the nominally Muslim population. However, there are complaints of 
vandalism of unused Orthodox churches (see Section I.) Turkish Cypriots 
complain that unused mosques in the south have been treated similarly. 
A previously unknown Greek Cypriot nationalist organization claimed 
responsibility for an arson attack on a mosque in the south in August 
1999. Damage was light, and the authorities pledged to repair the 
damage and increase protection of Muslim sites. No one has been 
arrested for the attack. There has been little effort at ecumenical 
activity. In recent years, an international conference on understanding 
among religions has been sponsored annually by a private foundation in 
the government-controlled areas; otherwise, there has been little 
interest in such activities either in the government-controlled areas 
or in the Turkish Cypriot community.
    Religion is a significantly more prominent component of Greek 
Cypriot society than of Turkish Cypriot society, with correspondingly 
greater cultural and political influence. One example of the 
relationship between church and state among Greek Cypriots is the fact 
that the leader of the Greek Cypriot campaign for independence in the 
1950s was the head of the Greek Orthodox Church, Archbishop Makarios 
III, who became President from independence in 1960 until his death in 
1977.
    As the largest owner of real estate in the south and the operator 
of several large business enterprises, the Greek Orthodox Church is a 
significant economic factor. Similarly, the Vakf is the largest 
landowner in the north.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy played a key role, working closely with the United 
Nations, in obtaining agreement from both sides in January 2000 to 
initiate a project to restore the island's two most significant 
religious sites, the Apostolos Andreas monastery and the Hala Sultan 
mosque. This agreement was announced by U.N. Secretary General Annan 
and welcomed immediately thereafter by Secretary Albright. Construction 
work is expected to begin in early 2001.
    The U.S. Ambassador and other embassy officers have requested 
Turkish Cypriot authorities to facilitate the assignment of an 
additional Orthodox priest to the Greek Cypriot population living in 
the north. The Ambassador and other embassy officers also have met 
periodically with religious authorities as part of their regular 
responsibilities.
                               __________

                             CZECH REPUBLIC

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
    Religious affairs are the responsibility of the Department of 
Churches at the Ministry of Culture. All religions officially 
registered with the Ministry of Culture are eligible to receive 
subsidies from the State, although some religions decline state 
financial support as a matter of principle and as an expression of 
their independence. There are 21 state-recognized religions, 2 of which 
have been registered since 1991; no groups currently are seeking to 
register. One group, the Unification Church (UC), was denied 
registration in January 1999 when the Department of Churches determined 
that it had obtained the required proof of membership by fraud; the UC 
is contesting the decision in court. To register a church must have at 
least 10,000 adult members permanently residing in the country. For any 
churches which the World Council of Churches has already recognized 
only 500 adult members permanently residing in the country are 
necessary. These churches receive the same legal and financial benefits 
from the Government as do other churches. Churches registered prior to 
1991, such as the small Jewish community, are not required to meet 
these conditions. Unregistered religious groups, such as the small 
Muslim minority, may not own community property legally, but often form 
civic-interest associations for the purpose of managing their property 
and other holdings until they are able to meet the qualifications for 
registration. The Government does not interfere with or prevent this 
type of interim solution. Unregistered religious groups are otherwise 
free to assemble and worship in the manner of their choice.
    Churches receive approximately $88.2 million (3 billion Czech 
crowns) annually from the Government. Funds are divided proportionately 
among the 21 registered religions according to membership and taking 
administrative costs into account. Of this sum, approximately $1.5 
million (539 million Czech crowns) is used to pay salaries to 
clergymen. The rest of the funding goes to state grants for church 
medical, charity, and educational activities, as well as for the 
maintenance of church memorials and buildings.
Religious Demography
    The country has a largely homogenous population with a dominant 
Christian historical tradition. However, largely as a result of 40 
years of Communist rule between 1948 and 1989, the vast majority of the 
citizens do not identify themselves as members of any organized 
religion. In a February 1999 opinion poll, only 35 percent claimed to 
believe in a higher spiritual power, and 64 percent identified 
themselves as atheists. There was a revival of interest in religion 
after the ``Velvet Revolution'' in 1989, but the number of those 
professing religious beliefs or participating in organized religion has 
fallen steadily since then in almost every region of the country.
    An estimated 4.5 percent of the population of 10,286,621 (according 
to the 1998 Office of Statistics) attend Catholic services weekly. Most 
of these churchgoers live in the southern Moravian dioceses of Olomouc 
and Brno. The number of practicing Protestants is even lower 
(approximately 1 percent). Leaders of the local Muslim community 
estimate that there are 20,000 to 30,000 Muslims, although Islam has 
not been registered as an officially recognized religion since the 
communist takeover. Registration of Islam has been discussed with the 
Department of Churches, but there has been no formal application. The 
first mosque in the country was completed in Brno in July 1998. There 
is a second mosque in Prague. The Jewish community, which numbers only 
a few thousand, is an officially registered religion, since it was 
recognized by the State before 1989.
    Missionaries for various religious groups, including the Church of 
Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and Jehovah's Witnesses, are present 
and generally proselytize without hindrance. To work in the country, 
missionaries must obtain a long-term residence and work permit if they 
intend to remain longer than 30 days. Although permits are granted 
routinely, some religions increasingly have raised concerns about 
delays in processing visas and permits for visiting missionaries and 
clergy. There is no special visa category for religious workers, so 
foreign missionaries and clergy are required to meet the relatively 
stringent conditions for a standard work permit even if their activity 
is strictly ecclesiastical or voluntary in nature.
    Religion is not taught in public schools, although a few private 
religious schools exist. Religious broadcasters are free to operate 
without hindrance from the Government or other parties, and no 
difficulties or problems in this area have been reported.
    Members of unregistered religious groups can issue publications 
without interference.
    There was no government-sponsored inter-faith activity.
    In March 2000, in his last act before leaving office, Interior 
Minister Vaclav Grulich officially disbanded and canceled the 
registration of the National Alliance, an extreme right-wing, neo-Nazi 
organization whose leaders consistently have propagated anti-Semitic 
sentiment and publicly questioned the occurrence of the Holocaust.
    During the period covered by this report, the two church-state 
commissions founded by the Government in March and May 1999 continued 
to meet regularly and work on outstanding issues including state 
funding for churches and property restitution, among other things. (One 
is a ``political'' commission with the presence of all parties 
currently in parliament, and the second is a ``specialist'' commission 
composed of experts including lawyers, economists, and church 
representatives. The commissions advise the Government on church-state 
relations, the status of churches and methods of their financing, and 
church-related property questions.) Members of the commission also have 
advised the Ministry of Culture on the Law on the Registration of 
Churches and Religious Groups, which the cabinet was expected to 
approve in July 2000.
    Issues of religious-based communal and personal property 
restitution are still being resolved. Jewish claims date to the period 
of the Nazi occupation, while Catholic authorities are pressing claims 
to properties that were seized under the former Communist regime. 
Although after 1989 the Government and Prague city officials returned 
most synagogues and other buildings previously belonging to religious 
orders, many claims to properties in the hands of other municipal 
authorities have not yet been resolved satisfactorily. Restitution or 
compensation of several categories of Jewish personal property is in 
progress. In addition the Catholic Church claims vast tracts of woods 
and farmlands.
    The 1991 Law on Restitution applied only to property seized after 
the communists took power in 1948. In 1994 the Parliament amended the 
law to provide restitution of, or compensation for, property wrongfully 
seized between 1938 and 1945. This amendment provided for the inclusion 
of Jewish private properties, primarily buildings, seized by the Nazi 
regime. In the late 1990's, the Federation of Jewish Communities 
identified 202 communal properties as its highest priorities for 
restitution, although it had unresolved claims for over 1,000 
properties. By decree the Government returned most of the properties in 
its possession, as did the city of Prague; however, despite a 
government appeal, other cities have not been as responsive. As of mid-
2000, 68 of the 202 properties have been returned. In November 1998, 
the Government established a commission to document the status of 
former Jewish communal property and, to a limited extent, personal 
property, and to make recommendations to the Government. In June 2000, 
Parliament approved the commission's proposed legislation. The 
President was expected to sign the bill into law. This law would 
authorize the return of 200 communal Jewish properties in state hands. 
The same law also would authorize the Government to return more than 60 
works of art in the National Gallery to the Jewish community and an 
estimated 2,500 works of art in the State's possession to individual 
Czech Jews and their descendants. A fourth provision of the law would 
authorize the return of certain agricultural property in the 
Government's possession to its original owners. In the spring of 1999, 
the commission's chairman, Deputy Prime Minister Pavel Rychetsky 
proposed a fund from which compensation would be paid for those 
properties that cannot be restituted physically; the Cabinet authorized 
approximately $7.5 million (285 million crowns) for this fund. It is 
expected to be in operation by the end of 2000 and is to provide 
partial compensation in those cases where the Government needs to 
retain the property or is no longer in possession of it. Approximately 
two-thirds are to be dedicated to communal property and one-third to 
individual claims.
    Certain property of religious orders, including 175 monasteries and 
other institutions, was restituted under laws passed in 1990 and 1991, 
but the return generally did not include income-generating properties. 
When the Social Democratic government came to power in August 1998, it 
halted further restitution of non-Jewish religious communal property, 
including a decision of the previous government to return 432,250 acres 
of land and some 700 buildings to the Catholic Church. The Government 
has not foreclosed the possibility of further return of additional 
Catholic and Protestant properties but has emphasized that it must be 
done through legislation enacted by Parliament rather than by executive 
decree. The Government has yet to prepare the necessary legislation. 
Discussions are continuing in the two church-state commissions on the 
form of an overall settlement of all outstanding issues to include 
restitution.
    In March 2000, following three months of intense negotiations with 
representatives of the local Jewish community, representatives of 
international Jewish groups, and the Czech Insurance Company; the 
Government reached a framework agreement on the protection and 
preservation of the remnants of a medieval Jewish cemetery (believed to 
be the oldest in the country) uncovered in 1997 at a commercial 
construction site in downtown Prague. Remains of the cemetery, which 
was closed and razed in the 15th century, were uncovered by the 
insurance company on the site of its new headquarters. The Cabinet 
decided on March 29 to declare a block of soil on the site containing 
intact graves a cultural monument, to pay the insurance company 
compensation of approximately $1 million (45 million Czech crowns) and 
to authorize as soon as possible the reburial on the site of the 120 
sets of remains removed by archaeologists in 1999. Twenty-five other 
small parcels nearby, believed to contain intact graves from the same 
cemetery, also were designated a national cultural monument. However, 
some of the details implementing the agreement had not been resolved 
between the insurance company and the local Jewish community by the end 
of June. Meanwhile, construction resumed on the portion of the site 
exempt from the cultural monument decree at the beginning of June. The 
company intends to stabilize the preserved cemetery area by September 
2000, so that remains previously removed can be reburied there.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations are generally amicable between the various religious 
communities.
    The immigrant population is still relatively small. In 1998 over 
970 persons from other countries were naturalized as citizens, the 
majority from Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Iraq, and the former Yugoslavia. 
Immigrants have not reported any difficulties in practicing their 
respective faiths.
    The Islamic Foundation estimates that 2,000 persons have attended 
``open door'' days since the country's first mosque was completed in 
Brno in July 1998. Local Muslims and police agreed that there have not 
been any incidents of religious intolerance toward their community.
    Several isolated anti-Semitic incidents occurred during the period 
covered by this report. In December 1999, in a display case in front of 
the extremist rightwing Republican Party headquarters in Decin, 
photographs of President Vaclav Havel, Prime Minister Milos Zeman, 
Parliamentary Speaker Vaclav Klaus, and other government officials, 
were labeled ``Jewish Free Masons and Murderers of the Czech nation.'' 
The exhibit also presented a list of ``Jews and Jewish half-breeds'' 
active in politics that included the names of Havel, Zeman, Klaus, and 
others. The display was removed a few days later after a state 
prosecutor warned the party it could face criminal charges in 
connection with the incident. Also, at a rally in April 2000, members 
of the extreme National Alliance and Patriotic Front organizations 
threatened to deface or remove explanatory plaques installed in March 
on the historic Charles Bridge in Prague at the urging of the North 
American Board of Rabbis. The plaques, which are in Czech, English, and 
Hebrew, describe the origin of a medieval sculpture of Christ on the 
cross--one of many sculptures on the bridge--that has a Hebrew 
inscription on it that is offensive to Jews. (The Government canceled 
the registration of the National Alliance in March 2000--see Section 
I.)
    In February 1999, police in Plzen arrested 12 leaders, producers, 
and distributors of racist, Fascist, and anti-Semitic materials. The 
raid also netted piles of Fascist and racist materials, including 
membership lists, indicating that the group was part of a large, well-
organized movement with ties to groups in several other European 
countries. Those arrested were charged with supporting and propagating 
a movement dedicated to the suppression of the rights and liberties of 
citizens, an offense with a maximum penalty of 8 years in prison. 
Owners of firms that are found to have produced the Fascist and anti-
Semitic materials seized in the raid could lose their operating 
licenses; however, legal action by the Government against these firms 
remains pending.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    U.S. efforts on religious issues have focused largely on 
encouraging the Government to resolve religious property restitution 
claims.
    During 1999 the U.S. Government and embassy officials emphasized on 
numerous occasions to the Government the importance of returning 
property wrongfully taken from Holocaust victims, the Jewish community, 
and churches, or of fair and adequate compensation when return is no 
longer possible. Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Stuart E. Eizenstat 
testified about these issues before Congress in September 1999. The 
need for the Czech Republic to act was also the subject of remarks by 
U.S. delegates in Vienna at the Organization for Security and 
Cooperation in Europe in the fall of 1999. Under Secretary of State for 
Political Affairs Thomas Pickering raised the issue of compensation for 
Holocaust victims in meetings during his visit to Prague in February 
2000. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright also voiced concern about 
compensation in a meeting with Foreign Minister Jan Kavan during her 
visit to the Czech Republic in March 2000. The Ambassador has been in 
close contact in particular with Deputy Prime Minister Rychetsky, who 
has championed the creation of a fund for Czech Holocaust victims. 
Embassy staff also met with members of Parliament and senators from the 
Christian Democratic Union, which is the most active party on issues of 
religious, particularly Catholic, communal property. A visit to Prague 
in January 2000 by the Executive Director and Deputy Director of the 
Presidential Advisory Commission on Holocaust Assets served to 
highlight U.S. activities and boosted bilateral cooperation.
    Beginning in late December 1999, the Embassy, the Department of 
State, and the U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America's 
Heritage Abroad devoted considerable effort to facilitate a mutually 
acceptable settlement of the longstanding dispute over a medieval 
Jewish cemetery recovered in 1997 at a commercial construction site in 
Prague (see Section I). The Embassy maintained close contact on this 
matter with the Office of the President, the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, the Federation of Jewish Communities 
in the Czech Republic, and the Prague Jewish community. The Embassy met 
on occasion with the Czech Bishops' Conference as well as the Culture 
Ministry's Department of Churches. Embassy officials also responded to 
individual requests for assistance from Czech-American Holocaust 
victims seeking compensation. In addition, embassy staff worked closely 
with the staff of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum to deepen existing 
relationships with relevant Czech Archives and Czech Holocaust 
Education Program offices.
                               __________

                                DENMARK

    The Constitution provides for religious freedom, and the Government 
respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government works together with the Danish Government to 
promote religious freedom throughout the world as part of a global 
effort to support human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
    There is an official state religion. The Constitution stipulates 
that the Evangelical Lutheran Church is the national church, and it is 
subsidized by the Government. However, no individual can be compelled 
to pay tax or provide financial support to the national church or any 
other religious organization. By 1969 11 other religious organizations 
had official recognition by royal decree (essentially the State's 
permission for a religious organization to perform religious 
ceremonies, for example, weddings, which have civil validity).
    Since the implementation of the 1969 Marriage Act, the Ministry of 
Ecclesiastical Affairs has granted permission to clergy of 60 
additional, nonrecognized religious organizations to perform marriages. 
The Marriage Act permits weddings to be performed ``within other 
religious organizations,'' provided that one of the parties to the 
marriage belongs to the organization and the organization has clergy 
that have been granted permission to perform marriage by the Ministry 
of Ecclesiastical Affairs. Thus, religious organizations no longer need 
to obtain ``recognition'' as ``approval'' is given when the Ministry 
grants permission to perform weddings to specific religious 
organizations. Both recognized and approved religions enjoy certain tax 
exemptions. The approval process is not complicated or protracted.
    In February 1998, the Government appointed an independent four-
member council to prepare guidelines and principles for official 
approval of religious organizations. The government statement 
accompanying the action noted that the step was taken due to the 
growing number of applications in recent years for official approval as 
a religious organization.
    In March 1999, the Council published guidelines for future approval 
of religious organizations that are linked to the 1969 Marriage Act. 
The guidelines established clear requirements that religious 
organizations must fulfill, including providing a written text of the 
religion's central traditions; descriptions of its most important 
rituals; an organizational structure accessible for public control and 
approval; and constitutionally elected representatives who can be held 
responsible by authorities. Additionally, the organization must ``not 
teach or perform actions inconsistent with public morality or order.''
    Scientologists continue to seek official approval as a religious 
organization. Their first application for approval was made in the 
early 1980's and rejected; the second application was made in mid-1997 
and withdrawn in early 1998. The second application was resubmitted in 
1999 and withdrawn again in early 2000, shortly before a decision by 
the Government was expected. In withdrawing the application, the Church 
of Scientology asked the Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs for 
additional time to respond to reports about Scientology that had 
appeared in the Danish media. The Church of Scientology's application 
has been resubmitted, but, as of mid-2000, there was no information 
available about when the case would next be heard.
Religious Demography
    Over 86 percent of the population adheres to the Evangelical 
Lutheran Church; it is the only church that receives government funds. 
Other religious organizations represent approximately 5 percent of the 
population, with Muslims, the next largest group, accounting for 2 
percent of the population. The remaining 9 percent of the citizens are 
without a religion.
    There are missionaries operating within the country, including 
representatives of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and 
Jehovah's Witnesses; however, there is no detailed information 
available on missionary activity. There are no restrictions on 
proselytizing so long as proselytizers obey the law and do not act 
inconsistently with public morality or order. All schools, including 
religious schools, receive government financial support. While the 
Evangelical Lutheran faith is taught in the public schools, a student 
may withdraw from religious classes with parental consent.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Denmark has a long history of welcoming religious minorities and 
affording them equal treatment. There are generally amicable relations 
between religious groups, although the recent influx of a substantial 
Muslim population has resulted in some tension with the majority 
population of adherents of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Minority 
group unemployment tends to be higher, and allegations of 
discrimination on the basis of religion sometimes are raised. However, 
it is difficult to separate religious differences from differences in 
language and ethnicity, and the latter may be at least as important in 
explaining unequal access to well-paying jobs and social advancement. 
There are no significant ecumenical movements that promote greater 
mutual understanding and religious tolerance.
    Scientology officials complain of unfair treatment by the press, 
particularly in its extensive coverage of the church in the months 
preceding the anticipated court decision of the Scientologists's 
application for recognition as a religious organization (see Section 
I).

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy worked together with the Government to promote 
religious freedom throughout the world as part of a global effort to 
support human rights.
                               __________

                                ESTONIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion. 
To date the single controversy is the internal division in the Orthodox 
faith. The Interior Ministry, which provides support to registered 
faiths through its Religious Affairs Department, has been seeking a 
solution to this ongoing debate.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    The 1993 Law on Churches and Religious Organizations requires all 
religious organizations to have at least 12 members and to be 
registered with the Interior Ministry and the Board of Religion. 
Leaders of religious organizations must be citizens with at least 5 
years' residence in Estonia. A new draft law on churches and 
congregations was introduced early in 1999, but the bill has yet to 
pass a first reading in the new Parliament elected in March 1999. 
Readings are expected to occur in fall 2000, with enactment expected in 
January 2001. The proposed legislation reflects a general reform trend 
in the law to simplify and clarify existing procedures. The draft law 
places responsibility for registry of religious organizations on the 
courts rather than the Interior Ministry. Upon passage of this law, all 
registries in the country would then fall under the auspices of the 
courts. Although some U.S. missionaries had expressed concerns in 1999 
that a previous version of the legislation gave preferential treatment 
to the larger, established religious communities in the country, 
examination of the proposed legislation indicates that it does not 
provide preferential treatment to any church or group of churches.
    Many groups have sent foreign missionaries into Estonia; the Church 
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) being the largest. 
During the period covered by this report, no church or missionary group 
reported problems in obtaining the necessary residence permits.
    A program of basic ecumenical religious instruction is available to 
public schools. However, public school participation presently exists 
in only 55 schools, with approximately 2,600 students participating. 
Those students in the 55 schools offering this ecumenical instruction 
who do not wish to participate have the option to take alternative 
courses. Private schools are allowed to provide religious instruction 
as well.
    There is a process whereby religious and lay property is restored 
to its pre-Soviet occupation owners. In some cases properties are 
claimed by more than one group, complicating restitution efforts. The 
procedure for reclaiming property is generally considered fair but 
often is slow and bureaucratic.
Religious Demography
    The majority of citizens are nominally Lutheran, and there is a 
large Orthodox community. A broad range of other creeds and beliefs 
make up a small but growing segment of the religious community. 
However, 40 years of communism diminished the role of religion in 
society. Many new neighborhoods built since the war do not have 
religious centers, and many of the surviving churches require extensive 
renovations. Church attendance, which had seen a surge coinciding with 
the independence movement in the early 1990s, now has plunged. 
Anecdotal evidence, garnered from local churches, indicates a 65 
percent decrease in registered confirmations, for example.
    In 1998 there were an estimated 165 congregations of the Estonian 
Evangelical Lutheran Church and over 80 Orthodox congregations, with 39 
belonging to the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church (EAOC), 30 to the 
Russian Orthodox Church in Estonia, and 11 to the Union of Estonian Old 
Believer congregations. Lutherans and Orthodox believers account for 
the majority of believers. Nonetheless, there are smaller communities 
of Baptist, Methodist, Roman Catholic, and other Christian 
denominations. There is an active, if small, Jewish community. There 
are also communities of Muslims, Buddhists, and many other 
denominations and faiths. However, each of these minority faiths has 
less than 6,000 adherents. The 2000 census, once completed and 
published, would, for the first time, attempt to account for all 
religious groups, as well as atheists.
    Persons of varying ethnic backgrounds profess Orthodoxy, including 
communities of Russian Old Believers who found refuge in Estonia in the 
17th century. The Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church (EAOC), 
independent since 1919, subordinate to Constantinople since 1923, and 
exiled under the Soviet occupation, reregistered under its 1935 statute 
in August 1993. Since then, a group of ethnic Russian and Estonian 
parishes preferring to remain under the authority of the Russian 
Orthodox Church structure imposed during the Soviet occupation has 
insisted that it should have claim to the EAOC name but has been unable 
to register under the same name. Representatives of the Moscow and 
Constantinople Patriarchates remain in contention on this issue. 
Interior Ministry attempts to broker an agreement have not been 
successful, and the Orthodox Church wing affiliated with the Moscow 
Patriarchate in Estonia remains unregistered with the State. The 
unregistered status of the Church makes negotiation and settlement of 
the issue problematic. However, throughout the dispute, free worship 
has occurred in practice. This dispute over whether the Orthodox Church 
should be subject to Moscow or Constantinople has taken on political 
overtones, as sensitivities remain from the 40-year Soviet occupation.
    The country's small Jewish community was decimated during the Nazi 
occupation. It now numbers over 3,000 members and in January 2000 was 
granted land by the Government on which to build a synagogue. The 
community has recovered the Jewish school building and leaders say that 
property restitution is not an issue, as most pre-war religious 
buildings were rented, not owned.
    Government officials have voiced concerns about extremist religious 
groups establishing themselves in Estonia. The Director of the 
Religious Affairs Department under the Ministry of Interior Affairs 
expressed his concern about Satanists planning to register their sect 
with the Government in accordance with the Law on Churches and 
Religious Organizations.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the various religious communities are generally 
amicable. Although the majority of citizens are nominally Lutheran, 
ecumenical services during national days, Christian holidays, or at 
public events are common. Tensions between the ethnic Estonian and 
ethnic Russian populations occasionally do spill over into religious 
matters. Most of the country's Russian-speaking people profess 
Orthodoxy, while the Estonian majority is predominantly Lutheran.
    Citizens are generally tolerant of new religions and foreign 
missionaries but are wary of those they regard as cults. Although such 
groups seem to cause some discomfort among citizens, there have been no 
problems noted. Government officials regard developments such as the 
Satanist group's recent announcement of its intention to register with 
the Religious Affairs Department as an indication of the group's 
intention to abide with the laws and government guidelines.
    There is a deep-seated tradition of tolerance of other 
denominations and religions.
    In 1998 there was an incident in which youths vandalized a Jewish 
cemetery. The police investigated and arrested the perpetrators. The 
Rabbi of Estonia attributed the incident to drunken hooliganism. During 
the period covered by this report, two instances of theft involving 40 
religious icons occurred. There were no reports of vandalism. In the 
former case, the Interior Ministry provided funding to equip the 
parishes affected with alarm systems.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy meets regularly with a wide range of figures in 
Estonian religious circles. Embassy officials monitored the dispute 
over property issues involving the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church 
and the Russian Orthodox Church and met with representatives of both 
sides.
    Embassy officials regularly visit religious sites in Tallinn and 
elsewhere in the country and are monitoring the reformulation in 
parliamentary committee of the new Law on Churches and Congregations.
                               __________

                                FINLAND

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. There are two state 
churches, the Evangelical Lutheran Church and the Orthodox Church. All 
citizens who belong to one of these state churches pay a church tax as 
part of their income tax. These church taxes are used to defray the 
costs of running the state churches. State churches also handle 
services such as recording births, deaths, and marriages, which 
normally would be handled by municipalities and counties. Those who do 
not want to pay the tax must inform the applicable state church that 
they are leaving that church. All religions are eligible for some tax 
relief (e.g., they may receive tax-free donations), provided they are 
registered with the Government as religious communities.
    The Ministry of Education has outlined requirements for recognition 
of religious communities. Religious groups should have at least 20 
members. The purpose of the group should be the public practice of 
religion, and the activities of the community should be guided by a set 
of rules. Forty-five of these communities currently are recognized as 
churches.
    The Government's procedures for recognizing religious communities 
are still under review. The current Law on Freedom of Religion, which 
has been described as technically unclear, dates from 1923, and 
proposed amendments aim to clarify the requirements for recognizing and 
registering religious communities, and to increase opportunities to 
practice one's faith and to belong to several religious groups 
simultaneously. The government commission working on the amendments 
submitted an interim report to the Ministry of Education in October 
1999. The amended law would--for the first time--define what it means 
to ``profess'' and ``practice'' a religion. The registration, as 
churches, of religious groups would be facilitated and their 
independence would be enhanced. The interim law also proposes that a 
separate law on funerals be passed. Under present practices, those not 
belonging to an established church often are subject to excessive 
burial expenses.
    The proposed amendments also could benefit Scientology, which has 
failed to gain recognition as a religion. In December 1998, the 
Education Ministry turned down the application of the Finnish 
Association of Scientologists to be registered as a religious 
community. This was the first time in the country's history that an 
applicant had been denied church status. The Scientologists' 
application had been pending for nearly 3 years while the Government 
awaited additional information that it had requested from the 
Association. (The Association acknowledged that it had not followed up 
on the Government's request.) The Education Ministry's decision can be 
appealed to the Supreme Administrative Court. The Scientologists have 
not yet done so but have indicated that they intend to begin the 
process anew and reapply for recognition as a church.
Religious Demography
    The majority of the population belongs to one of the two state 
churches. Eighty-six percent are members of the Evangelical Lutheran 
Church and 1 percent belong to the Orthodox Church. Twelve percent of 
the population do not belong to any religious denomination.
    Nontraditional religious groups freely profess and propagate their 
beliefs. Such groups as Jehovah's Witnesses and the Church of Jesus 
Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) have been active in the country 
for decades. Other groups include the Catholic, Muslim, and Jewish 
communities. However, the number of persons belonging to non-state 
religions totals only 1 percent of the population.
    The proposed amendments to the Law on Religion also could change 
religious instruction in public schools. Currently, instruction in the 
tenets of the state religions is incorporated into the curriculum of 
all public schools. However, students who are not members of the state 
churches may substitute general classes on religion and philosophy. The 
new amendments would allow parents or guardians belonging to other 
faiths/denominations to decide in what religion their children should 
be instructed.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of forced religious conversion of minor U.S. 
citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the United 
States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to be 
returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Active members of the state Lutheran Church attend services 
regularly, participate in small church group activities, and vote in 
parish elections. However, the majority of church members are only 
nominal members of the state church and do not participate actively. 
Their participation occurs mainly during occasions such as holidays, 
weddings, and funerals. The Lutheran Church's Information Center 
reports that in 1998 2 percent of members attended church services 
weekly, and 10 percent attended monthly. The average number of visits 
to church by church members was 1.7 during 1998.
    Some citizens are not very receptive to proselytizing by adherents 
of nontraditional faiths, in part due to the tendency to regard 
religion as a private matter.
    Nontraditional religious groups practice their religions freely. 
They are generally free from discrimination despite intolerant 
attitudes from some members of society.
    There is an extremely small but growing immigrant population, whose 
members tend to practice different faiths than those of most citizens. 
Many immigrants are Muslims from Somalia. Immigrants do not encounter 
difficulties in practicing their faiths; however, they sometimes 
encounter random discrimination and xenophobia.
    Various government programs available through the Ministry of 
Education and the Ministry of Labor focus on ongoing discrimination, 
including discrimination based on religion. Studies and research, 
integration programs, and recommendations for further incorporation of 
immigrants into society have been the focal points of these programs. 
Religion has not been highlighted, in particular, but remains a part of 
the Government's overall attempts to combat discrimination.
    The state churches often speak out in support of the Finnish/Nordic 
welfare state model, couching social welfare state values in religious 
or moral terms.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. 
Embassy representatives periodically meet with representatives of the 
various religious communities (both mainstream and nontraditional) to 
discuss religious freedom issues.
                               __________

                                 FRANCE

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, the 
Government--including the legislative branch--took some actions during 
the period covered by this report that affected religious minorities 
that it considers to be ``sects.'' The 1905 law on separation of church 
and state--the foundation of current legislation on religious freedom--
makes it illegal to discriminate on the basis of faith.
    There was no change in the general status of respect for religious 
freedom during the period covered by this report.
    Relations among the various religions are generally amicable; 
however, there were instances of threats and violence against members 
of religious minorities.
    The U.S. Embassy maintained active contact with government 
officials on the issue of religious freedom.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, the 
Government--including the legislative branch--took some actions during 
the period covered by this report that affected religious minorities 
that it considers to be ``sects.'' (A ``cult'' or ``culte'' is 
generally considered to be a ``religion.'' Cults are considered to be 
positive elements in society, while ``sects'' or ``sectes'' are defined 
as ``persons who profess the same doctrine,'' often with a negative 
connotation.) The 1905 law on separation of church and state--the 
foundation of current legislation on religious freedom--makes it 
illegal to discriminate on the basis of faith.
    The Government uses many categories to describe associations. Two 
of these categories apply to religious groups: ``associations 
cultuelles'' (associations of worship, which are exempt from taxes) and 
``associations culturelles'' (cultural associations, which are not 
exempt from taxes). Associations in these two categories are subject to 
certain management and financial disclosure requirements. An 
association of worship can organize only religious activities, which 
are defined as liturgical services and practices. It may not operate a 
school or employ a board president. A cultural association, on the 
other hand, is a type of association whose goal is to promote the 
culture of a certain group, including a religious group. Although a 
cultural association is not exempt from taxes, it may receive 
government subsidies for its cultural and educational operations (such 
as schools). Religious groups normally use both of these categories; 
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, for example, runs 
strictly religious activities through its association of worship and 
operates a school under its cultural association.
    Religious groups must apply with the local prefecture to be 
recognized as an association of worship and, therefore, receive tax-
exempt status for their religious activities under the 1905 statute. 
The prefecture, upon reviewing the documentation supplied regarding the 
association's purpose for existence, can then grant that status. In 
order to qualify, the purpose of the group must be solely the practice 
of some form of religious ritual. Printing publications, employing a 
board president, or running a school can disqualify a group from 
receiving tax-exempt status.
    According to the 1905 law, associations of worship are not taxed on 
the donations that they receive. However, the prefecture can decide to 
review a group's status if the association receives a large donation or 
legacy that comes to the attention of the tax authorities. If the 
prefecture determines that the association is not in fact in conformity 
with the 1905 law, its status can be changed, and it can be required to 
pay a 60 percent tax rate on present and past donations.
    According to statistics published by the Ministry of the Interior, 
109 of 1,138 Protestant associations, 15 of 147 Jewish associations, 
and 2 of 1,050 Muslim associations currently have tax-free status. 
Roughly 100 Catholic associations are tax exempt; a representative of 
the Ministry of the Interior reports that the total number of non-tax-
exempt Catholic associations is too numerous to estimate accurately.
    For historical reasons, contrary to practice in the rest of the 
country, the Jewish, Lutheran, Reformed (Protestant), and Roman 
Catholic groups in three departments of Alsace-Lorraine enjoy special 
legal status in terms of taxation of individuals donating to these 
religious groups. Adherents of these four religions may choose to have 
a portion of their income tax allocated to their church in a system 
administered by the central government.
    The State subsidizes private schools, including those that are 
affiliated with churches.
    Central or local governments own and maintain religious buildings 
constructed before 1905, the date of the law separating church and 
state. In Alsace and Moselle, special laws allow the local government 
to provide support for the building of religious edifices. For example, 
in April 2000, the mayor of Strasbourg proposed granting a tract of 
land and subsidizing construction costs for a new mosque. The decision 
provoked controversy in the Muslim community, part of which supported a 
different project. In May 2000, the city council decided to support 
both projects.
Religious Demography
    The Government does not keep statistics on religious affiliation. 
The vast majority of the population is nominally Roman Catholic, 
although many Catholics do not practice their faith actively. According 
to one member of the Catholic hierarchy, only 8 percent of the 
population are actually practicing Catholics. Muslims constitute the 
second largest religious group in number; Islam has approximately 4 
million adherents in France. According to the Ministry of the Interior, 
there are 1,536 mosques or prayer rooms in metropolitan France. 
According to various estimates, about 6 percent of the country's 
citizens are unaffiliated; Protestants account for 2 percent; and the 
Jewish and Buddhist populations each account for 1 percent. Jehovah's 
Witnesses claim that 250,000 persons attend their services either 
regularly or periodically. According to various estimates, Orthodox 
Christians number between 80,000 and 100,000; the vast majority of 
these persons are associated with the Greek or Russian Orthodox 
Churches. The Jewish community numbers between 600,000 and 700,000 
persons and is divided among Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox groups. 
According to press reports, up to 60 percent of the Jewish community 
celebrates at most only the high holy days such as Yom Kippur and Rosh 
Hashanah. One Jewish community leader has reported that of the 
practicing Jews in the country, the largest number are Orthodox.
    Religion is not taught in public schools. Parents may home school 
children for religious reasons, but all schooling must conform to the 
standards established for public schools. Public schools make an effort 
to supply special meals for students with religious dietary 
restrictions.
    The Government has made efforts to promote inter-faith 
understanding. The Government also has strict anti-defamation laws 
prohibiting racially or religiously motivated attacks. For example, the 
Government has programs to combat racism and anti-Semitism through 
public awareness campaigns, and by encouraging dialog between local 
officials, police, and citizen groups.
    The Minister of the Interior has met periodically with various 
representatives of the Muslim community to encourage the creation of a 
Muslim council to discuss that community's religious concerns; however, 
internal divisions have prevented Muslim leaders from responding 
positively.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Government's response to some minority groups that it views as 
``sects'' has been to encourage public caution. In 1995 the National 
Assembly formed a parliamentary commission, known as the Gest or the 
Guyard Commission (after the names of its chairman and rapporteur 
respectively), to study so-called ``sects.'' In 1996 the Commission 
issued a report that defined sects as groups that place inordinate 
importance on finances; cause a rupture between adherents and their 
families; are responsible for physical as well as psychological attacks 
on members; recruit children; profess ``anti-social'' ideas; disturb 
public order; have ``judiciary problems;'' and/or attempt to infiltrate 
organs of the State. Government officials have stated that ``sects'' 
are ``associations whose structure is ideological and totalitarian and 
whose behavior seriously oppresses fundamental liberties as well as 
social equilibrium.'' (These attributes are in addition to specific 
criminal behavior prohibited by law.)
    The Commission's report identified 173 groups as sects, including 
Jehovah's Witnesses and the Church of Scientology. The report was 
prepared without the benefit of full and complete hearings regarding 
the groups identified on the list. Groups were not told why they were 
placed on the list, and, because the document exists as a commission 
report to the National Assembly, there is no mechanism for changing or 
amending the list short of a new National Assembly Commission inquiry 
and report.
    The ensuing publicity contributed to an atmosphere of intolerance 
and bias against minority religions. Some religious groups reported 
that their members suffered increased intolerance after having been 
identified on the list. The Commission's findings also led to calls for 
legislative action to restrict the activities of sects, which the 
Government rejected on grounds of religious freedom. Instead, the 
Justice Ministry issued a directive to all government entities to be 
vigilant against possible abuses by sects and to monitor potentially 
abusive sect activities.
    In 1996 the Government created an interministerial working group on 
sects (known as the Observatory on Sects) to analyze the phenomenon of 
sects and to develop proposals for dealing with them. The working 
group's final report in 1996 made several proposals, including granting 
legal standing to organizations that oppose sects, thereby allowing 
them to initiate civil actions against sects; a modification of the law 
requiring associations to divulge information regarding the sources and 
management of their finances related to their effort to obtain tax-
exempt status; a limit on the allocation of public campaign funds in 
order to limit public financial support for small fringe groups; the 
creation of a representative in each prefecture to provide information 
on sects to local officials; the creation of a permanent commission at 
the European Union level to reinforce international cooperation in 
controlling sect activities; and measures to restrict group members' 
entry into professional training programs.
    In October 1998, the Government issued a new decree disbanding the 
Observatory on Sects and creating an ``Interministerial Mission to 
Battle Against Sects'' (mission interministerielle de lutte contre les 
sectes, or MILS). Although the decree instructs the MILS to ``analyze 
the phenomenon of sects,'' it does not define what is meant by the term 
``sect,'' or how sects differ from religions. The MILS also is charged 
with serving as a coordinator of periodic interministerial meetings, at 
which government officials are to exchange information and coordinate 
their actions against sects.
    On February 7, 2000, the Interministerial Mission for the Fight 
Against Sects submitted its first annual report to the Prime Minister, 
which addressed the perceived problem of ``sects.'' Publication of the 
report had been delayed; according to press reports, the delay was due 
to government reservations about the content of the report, which 
reportedly advocated new legislation aimed at abolishing a number of 
so-called ``dangerous sects.'' The Prime Minister's office, as well as 
some prominent government figures, publicly opposed such measures, 
citing concerns about the constitutional protection of ``freedom of 
conscience.'' The report specifically raised the possibility of the 
dissolution of movements which, being ``in essence and in action 
totalitarian'' are dangerous to their members and to democracy in 
general. The report urged government action to deal with sects or cults 
according to their degree of dangerousness, such as groups that limit 
personal freedoms of members, ``new age'' groups, and ``absolutist'' 
groups that are totalitarian in nature. However, the report did not 
advocate new legislation to abolish groups considered to be dangerous. 
The report presented two options: The use of criminal cases against 
individuals for violating existing laws, which rarely is done, and the 
use of existing administrative and political means--a 1936 decree 
against ``factious leagues''--which would require action by the Council 
of Ministers and the assent of the President. The report specifically 
cited concerns regarding the Church of Scientology and the ``Solar 
Temple'' group.
    In December 1998, a deputy introduced a private bill in the 
National Assembly that would allow anti-sect groups, classified as 
having ``state-approved'' (``utilites publiques'') status, to become 
parties to court actions involving sects. Its main provisions, with 
some modifications, were integrated into a separate bill on legal 
reform aimed at strengthening the presumption of innocence and victims' 
rights. That bill, which became law in June 2000, allows associations 
that defend or aid an individual or a collective entity against a 
person or organization that is characterized as having the goal or the 
effect of creating or exploiting a psychological or physical dependence 
to have standing in judicial proceedings. Still further modifications 
of this law, which would limit this standing to associations classified 
as ``utilites publiques,'' are contained in pending legislation on 
``sects.''
    In December 1998, the National Assembly created a new parliamentary 
commission to study the way that sects are financed. In June 1999, the 
National Assembly released its second report on ``sects,'' which 
addressed the finances of the groups. The report was based on 
questionnaires sent to groups listed as ``sects'' in the 1995 
parliamentary report, requesting detailed information about the 
finances of these groups, including donations, investments, financial 
activities, and other sources of income. The report focused on 
multinational groups, especially Jehovah's Witnesses and the Church of 
Scientology. The stated basis of concern was that these groups may use 
excessive or dishonest means to obtain donations, which then are 
transferred out of the country and beyond the reach of French tax 
authorities. The report also raised questions about volunteers, who 
should be compensated under the law for having provided uncompensated 
labor to ``for-profit'' organizations.
    In March 2000, a Paris Correctional Court fined National Assembly 
Deputy Jacques Guyard, the president of the 1999 Parliamentary 
Commission of Inquiries Against Sects and a drafter of the 1996 
National Assembly report on so-called ``sects,'' approximately $16,500 
(90,000 francs) in damages to three groups that were named in the June 
1999 parliamentary report. These three groups--the Federation of 
Steiner Schools, the New Brotherly Economy, and ``le Mercure Federal'' 
(an anthroposophical medical association)--had charged Guyard with 
slander for labeling the groups as ``sects'' in a June 1999 television 
interview. The court found that Guyard had made accusations against 
these groups when existing evidence did not warrant even a serious 
inquiry into their activities. The court noted that the National 
Assembly report resulted from written declarations from persons 
claiming to be victims of anthroposophy, but that the Commission had 
not heard any of the claims in person, and that there was no supporting 
documentation for accusations that the groups had used mental 
manipulation, pressure to give money, or practical medicine that 
endangered lives. The court rejected Guyard's later attempts to qualify 
his statements, and also rejected a request from Guyard's lawyer for 
parliamentary immunity, stating that Guyard's high position as head of 
the Commission would cause his remarks to have substantial influence on 
the public.
    In June 2000, the National Assembly passed on its first reading a 
private bill that would tighten restrictions on religious and other 
organizations. This bill--which amended an earlier version that had 
originated in and had been passed by the Senate in December 1999--
included the following clauses: (1) criteria for the dissolution of so-
called ``sects,'' (2) the prohibition of sect publicity in 
``vulnerable'' areas (i.e., near schools and hospitals), (3) 
prohibition of the reconstitution of dissolved ``sects'' under a 
different name, and (4) establishment of the new crime of ``mental 
manipulation.'' This bill was sent back to the Senate, where it may 
receive a second reading as early as late October 2000. However, 
various sources indicate that this proposed legislation, in its current 
form, is unlikely to become law prior to early 2001, if at all. The 
Justice Minister, who attended the National Assembly vote, noted that 
certain provisions of the bill would help ``victims'' of ``sects,'' but 
warned that other provisions might threaten fundamental liberties, such 
as freedom of association and belief. She questioned whether certain 
clauses were in conformity with the European Convention on Human Rights 
and called for a ``parallel reflection'' on these points to be 
organized by human rights groups when the Senate reconsidered the bill 
in the fall.
    The Government has not outlawed any of the groups on the list; 
however, several groups have reported that they have experienced 
discrimination since the publication of the 1996 parliamentary 
commission report. For example, leaders of l'Institut Theologique de 
Nimes (ITN), a private Bible college founded in 1989, claim that the 
institute and its members began experiencing discrimination in 1996, 
after the group was named on the 1995 list. The founder and leader, 
Louis Demeo, is head pastor at an associated church (Eglise Evangelique 
de la Grace), which also runs a private high school and a private 
primary school. However, the church itself was not named on the list. 
The Church of Scientology claims that its members have been targets of 
discriminatory behavior.
    Local authorities often determine the treatment of religious 
minorities. For example, in April 1999, an official of a district of 
Paris refused in writing a request to stage an art exhibition on city 
property because of the applicant's affiliation with the Church of 
Scientology. The Association of the Triumphant Vajra also has been 
involved in a dispute with local officials over the building of a 
statue and a temple. Alleging unfair treatment on religious grounds, 
the association mounted a public campaign, which included an appeal to 
the European Court of Human Rights, to prevent application of a Court 
of Cassation ruling upholding a lower court order to tear down a statue 
that allegedly had been erected without a permit.
    Some observers are concerned about the scrutiny with which tax 
authorities have examined the financial records of some religious 
groups. According to the 1905 law separating church and state, 
religious associations are not taxed on voluntary donations that they 
receive, although all churches pay taxes on certain activities. 
Religious groups must differentiate between activities carried out as 
an association of worship (``cultuelle''), which are not taxed, and 
activities carried out as a cultural association, which are subject to 
tax. The Government currently does not recognize the Church of 
Scientology or some branches of Jehovah's Witnesses as qualifying 
religious associations, and therefore subjects them to a 60 percent tax 
on all funds that they receive.
    In January 1996, the tax authorities began an audit of the French 
Association of Jehovah's Witnesses, and in May 1998, formally assessed 
the 60 percent tax against all donations received by Jehovah's 
Witnesses from September 1992 through August 1996. In June 1998, tax 
authorities began proceedings to collect the assessed tax, including 
steps to place a lien on the property of the National Consistory of 
Jehovah's Witnesses. The total amount claimed--including taxes, 
penalties, and interest--is over $42 million (300 million francs). 
However, in June 2000, the Conseil d'Etat, the highest administrative 
court in the country, decided that two of the branches of Jehovah's 
Witnesses could be recognized as religious associations according to 
the 1905 law, and thus be exonerated from certain tax obligations. 
Separately, in July 2000, a Nanterre court decided against the French 
Association of Jehovah's Witnesses, confirming the necessity to pay the 
approximately $42 million (300 million francs) in back-taxes to the 
fiscal authorities. The case was sent to an appeals court, and the tax 
proceeding continued throughout 2000.
    Authorities also have taken action against the Church of 
Scientology. Tax claims asserted in 1994-95 against several Scientology 
churches forced them into bankruptcy. In the case of the Paris church, 
the Ministry of Finance refused to grant the church authorization to 
import funds to pay the claimed taxes even though the church offered to 
pay the total amount of all taxes assessed. In December 1997, the 
Government filed legal action for the claimed amount against former 
officers of the Paris church and against the Church of Scientology 
International (a California nonprofit organization). The hearing in 
this legal action was deferred pending a decision regarding an 
administrative claim by the Paris church that the Minister of Finance 
acted improperly in refusing to allow the church to import funds to pay 
the assessed taxes. In January 1999, the Conseil d'Etat requested the 
advice of the European Court of Justice, and on March 14, 2000, the 
Court ruled that French law was incompatible with European Union laws 
regulating the free flow of capital. However, the Court ruled that such 
regulations could be allowed if required on the grounds of a threat to 
public security or public policy. The Conseil d'Etat overturned the tax 
assessment. However, the judgment's practical effect was limited 
because the affected churches had dissolved themselves and been 
reconstituted in the intervening period under different names.
    A number of court cases have been initiated against the Church of 
Scientology. These cases generally involved former members who have 
sued the Church for fraud and sometimes for the practice of medicine 
without a license. According to representatives from the Church of 
Scientology, there also have been cases under the data privacy act 
brought against the group by former members who have continued to 
receive mailings from the parent church in the United States. A 1999 
case in the Marseille Correctional Court received wide media attention 
after judicial officials admitted that 3.5 tons of documents pertaining 
to the case had been destroyed by mistake. In November 1999, the 
Marseille court in that case found a former local leader of the Church 
of Scientology and four other church employees guilty of fraud for 
swindling money from former members. The court sentenced the local 
leader to 2 years in prison, of which 18 months were suspended and the 
remaining 6 months served prior to sentencing, and a fine of 
approximately $16,700 (100,000 francs). The other four members received 
suspended sentences; charges against two other persons were dropped.
    Problems experienced by Muslims appear to be based on cultural 
rather than on religious differences. Debate continues over whether 
denying some Muslim girls the right to wear headscarves in public 
schools constitutes a violation of the right to practice their 
religion. In 1989 the Conseil d'Etat ruled that the ``ostentatious'' 
wearing of these headscarves violated a law prohibiting proselytizing 
in schools. After much unfavorable media attention to the wearing of 
such headscarves, the Ministry of Education issued a directive in 1994 
that prohibits the wearing of ``ostentatious political and religious 
symbols'' in schools. The directive does not specify the ``symbols'' in 
question, leaving school administrators considerable authority to do 
so. The Conseil d'Etat in 1995 affirmed that simply wearing a headscarf 
does not provide grounds for exclusion from school and subsequently 
struck down some decisions to expel girls for wearing headscarves. The 
decision about whether or not headscarves or other religious articles 
are ``ostentatious'' rests with the director of each school. Various 
reports indicate that, while some school directors permit the wearing 
of headscarves, others do not. Students are free to pursue their right 
to wear religious articles of clothing through the court system, and 
the courts have ruled upon a number of cases regarding headscarves. The 
outcome of these cases varies, and no national decision has yet been 
taken to rule definitively on whether or not the wearing of headscarves 
should be allowed.
    Foreign missionaries must obtain a 3-month tourist visa before 
leaving their own country. Upon arrival missionaries must apply with 
the local prefecture for a carte de sejour (a document that allows a 
foreigner to remain in the country for a given period of time), and 
then must give the prefecture a letter from their sponsoring religious 
organization.
    On October 21, 1999, the Court of Cassation upheld a Bordeaux 
court's 1998 conviction of Maurice Papon for his actions as secretary 
general of the prefecture of Gironde from 1942 to 1944. Papon was found 
guilty of complicity in committing crimes against humanity for his role 
in the deportation of hundreds of Jews to Nazi concentration camps 
during the World War II German occupation. The Bordeaux court had 
sentenced Papon to 10 years' imprisonment; however, he remained on bail 
pending the outcome of his appeal to the Court of Cassation. Just 
before that court's ruling, Papon fled to Switzerland. His failure to 
appear resulted in an automatic rejection of his appeal. On October 22, 
he was arrested in Switzerland and returned to France, where he remains 
in prison. According to press reports, his lawyer intends to take the 
case to the European Court of Human Rights.
    There was no change in the general status of respect for religious 
freedom during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Inter-faith relations at a popular level are amicable.
    The annual National Consultative Commission on Human Rights (NCCHR) 
report on racism and xenophobia, released in March 2000, noted an 
increase in the number of attacks against Jews after a steady downward 
trend since 1992, although the number of anti-Semitic threats continued 
to decline. In 1999 there were 9 reported attacks and 52 reported 
threats, compared with 1 and 73 respectively in 1998. The attacks 
recorded in 1999 occurred throughout the country and included three 
assaults, three acts of vandalism, and three attempts to set fire to 
synagogues. There were also occasional attacks on members of the large 
Arab/Muslim community.
    The Conseil des Eglises Chretiens en France (CECEF), formed in 1987 
and made up of three Protestant members, three Catholics, and three 
Orthodox Christians, serves as a forum for dialog among the major 
Christian churches. There is also an organized inter-faith dialog among 
the Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, and Jewish communities, which discuss 
and issue statements on various national and international issues. The 
Ministry of Interior has urged the creation of a Muslim council to 
discuss that community's religious concerns, but internal divisions 
have prevented Muslim leaders from responding positively.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy maintained active contact with government 
officials on the issue of religious freedom. Representatives from the 
Embassy have met several times with government officials and members of 
the Parliament. Embassy representatives also meet regularly with a 
variety of private citizens and nongovernmental organizations involved 
in the issue. Several other visiting officials, including Ambassador-
at-Large for Religious Freedom Robert Seiple, also discussed religious 
freedom issues with senior French officials.
                               __________

                                GEORGIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, local 
police and security officials at times harassed foreign and local 
missionaries and their congregations.
    Overall, in the period covered by this report there was a slight 
improvement in the status of religious freedom in some areas. Some 
lower courts sought to render more objective decisions in cases 
involving religious issues by remitting cases to expert panels.
    The Government and the public generally do not interfere with 
traditional religions; however, there continued to be incidents in 
which politicians and local authorities either participated in or did 
not prevent harassment of nontraditional religious groups.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government and the Government has been cooperative, particularly in 
dealing with issues related to Jehovah's Witnesses.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, local 
police and security officials at times harassed foreign and local 
missionaries and their congregations. The Constitution recognizes the 
special role of the Georgian Orthodox Church in the country's history, 
but also stipulates the independence of the Church from the State.
    Throughout the country's history, the Georgian Orthodox Church has 
been a key rallying point for patriotic sentiment. The Church has 
lobbied Parliament and the Government for laws that would grant it 
special status and restrict the activities of missionaries from 
``nontraditional'' (mostly Protestant evangelical) religions that might 
draw Orthodox believers, especially ethnic Georgians, away from it. The 
Georgian Orthodox Church enjoys a tax-exempt status not available to 
other religions. Various draft laws, some modeled on the Russian law on 
religion, have been introduced but thus far have not been adopted by 
Parliament. Currently, a concordat between the State and the Church, 
which would delineate the Church's rights and responsibilities, is also 
under consideration. A number of nongovernmental organizations (NGO's) 
have criticized the proposed concordat. They argue that the concordat 
would grant the Church the status of a government ministry without the 
necessary accompanying oversight and that such a concordat would grant 
the Church too many powers in procurement, licensing, and property 
ownership. The Church also wants to have religious education in 
schools. Some NGO's have argued that the Government has supported the 
Georgian Orthodox Church through the state budget by financing poverty 
programs and reconstruction of churches.
    There are no laws that require the registration of religious 
groups. However, religious groups that perform humanitarian works, the 
Salvation Army among them, must be registered as charitable 
organizations.
    There are no statutes or regulations related specifically to 
religious freedom. Currently, there is a debate as to whether a legal 
regime is needed to complement the constitutional protections of 
freedom of religion and if so, what form it should take, for example, 
whether there should be concordats individually with each religion and 
group or a law applied universally.
Religious Demography
    Most ethnic Georgians (approximately 70 percent of the population 
of 5 million, according to the 1989 census) nominally associate 
themselves with the Georgian Orthodox Church. Orthodox churches serving 
other non-Georgian ethnic groups, such as Russians and Greeks, are 
subordinate to the Georgian Orthodox Church but generally use the 
language of their communicants. In addition, there are a small number 
of (mostly ethnic Russian) believers from three dissident Orthodox 
schools: the Malakani; Storoveriy (Old Believers); and Dukhoboriy, the 
majority of whom have left the country. The period of Soviet rule saw a 
sharp decline in the number of active churches and priests, as well as 
a near-total absence of religious education. As a result, the level of 
religious practice is relatively low. Membership in the Georgian 
Orthodox Church has continued to increase since independence in 1991. 
It maintains 4 theological seminaries, 2 academies, several schools, 
and 27 church dioceses. According to the Church, it has 700 priests, 
250 monks, and 150 nuns. The Church is headed by a Catholicos 
Patriarch, Ilya II, whose See is in Tbilisi.
    Women and older persons predominate at the Church's services, and 
worshippers often only remain long enough to genuflect and light a 
candle. Financial restrictions limit the church's ability to train its 
clergy fully or perform any pastoral functions beyond the liturgy.
    Like many other religious institutions during the Soviet era, the 
Georgian Orthodox Church largely was suppressed; many churches were 
destroyed or turned into museums, concert halls, and other secular 
establishments. As a result of the new policies of the Soviet 
Government toward religion in the late 1980's, the present Patriarch 
began reconsecrating churches formerly closed throughout the country. 
The Church remains very active in the restoration of these religious 
facilities and is lobbying the Government for the return of properties 
that were held by the Church before the Bolshevik Revolution. (Church 
authorities have claimed that 20 to 30 percent of the land at one time 
belonged to the Church.)
    Several religions, including the Armenian Apostolic Church, 
traditionally have coexisted with Georgian Orthodoxy. A large number of 
Armenians live in the southern Javakheti region, where they constitute 
a majority of the population. Islam is prevalent among Azerbaijani and 
north Caucasus ethnic communities in the eastern part of the country 
and also may be found in the regions of Ajara and Abkhazia. Some 5 
percent of the population are nominally Muslim. Judaism, which has been 
present since ancient times, is practiced in a number of communities 
throughout the country, especially in the largest cities of Tbilisi and 
Kutaisi. Approximately 8,000 Jews remain, following two large waves of 
emigration, the first in the early 1970's and the second in the period 
of perestroika during the late 1980's. Before that, Jewish officials 
estimate, there were as many as 100,000 Jews in the country. There are 
also small numbers of Roman Catholic and Lutheran worshipers among 
communities that settled in the country in the 17th to 19th centuries. 
A small number of Kurdish Yezidis have lived in Georgia for centuries.
    Since the demise of the Soviet Union, Protestant denominations have 
become more prominent, including Baptists (composed of Russian, 
Georgian, Armenian, Ossetian, and Kurdish groups); Seventh-Day 
Adventists; Pentecostals (both Georgian and Russian); Jehovah's 
Witnesses (local representatives say that the group has been in the 
country since 1953 and has about 40,000 adherents); the New Apostolic 
Church; and the Assemblies of God. There are also a few Baha'is, and 
Hare Krishnas. There are no available membership numbers for these 
groups, but combined, their membership probably totals about 100,000 
persons.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Some nationalist politicians continue to use the views and the 
institution of the Georgian Orthodox Church as their platform, and 
criticized some Protestant groups, especially evangelical groups, as 
subversive. Jehovah's Witnesses in particular are the subject of 
attacks from such politicians.
    In April 1999, a nationalist parliamentarian opened a court case 
against Jehovah's Witnesses, seeking to ban the group on the grounds 
that it presents a threat to the State and the Georgian Orthodox 
Church. Lawyers for Jehovah's Witnesses argued that the suit violates 
the Constitution and appealed to a higher court to have the case thrown 
out. The Supreme Court dismissed the challenge in June 1999, and the 
case was heard. On February 29, 2000, the IsaniSamgori district court 
dismissed the lawsuit based on the opinion of an expert academic panel. 
The case was appealed to the Tbilisi district appeals court and on June 
23, 2000, the court ruled in favor of the plaintiff. Jehovah's 
Witnesses planned to appeal.
    Many of the problems among traditional religious groups stem from 
arguments over property. The Roman Catholic and Armenian Apostolic 
Churches have been unable to secure the return of their churches and 
other facilities closed during the Soviet period, many of which later 
were given to the Georgian Orthodox Church by the State. A prominent 
Armenian church in Tbilisi remains closed and the Roman Catholic Church 
and the Armenian Apostolic Church, as is the case with Protestant 
denominations, have had difficulty obtaining permission to construct 
new churches, reportedly in part as a result of pressure from the 
Georgian Orthodox Church. Georgian Orthodox Church authorities have 
accused Armenian believers of purposely altering some existing Georgian 
churches so that they would be mistaken for Armenian churches. At 
present, these groups are taking such arguments to court. The Catholic 
Church did complete successfully the construction of a new church in 
Tbilisi in 1999 and one in Batumi in June 2000.
    The Jewish community also experienced delays in the return of 
property confiscated during Soviet rule. A former synagogue, rented 
from the Government by a theater group, was ordered by the courts to be 
returned to the Jewish community in 1997. The theater group refused to 
comply and started a publicity campaign with anti-Semitic overtones to 
justify its continued occupation of the building. In December 1998, 
President Shevardnadze promised Jewish leaders that the synagogue would 
be returned before the 2,600-year celebration of Jewish settlement. 
However, the President's order was not enforced, and the building 
remains in the hands of the theater group. The theater group has 
brought suit, claiming that the building was never a synagogue. The 
court remitted the issue to a panel of experts for evaluation. In May 
2000, the panel informed the court that it had come to a split decision 
on whether the building had been a synagogue. The court reconvened on 
June 29, 2000 but had not rendered a ruling by the end of the period 
covered by this report.
    Pressure from the Georgian Orthodox Church on the Ministry of 
Education prevented the use of school textbooks to which the Church 
objected (see Section II). By law all school textbooks must be approved 
by the Ministry of Education, in consultation with various ministries 
and the office of the Patriarch. Two textbooks were refused licenses 
due to the disapproval of the Georgian Orthodox Church. In one case, 
the office of the Patriarch vetoed the textbook, and the Ministry of 
Education therefore refused to grant the license. In the other, the 
Ministry of Education granted the license, but a committee of concerned 
Orthodox parents, which the office of the Patriarch publicly 
acknowledged was its creation, successfully sued the Ministry of 
Education to rescind the license.
Governmental Abuses of Freedom of Religion
    Members of a number of Protestant--particularly evangelical--
organizations continued to be detained or otherwise harassed by local 
police. These groups also reported some incidents of harassment outside 
Tbilisi by Georgian Orthodox priests and their supporters. They also 
complain of instances when either the local police failed to intervene 
in a mob situation or the Procuracy failed to move court cases forward 
(see Section II). Many observers believe that the local police have the 
sanction, or think that they have the sanction, of the central 
Government for their actions. Although Jehovah's Witnesses note a 
decrease in harassment by local police, they argue that local officials 
have changed their strategy and now employ new tactics, attempting to 
provoke verbally Jehovah's Witnesses rather than initiating the 
harassment themselves.
    On October 17, 1999, a worship service of 120 parishioners in the 
Gldani district of Tbilisi was attacked violently by members of a 
renegade Georgian Orthodox group. (The leader of this group was 
excommunicated from the Church due to his radical and often 
confrontational stance.) The Gldani police refused to intervene. 
Sixteen persons were injured in the attack. On December 25, 1999, the 
case was forwarded to the Gldani prosecutor's office for criminal 
charges. Despite the advocacy by the National Security Advisor for 
human rights on Jehovah's Witnesses behalf, in January 2000, the Gldani 
regional prosecutor's office returned the case to the city prosecutor's 
office, stating that no violation had occurred. The group continues to 
press for prosecution of the police's behavior in this and similar 
subsequent incidents. Instead the official in charge of the 
investigation decided in June 2000 to charge one of the plaintiffs with 
hooliganism (see Section II).
    Several members of another evangelical group, the Assemblies of 
God, were beaten and abused verbally by police officials while 
conducting outdoor services in the Gldani region of Tbilisi in May 
1999. The officials sought to obtain the names of the church members. 
The group asserts that it continues to be under local police 
surveillance. A number of members of the congregation were hesitant to 
return to their apartments and cars for a few days. In September 1999 
the group brought suit against the police and lost. The group alleged 
that the leader of a radical Orthodox group exerted pressure on the 
court. The appeal was pending in the Supreme Court as of June 30, 2000.
    In August 1999, public services by four evangelical Protestant 
congregations in Tbilisi were brought to a halt as a result of 
hostility from the police and radical Orthodox activists. The churches 
were able to resume public services only after the October 1999 
parliamentary elections, because the police confiscated the 
documentation they needed to rent appropriate premises, although in the 
intervening period they continued to hold small-scale services in 
private apartments. The police raided three Tbilisi meeting places in 
late August 1999, halting services then in progress at two of them. 
President Eduard Shevardnadze publicly condemned these acts but as of 
mid-2000 there were no reports of any investigation of the police 
involved. As of mid-2000 there were no reports that any Protestant 
congregations in Tbilisi were unable to worship publicly.
    In December 1999, Jehovah's Witnesses requested permission from the 
city of Tbilisi to use its sports palace in July 2000 for a convention. 
In April 2000, the city denied permission. In conversations with group 
leaders, city officials indicated concern for the safety of the 
attendees. Jehovah's Witnesses appealed this decision. The group 
speculates that the city denied permission due to fear of pressure from 
the Orthodox Church.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners in the 
area of the country under the control of the Government.
    Regular and reliable information about the ``Republic of 
Abkhazia,'' which is not recognized by any country and over which the 
Government of Georgia does not exercise control, is difficult to 
obtain. The Abkhaz ``President,'' Vladislav Ardzimba, issued a decree 
in 1995 that banned Jehovah's Witnesses in Abkhazia. It remains in 
effect. A number of members of Jehovah's Witnesses have been detained 
subsequently. Five persons who were detained in April 1999 for 
violating the decree were released in early May 2000 after their 
counsel argued that their detention violated a freedom of conscience 
clause in the Abkhaz Constitution. According to a representative of 
Jehovah's Witnesses, none were detained at the end of the period 
covered by this report.
    Overall, in the period covered by this report there was a slight 
improvement in the status of religious freedom in some areas. Some 
lower courts sought to render more objective decisions in cases 
involving religious issues by remitting cases to expert panels. The 
National Security Council representative for human rights as well as 
the parliamentary Committee for Human Rights were effective advocates 
for religious freedom and intervened successfully on a number of 
occasions. During the period covered by this report, religious 
organizations and NGO's noted that such efforts by elements within the 
judiciary to improve the overall protection of religious freedom, 
although the Procuracy remains unresponsive unless pressure is exerted. 
There was still harassment of Protestant evangelical groups by local 
officials, especially police, in certain areas. In some cases, the 
officials apparently were influenced by the Georgian Orthodox Church.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There are no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    The Georgian Orthodox Church withdrew its membership from the World 
Council of Churches in 1997 in order to appease clerics strongly 
opposed to some of the Council's requirements and methods of operation 
and thereby avert a schism within the Church. Some senior church 
leaders remain highly exclusionary and emphasize theirs as the ``one 
true faith.'' Some Protestant groups--especially evangelical groups--
have been criticized by church officials and nationalist politicians as 
subversive. Eleven leaders of the Georgian Orthodox Church have argued 
that Christian missionaries should confine their activities to non-
Christian areas. Orthodox priests and their supporters, other religious 
groups, local police, and security officials at times reportedly 
harassed missionaries in rural areas and small towns, as well as 
Tbilisi (see Section I).
    According to some local human rights groups, as a result of 
pressure from the Georgian Orthodox Church the Ministry of Education 
prevented the use of two school textbooks on the history of religion 
because they did not give absolute precedence to Orthodox Christianity 
(see Section I).
    The public's attitude towards religion is ambivalent. Even though 
many residents are not particularly observant, the link between 
Georgian Orthodoxy and Georgian ethnic and national identity is strong. 
One local NGO believes that the public's tolerance of evangelical 
groups is decreasing, which is being exploited by nationalistic 
politicians. However, a number of members of the liberal intelligentsia 
regard the Church as a bastion of conservative chauvinism. Some NGO's 
advocate removing the clause in the Constitution concerning the 
Church's special role, claiming that it contradicts the Constitution's 
provisions regarding religious freedom.
    The Islamic and Jewish communities report that they have 
encountered few societal problems. There is no pattern of anti-
Semitism. Jewish leaders attribute isolated acts of anti-Semitism, 
including the publication of anti-Semitic newspaper articles and the 
destruction of Jewish communal property, to the country's general 
instability and disorder. In the past, President Shevardnadze has made 
statements criticizing anti-Semitic acts. There has been little 
evidence of Islamic fundamentalist activity.
    Pope John Paul II visited Tbilisi in November 1999 and was received 
warmly. The Armenian Catholicos also visited the country in May 2000.
    The occasional instances of religious intolerance are a reflection 
of prejudice by church officials and ignorance of or disregard for the 
law by certain local police and political authorities.
    In May and June 1999, nationalist groups (i.e., supporters of 
former President Zviad Gamsakhurdia) protested plans to send an 
exhibition of artifacts and religious relics to the United States. The 
Patriarchate also publicly objected to the exhibit. In the period prior 
to the October 1999 parliamentary elections, opponents increased the 
pressure with hunger strikes and public protests. The President decided 
to cancel the exhibition.
    In August 1999, hostility from police and radical Orthodox 
activists halted services by four evangelical Protestant congregations 
(see Section I).
    In the winter and spring of 2000, followers of Jehovah's Witnesses 
were attacked four times in the Gldani district of Tbilisi by radical 
Orthodox activists. On April 19, 2000, in four different places in the 
western part of the country, members of Jehovah's Witnesses were 
attacked and the police failed to intervene.
    Nationalistic politicians have manipulated the activities of 
Jehovah's Witnesses in particular to excite public hostility. In April 
2000, one politician inaccurately publicized the case of a hospitalized 
member of Jehovah's Witnesses who refused certain forms of medical 
treatment. The event was covered widely in the press and sparked a 
brief public debate over religious beliefs and medical ethics.
    On May 18, 2000, a radical religious group, called the Basilists 
after their leader, Father Basilia, held a rally in front of Parliament 
to protest the activities of nontraditional religious groups and NGO's.
    Religious groups and observers believe that the media's coverage of 
religious issues improved, to varying degrees; however, most agree that 
the media often is biased in favor of the Georgian Orthodox Church and 
uneducated on the issues being discussed.
    In June 2000, ethnic Armenians blocked persons, including the 
Patriarch, from entering a Georgian Orthodox Church in Ninotsminda, a 
predominately ethnic Armenian city in the south. Both the Patriarch's 
office and government representatives from the area believe that the 
incident was socially, and not politically or religiously motivated.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy has sought to encourage the resolution of 
complaints from religious groups that allege harassment by local 
authorities, pointing out the importance of religious freedom. The 
Embassy attended some court sessions of the Jehovah's Witnesses court 
case. In addition, the Embassy promotes local awareness of religious 
freedom by meeting regularly with officials from local and 
international NGO's working on the issue. During the period covered by 
this report, the Embassy discussed religious freedom issues with 
representatives of the Georgian Orthodox Church, and of the Jewish, 
Islamic, and Protestant faiths. In addition, the Embassy was in contact 
on these issues with local and international human rights 
organizations, as well as with government officials from the 
legislative and executive branches who are concerned with religious and 
human rights issues.
                               __________

                                GERMANY

    The Basic Law (Constitution) provides for religious freedom, and 
the Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Relations between the various religious communities are amicable. 
The Government does not recognize Scientology as a religion and views 
it as an economic enterprise. Concerns that Scientology's ideology is 
opposed to a democratic state have led to the screening of firms and 
individuals in some sectors of business and employment.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom with the Government 
in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting human 
rights. The status of Scientology was the subject of many discussions. 
The U.S. Government has maintained consistently that the determination 
that any organization is religious is for the organization itself. The 
U.S. Government has expressed concerns over infringement of individual 
rights because of religious affiliation and over the potential for 
discrimination in international trade posed by the screening of foreign 
firms for possible affiliation with Scientology.
    Many religions and denominations have been granted public 
corporation status. Among them are the Lutheran and Catholic Churches 
and Judaism, as well as the Mormons, Seventh-Day Adventists, 
Mennonites, Baptists, Methodists, Christian Scientists, and the 
Salvation Army. The Berlin state government has denied Jehovah's 
Witnesses public corporation status.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Basic Law (Constitution) provides for religious freedom, and 
the Government generally respects this right in practice.
    Religious organizations need not be registered. Most religious 
organizations are registered and treated as nonprofit associations and, 
therefore, enjoy tax-exempt status. State level authorities review 
these submissions and routinely grant this status. Organizations must 
register at a local or municipal court and provide evidence (through 
their own statutes) that they are a religion and thus contribute 
socially, spiritually, or materially to society. Local tax offices 
occasionally conduct reviews of tax-exempt status.
    Church and state are separate, although historically a special 
partnership exists between the State and those religious communities 
that have the status of a ``corporation under public law.'' If they 
fulfill certain requirements, including assurance of permanency, size 
of the organization, and an indispensable loyalty to the State, 
organizations may request that they be granted ``public corporation'' 
status, which, among other things, entitles them to levy taxes on their 
members that are collected for them by the State. Organizations pay a 
fee to the Government for this service. Not all public corporations 
avail themselves of this privilege. The decision to grant public 
corporation status is made at the state level. State governments also 
subsidize various institutions affiliated with public corporations, 
such as church-run schools and hospitals.
    State subsidies also are provided to some religious organizations 
for historical and cultural reasons. Some Jewish synagogues have been 
built with state financial assistance because of the State's role in 
the destruction of synagogues in 1938 and throughout the Nazi period. 
Repairs to and restoration of some Christian churches and monasteries 
are undertaken with state financial support because of the 
expropriation by the State of church lands in 1803 during the 
Napoleonic period. Having taken from the churches the means with which 
they earned money to repair their buildings, the State recognized an 
obligation to cover the cost of those repairs. Subsidies are paid only 
to those buildings affected by the 1803 reforms. Newer buildings do not 
receive subsidies for upkeep.
Religious Demography
    No census that could provide official statistics on religions and 
creeds has been conducted since 1987. However, unofficial estimates and 
figures provided by the organizations give an approximate breakdown of 
the current membership of the country's denominations. The Evangelical 
Church, which includes Lutheran, Uniate, and Reformed Protestant 
Churches, has 27.4 million members, who constitute 33.4 percent of the 
population. Statistical offices in the Church estimate that 1.1 million 
church members (or 4 percent) attend weekly religious services. The 
Catholic Church has a membership of 27.4 million or 33.4 percent of the 
population. According to the Church's statistics, 4.8 million Catholics 
(or 17.5 percent) actively participate in weekly services. Muslims make 
up approximately 3.7 percent of the population, or about 3 million 
persons.
    Orthodox churches have approximately 1.1 million members, or 1.3 
percent of the population. The Greek Orthodox Church is the largest, 
with approximately 450,000 members. The Romanian Orthodox Church has 
300,000 members. The Serbian Orthodox Church has 200,000 members. The 
Russian Orthodox Church, Moscow Patriarchate has 50,000 members, while 
the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad has approximately 28,000 members. 
The Syrian Orthodox Church has 37,000 members, and the Armenian 
Apostolic Orthodox Church has 35,000 members.
    Other Christian churches have approximately 1 million members, or 
1.2 percent of the population. These include Adventists with 35,000 
members, the Apostolate of Jesus Christ with 18,000 members, the 
Apostolate of Judah with 2,800 members, the Apostolic Community with 
8,000 members, Baptists with 87,000 members, the Christian Congregation 
with 12,000 members, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 
(Mormons) with 39,000 members, the Evangelical Brotherhood in Germany 
with 7,200 members, Jehovah's Witnesses with 165,000 members, Menonites 
with 6,500 members, Methodists with 66,000 members, the New Apostolic 
Church with 430,000 members, Old Catholics with 25,000 members, the 
Salvation Army with 2,000 members, Seventh-Day Adventists with 53,000 
members, the Union of Free Evangelical Churches with 30,500 members, 
the Union of Free Pentecostal Communities with 16,000 members, the 
Temple Society with 250 members, and the Quakers with 335 members.
    Jewish congregations have approximately 75,000 members and make up 
0.1 percent of the population. According to press reports, the 
country's Jewish population is growing rapidly, and more than 100,000 
Jews from the former Soviet Union have joined the country's 30,000 Jews 
since 1990. Authorities in the Cologne-based Federal Administrative 
Office note that the pace of Jewish emigration from Russia has 
increased in recent months.
    The Unification Church has 850 members; the Church of Scientology 
has 8,000 members; the Hare Krishna society has 5,000 members; the 
Johannish Church has 3,500 members; the International Grail Movement 
has 2,300 members; Ananda Marga has 3,000 members; and Sri Chinmoy has 
300 members.
    Approximately 21.8 million persons, or 26.6 percent of the 
population either have no religious affiliation or belong to smaller 
religious organizations.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Federal and state governments do not restrict the right to worship. 
Difficulties sometimes arise between churches and state over tax 
matters.
    Jehovah's Witnesses are appealing to the Constitutional Court an 
April 1993 decision of the Berlin state government that denied the 
church public corporation status. In 1997 the Federal Administrative 
Court in Berlin upheld the Berlin state government's decision. The 
court concluded that the group did not offer the ``indispensable 
loyalty'' toward the democratic state ``essential for lasting 
cooperation'' because, for example, it forbade its members from 
participating in public elections. The group does enjoy the basic tax-
exempt status afforded to most religious organizations.
    In March 2000, the Stuttgart administrative court dismissed a suit 
filed by a Muslim woman who was denied a teaching position in Baden-
Wuerttemberg because she insisted on wearing a traditional headscarf in 
the classroom. The Baden-Wuerttemberg Minister of Education took the 
position that the scarf was a political symbol of female submission 
rather than a religious practice prescribed by Islam, and that the 
political act of donning a headscarf was unacceptable for a teacher as 
a role model. The minister permitted the woman to conduct the practice 
teaching required for her degree, but argued that allowing a teacher to 
wear a headscarf on the job would violate the religious and political 
neutrality legally required of all civil servants, including teachers. 
The court's decision emphasized the need for teachers to maintain 
religious neutrality and viewed the woman's insistence on wearing the 
headscarf as an indication that she was unsuited for teaching in 
BadenWuerttemberg public schools. The woman appealed the ruling; she is 
now a teacher at a public school for Muslims in Berlin, where she is 
allowed to wear a headscarf. In September 1999, the Lower Saxony 
Ministry of Education barred a teacher in Lower Saxony from wearing a 
headscarf in the classroom. She filed suit against the ruling. The case 
continued at mid-2000. Nonetheless, Muslim students are free to wear 
headscarves to school.
    Several states have published pamphlets detailing the ideology and 
practices of nonmainstream religions. States defend the practice by 
noting their responsibility to respond to citizens' requests for 
information about these groups. While many of the pamphlets are factual 
and relatively unbiased, others may harm the reputations of some groups 
through innuendo and inclusion in a report covering known dangerous 
cults or movements. Scientology is the focus of many such pamphlets, 
some of which warn of alleged dangers posed by Scientology to the 
political and economic system, and to the mental and financial well 
being of individuals. For example, the Hamburg Office for the 
Protection of the Constitution published ``The Intelligence Service of 
the Scientology Organization,'' which outlines its claim that 
Scientology tried to infiltrate governments, offices, and companies, 
and that the church spies on its opponents, defames them, and 
``destroys'' them.
    The Church of Scientology remained under scrutiny by both federal 
and state officials who contend that its ideology is opposed to 
democracy. Since 1997 Scientology has been under observation by the 
federal and state Offices for the Protection of the Constitution (OPC), 
``watchdog'' agencies tasked with monitoring groups whose ideologies 
are deemed to be counter to the democratic order. (One state, 
Schleswig-Holstein, did not implement observation, since its 
constitution does not permit such activity.) In observing an 
organization, OPC officials seek to collect information, mostly from 
written materials and firsthand accounts, to assess whether a 
``threat'' exists. More intrusive methods would be subject to legal 
checks and would require evidence of involvement in treasonous or 
terrorist activity. Federal OPC authorities stated that no requests had 
been made to employ more intrustive methods, nor were any such requests 
envisioned. Observation is not an investigation into criminal 
wrongdoing, and no criminal charges have been brought against 
Scientology by the Government.
    In April 1998, an OPC agent was arrested by Swiss police after 
interviewing a contact in Basel while gathering information on 
Scientologists living in Baden-Wuerttemberg. The Government apologized, 
and in November 1999, he was convicted and sentenced to a 30-day 
suspended jail sentence for carrying out ``illegal business of a 
foreign state.''
    In November 1998, the federal OPC concluded that although there was 
no imminent danger for the political system or the economy of 
infiltration by Scientology, there were nevertheless indications of 
tendencies within Scientology, supported by its ideology and 
programmatic goals, which could be seen as directed against the 
country's free and democratic order. The June 1998 report to Parliament 
of the commission established in 1996 to investigate ``so-called sects 
and psycho-groups,'' including Scientology, concluded that the 
Government should inform the public about dangers to health and 
property posed by psychocults and groups. The report did not classify 
Scientology as a religion, but as a profit-oriented psycho-group with 
totalitarian internal structures and undemocratic goals and recommended 
that observation of Scientology continue.
    The interministerial group of mid-level federal and state officials 
that exchanges information on Scientology-related issues continued its 
periodic meetings. The group published no report or policy compendium 
during the period covered by this report and remains purely 
consultative in purpose.
    In April 2000, the federal OPC concluded in its 250-page annual 
report for 1999 that the reasons for initiating observation of 
Scientology in 1997 were still valid. The six pages covering 
Scientology described the organization's political ideology that is 
deemed to be anti-democratic. Employing quotes from the writings of 
Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology pamphlets and books 
to justify its conclusions, the OPC asserted that Scientology's goal 
was the establishment of a civilization where basic rights would be 
granted only to ``non-aberrant'' individuals (those who are ``cleared'' 
by means of Scientology's technologies). Only ``non-aberrant'' persons 
would be allowed to marry and bring children into the world. In the 
Scientology social system, there would be no human or basic rights that 
could be used as a defense against the State, nor would there be an 
independent judiciary. An intelligence organization, not bound by law, 
would conduct inquiries and take preventive and repressive measures.
    Government authorities contend that Scientology is not a religion 
but an economic enterprise and, therefore, sometimes have sought to 
deregister Scientology organizations previously registered as nonprofit 
associations and require them to register as commercial enterprises. In 
December 1999, the Stuttgart administrative court ruled that the state 
of Baden-Wuerttemberg could not deregister the Church of Scientology as 
an ideological nonprofit organization, stating that Scientology's 
economic activities could not be classified as commercial if such 
activities were used to accomplish the organization's ideological 
purposes. The state appealed the decision. In August 1999, the city of 
Munich revoked the nonprofit status of the local Scientology 
organization. In June 1999, the Munich administrative court rejected an 
appeal by Scientology and upheld the November 1995 decision by the city 
of Munich to deprive the Scientology-affiliated Celebrity Center Munich 
of its status as a nonprofit organization. With the exception of the 
Church of Scientology in Baden-Wuerttemberg, no Scientology 
organization in Germany has tax-exempt status.
    Scientologists continued to report discrimination because of their 
beliefs. A number of state and local offices share information on 
individuals known to be Scientologists. Some local, state, and federal 
agencies, businesses (including major international corporations), and 
other organizations require job applicants and bidders on contracts to 
sign a declaration, commonly referred to as a ``sect-filter,'' stating 
that they are not affiliated with the teachings of L. Ron Hubbard or 
used the technologies of L. Ron Hubbard. (However, the term ``sect 
filter'' is misleading because the declarations are Scientology 
specific and in practice do not refer to any other group; they could 
more accurately be described as ``Scientology filters.'') The 
Government imposed the use of such declarations on companies bidding on 
contracts to provide training courses. In April 2000, the Hamburg 
administrative court dismissed the suit of two Scientology members 
against the city-state of Hamburg for its use of ``sect filters.'' Some 
state governments also screen companies bidding contracts relating to 
training and the handling and processing of personal data. The private 
sector has followed the example set by the federal government and on 
occasion has required foreign firms that wish to do business in the 
country to declare any affiliation that they or their employees may 
have with Scientology. The Federal Property Office has barred the sale 
of some real estate to Scientologists, noting that the federal Finance 
Ministry has urged that such sales be avoided, if possible. 
Scientologists reported employment difficulties, and, in the state of 
Bavaria, applicants for state civil service positions must complete 
questionnaires detailing any relationship that they may have with 
Scientology. Bavaria identified some state employees as Scientologists 
and has required them to complete the questionnaire. The questionnaire 
specifically states that the failure to complete the form will result 
in the employment application not being considered. Some of these 
employees have refused, and at least one has filed suit in the local 
administrative court. The case is pending. However, according to 
Bavarian and federal officials, no state employees in Bavaria lost a 
job or was denied employment solely because of association with 
Scientology; Scientology officials confirm this statement.
    In a well-publicized court case, a higher social court in 
Rheinland-Pfalz ruled in January 1999 that a Scientologist was allowed 
to run her au pair agency, for which the state labor ministry had 
refused to renew her license in 1994, solely based on her Scientology 
membership. The judge ruled that the question of a person's reliability 
hinges on the person and not on membership in the Church of 
Scientology. The ruling is under appeal by the state labor office. No 
damages had been awarded as of June 30, 2000.
    Scientologists have taken grievances to the courts. Legal rulings 
have been mixed. Some individuals who had been fired because they are 
Scientologists sued their employers for ``unfair dismissal.'' Several 
have reached out of court settlements with employers.
    In 1998 the Church of Scientology filed a suit in Berlin to enjoin 
the Berlin interior ministry from the alleged practice of bribing 
members of Scientology to ``spy'' on other members. The case is 
pending.
    At the end of 1999 and continuing into early 2000, Hamburg's Sect 
Commissioner expressed public concern about Microsoft's Windows 2000, 
because one of its software functions was developed by a firm whose 
chief executive officer is a Scientologist. Although the federal Office 
for Security in Information Technology (BSI) has not yet made an 
investigation of the software, some Federal government offices are 
procuring Windows 2000.
    Scientology held exhibitions in a number of cities to explain the 
church to citizens and encountered serious difficulties. In Frankfurt 
in February 2000, a Scientology exhibit in the cafe of a well-known, 
city-owned museum sparked significant criticism, with city officials 
speaking out against Scientology and the exhibit. However, 
Scientology's recently-established information office in Frankfurt has 
generated little or no public controversy. In March 2000, a Scientology 
exhibit at the Leipzig book fair provoked complaints about what some 
visitors considered aggressive marketing tactics in the hall, and 
Leipzig authorities are reviewing whether to allow the exhibitors to 
return next year. In April 2000, Scientology was able to rent the 
public congress center in Hannover for a 2-day exhibition, after a 
hotel withdrew its reservation upon learning it was a booking for a 
Scientology event.
    The Federal Press and Information Office's Visitor's Bureau 
intervened in April 2000 with a Berlin hotel, forcing the hotel to 
cancel Scientology's reservations for rooms for an exhibit titled 
``What is Scientology?'' The hotel claimed that the Visitor's Bureau 
threatened to cancel several hundred thousand dollars worth of 
reservations if Scientology were allowed to exhibit in the hotel.
    Most major political parties continued to exclude Scientologists 
from membership, arguing that Scientology is not a religion but a for-
profit organization whose goals and principles are anti-democratic and 
thus incompatible with those of the political parties. However, there 
has been only one known instance of enforcement of this ban. A Bonn 
state court upheld the practice in 1997, ruling that a political party 
had the right to exclude from its organization those persons who do not 
identify themselves with the party's basic goals.
    The right to provide religious chaplaincies in the military, 
hospitals, and prisons is not dependent on the public corporation 
status of a religious community. The Ministry of Defense currently is 
reviewing the possibility of Islamic clergymen providing religious 
services in the military, although none of the many Islamic communities 
has the status of a corporation under public law.
    The right to provide religious instruction at public schools also 
is no longer confined to religious communities with public corporation 
status. In November 1998, the Berlin Higher Regional Court ruled that 
the Islamic Federation had to be given the opportunity to provide 
religious instruction in the Berlin public schools even though it was 
not a corporation under public law. The decision drew criticism from 
the many Islamic organizations not represented by the Islamic 
Federation. The state of Berlin appealed the ruling on the grounds that 
the Islamic Federation is not a religious organization. The state has 
expressed its concerns about the Islamic Federation's alleged links to 
Milli Gorus, a radical Turkish organization classified as an extremist 
organization by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution. The 
court ruled against Berlin in February 2000. Berlin authorities are now 
reviewing applications submitted by the Islamic Federation to begin 
classes for Islamic religious education in Berlin public schools.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Germany is becoming an increasingly secular state. Regular 
attendance at religious services is decreasing. After over four decades 
of Communist rule, Eastern Germans had become far more secular than 
their Western cousins. Church representatives note that only 5 to 10 
percent of Eastern Germans belong to a religious organization.
    Relations between the various religious communities are amicable. 
Several major political parties generally hold ecumenical religious 
services prior to beginning their national conventions. Religious 
organizations and political and educational foundations hold seminars 
and discussion panels to promote interreligious understanding.
    Religious broadcasters have access to the media. For example, 
television carries many programs produced by mainstream and minority 
religious groups.
    Anti-Semitic acts decreased 28 percent, with 433 incidents reported 
in the first 9 months of 1999, compared with 522 during the same period 
in 1998. These incidents included, in part, 314 cases involving 
distribution of anti-Semitic materials or the display of symbols of 
banned organizations, 27 cases of desecration of cemeteries, and 12 
cases of bodily injury.
    Holocaust Memorial Day wreaths to commemorate Holocaust victims in 
Leipzig were burned shortly before midnight on January 27, 2000. (Five 
wreaths and several flower bouquets had been placed in a ceremony 
presided over by Leipzig's lord mayor and attended by a number of local 
officials.) Two days later, approximately 150 demonstrators peaceably 
gathered to express their outrage over what happened. Local authorities 
criticized the burning but have not determined who ignited the fire. In 
April 2000, a young man affiliated with a radical rightwing political 
party was arrested for throwing a Molotov cocktail at the synagogue in 
Erfurt the week before. No one was injured and the damage was minor. 
The overwhelming majority of the perpetrators of anti-Semitic acts were 
frustrated, largely apolitical youths and a small core of rightwing 
extremists.
    There was no progress as of mid-2000 in the investigation of the 
1998 bombing of the grave of Heinz Galinski, chairman of the Jewish 
Community of Berlin until his death in 1992.
    Scientologists continued to report instances of societal 
discrimination (see Section I). In Stuttgart in March 2000, the efforts 
of Scientology members to promote an exhibit in the city's pedestrian 
shopping zone led to complaints from individual citizens who were 
offended by the Scientologists' efforts to talk to them.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. government discusses religious freedom with the Government 
in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting human 
rights. The status of Scientology was the subject of many discussions. 
The U.S. Government has expressed its concerns over of infringement of 
individual rights because of religious affiliation and over the 
potential for discrimination in international trade posed by the 
screening of foreign firms for possible Scientology affiliation. U.S. 
Government officials have discussed with state and federal authorities 
U.S. concerns about the violation of individual rights posed by the use 
of declarations of Scientology affiliation. U.S. officials frequently 
have made the point that the use of such ``filters'' to prevent persons 
from practicing their professions, solely based on their beliefs, is an 
abuse of their rights, as well as a discriminatory business practice.
                               __________

                                 GREECE

    The Constitution establishes the Eastern Orthodox Church of Christ 
(Greek Orthodoxy) as the prevailing religion, but also provides for the 
right of all citizens to practice the religion of their choice; 
however, while the Government generally respects this right, non-
Orthodox groups sometimes face administrative obstacles or encounter 
legal restrictions on religious practice. The Constitution prohibits 
proselytizing and stipulates that non-Orthodox rites of worship may not 
disturb public order or offend moral principles.
    Overall, leaders of minority religions noted a general improvement 
in government tolerance during the period covered by this report, 
citing fewer detentions for proselytizing, the conscientious objector 
law, and an effective, well-run Ombudsman's office, which successfully 
handled an increasing number of cases related to religious freedom.
    Greeks tend to link religious affiliation very closely to 
ethnicity. In the minds of many Greeks, an ethnic Greek is also 
Orthodox Christian. Non-Orthodox citizens have complained of being 
treated with suspicion or told that they were not truly Greek when they 
revealed their religious affiliation. The Government's decision in the 
summer of 2000 to remove a notation of religious affiliation on 
national identity cards sparked a national debate on the role of the 
Church in Greek society.
    The U.S. Embassy has worked consistently to promote religious 
freedom. Embassy officers meet regularly with workinglevel officials 
responsible for religious affairs in the Ministries of Foreign Affairs 
and Education and Religious Affairs. Officers from the Embassy and the 
Consulate General in Thessaloniki also meet regularly with 
representatives of various religious groups, including the Greek 
Orthodox Church, and the Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, and Islamic 
communities.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution establishes the Eastern Orthodox Church of Christ 
(Greek Orthodoxy) as the prevailing religion, but also provides for the 
right of all citizens to practice the religion of their choice; 
however, while the Government generally respects this right, non-
Orthodox groups sometimes face administrative obstacles or encounter 
legal restrictions on religious practice. The Constitution prohibits 
proselytizing and stipulates that non-Orthodox rites of worship may not 
disturb public order or offend moral principles.
    The Orthodox Church wields significant political and economic 
influence. The Government, under the direction of the Ministry of 
Education and Religion, provides some financial support by, for 
example, paying the salaries of clergy, subsidizing their religious 
training, and financing the construction and maintenance of Orthodox 
Church buildings.
    The Orthodox Church is the only religion considered by law to be a 
``legal person of public law.'' Other religions are considered ``legal 
persons of private law.'' In practice a primary distinction is that 
establishment of other religions' ``houses of prayer'' is regulated by 
the general provisions of the Civil Code regarding corporations. For 
example, non-Orthodox churches cannot, as religious entities, own 
property; the property must belong to a specifically created legal 
entity rather than to the church itself. In practice this places an 
additional legal and administrative burden on non-Orthodox religious 
community organizations, although in most cases this process has been 
handled routinely. In July 1999, the Parliament passed a law extending 
legal recognition to Catholic churches and related entities established 
prior to 1946.
    Two laws from the 1930s require recognized or ``known'' religious 
groups to obtain house of prayer permits from the Ministry of Education 
and Religion in order to open houses of worship. By law the Ministry 
may base its decision to issue permits on the opinion of the local 
Orthodox bishop. No formal mechanism exists to gain recognition as a 
known religion, but Ministry officials state that they no longer obtain 
the opinion of the local Orthodox bishop when considering ``house of 
prayer'' permit applications. According to the Ministry officials, 
applications for additional houses of prayer are numerous and are 
approved routinely. The only pending application for recognition as a 
known religion at the Ministry is one submitted in February 2000 by the 
Scientologists of Greece. Although the deadline mandated by law for 
processing the applications is 3 months, as of the end of June 2000, 
the Ministry had not yet determined whether it would recognize the 
Scientologist community as an ``official'' religion.
    A tax bill passed in 1997 created, among other things, 3 new taxes 
on all churches and other nonprofit organizations. Leaders of some non-
Orthodox religious groups claimed that all taxes on religious 
organizations were discriminatory, even those that the Orthodox Church 
has to pay, since the Government subsidizes the Orthodox Church, while 
other groups are self-supporting.
Religious Demography
    Approximately 94 to 97 percent of the country's 10.6 million 
citizens adhere at least nominally to the Greek Orthodox faith. With 
the exception of the Muslim community (some of whose rights and 
privileges as well as related government obligations are covered by the 
1923 Treaty of Lausanne), the Government does not keep statistics on 
the size of religious groups. Ethnic Greeks account for a sizeable 
percentage of most non-Orthodox religions. The balance of the 
population is composed of Muslims (officially estimated at 98,000, 
though some Muslims claim up to 110,000 countrywide); accurate figures 
for other religious groups are not available. Protestants, including 
evangelicals, are estimated at 30,000; Jehovah's Witnesses at 50,000; 
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) at 300; 
Catholics at 50,000; Jews at 5,000. Scientologists claim 12,000 
members. Approximately 250 members of the Baha'i Faith are scattered 
throughout the country, the majority of which are Greek citizens of 
non-Greek ethnicity. There are also Anglicans, Baptists, and 
nondenominational Christians. The old Calendarists separated from the 
Orthodox Church in 1924 and continued to follow the Julian calendar. 
There are no convincing estimates of their numbers. There is no 
official or unofficial estimate of atheists.
    The majority of noncitizen residents practice religions other than 
Greek Orthodoxy. The largest of these groups is the Albanians 
(approximately 600,000 including legal and illegal residents). An 
estimated two-thirds of these persons nominally adhere to Islam.
    Greek Catholics reside particularly in Athens and on the islands of 
Syros, Tinos, Naxos, and Corfu, as well as in the cities of 
Thessaloniki and Patras. Immigrants from the Philippines and Poland 
also practice Catholicism. The Bishop of Athens heads the Roman 
Catholic Holy Synod.
    Protestant groups constitute the second largest religious group 
after the Greek Orthodox Church. Some groups, such as the evangelicals 
and Jehovah's Witnesses, consist almost entirely of ethnic Greeks. 
Other groups, such as the Latter-Day Saints and Anglicans, consist of 
an approximately equal number of ethnic Greeks and non-Greeks.
    The 1923 Treaty of Lausanne, which is still in force, gives Muslims 
in western Thrace the right to maintain social and charitable 
organizations (``wakfs'') and provides for muftis (Islamic judges and 
religious leaders with limited civic responsibilities) to render 
religious judicial services.
    The Muslim population, concentrated in western Thrace with small 
communities in Rhodes, Kos, and Athens, is composed mainly of ethnic 
Turks but also includes Pomacks and Roma. The approximately 10,000 
member Muslim community in Athens (composed primarily of economic 
migrants from Thrace) is without its own mosque and a state-appointed 
cleric to officiate at various religious functions, including funerals. 
Members of the Muslim community often transport their deceased back to 
Thrace for religious burials to take place. In June 2000, the 
Parliament approved a bill allowing construction of the first Islamic 
cultural center and mosque in the Athens area. Mosques operate freely 
in western Thrace and on the islands of Rhodes and Kos. Construction of 
a long-delayed mosque in Kimmeria, Thrace was completed in 1998, though 
its minaret remained unfinished. The issue is one of local 
sensitivities rather than religious motivation, and the religious 
operation of the mosque has not been affected.
    Scientologists, most of whom are located in the Athens area, 
practice their faith through the Center for Applied Psychology (KEFE), 
a registered nonprofit philosophical organization.
    The Jewish community numbers approximately 5,000 adherents; the 
majority is of Greek ethnicity and lives in the Athens and Thessaloniki 
regions. In October 1999, a rededication of a synagogue in Hania, Crete 
as a house of prayer and a cultural center was marred by public 
criticism of the event by the regional governor. The Minister of 
National Education and Religion, and other government and Greek 
Orthodox officials lent their support to the rededication.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Several religious denominations reported difficulties in dealing 
with the authorities on a variety of administrative matters. Privileges 
and legal prerogatives granted to the Greek Orthodox Church are not 
extended routinely to other recognized religions. The non-Greek 
Orthodox churches must make separate and lengthy applications to 
government authorities on such matters as gaining permission to move 
places of worship to larger facilities. In contrast, Greek Orthodox 
officials have an institutionalized link between the church hierarchy 
and the Ministry of Education and Religion to handle administrative 
matters.
    The Missionaries of Charity (Mother Teresa's order of nuns) 
together with other organizations offering charitable services, 
reported difficulty in renewing their visas because the Government does 
not have a distinct religious workers' visa category. The Government, 
by virtue of the Orthodox Church's status as the prevailing religion, 
recognizes de facto its canon law. Similarly, the Catholic Church in 
1999 unsuccessfully sought government recognition of its canon law (the 
official ``constitution'' of the Church).
    As part of new obligations under the Schengen Treaty and the Treaty 
of Amsterdam, all non-European Union citizens face a more restrictive 
visa and residence regime than they did in the past. Due to the absence 
of a religious worker visa category, nonGreek citizen clergy reported 
difficulty renewing their visas during the period covered by this 
report. As of the end of June 00, no progress was made on issuing visas 
for foreign clergy to perform their religious work in Greece.
    Differences remain within the Muslim community and between segments 
of the community and the Government over the means of selection of 
muftis. Under a 1991 law, the Government appointed two muftis and one 
assistant mufti, all resident in Thrace. The appointments to 10-year 
terms were based on the recommendations of a committee of Muslim 
notables selected by the Government. The Government argued that it must 
appoint the muftis, because in addition to religious duties, they 
perform judicial functions in many civil and domestic matters under 
Muslim religious law, for which the State pays them.
    Some Muslims accept the authority of the two officially appointed 
muftis; other Muslims, backed by Turkey, have ``elected'' two muftis to 
serve their communities (although there is no established procedure or 
practice for ``election''). The Government has convicted one of the 
elected muftis 11 times over 4 years for usurping the authority of the 
official mufti. All of the sentences remain suspended pending appeal. 
The other elected mufti, who was convicted in 1991 of usurping the 
authority of the official mufti, appealed to the European Court of 
Human Rights. In December 1999, the court ruled that the conviction 
violated his freedom of religion and self-expression, but it avoided 
the question of his legal status as mufti.
    Controversy between the Muslim community and the Government also 
continues over the management and self-government of the wakfs (Muslim 
charitable organizations) regarding the appointment of officials as 
well as the degree and type of administrative control. A 1980 law 
placed the administration of the wakfs in the hands of the appointed 
muftis and their representatives. In response to objections from some 
Muslims that this arrangement weakened the financial autonomy of the 
wakfs and violated the terms of the Treaty of Lausanne, a 1996 
presidential decree put the wakfs under the administration of a 
committee for 3 years as an interim measure pending resolution of 
outstanding problems. The interim period was extended in 1999.
    Muslim activists complained that the Government regularly assesses 
taxes against the property of the wakfs. Under a national land and 
property registry law that came into full effect in January 1999, the 
wakfs, as with all property holders, must register all their property 
with the Government. The law permits the Government to seize any 
property that the owners are not able to document; there are built-in 
reporting and appeals procedures. The wakfs were established in 1560; 
however, due to the destruction of files during the two world wars, the 
wakfs are unable to document ownership of much of their property. They 
have not registered the property, so they cannot pay assessed taxes. To 
date the Government has not sought to enforce either the assessments or 
the registration requirement.
    In January 1998, a law providing an alternative form of mandatory 
national service for conscientious objectors (for religious and 
ideological reasons) took effect. It provides that conscientious 
objectors may work in state hospitals or municipal services for 36 
months. Conscientious objector groups generally characterized the 
legislation as a ``positive first step'' but criticized the 36-month 
alternative service term, which is double the regular 18-month period 
of military service. Since January 1998, all members of Jehovah's 
Witnesses (both clergy and laymen) who wished to submit applications 
for alternative nonmilitary service have been permitted to do so. Still 
pending resolution are 18 religiously based conscientious objector 
cases of those individuals who were in the process of contesting a 
prison term for refusing to serve in the military and whose cases were 
not covered by the 1998 law. In April 2000, the European Court of Human 
Rights ruled in favor of a conscientious objector who, after serving a 
prison sentence in lieu of military service, was later barred from 
employment because of his record.
    Jehovah's Witnesses also noted one case during the period covered 
by this report in which custody of two children was awarded to a Greek 
Orthodox parent, in part due to the fact that the other parent was a 
member of Jehovah's Witnesses. The Jehovah's Witness parent was also 
denied visitation rights.
    Evangelical parishes are located throughout the country. Members of 
missionary faiths report difficulties due to anti-proselytizing laws. 
Church officials express concern that anti-proselytizing laws remain on 
the books, although such laws no longer hinder their ministering to the 
poor and to children. In December 1999, the Government, applying 
legislation covering radio and television broadcasts, shut down an 
evangelical radio station over a technical issue on transmission 
frequency; however, it legally resumed operation a few months later 
once the case was adjudicated.
    According to the president of the KEFE, the Scientologists chose to 
register as a philosophical organization because legal counsel advised 
that the Government would not recognize Scientology as a religion. In a 
step toward gaining recognition as a religion, Scientologists applied 
for a house of prayer permit in late February 2000. The application is 
still pending at the Ministry of Education and Religion.
    In 1999, a defrocked former Greek Orthodox priest, after exhausting 
appeals stemming from a 1994 case for usurpation of religious 
authority, paid a fine in lieu of jail time.
    A human rights group reported that in Thessaloniki and in some 
villages, the municipality has refused to record the conversion of 
former Orthodox believers to another religion.
    Religious instruction in Orthodoxy in public primary and secondary 
schools is mandatory for all Greek Orthodox students. Non-Orthodox 
students are exempt from this requirement. However, Jehovah's Witnesses 
have reported some instances of discrimination related to attendance at 
religious education classes or other celebrations of religious or 
nationalistic character. Members of the Muslim community in Athens are 
lobbying for Islamic religious instruction for their children. The 
neighborhood schools offer no alternative supervision for the children 
during the period when religious issues are taught. The community has 
complained that this forces the parents to have their children attend 
Orthodox religious instruction by default.
    The Government decided in the summer of 2000 to remove a notation 
of religious affiliation on national identity cards. This sparked a 
national debate on the role of the Church in Greek society. For 
example, the issue led Archbishop Christodoulos to organize religious 
protest rallies in Thessaloniki and Athens in June 2000. Both 
demonstrations drew over 100,000 supporters. Archbishop Christodoulos 
vociferously criticized the Government and planned to collect 
signatures to petition the Government to allow religious affiliation as 
an option on national identity cards.
Governmental Abuses of Freedom of Religion
    The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints state has about 80 
missionaries in the country each year, for approximately 2-year terms. 
Church leaders report that their permanent members (nonmissionaries) do 
not encounter discriminatory treatment. However, police occasionally 
detained Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses (on average every 2 weeks) 
after receiving complaints that the individuals were engaged in 
proselytizing. In most cases, these individuals were held for several 
hours at a police station and then released with no charges filed. Many 
reported that they were not allowed to call their lawyers and that they 
were abused verbally by police officers for their religious beliefs. 
There were no proselytizing-related court cases during the period 
covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners apart 
from the problems of temporary police detention experienced by Mormons 
and Jehovah's Witnesses.
    In Thessaloniki, in late 1999, the Government Tax Office refused to 
recognize the Jehovah Witnesses as a nonprofit association and imposed 
an inheritance tax for property willed to them. The individuals 
appealed the decision in 2000, and as of mid-2000, the case still was 
pending.
    Unlike in the past, there were no reports of assertions by Muslim 
leaders that the Government routinely withheld permission from Muslims 
seeking to change their legal residence, which determines where they 
vote, from rural to urban communities within western Thrace or from 
elsewhere in Greece to Thrace.
Improvements in Freedom of Religion
    Overall, leaders of minority religions noted a general improvement 
in government tolerance during the period covered by this report, 
citing fewer detentions for proselytizing, the conscientious objector 
law, and an effective, well-run ombudsman's office, which successfully 
handled an increasing number of cases related to religious freedom.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Greeks tend to link religious affiliation very closely to 
ethnicity. Many attribute the preservation of Greek national identity 
to the actions of the Greek Orthodox Church during approximately 400 
years of Ottoman rule and the subsequent nation building period. The 
Church wields significant social, political, and economic influence; it 
owns a considerable, although undetermined, amount of property.
    In the minds of many Greeks, an ethnic Greek is also an Orthodox 
Christian. Non-Orthodox citizens have complained of being treated with 
suspicion or told that they were not truly Greek when they revealed 
their religious affiliation. Non-Orthodox citizens have claimed that 
they face career limits within the military, police, and fire-fighting 
forces, and the civil service, due to their religions. In the military, 
generally only members of the Greek Orthodox faith become officers, 
leading some members of other faiths to declare themselves Orthodox. 
Few Muslim officers have advanced to the rank of reserve officer and 
there are reports of pressure exerted on Greek Orthodox military 
personnel not to marry in the religious ceremony of their non-Orthodox 
partner, lest they be passed over for promotion.
    Members of minority faiths have reported incidents of societal 
discrimination, such as local bishops warning parishioners not to visit 
clergy or members of minority faiths and neighbors, requesting that the 
police arrest missionaries for proselytizing. However, with the 
exception of the Muslim minority of western Thrace, most members of 
minority faiths consider themselves satisfactorily integrated into 
society. Organized interaction between religious communities is 
infrequent.
    Some non-Orthodox religious communities believe that they have been 
unable to communicate with officials of the Orthodox Church and claim 
that the attitude of the Orthodox Church toward their faiths has 
increased social intolerance towards their religions. The Orthodox 
Church has issued a list of practices and religious groups, including 
Jehovah's Witnesses, Evangelical Protestants, Scientologists, Mormons, 
Baha'is, and others, which it believes to be sacrilegious. In 1999 
there was an incident in which local Orthodox clergy and local 
government officials mobilized to demolish a government-approved house 
of prayer in the process of construction by Jehovah's Witnesses in 
Halkidiki in northern Greece. The incident was resolved swiftly through 
the intervention of police forces. Officials of the Orthodox Church 
have acknowledged that they refuse to enter into dialog with religious 
groups considered harmful to Greek Orthodox worshipers; church leaders 
instruct Orthodox Greeks to shun members of these faiths.
    Economically, the Muslim minority in Thrace lags behind the rest of 
Greece. During the period covered by this report, there were no claims 
of discriminatory denial of Muslim applications for business licenses, 
tractor ownership, or property construction. The development of basic 
public services (electricity, telephones, paved roads) in Muslim 
neighborhoods and villages continues in many cases to be significantly 
slower than the development of such services in non-Muslim areas.
    The percentage of Muslims employed in the public sector and in 
state-owned industries and corporations is disproportionately lower 
than the percentage of Muslims in the population. In Xanthi and 
Komotini, while Muslims hold seats on the prefectural and town 
councils, there are no Muslims among regular employees of the 
prefecture. Muslims in western Thrace claim that they are hired only 
for lower level, part-time work. According to the Government, lack of 
fluency in written and spoken Greek and the need for university degrees 
for high-level positions limit the number of Muslims eligible for 
government jobs.
    The Treaty of Lausanne provides that the Muslim minority has the 
right to Turkish-language education, with a reciprocal entitlement for 
the Greek minority in Istanbul (now reduced to about 3,000). Western 
Thrace has both Koranic and secular Turkish-language schools. In the 
past, Government disputes with Turkey over teachers and textbooks had 
caused these secular schools serious problems in obtaining faculty and 
teaching materials in sufficient number and quality; however, this is 
no longer a problem. In January 2000, 19 new Turkishlanguage textbooks 
approved jointly by the Governments of Greece and Turkey were 
distributed in the schools, the first such distribution since 1974. 
There were no complaints during the period covered by this report that 
the Government tried to prevent Turkish teachers (who serve under a 
1952 reciprocal educational protocol) from performing their duties. 
Approximately 8,000 Muslim children attended Turkish-language public 
schools and an additional 150 attended two bilingual middle schools 
with a religious curriculum. Approximately 600 attended Turkish-
language secondary schools, and approximately 1,600 Muslim students 
attended Greek-language secondary schools. Many Muslims reportedly 
attended high school in Turkey, due to the limited number of places in 
the Turkish language secondary schools, which are assigned by lottery. 
In 1999 the Government instituted a European Union-funded program for 
teaching Greek as a second language to Muslim children, primarily in 
the Greek-language schools, to improve their academic performance and 
chance of obtaining postsecondary education in the country.
    Government incentives encourage Muslim and Christian educators to 
reside and teach in isolated villages. However, in August 1999, the 
Ministry of Education reformed the hiring system for teachers, which 
previously was based on seniority and prior service as a temporary 
teacher. As a result, Christian educators lost the incentive to reside 
and teach temporarily in isolated and border villages, which in the 
past secured priority in hiring. However, teachers and civil servants 
in border areas continue to receive a special allowance and pay lower 
taxes.
    The law permits the Minister of Education to give special 
consideration to Muslims for admission to universities and technical 
institutes. The law requires universities and technical institutes to 
set aside places for Muslim students each year; 376 spaces were 
available in 1999. Under this law, 123 Muslim students entered Greek 
universities and technical institutes in 1999. Approximately 1,700 
other Muslim students entered via the national examination process open 
to all citizens who attend universities and technical schools.
    Vandals desecrated the Holocaust monument and a synagogue in 
Thessaloniki in April 2000, and defaced gravestones in the Jewish 
cemetery and Holocaust memorial in Athens with anti-Semitic symbols and 
slogans in May 2000.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy has worked consistently to promote religious 
freedom. Embassy officers meet regularly with workinglevel officials 
responsible for religious affairs in the Ministries of Foreign Affairs 
and Education and Religious Affairs. Officers from the Embassy and the 
Consulate General in Thessaloniki also meet regularly with 
representatives of various religious groups, including the Greek 
Orthodox Church, and the Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, and Islamic 
communities. Throughout 1999 and the first half of 2000, the Embassy 
brought leaders of diverse religious groups to the Embassy and to 
embassy-related functions to discuss with visiting members of Congress 
and other U.S. Government officials the situation facing their faiths 
both in the country and abroad.
    Employees of the Embassy's consular section have helped Bible 
Baptist clergy get permission to visit all prisoners, not only those of 
the Baptist faith.
    The Ambassador and embassy staff accompanied visiting members of 
Congress to the newly located Jewish museum in Athens, and helped to 
arrange meetings between representatives of various religious groups 
and U.S. Government officials in Greece and the United States.
    In October 1999, during President Clinton's visit to Greece, 
religious leaders of all faiths, including Archbishop Demetrios, head 
of the Orthodox Church in North America, were invited to official 
embassy events.
    The Ambassador has been an open supporter of the Jewish Museum and 
the Jewish community in general.
    The Ambassador and embassy officials regularly visit religious 
sites throughout the country, invite representatives of all faiths to 
social events, and meet with individuals of all faiths.
                               __________

                                HUNGARY

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There are 100 churches that have been registered by the courts and 
the Church Relations Secretariat of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage. 
The Government budget for 1999 included subsidies for 59 of these 
churches, and the 2000 budget provides subsidies for 76. A total of 300 
religious organizations, including monastic orders, regional church 
centers, and other such groups, are registered with the Government. A 
church can be established with 100 supporters; there are no other 
requirements. The Ministry of Cultural Heritage, which oversees 
relations with churches, proposes restrictions for establishing 
churches with the purpose of excluding violent groups and business 
enterprises falsely operating as religious organizations to evade tax 
laws. During 1999 and continuing into 2000, various potential changes 
to this process were discussed within the Ministry of Cultural Affairs; 
the most extreme was a proposal that suggested that for a religious 
congregation to be registered as a church, the group would have to be 
able to show that it had either 10,000 members or 100 years of history 
in the country. This proposal was dropped before going to Parliament, 
and replaced with a new proposal, which was scheduled for debate in 
Parliament in fall 2000. The new proposal calls for centralizing the 
registration process by designating one court in Budapest (with a 
special panel of judges), which would render all decisions on church 
registration. Using a legal definition, the judges would decide whether 
the nature of the applicant group was in fact religious or spiritual, 
rather than political, economic, or social. Scientologists and other 
churches without a lengthy historical precedence in the country worry 
that the proposal, although wellintentioned and sound, may leave 
loopholes for persecution or open a debate in Parliament that may lead 
to a more restrictive environment.
    The State grants financial support to religious denominations for 
religious practice, educational work, and maintenance of public 
collections. To promote the support of religious institutions, the 
Government has signed separate agreements with the country's four 
largest ``historic'' denominations: the Roman Catholic, Lutheran, and 
Calvinist Churches and the Jewish community. Prime Minister Viktor 
Orban defended the agreements, stating that ``under the given 
circumstances, we succeeded in removing all financial, administrative, 
political, and legal hurdles from the path of our historic churches.''
    The Government provides funds each year for revitaling churches 
based on annual negotiations between the Ministry of Cultural Heritage 
and the Ministry of Finance. In 1999 government support for the four 
historic denominations, including the money generated from the 1 
percent tax donation, totaled $28.96 million (7.24 billion Huf) for the 
Roman Catholic Church, $12.64 million (3.16 billion Huf) for the 
Calvinist Church, $504 million (1.35 billion Huf) for the Lutheran 
Church, and $3.56 million (890 million Huf) for the Jewish community. 
Funding for 2000 is still under discussion. In 1999 the Ministry of 
Cultural Heritage provided $11.24 million (2.81 billion Huf) for the 
reconstruction of church properties and monuments and for other 
investments. This money is part of the overall 1999 total, and was 
distributed as follows: $6.84 million (1.71 billion Huf) for the Roman 
Catholic Church; $2.44 million (610 million Huf) for the Calvinist 
Church; $0.84 million (210 million Huf) for the Lutheran Church; and 
$0.48 million (120 million Huf) for the Jewish community.
Religious Demography
    Dissemination of statistics pertaining to religion is banned by the 
Data Protection Law of 1992. Under its provisions, individuals cannot 
be asked about their ethnicity or religious affiliation. The Government 
estimates that the country has 4,500 churches and chapels. There are 
between 2,200 and 2,500 Catholic, between 1,500 and 1,700 Calvinist, 
and 200 Lutheran churches, as well as 106 synagogues. Several 
synagogues have been built since World War II, generally replacing 
older demolished synagogues. The first completely new synagogue built 
since the war was constructed during 1998 at a Jewish summer camp in 
Szarvas. According to estimates from the World Jewish Restitution 
Organization, there are currently between 70,000 and 110,000 Jews 
residing in the country. There also are 9 Buddhist and 7 Orthodox 
denominations, along with an Islamic community of 800 and an additional 
400 to 500 Muslims in the country's refugee camps.
    The population is not particularly devout. A 1996 law permits 
citizens to donate 1 percent of their income tax to the church of their 
choice and an additional 1 percent to the nonprofit agency of their 
choice. More citizens chose to designate civil organizations than 
churches, although many do both or neither.
    The Government provides the same financial support for church 
education as for state institutions.
    In June 1999, Members of Parliament began investigating ties 
between the Congregation of Faith and the former ruling party, the 
Alliance of Free Democrats (SZDSZ), which may have granted economic and 
political benefits to this religious group. According to press reports, 
the Faith and Morality Cultural Foundation of Northern Hungary, 
reportedly tied to the Congregation of Faith, has been accused of fraud 
and other crimes. However, the Congregation of Faith denies any 
connection to the Foundation. The congregation, which has been in 
existence for 20 years, is the fastest growing religious group in the 
country. Leaders of the congregation also claim that it is the fourth 
largest religious group in the country, a fact that appears to be 
substantiated by the number of individuals who designate the 
congregation as the beneficiary of their 1 percent tax donation. It is 
a charismatic evangelical church and its fundamentalism, zeal, and 
appeal to youth have engendered distrust among the country's older, 
more traditional population.
    The traditional practice of going to church and participating in a 
religious service before taking the oath of office is not compulsory, 
but it is practiced by some political figures, including Prime Minister 
Orban in 1998.
    Between 1999 and 2011, the State must decide more than 1,600 
pending cases of real property to be restituted to churches. In 1991 
Parliament passed the Law on Compensation for Previously Church Owned 
Properties. This law enables the churches to apply for compensation for 
real estate that was nationalized without any compensation after 
January 1, 1946. Real estate cases have involved 12 religious groups: 
Catholic; Calvinist; Lutheran; Unitarian; Baptist; Hungarian Romanian 
Orthodox; Hungarian Orthodox; Budai Serb Orthodox; Hungarian Methodist; 
Seventh-Day Adventist; the Salvation Army, and the Confederation of 
Hungarian Jewish Communities (MAZSIHISZ).
    Overall, 7,220 claims were made by churches for property 
restitution under the 1991 compensation law: 1,600 cases were rejected 
as inapplicable under the law; the Government decided to return the 
property in 1,129 cases, and gave cash payments in another 1,770 cases; 
approximately 1,000 cases were resolved directly between former and 
present owners without government intervention; and the remainder 
(approximately 1,660 cases) must be decided by 2001. Religious orders 
and schools have regained some property confiscated by the Communist 
regime.
    Between 1997 and 1998, the Government signed agreements on 
compensation with seven churches: the four historic churches (Catholic, 
Jewish, Lutheran, and Calvinist) and three smaller ones (Hungarian 
Unitarian, Hungarian Baptist, and Budai Serb Orthodox). These 
agreements are subsumed under the 1991 compensation law and reimburse 
the churches for properties confiscated by the Government after January 
1, 1946. The first and most significant agreement, between the 
Government and the Vatican, gives the Catholic Church $9.8 million (2.3 
billion Huf) in support and calls for the return of church property 
confiscated by the Communist regime. The agreement with the Jewish 
community was signed in October 1998 and gives it $2.6 million (608 
million Huf). The Government's payment was made in exchange for the 
community's agreement to waive its claim on 152 properties. According 
to MAZSIHISZ, the Jewish community received 4 or 5 buildings as real 
property restitution and is negotiating with the Government on an 
additional 10 to 15 properties on the basis of the 1947 Paris Treaty on 
World War II suffering. The Calvinist and Lutheran Churches, in 
agreements signed in December 1998, receive $4.3 million (1 billion 
Huf) each. The agreements give the Budai Serb Orthodox Church $190,000 
(45 million Huf) and the Hungarian Baptist Church $85,000 (20 million 
Huf).
    In 1998 the Government paid churches $19 million (4.4 billion Huf) 
as compensation for the assets confiscated during the Communist regime. 
In 1999 the amount is to be raised to $21 million (5 billion Huf). By 
2011 the State is to pay an estimated total of $179 million (42 billion 
Huf) to the churches for buildings not returned.
    In 1992 Parliament passed a compensation law that provides for 
restitution to families of persons who were sentenced in court under 
the Communist and Nazi regimes. The Constitutional Court in 1996 
decreed that the law was drawn too narrowly. In 1997 Parliament passed 
modifications to this law and extended compensation for the period 1939 
to 1989 to ``victims of political autocracy.'' This category includes 
victims of political, religious, and racist persecution during World 
War II, forced laborers in Soviet camps, and victims of the 1956 
revolution. The 1997 modifications also established the Jewish Heritage 
Foundation to provide restitution in the form of life pensions to 
17,800 Holocaust survivors born before May 9, 1945. An additional 2,040 
labor camp survivors are to receive pensions automatically when they 
reach 60 years of age.
    MAZSIHISZ and international Jewish organizations criticized as 
unfair a 1998 decision by the Government to provide $128 (30,000 Huf) 
to the heirs of the Holocaust victims. In 1997 the previous government 
decided upon $12 million (3 billion Huf) as the total compensation 
figure to be distributed among all Holocaust victims. Previous awards 
to the heirs of victims executed by the Communist regime were $4,255 (1 
million Huf). The Orban Government provided the 30,000 Huf figure as a 
line item in the Fiscal Year 1999 budget, stating this amount was all 
that could be paid without budget imbalances. Opposition parties are 
seeking to hold a special parliamentary session on this and other 
issues, but the Government is opposed to resolving the issue in this 
manner. In March 2000, Deputy State Secretary Zsolt Semjen, who is in 
charge of religious affairs at the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, was 
appointed unofficial mediator for Jewish affairs by the Prime Minister 
and reported that he is negotiating with the Jewish community on this 
issue.
    In 1998 the Ministry for Cultural Heritage initiated an inventory 
of museum holdings to identify works of art eligible for restitution or 
compensation for Holocaust victims.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between religious groups are amicable.
    Under Communism the Government maintained ties with the four 
historic denominations (Roman Catholic, Calvinist, Lutheran, and 
Jewish) through the Government Office of Church Affairs. After the fall 
of Communism, smaller churches also became established, resulting in a 
more diverse religious community.
    In 1997 changes to the Penal Code made it easier to enforce and 
stiffen penalties for hate crimes committed on the basis of the 
victim's ethnicity, race, or nationality. A case against Ehrem Kemal, a 
skinhead group leader, arising from two inflammatory anti-Semitic 
speeches he made in 1997, ended in October 1999 when Kemal was given a 
sentence that effectively put him on probation for 2 years.
    In May 2000, 34 graves in the Lutheran cemetery of Oroshaza were 
defaced. Budapest police believe that a youth gang was responsible and 
that the act was one of vandalism rather than religious intolerance. 
The case was still open as of mid-2000.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy actively monitors religious activities, 
particularly relating to issues of compensation and property 
restitution for Holocaust victims. The Embassy works closely with 
MAZSIHISZ the Hungarian Jewish Public Foundation and other local and 
international Jewish organizations as well as the members of the 
Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights, Minority, and Church Affairs 
to promote fair compensation and access to Holocaust-era archives. 
Embassy officers have facilitated discussions between U.S. and 
Hungarian authorities concerning the valuables confiscated from 
Hungarian Jews by the Nazis (the so-called ``gold train.'') Embassy 
officers have met with representatives of the Office of Religious 
Affairs in the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, and the Embassy maintains 
a dialog on restitution issues that arise from several of the 
Government's agreements with smaller churches. Embassy officers 
routinely meet with officials from the Church of Jesus Christ of 
Latter-Day Saints and the Church of Scientology to monitor government 
support for groups that experience problems outside of the country.
                               __________

                                ICELAND

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice; however, the State 
financially supports and promotes an official religion, Lutheranism.
    The Parliament passed a law in December 1999 that sets down 
specific conditions and procedures that a religious organization must 
follow in order to become officially recognized by the State. Such 
recognition is necessary in order for a religious organization to be 
eligible for a per capita share of the mandatory church tax that all 
citizens 16 years of age and above must pay. Otherwise, there was no 
change in the status of respect for religious freedom during the period 
covered by this report.
    Both Government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discuses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy or promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors. The official state 
religion is Lutheranism.
    The salaries of the 146 ministers in the state church are paid 
directly by the State, and these ministers are considered to be public 
servants under the Ministry of Judicial and Ecclesiastical Affairs. 
Except for those who specifically opt out, all citizens 16 years of age 
and above must pay a church tax of approximately $7 (ISK $479.21) per 
month, which goes to support the operation of the state church. 
Individuals who choose to opt out of the state church may direct their 
monthly payment to another religious denomination or organization, 
provided that denomination or organization has been recognized and 
registered as such by the State. In cases where the individual has not 
indicated a religious affiliation, or belongs to an organization that 
is not recognized officially and registered by the State, the church 
fee is directed to a secular institution--the University of Iceland.
    A new law passed by Parliament in December 1999 (Law No. 108) sets 
specific conditions and procedures that religious organizations must 
follow in order to be recognized officially and registered by the 
State. Such recognition is necessary in order for religious 
organizations other than the state church to receive a per capita share 
of church tax funds. The 1999 law is narrower in scope than the 1975 
law it replaced and applies only to religious organizations that are 
seeking to be, or are already, officially recognized and registered. No 
restrictions or requirements are placed on unregistered religious 
organizations, which have the same rights as other groups in society. 
The law is considered necessary to deal with frequent attempts by 
individuals to obtain recognition of religious organizations simply to 
receive the tax income benefits. The Ministry of Justice and 
Ecclesiastical Affairs handles applications for recognition and 
registration of religious organizations. The 1999 law provides for a 
three-member panel consisting of a theologian, a lawyer, and a social 
scientist from the University of Iceland to determine the bona fides of 
the applications. In order to be recognized officially and registered, 
a religious organization must, among other things, be well established 
within the country and have a core group of members who regularly 
practice the religion in compliance with its teachings. All registered 
religious organizations are required to submit an annual report to the 
Ministry of Judicial and Ecclesiastical Affairs describing the 
organization's operations over the past year. The new law also 
specifies that the leader of a religious organization must be at least 
25 years of age and pay taxes in Iceland. However, the previous 
requirement that the leader had to be Icelandic was eliminated.
Religious Demography
    According to the National Statistical Bureau, there were 209,902 
Icelanders 16 years of age and over as of December 1, 1999. Of that 
total, some l65,560, or about 86 percent, were members of the state 
Lutheran church. Another 8,601 (4 percent) were members of one of three 
Lutheran Free Churches: Reykjavik Free Church--4,017; Reykjavik 
Independent Church--1,666; and Hafnafjordur Free Church--2,378. Some 
7,277 (3 percent) were members of 19 other recognized and registered 
religious organizations: Roman Catholic Church--2,813; Seventh-Day 
Adventists--563; Pentecostal Assembly--1,081; Sjonarhaed Congregation--
35; Jehovah's Witnesses--456; Baha'i Faith--307; Ash Faith Society--
327; The Cross--357; Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints--107; 
The Way, Free Church--463; The Rock, Christian Community--61; Buddhist 
Association of Iceland--332; Kefas, Christian Community--44; First 
Baptist Church--5; Muslim Association--90; The Icelandic Christ-
Church--108; The Church of Evangelism--42; The Believers' Fellowship--
30; Zen in Iceland/Night Pasture 1--33. In addition, there were 3,978 
citizens who belonged to unregistered or unspecified religious 
organizations and 5,026 who were not part of any religious 
organization.
    A large proportion of citizens who belong to the State Lutheran 
Church do not practice their faith actively. However, the majority of 
citizens use traditional Lutheran rituals to mark events such as 
baptisms, confirmations, weddings and funerals. Of Christians who 
practice their faith actively, the majority are members of other 
Christian churches or organizations. There are also religions, such as 
Judaism, which have been practiced in the country for years but have 
never requested official recognition. (In official statistics these 
religions are listed as 'other and non-specified.')
    Law no. 108 also confirms that parents control the religious 
affiliation of their children until the children reach the age of 16. 
However, parents are required by the law, in accordance with the 
Children's Act, to ``consult'' their children about any changes in the 
children's affiliation after the age of 12. In the absence of specific 
instructions to the contrary, children at birth are assumed to have the 
same religious affiliation as their mother and are registered as such.
    According to statistics provided by the immigration authorities, 
the number of foreigners receiving a residence permit has increased 
significantly during the past several years. In direct relation to the 
increased number of foreigners (itinerant workers, immigrants, and 
refugees), the number of religious organizations has increased since 
such foreigners often practice faiths different than those of citizens 
born in the country.
    The Government is passive rather than proactive in promoting inter-
faith understanding. The Government does not sponsor programs or 
official church-Government councils to coordinate inter-faith dialog.
    The Government requires instruction in religion and ethics based on 
Christianity in public elementary schools, according to the Law on 
Elementary Schools No. 66 of 1995. Although there had been a debate 
whether this instruction should be ``Christian'' or ``religious'' 
instruction, the traditionalist view prevailed. Virtually all schools 
are public schools, with a few exceptions such as the only Roman 
Catholic parochial school, which is located in Reykjavik where the vast 
majority of the country's small Roman Catholic community reside. All 
schools are subject to Law No. 66 with respect to the compulsory 
curriculum. However, the precise content of this instruction can vary; 
religious instruction at the Catholic school follows Catholic rather 
than Lutheran teachings.
    Students can be exempted from Christianity classes. According to 
Law No. 66, the Minister of Education has the formal authority to 
exempt pupils from instruction in compulsory subjects such as 
Christianity. In practice, individual school authorities issue 
exemptions informally. There is no obligation for school authorities to 
offer other religious or secular instruction in place of Christianity 
classes.
    Educational material on different religions is part of the 
compulsory syllabus in secondary school. In addition, since religion is 
a component of culture, pupils learn about religions other than 
Christianity in history and social science classes as well. The 
curriculum is not rigid and teachers often are given wide latitude in 
the classroom. Some place greater emphasis on ethical and philosophical 
issues rather than on religious instruction per se.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by the report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between religious groups generally are amicable. If 
members of religious minorities face discrimination, it is more 
indirect in nature, taking the form of prejudice and lack of inter-
faith or intercultural understanding. Iceland is a small, close-knit, 
homogenous society that closely guards its culture and is not 
accustomed to accommodating outsiders. Even though most citizens are 
not active members of the state church, it is still an important part 
of the country's cultural identity.
    During the last decade there has been increased awareness of other 
religious groups. Informal inter-faith meetings have occurred. Two 
local human rights organizations were established recently. Diversity 
Enriches was established on December 10, 1998. Its board members 
include government officials, journalists and academics; it aims at 
assisting ``new residents'' of the country. The Human Rights 
Association of Immigrants and their Families was founded on June 12, 
1999. These organizations are a reflection of the increased attention 
being given to the status of new immigrants and their religious 
beliefs.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                                IRELAND

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors. The Constitution 
forbids promotion of one religion over another and discrimination on 
the grounds of religion or belief, and the Government does not hamper 
the teaching or practice of any faith. There is no state religion, and 
there is no discrimination against nontraditional religious groups. 
There is no requirement in Irish law that religious groups or 
organizations register with the Government, nor is there any formal 
mechanism for Government recognition of a religion or religious group.
Religious Demography
    The country is overwhelmingly Roman Catholic. According to official 
government statistics collected during the 1991 census (the most recent 
figures available), the religious affiliation of the population is 91.6 
percent Roman Catholic, 2.5 percent Church of Ireland (Anglican), 0.4 
percent Presbyterian, 0.1 percent Methodist, and less than 0.1 percent 
Jewish. Approximately 3 percent of the population are members of 
another religion or have no specific religious belief. While no 
statistics are yet available, Muslim and Orthodox Christian communities 
are growing, especially in Dublin, as a result of immigration.
    Although almost 92 percent of the population are classified as 
Roman Catholic, this is a ``nominal'' figure. Only 60 percent of Irish 
Catholics are estimated to be active church members. There are also 
numerous and varied small religious groups.
    Immigrants and non-citizens encounter few difficulties in 
practicing their faiths. In the case of non-Catholics, there are some 
difficulties associated with the availability of facilities and 
personnel outside of Dublin.
    Adherence to Roman Catholicism can be politically advantageous 
because of the country's history and tradition as a predominantly 
Catholic country and society. Members of the major political parties 
(Fianna Fail and Fine Gael) tend to be practicing Catholics.
    The Government does not require but does permit religious 
instruction in public schools. Most primary and secondary schools are 
denominational, and their boards of management are controlled partially 
by the Catholic Church.
    Under the terms of the Constitution, the Department of Education 
must and does provide equal funding to schools of different religious 
denominations (such as an Islamic school in Dublin). Although religious 
instruction is an integral part of the curriculum, parents may exempt 
their children from such instruction.
    In October 1999, the Employment Equality Act was implemented, which 
outlaws discrimination in relation to employment on the basis of nine 
discriminatory grounds, including religion. The Act established an 
Equality Authority (replacing the old Employment Equality Agency) to 
assure continued work toward the elimination of discrimination and the 
promotion of equality in employment. In April 2000, the President 
signed into law the Equal Status 2000 Act, which prohibits 
discrimination outside of the employment context (such as in education 
or provision of goods) based on the same grounds used in the Employment 
Equality Act. The Equal Status 2000 Act is to be implemented before the 
end of 2000.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between various religious communities are amicable and 
friction is rare. Various religions, nongovernmental organizations 
(NGO's), and academic institutions have established activities or 
projects designed to promote greater mutual understanding and tolerance 
among adherents of different religions.
    Irish society is largely homogenous; as a result, religious 
differences are not tied to ethnic or political differences. However, 
some citizens have political attitudes toward the conflict in Northern 
Ireland that are driven by their religious identities and loyalties. 
For example, some Catholics support Nationalist and Republican parties 
or ideals in the north on the basis of their religious loyalty.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy maintains regular contact with all communities, 
including religious groups and NGO's that deal with issues of religious 
freedom on a regular basis. The U.S. Embassy discusses religious 
freedom issues with the Government in the overall context of the 
promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                                 ITALY

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion. 
Issues relating to religion that arise stem from formal state 
recognition (to facilitate access by ministers of religion to public 
hospitals and prisons, or to link religious ceremonies to civil 
registration of marriages), state financial support for religion, and 
state involvement with the teaching of religion in the public schools. 
The Catholic Church's historic and continuing predominant role in 
society leads to controversy when church teaching is perceived as 
instruction to Catholic legislators on matters of public policy.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The 1947 Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
    Prior to the Constitution's adoption, Italy's relations with the 
Catholic Church were governed by a 1929 Concordat, which established 
Catholicism as the country's state religion. A 1984 revision of the 
Concordat formalized the principle of a secular state but maintained 
the principle of state support for religion--support that also could be 
extended, if requested, to non-Catholic confessions. A special law 
(``intesa'') enacted in 1984 granted specific benefits to the 
Waldensian Church. Similar laws (which involve lengthy procedures to 
obtain) extended similar benefits to the Adventists and Assembly of God 
(1988), to Jews (1989), and to Baptists and Lutherans (1995). In March 
2000, the Government agreed to legislation that would establish two new 
intesas--with the Buddhist Union and Jehovah's Witnesses. The Church of 
Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) filed a request for an 
intesa in 1998; an organization formed in 2000 that represents a 
coalition of Muslim organizations announced in April that it would seek 
an intesa. An intesa grants ministers of religion automatic access to 
state hospitals, prisons, and military barracks, allows for civil 
registry of religious marriages, facilitates special religious 
practices regarding funerals, and exempts students from school 
attendance on religious holidays. If the religious community so 
requests, an intesa can provide for a state subsidy through tax revenue 
collection--a privilege that some religious communities initially 
declined but later requested.
Religious Demography
    An estimated 85 percent of native-born citizens are nominally Roman 
Catholic. Jehovah's Witnesses form the second largest denomination 
among such citizens, numbering some 400,000. However, immigration--both 
legal and clandestine--continues to add large groups of non-Christian 
residents, mainly Muslims from North Africa, South Asia, Albania, and 
the Middle East, who now number an estimated 1 million. Buddhists 
include some 40,000 Europeans and 20,000 Asians. There are 
approximately 80,000 Scientologists. There are approximately 30,000 
Waldensians, and 20,000 Mormons, largely concentrated in Rome and 
northern cities. A declining Jewish community of about 30,000 maintains 
synagogues in 21 cities.
    Missionaries or religious workers do not encounter problems but 
must apply for appropriate visas prior to arriving in Italy.
    The revised Concordat of 1984 accorded the Catholic Church certain 
privileges. For example, the Church may select Catholicreligion 
teachers in the public schools, whose salaries are paid by the State. 
The ``hour of religion'' class that public schools teach is optional, 
and students not interested in this course are free to study other 
subjects or, in certain cases, to leave school early. Whereas Catholic 
priests once taught catechism, churchselected religion teachers may be 
either lay or religious, and their instruction may include material 
relevant to non-Catholic faiths. However, problems may arise in small 
communities where information about other faiths and numbers of non-
Catholic communicants are limited.
    While Roman Catholicism is no longer the state religion, its role 
as the dominant one occasionally gives rise to problemssome overt, 
others subtly societal. Declining enrollment in Catholic schools led 
church officials to seek government aid, despite the 1947 
Constitution's prohibition against State support for private schools. A 
1999 legislative formula that provided means-tested support for 
students from poorer families (enrolled either at private or state 
schools) nonetheless drew papal criticism for being ``inadequate.'' The 
Church criticized municipal and national authorities who granted 
permission for a gay ``pride week'' to be held in Rome (in Jubilee Year 
2000) and demanded that the event, which the Church considers offensive 
to its teaching on homosexuality, be postponed. Following a March 2000 
European Parliament vote in favor of granting homosexual couples the 
same legal rights as married ones, the Vatican Pontifical Council for 
the Family called on Italian legislators ``and particularly Catholic 
members of Parliament'' to oppose such legislation. The continuing 
presence of Catholic symbols, such as crucifixes, which may be found 
hanging on courtroom or government office walls, has drawn criticism 
and has been the object of lawsuits. In April 2000, the Court of 
Cassation ruled in favor of a school teacher who asserted that 
crucifixes should not be present at voting sites maintained by a 
secular state.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II: Societal Attitudes

    The overall tone for interconfessional relations is set by 
religious and government officials who, by word and practice, encourage 
mutual respect for differences. In view of the negative aspects of the 
nation's Fascist past, government leaders acknowledge and pay tribute 
to Jews victimized by the country's 1938 racial laws.

                  Section III: U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                               KAZAKHSTAN

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the various 
denominations worship largely without government interference; however, 
government officials sometimes harass Islamic and Christian groups 
whose members are regarded as religious extremists.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    The country is multiethnic, with a long tradition of tolerance and 
secularism. Relations among the various religious communities are 
generally amicable. There were reports that law enforcement, 
prosecutorial, and intelligence officials in some jurisdictions 
routinely review the activities of religious organizations. Government 
scrutiny of religious groups is often tied to the requirement that 
groups register with the government in order to conduct legal 
transactions such as renting property or hiring employees. Increasing 
activities of extremist, selfdescribed religious groups in the Central 
Asian region led to calls for greater control of religious groups in 
the country. In July 1999, government forces raided a religious meeting 
near Taraz detained 70 persons and reportedly beat several of them.
    Ultimately, one of the meeting's organizers was convicted of 
promoting the activities of an unregistered organization and jailed. He 
was released in a general amnesty a few weeks later.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom with the Government 
in the context of its dialog about regional security threats and as 
part of its overall dialog and policy of promoting human rights.

          Section I. Government Polices on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the various 
denominations worship largely without government interference; however, 
government officials sometimes harass Islamic and Christian groups 
whose members are regarded as religious extremists. The Constitution 
defines the country as a secular state. It also requires foreign 
religious associations to carry out their activities, including the 
appointment of the heads of religious associations ``in coordination 
with appropriate state institutions.'' There were credible allegations 
that the Government played a significant role in the appointment in 
June 2000 of the new Mufti, the head of the National Muslim 
Organization. He denied these allegations. In general, the Government 
does not interfere with the appointment of religious leaders or the 
activities of foreign religious associations.
    Religious organizations, including churches, must register with the 
Ministry of Justice in order to receive legal status. Without 
registration religious organizations cannot buy or rent real property, 
hire employees, obtain visas for foreign missionaries, or engage in any 
other legal transactions. Although religious organizations, unlike 
other nongovernmental organizations (NGO's), are entitled by law to 
carry out their work without government registration, in practice many 
local officials insist that they register. Registration requires an 
application submitted by at least 10 persons and is usually a quick and 
simple process. Some religious groups out of favor with the authorities 
in some jurisdictions encounter difficulties registering in those 
jurisdictions. There were no reports that the Government prohibited the 
activities of any religious group whose registration application it 
turned down.
    Religious organizations receive no tax privileges other than 
exemptions from taxes on church collections and income from certain 
religious activities. The Government has donated buildings and provided 
other assistance for the construction of new mosques and Eastern 
Orthodox churches.
Religious Demography
    Society is ethnically diverse, and many religions are represented. 
However, due to the country's nomadic and Soviet past many residents 
reject religious labels or describe themselves as nonbelievers (see 
Section II). Ethnic Kazakhs, who constitute approximately one half of 
the national population, historically are Sunni Muslims of the Hanafi 
School. In a 1998 government survey, 80 percent of ethnic Kazakhs 
described themselves as Muslims, although government and independent 
experts believe that a large number of these are nonobservant. Other 
traditionally Sunni Muslim groups, which constitute approximately 5 to 
l0 percent of the population, include Tatars, Uyghurs, Uzbeks, Turks, 
and Chechens. Slavs, principally Russians and Ukrainians, are by 
tradition Eastern Orthodox and constitute about one-third of the 
population. The 1998 government survey found that 60 percent of ethnic 
Slavs identify themselves as Orthodox. An independent expert estimates 
that two-thirds of Slavic citizens would say that they belong to no 
religion or are indifferent to religion. Ethnic Germans, largely 
Lutheran and Catholic, constituted approximately 5 percent of the 
population when the country became independent in 1991, but the 
majority of these are thought to have emigrated to Germany. A small 
Jewish community is estimated at well below 1 percent of the 
population. Two new synagogues, in Astana and Pavlodar, opened. 
President Nazarbayev personally presented historical records on Rabbi 
Shnerson's father, who was exiled to the country during the Soviet 
period, to the Lubavitcher community in a December 1999 visit to New 
York.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Government officials frequently express concerns about the 
potential spread of religious extremism. They point especially to the 
risk of political Islam spreading north from Afghanistan and other 
states. Their longstanding concerns intensified following a series of 
bombings in the capital of neighboring Uzbekistan in February 1999, and 
incursions by armed militants of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan 
from Tajikistan into neighboring Kyrgyzstan during the summer and fall 
of 1999. In September 1999, the National Security Council, which is 
chaired by the President, created a commission to develop policies to 
combat religious extremism.
    Religious groups out of favor with the authorities encounter 
difficulties registering. These groups include Jehovah's Witnesses, 
many Protestant groups, Muslim groups independent of the national 
Muslim organization headed by the Mufti of Kazakhstan, and Orthodox 
Christian groups independent of the Orthodox Archbishop.
    Despite leaders' concerns about regional security threats from 
groups claiming a religious basis, the Government refrained from 
imposing new legal restrictions on religious freedom. Draft restrictive 
amendments to the Law on Religion, withdrawn by the Government in March 
1999, were not reintroduced. However, the country's highest law 
enforcement officials called for toughening the Religion Law. The 
Procurator General of the Republic and the Interior Minister both 
called for prohibiting the activities of unregistered religious 
organizations. In February 2000, the Interior Minister publicly 
expressed his dissatisfaction with the presence of conservative Muslims 
in the country and criticized a local official for attending a stadium 
meeting of the Jehovah's Witnesses. The Committee for National Security 
(KNB, the successor to the Soviet-era KGB) on several occasions has 
characterized the fight against ``religious extremism'' as a top 
priority of the internal intelligence service. The official Russian-
language newspaper, Kazakhstanskaya Pravda, and the official television 
station, Khabar, presented as news reports allegations that 
unregistered religious groups present a threat to national security and 
social cohesion.
    On June 26, 2000, the Third Congress of Muslims in Kazakhstan voted 
to appoint Absattar Derbisaliyev as the new Mufti (spiritual chief) of 
the National Muslim Organization. Senior government officials, 
including reportedly the Chief of the Presidential Administration and 
the Minister of Culture, Information, and Public Accord, took part in 
the Congress. Some Muslims alleged that the government officials 
engineered Derbisaliyev's appointment and the resignation of his 
predecessor. Derbisaliyev publicly denied that government officials 
present at the Congress influenced the votes of congress participants, 
indicating that they were not there when the voting was conducted.
    Some local officials continued to assert, contrary to law, that 
unregistered religious organizations could not conduct religious 
activities. In March 2000, the city prosecutor's office in Astana, the 
national capital, issued a written warning to a group of Schismatic 
Baptists for not being registered. Earlier in the month, the head of 
the Ministry of Culture, Information and Public Accord visited the 
leader of the Schismatic Baptists to recommend that they alter their 
charter prohibition against seeking government registration and apply 
for registration. Law enforcement authorities in Akmola oblast, the 
province that includes Astana, conduct regular inspections of religious 
organizations in order, they assert, to prevent the development of 
religious extremism and to ensure that religious groups are paying 
taxes.
    Representatives of Jehovah's Witnesses alleged incidents of 
harassment by a number of local governments. They claimed that city 
officials in Astana, Almaty, and Shymkent sometimes blocked the group 
from renting stadiums or other large public or private sites for 
religious meetings. In other cities, officials allowed the church to 
rent facilities for such gatherings. Church representatives alleged 
that the director of one facility in Almaty told them that city 
officials had given instructions not to rent space to Jehovah's 
Witnesses. A city official denied the allegation. Church 
representatives also alleged that the prosecutor's office in Kostenai 
requested information from the church about its clergymen, 
organizational structure, and schools, and in April 2000 inspected 
documents of Jehovah's Witnesses congregations in Taraz and Abay. The 
church faced difficulties registering communities of church members in 
Petropavlovsk, where registration has been denied several times, and 
Aktau, though it ultimately was registered in Aktau.
    Foreign missionary activity is authorized under law, but only when 
missionaries are accredited by the State. In practice many missionaries 
operate without accreditation. Although legally entitled to register 
religious organizations, foreign missionaries generally find that they 
must list a majority of local citizens among the 10 founders of the 
religious organization.
    A 1999 law on education forbids the activities of educational 
institutions, including religious schools, which have not been 
registered by the Ministry of Education. Although no religious schools 
are known to be registered, the Government apparently took no action 
against religious schools over registration pending full implementation 
of the law.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    On July 14, 1999, a group of more than 100 armed special forces and 
police raided a camp outside Taraz where a Muslim group was holding a 
private religious study retreat. The authorities detained 70 group 
members, including, reportedly, a 6-year-old and 11 other minors. Group 
members alleged that the authorities beat all 70 detainees in jail. One 
minor reportedly suffered a broken nose; another detainee reportedly 
suffered broken ribs. Although the Interior Minister publicly alleged 
that the group was terrorist, not religious, in nature, the authorities 
later publicly announced that they uncovered no weapons or politically 
subversive literature at the camp. All 70 detainees were freed by 
September 1999. Only one group leader was charged with a crime 
(promoting the activities of an unregistered organization), but he was 
released under a general amnesty law passed in August 1999.
    In September 1999, police closed an Islamic school in Karasu 
village, near Almaty. The authorities alleged that a Pakistani teacher 
at the school was promoting religious extremism and that students were 
being kept forcibly at the school. The school was allowed to reopen, 
but it closed again in October 1999.
    In June 2000, immigration officials at Almaty airport refused to 
admit an American missionary into the country. The missionary, who held 
a valid visa, alleged that airport authorities did not give an 
explanation for his exclusion, saying only that the reasons were 
secret. The missionary suggested that his exclusion might have been 
related to problems that he had 6 months earlier with customs officials 
in Russia, where he had performed religious work. He subsequently was 
denied a visa to return to Russia. Government officials subsequently 
confirmed the refusal to grant entry to the missionary and indicated 
that his name matched one on an immigration lookout list that had been 
circulated to members of the Confederation of Independent States.
    Other foreign missionaries, unwelcome to some Muslim and Orthodox 
citizens, have complained of occasional harassment by low-level 
government officials. In particular evangelical Protestants working in 
schools, hospitals, and other social service institutions have alleged 
government hostility toward their efforts to proselytize.
    On June 7, 2000, local KNB and interior ministry officers, 
accompanied by local government officials, raided a prayer house 
belonging to a registered community of Jehovah's Witnesses in the 
village of Derbesek (South Kazakhstan oblast). The officers confiscated 
religious literature and church correspondence. Church representatives 
complained to district and oblast KNB officials that the raid was 
illegal because the officers did not have a prosecutor's warrant. In 
response, the director of the KNB department for South Kazakhstan 
oblast wrote a letter confirming that no evidence of ``illegal 
missionary activity'' was discovered and that the local KNB officers 
who participated in the raid had been ordered to return the seized 
literature and correspondence.
    The Government often invites the national leaders of the two 
largest religions, Islam and Russian Orthodoxy, to participate jointly 
in state events. Leaders of other religions were invited to appearances 
by the Islamic Mufti and the Orthodox Archbishop, often in the presence 
of the President, which are intended to promote religious and ethnic 
harmony. Many government officials attended the founding session of the 
All Kazakhstan Jewish Congress in December 1999. Some members of other 
faiths, including Muslims not affiliated with the national Muslim 
organization headed by the Mufti, criticize the Government's inclusion 
of the Mufti and Archbishop in state events as official favoritism and 
a violation of the constitutional separation of church and state. Many 
also believe that the distinction government officials sometimes make 
between ``traditional'' and ``nontraditional'' religions violates the 
fundamental standard of equality among religions.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Other than the 70 persons detained near Taraz, in July 1999, there 
were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    The country is multiethnic, with a long tradition of tolerance and 
secularism. Relations among the various religious communities are 
generally amicable. Since independence the number of mosques has 
increased greatly.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    In a series of private meetings with senior officials about threats 
to regional security in Central Asia, the U.S. Ambassador and visiting 
officials from Washington urged the Government not to increase state 
control of religion because regional extremist groups call themselves 
religious. The Ambassador addressed the inaugural meeting of the Jewish 
Congress of Kazakhstan in December 1999. To publicize the release of 
the first annual report on International Religious Freedom in September 
1999, the Ambassador hosted a gathering for a wide range of religious 
figures, human rights activists, government officials, and foreign 
diplomats. The Embassy human rights officer met often with 
representatives of a wide array of religious groups, including groups 
that alleged harassment by government authorities. The officer also met 
with human rights activists about religious freedom and attended a 
December 1999 conference on religious freedom in Kazakhstan organized 
by the Almaty Helsinki Commission, the Organization for Security and 
Cooperation in Europe, and the European Commission.
    After immigration officials refused to allow an American missionary 
to enter the country in June 2000, the Embassy formally requested an 
explanation from the Government.
                               __________

                            KYRGYZ REPUBLIC

    The Constitution and the law provide for freedom of religion, and 
the Government generally respects this right in practice; however, the 
Government occasionally infringes on this right. The Constitution 
provides for a secular state and the separation of church and state, 
and the Government does not support any one religion.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Relations among the faiths generally are amicable. The Government 
considers radical Islam to be a threat to the country's stability.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom with the Government 
in the context of its dialog about threats to regional security and as 
part of its overall dialog and policy of promoting human rights.

          Section I. Government Polices on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution and the law provide for freedom of religion, and 
the Government generally respects this right in practice; however, the 
Government occasionally infringes on this right. The Constitution 
provides for a secular state and the separation of church and state, 
and the Government does not support any one religion.
    In 1996 the Government created the State Commission on Religious 
Affairs (SCRA), officially to promote religious tolerance, protect 
freedom of conscience, and oversee laws on religion. The Commission 
quickly became active and oversaw the registration of over 300 
religious institutions of which 210 are Christian denominations. 
According to a 1997 presidential decree, all religious organizations 
must be registered by the SCRA, which must recognize the registrant as 
a religious organization; each congregation must register separately. 
Subsequently, a religious organization must register with the Ministry 
of Justice to obtain status as a legal entity--necessary to own 
property, open bank accounts, and otherwise engage in contractual 
activities. However, if a religious organization engages in commercial 
activity, it is required to pay taxes in accordance with the tax code. 
In practice the Ministry has never registered a religious organization 
without prior registration by the SCRA. The Ministry's registration 
process sometimes is cumbersome, taking a month on average, but no 
religious organization has been denied registration after properly 
completing all formalities. No application for registration of a 
religious organization was being delayed as of mid-2000. The 
Reunification Church, which is registered as a social, rather than a 
religious organization, has ``semi-official'' status.
Religious Demography
    Islam is the single most widely practiced faith. Official sources 
estimate that up to 80 percent of the inhabitants are Muslims. There 
are approximately 120 mosques, each with its own madrassa for initial 
religious training. There also are two institutes for higher Islamic 
teaching. Approximately 17 percent of the population are Russian 
Orthodox. There are 40 Russian Orthodox churches and well over 200 
churches and houses of prayer for other Christian denominations. For 
example, the Seventh-Day Adventist Church operates six churches in 
Bishkek, as well as several elsewhere in the country. Jews, Buddhists, 
and Catholics account for approximately 3 percent of the population, 
and their adherents practice their religions openly in churches, 
temples, and synagogues. A Roman Catholic Church in Bishkek functions 
unhindered. A small Jewish congregation meets in Bishkek. The group 
organizes informal cultural studies and humanitarian services, chiefly 
food assistance for its elderly. There also are examples of 
syncretistic religious practices. Most notably, there is a Baptist 
church in the Naryn region whose followers are predominantly ethnic 
Kyrgyz. While they worship as Christians, they have adapted Muslim 
modes of prayer into their Christian rituals. There is no official 
estimate of the number of atheists in the population.
    Islam is practiced widely throughout the country, in both the urban 
and rural areas. Russian Orthodoxy typically is concentrated in the 
cities where a larger ethnic Russian population exists. The other 
faiths also are practiced more commonly in the cities where their 
smaller communities tend to be concentrated. There is a correlation 
between ethnicity and religion, with ethnic Kyrgyz tending more toward 
Islam and ethnic Russians favoring either the Russian Orthodox Church 
or one of the other Western denominations. Exact statistics are not 
available, but while the majority of the population claims to follow 
Islam, a significant number of these adherents appear to be only 
nominal believers and identify with the faith out of historical or 
ethnic allegiance. A significant number of the followers of the Russian 
Orthodox Church also appear be only nominal believers.
    A number of missionary groups operate in the country, including 
groups from the United States, Germany, and Korea, as well as 
missionaries from Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. They represent a 
variety of religious organizations including Islam, Jehovah's 
Witnesses, the Unified Church of Christ of Evangelists, and Korean 
Presbyterians. These organizations operate freely, although they are 
required to register with the Government.
    The Government recognizes three Muslim holidays (Noorus, Kurban 
Ait, and Orozo Ait) and one Russian Orthodox holiday (Christmas, which 
is observed on January 7 in accordance with the Russian Orthodox 
calendar) as national holidays. The President and the Government send 
greetings to the followers of these faiths on their major religious 
holidays, and these messages are printed in the mass media.
    To encourage religious tolerance, the Government works through the 
SCRA to promote inter-faith dialog. The SCRA hosts meetings of 
religious groups to bring the faiths together in open forums. The SCRA 
assists various faiths to work together on programs for the protection 
of the poor and the elderly.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Government authorities indicated that they would monitor the 
activities of the Unification Church, which is led by Reverend Moon. 
The Unification Church currently is not active in the country, but it 
has a presence through the charity organization of Reverend Moon's 
wife. There were no reports of interference in its activities during 
the period covered by this report.
    Religious leaders note with concern that the SCRA frequently uses 
the term ``national security'' in its statements. For example, the 
Commission has expressed some concern about the destabilizing presence 
of the Unification Church. The Ministry of Internal Affairs often plays 
a leading role on various religious questions.
    The Government expressly forbids the teaching of religion (or 
atheism) in public schools.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    Muslim leaders complain that the SCRA makes decisions about 
religious events without consulting them. However, the Government is 
concerned about the threat of political extremism in the guise of 
conservative Islam. The Government considers radical Islam, whose 
followers it labels ``Wahhabis,'' a threat to the country's stability. 
The Government fears that Wahhabis seek to overthrow the secular 
government and establish an Islamic theocracy. During the period 
covered by this report, the Government continued to express public 
concern about extremists with either radical religious or political 
agendas. The sentencing in May 2000 of three Uighur Islamic militants 
who were charged with the 1998 bombings in Osh added to the 
Government's concern about the ``Wahhabist'' elements operating in the 
country. An armed incursion of Islamic extremists into southern 
Kyrgyzstan in August-October 1999 also increased the Government's 
apprehension about radical Islam and the actions of its followers. 
According to an Amnesty International report of June 21, 2000, Jelil 
Turdai, an ethnic Uighur Chinese national was arrested in Bishkek for 
not having the necessary residence permit. After a police search of his 
apartment turned up religious material that was deemed fundamentalist, 
he was taken into custody for possessing ``Wahhabist'' materials, and 
after being interrogated by Chinese and Kyrgyz security agents he was 
deported back to china where his fate is unknown.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the faiths generally are amicable. Members of the 
two major religions, Islam and the Russian Orthodox Church, respect 
each other's major holidays and exchange holiday greetings.
    There is no evidence of widespread societal discrimination or 
violence against members of different religious groups. However, there 
is anecdotal evidence of periodic tension between followers of 
conservative Islam and foreign missionaries in rural areas. There were 
no reports of these tensions escalating to serious levels; the parties 
involved appear to have resolved their problems peacefully over time.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. Six 
representatives from Kyrgyzstan participated in the U.S. Government 
sponsored program, ``Religious Freedom and Tolerance in the United 
States: Focus on Islam,'' in March-April 2000. The representatives 
learned about how Islam is perceived and practiced in the U.S.
                               __________

                                 LATVIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, 
bureaucratic problems for minority religions persist.
    There was no change in the status of religious freedom during the 
period covered by this report.
    Relations between the various religious communities are generally 
amicable.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, 
bureaucratic problems for minority religions persist. There is no state 
religion; however, the Government distinguishes between ``traditional'' 
(Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Old Believers, Baptists, and 
Jewish) and ``new'' religions.
    Although the Government does not require the registration of 
religious groups, the 1995 Law on Religious Organizations accords 
religious organizations certain rights and privileges when they 
register, such as status as a separate legal entity for owning property 
or other financial transactions, as well as tax benefits for donors. 
Registration also eases the rules for public gatherings.
    According to the Law on Religious Organizations, any 10 citizens or 
permanent residents over the age of 18 may apply to register a church. 
Asylum seekers, foreign embassy staff, and those in the country 
temporarily in a special status cannot register a religious 
organization. Congregations functioning in the country for the first 
time that do not belong to a church association already registered must 
reregister each year for 10 years. Ten or more congregations of the 
same denomination and with permanent registration status may form a 
religious association. Only churches with religious association status 
may establish theological schools or monasteries. A decision to 
register a church is made by the Minister of Justice.
    According to Ministry of Justice officials, most registration 
applications are approved eventually once proper documents are 
submitted. Problems arise and registration is denied because the Law on 
Religious Organizations does not permit simultaneous registration of 
more than one religious union (church) in a single confession. Because 
of this provision, the Government can not register any splinter groups, 
including an independent Jewish congregation, the Latvian Free Orthodox 
Church, and a separate Old Believers group. The Christian Scientists 
have been refused registration due to opposition from the Doctors 
Association.
    Shortly after the renewal of independence in 1991, the Vatican, 
with the support of the Latvian Catholic community, requested 
negotiations for a reestablishment of the 1922 Concordat, which had 
existed between Latvia and the Vatican during Latvia's period of 
independence between World War I and World War II. In 1996, the Prime 
Minister established a working group to negotiate a new agreement. This 
agreement reportedly would grant the Roman Catholic Church privileged 
status. The negotiations have led to some concern among members of 
other religions. If approved, it is expected that adherents of other 
faiths would seek similar recognition and benefits for their own 
religious community.
Religious Demography
    The three largest faiths are Catholicism, Lutheranism, and 
Orthodoxy. No precise denomination membership statistics are available. 
Sizeable religious minorities include Baptists, Pentecostals, and 
various evangelical Protestant groups. The once large Jewish community 
was virtually destroyed in the Holocaust during the 1941-44 German 
occupation of Latvia and now totals only 6,000 persons.
    As of February 2000, the Justice Ministry had registered over 1,000 
congregations. This total includes: Lutheran (302), Roman Catholic 
(243), Orthodox (112), Baptist (85), Old Believer Orthodox (65), 
Seventh-Day Adventist (44), Jehovah's Witnesses (11), Methodists (10), 
Jewish (7), Buddhist (3), Muslim (6), Hare Krishnas (8), Mormons (1), 
and over 100 others.
    Interest in religion has increased markedly since independence. 
However, a large percentage of these adherents do not practice their 
faith regularly. Churches have provided the following estimates of 
church membership to the Justice Ministry: Lutheran (400,000), Roman 
Catholic (500,000), Orthodox (190,000), Baptist (6,000), Old Believer 
Orthodox (70,000), Seventh-Day Adventist (4,000), Jehovah's Witnesses 
(2,000), Methodists (500), Jewish (6,000), Buddhist (100), Muslim 
(300), Hare Krishnas (500), and Mormons (200). There are significant 
numbers of atheists, perhaps a majority of the population. The 
Orthodox, many of them Russian-speaking, noncitizen permanent 
residents, are concentrated in the major cities, while many Catholics 
live in the east.
    There is a New Religions Consultative Council whose membership 
consists of doctors, academics, and the independent human rights 
ombudsman. The council, which meets on an ``ad hoc'' basis, can 
research and write opinions on specific issues, but has no decision-
making authority. There also is a Traditional Religion Council, which 
meets monthly. This body reportedly aims at facilitating greater 
ecumenical communication, discussing matters of common concern and 
improving dialog between the traditional faiths and the State.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Latvian visa regulations effective since July 1999 require 
religious workers to present either an ordination certificate or 
evidence of religious education that corresponds to a Latvian 
bachelor's degree in theology. The visa application process still is 
cumbersome. Nonetheless, the Government cooperated to resolve several 
difficult visa cases in favor of missionary workers. Difficulties in 
this area diminished and Citizenship and Migration Department officials 
have worked to ease the situation.
    Foreign evangelists and missionaries, including from the United 
States, are permitted to hold meetings and to proselytize, but the law 
stipulates that only domestic religious organizations may invite them 
to conduct such activities. Foreign religious denominations have 
criticized this provision.
    The Law on Religious Organizations stipulates that religion may be 
taught to students in public schools on a voluntary basis only by 
representatives of Evangelical Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Old 
Believer, Baptist, and Jewish religions. The State provides funds for 
this education. Students at state-supported national minority schools 
also may receive education on the religion ``characteristic of the 
national minority'' on a voluntary basis. Other denominations may 
provide religious education in private schools only.
    The Latvian Lutheran Church established its own clergy education 
center, the Luther Academy in Riga, in 1998. The Roman Catholic Church 
also has its own seminary but wants to establish its own separate 
faculty of theology at the University of Latvia or, alternatively, join 
forces with a Catholic university elsewhere in Europe that would issue 
degrees. The University of Latvia's theological faculty is now 
nondenominational.
    Citizen's passports currently indicate the ethnicity of the bearer. 
Jews are considered an ethnic group and are listed as such rather than 
Latvian, Russian, etc. This practice may be phased out shortly.
    Jewish community leaders have regained a number of major properties 
around the country, and they report that the legal framework for 
restitution of religious property is adequate. While restitution of a 
few Jewish properties proceeds, the process is slow, complex, and often 
delayed by legal wrangling and bureaucratic obstacles.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the various religious communities are generally 
amicable. Ecumenism still is a new concept in the country and 
traditional religions have adopted a distinctly reserved attitude 
towards the concept. Although government officials are encouraging a 
broader understanding of and acceptance of newer religions, lingering 
suspicions remain towards newer nontraditional faiths.
    There was no progress reported in apprehending the perpetrators of 
the 1995 bombing of the central synagogue in Riga, or the second 
bombing in 1998 of the same synagogue. In June 1998, two youths were 
arrested for painting anti-Semitic slogans on a wall opposite the 
synagogue. The Riga center district police opened an investigation for 
hooliganism. The case was sent forward to the Prosecutor's office for 
indictment but was returned for additional investigation. The youths 
were released shortly after being apprehended.
    There were scattered incidents in Liepaja and other places during 
1998 in which Jewish monuments were defaced. In April 1999, a bomb 
exploded at a Jewish Holocaust memorial just outside the city. Police 
have not yet identified the culprits responsible for these incidents.
    The Latvian Historical Commission, under the auspices of former 
President Guntis Ulmanis and current President Vaira Vike-Freiberga, 
held two international meetings, in July 1999 and in March 2000, 
attended by scholars from a broad range of countries, including the 
United States and Israel. Under the direction of its executive 
director, the Historical Commission also sponsored international 
conferences on topics such as ``Jews in a Changing World'' in October 
1999, held consultations in the United States with Jewish-American 
organizations, and launched major Holocaust education projects, 
including a workshop with the teachers of the Latvian history 
association, and sponsored Latvian teachers' travels to the Yad Vashem 
(a Holocaust memorial) in Israel for education courses. Two well-known 
books on the Holocaust, William Styron's ``Sophie's Choice'' and Simon 
Wiesenthal's ``Sunflower'' were published in Latvian. President Vike-
Freiberga in April 2000 dedicated a plaque to the family of Zanis 
Lipke, a blue-collar worker who saved the lives of more than 50 Jews 
during the Holocaust. She has supported firmly government efforts to 
bring war criminals, including those who participated in Nazi war 
crimes, to justice. In addition the University of Latvia Judaic Studies 
center was renovated and expanded. In July 2000, President Vike 
Freiberga presented the country's highest ``Three Star'' award to four 
citizens whose actions during World War II are credited with saving the 
lives of more than 400 Latvian Jews.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    During the period covered by this report, the U.S. Embassy worked 
to support the principle of religious freedom by engaging actively in 
the Jewish property restitution process. The Embassy maintains regular 
contact with the Jewish community on this matter. The Embassy also 
takes an active role in supporting the work of the Historical 
Commission and assisted with funding of the translation of ``Sophie's 
Choice''.
    Embassy officials meet regularly with visiting missionary groups 
from the U.S. Embassy officials discussed problems that members of 
certain minority religions experienced at the Citizenship and Migration 
Department when seeking visas and residency permits.
    Two representatives from the Ministry of Justice participated in a 
summer 1999 U.S. Government-funded international visitor travel/study 
program in the United States focused on freedom of religion and 
religious tolerance issues.
                               __________

                             LIECHTENSTEIN

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
    The finances of the Roman Catholic Church are integrated directly 
into the budgets of the national and local governments; approximately 
$196,000 (CHF 300,000) was budgeted for 1999, plus additional sums from 
the 11 communes. Normally, church funding comes from the general 
budget, as decided by Parliament, and is not a direct ``tithe'' paid by 
the citizen. However, the relationship between the State and the Roman 
Catholic Church currently is being redefined. As an interim solution, 
the State's financial contributions for 1999, 2000, and 2001 are paid 
into a special account. When a new agreement is reached (no later than 
2002), the agreed amount will be released to the Catholic Church. The 
Government gives money not only to the Catholic Church but also to 
other denominations. The budget is allocated proportionately according 
to membership numbers. All religious groups enjoy tax-exempt status.
Religious Demography
    Of a total population of 32,015 (as of December 31, 1998, according 
to the Office of the National Economy) there are 24,993 Roman 
Catholics; 2,276 Protestants; 1,139 Muslims; 225 Eastern Orthodox; 2 
Buddhists; 3 Jehovah's Witnesses; 17 Anglicans; 15 Jews; 12 Baha'is; 11 
New Apostolics; 7 members of other religions; and 3,029 persons 
undecided.
    There are no significant foreign missionary groups. In order to 
receive a religious worker visa, an applicant must demonstrate that the 
host organization is important for the entire country. An applicant 
must have completed theological studies and be accredited to an 
acknowledged order. Visa requests normally are not denied and are 
processed in the same manner as requests from other individuals or 
workers.
    Roman Catholic or Protestant religious education is compulsory in 
all schools, but the authorities routinely grant exemptions for 
children whose parents so request. Both religions typically are taught 
separately but simultaneously in primary and secondary schools, 
normally 2 hours per week.
    The Government collaborates with religious institutions by 
supporting inter-faith dialogs and providing adult education courses in 
religion as well as other subjects.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious prisoners or detainees.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are amicable relations between the religious communities. 
Catholics, Protestants, and members of other faiths work well together 
on an ecumenical basis. Differences among religious faiths are not a 
significant source of tension in society.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                               LITHUANIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There are generally amicable relations among the various religious 
communities, although members of religious minorities occasionally are 
subject to acts of intolerance. A certain level of anti-Semitic 
sentiment persists in the country. Nontraditional religious groups face 
some restrictions. In mid-1999 some U.S. missionary groups had problems 
with new government procedures for temporary residence permits.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights. The U.S. Embassy intervened to assist in the resolution 
of the residency permit problems of U.S. missionaries.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice. The Government at 
all levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate 
its abuse either by governmental or private actors. There is no state 
religion.
    The Law on Religious Communities and Associations was passed in 
1995. It grants religious communities, associations, and centers 
property rights to prayer houses, homes, and other buildings and 
permits construction necessary for their activities. Article 5 of this 
law mentions nine religious communities that have been declared 
``traditional'' by the law and therefore are eligible for governmental 
assistance: Latin Rite Catholics; Greek Rite Catholics; Evangelical 
Lutherans; Evangelical Reformers; Orthodox; Old Believers; Jews; Sunni 
Muslims; and Karaites. These traditional associations and communities 
receive annual financial support from the State. Other religious 
communities are not eligible for financial assistance from the 
Government, but there are no restrictions on their activities or 
property rights.
    In May 1999, the Seimas (Parliament) amended the Law on Religious 
Communities and Associations. The amendment provides funding from the 
national budget for educational institutions of traditional religious 
organizations. The Government Department of European Law has warned 
publicly that this amendment discriminates in favor of traditional 
religious communities versus nontraditional; the law is expected to 
come in to effect in 2001.
    Relations between the Government and the officially registered 
Jewish community are good. In May 1999, the Minister of Justice 
recognized the Hasidic Chabad Lubavich community as a traditional 
religious organization. The Ministry of Justice previously had argued 
that the Chabad Lubavich was not a part of the country's historical, 
spiritual, or social heritage and therefore could not be registered as 
traditional. The lack of recognition did not have a direct impact on 
Chabad Lubavich activities but was a sore point in relations with the 
Government and with other religious groups.
    Traditional religious associations and communities are not required 
to register their bylaws with the Ministry in order to receive legal 
status. However, nontraditional religious communities have to present 
an application, a founding statement signed by no less than 15 members, 
and a description of religious teaching and its aims. The Ministry has 
to review the documents within 6 months.
    Since these laws were enacted, the Ministry of Justice turned down 
two applications, those of the Osho Ojas Meditation Center and the 
Lithuanian Pagans Community.
    Based on the Law on Procedures for the Restoration of the Rights of 
Religious Communities to Existing Real Property, all religious 
communities had enjoyed equal opportunity in regaining control over 
former property used for conducting religious services. However, 
although the law provides for the restitution of private property to 
citizens, the deadline for filing claims has passed. A number of 
successful claims have been made, and others still are pending. Lack of 
funds for compensation and protracted bureaucratic obstacles are the 
primary problems preventing the return of private property. The 
Government has taken no action on the problem of (community) property 
without heirs and has no plans to do so.
Religious Demography
    The Catholic Church is predominant. In general, the Orthodox are 
concentrated in the east along the border with Belarus. Lutherans are 
more concentrated to the southwest, towards Russia's Kaliningrad region 
and Lithuania's Baltic Sea coast. Other faiths are distributed more 
evenly throughout the country.
    The Chabad Lubavich operates a school (kindergarten through 12th 
grade), a social center, and a kosher kitchen in the capital of 
Vilnius.
    Karaites, while not unique to Lithuania, exist in few other 
locations in the world. They are considered by some to be a branch of 
Judaism; their religion is based exclusively on the Old Testament. Two 
houses of worship (known singularly as ``kenesa''), in Vilnius and 
Trakai, serve the Karaite religious community of approximately 250 
members. The Karaites have been in the country since 1397. Considered 
as well to constitute a distinct ethnic group--Karaites speak a Turkic-
based language and use the Hebrew alphabet--their community president 
is also their only religious leader.
    In total there were 921 traditional and 165 nontraditional 
religious associations and communities registered in the country 
according to the Ministry of Justice.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Foreign missionary groups, including Baptists, Church of Jesus 
Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), and Jehovah's Witnesses, operate 
in the country, and their activities are not restricted. However, 
several U.S. religious missionary groups complained in mid-1999 to the 
U.S. Embassy over a change in temporary residency requirements. These 
groups were having problems with the Government's new procedures 
(enacted by law in 1999) requiring residency permits for religious 
workers.
    On April 14, 2000, the Government decided to establish an 
intergovernmental commission to investigate whether the activities of 
religious, esoteric, or spiritual groups comply with the law. It 
includes representatives of the Ministries of Justice, Interior, 
Education, Health, Foreign Affairs, the General Prosecutor's Office, 
and State Security. The Minister of Justice appoints the chairman of 
the commission. The commission was established as a response to 
parliamentarians' calls for increased control of ``sects'' following 
negative coverage of some religious groups in the media. The Government 
defended the move, stating that it had established the commission on 
the recommendations (No. 1412 and No. 1178) of the Council of Europe.
    According to the Constitution, state and local teaching and 
education establishments are secular. At the request of parents, 
schools can offer classes in religious instruction. In practice, 
parents can choose classes in religious instruction or classes in 
ethics for nonreligious education.
    The Law on Religious Communities and Associations provides that 
only religious instruction of traditional and other staterecognized 
religious communities may be taught in state educational institutions. 
However, nontraditional religious communities have the right to 
establish and have general education schools of their own.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are generally amicable relations among the various religious 
communities, although members of religious minorities occasionally are 
subject to acts of intolerance, such as insults.
    Ten percent of the population before World War II were Jewish. Over 
200,000 Jews (about 95 percent of that population) were killed in the 
Holocaust. The country still is reconciling itself with its past and 
working to understand it better. President Valdas Adamkus established a 
historical commission in August 1998 to investigate both the crimes of 
the Holocaust and the subsequent Soviet occupation. Two annual 
conferences were held and one commission report has been filed on the 
prewar period after the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pacts. Other 
grants have been issued for research on the war and post-war periods. 
However, a certain level of anti-Semitic sentiment persists in the 
country.
    In 1998 Jewish community leaders expressed their concern regarding 
desecration at the cemetery in Kaunas and at a monument marking a 
former cemetery site in Vilnius. Although authorities responded 
promptly in both cases, no witnesses were found and no charges were 
brought.
    In 1999 there was increased concern by the country's Jewish 
communities with regard to anti-Semitic comments made by some 
politicians. In April 2000, a politician known for making anti-Semitic 
and derogatory comments towards Jews and foreigners was elected mayor 
of the country's second largest city, Kaunas.
    In April 2000, the Lithuanian Catholic Church apologized for 
indifference and crimes committed by the Lithuanian people during the 
Holocaust. The statement included the first recognition by the 
Lithuanian Church that some Lithuanians participated in the killing and 
mass murder of Jews during the Holocaust.
    A number of ecumenical organizations operate in the country.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy maintains a close and regular dialog on religious 
issues with senior officials in the Government, Members of Parliament, 
and presidential advisors, as well as continual contact with religious 
leaders. Religious groups use the Embassy as a vehicle to voice their 
complaints and the Embassy encourages religious leaders to keep the 
Embassy informed of their views on the status of religious freedom and 
any complaints.
    The Embassy maintains regular contact with U.S. missionary groups. 
In late 1999, the Embassy intervened to assist in the resolution of 
their complaints regarding residency permit procedures.
    During the period covered by this report, the Embassy's democracy 
commission funded a number of projects with the goal of promoting 
greater religious tolerance, particularly those related to building 
broader understanding of the Holocaust.
                               __________

                               LUXEMBOURG

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There is no state religion nor does the State register religions or 
religious groups. However, based on the Concordat of 1801, when the 
country was under Napoleonic rule, some churches receive financial 
support from the State. The Constitution specifically provides for 
state payment of the salaries of clergy. Currently, after negotiated 
agreements with the Government, the following churches receive such 
support: Roman Catholic; Greek and Russian Orthodox; Jewish; and some 
Protestant denominations. The conventions were signed October 31, 1997, 
by the Minister of Religion and the church representatives and adopted 
into law on July 10, 1998. Applications for financial support from the 
Anglican Church and the Muslim community have been under consideration 
for over 3 years without resolution. No such application for financial 
support ever has been refused. Several local governments maintain 
sectarian religious facilities.
Religious Demography
    The country is historically Roman Catholic, and Catholicism remains 
the predominant faith. According to a 1979 law, the Government may not 
collect or maintain statistics on religious affiliation, but over 90 
percent of the population are estimated to be Catholic. The Lutheran 
and Calvinist churches are the largest Protestant denominations. There 
is a considerable range of other creeds represented in small numbers; 
the number of professed atheists is believed to be very small. The 
largest group of foreigners is from Portugal (61,647 in a total 
population of 452,450); most Portuguese are Roman Catholic.
    There are no significant foreign missionary groups. Many religious 
groups described as ``sects'' have representations in the country 
(largely for financial reasons). They are expected to obey the law, but 
their activities have not become significant political or social 
issues.
    There is a long tradition of religious education in public schools. 
A convention signed on October 31, 1997, by the Minister of National 
Education and the Roman Catholic Archbishop governs religious 
instruction. In accordance with this convention, religious instruction 
is a local matter, coordinated at the communal level between 
representatives of the Church and communal authorities. Government-paid 
lay teachers provide instruction (totaling 2 school hours) at the 
primary school level. Parents and pupils may choose between instruction 
in Roman Catholicism or an ethics course; requests for exemption from 
religious instruction are addressed on an individual basis. The Roman 
Catholic, Lutheran, and Calvinist Churches have an agreement for the 
provision of instruction in the Protestant religions within the overall 
framework of religious instruction in the school system. There are oral 
agreements between Catholics and Protestants at the local level to 
provide religious instruction to Protestant students, as required, 
during school hours. Protestant instruction is available on demand, and 
provision of instruction in other faiths may develop in response to 
demand.
    The State subsidizes private religious schools. All private, 
religious, and nonsectarian schools are eligible for and receive 
government subsidies. The State also subsidizes a Catholic seminary.
    There are no government-sponsored inter-faith activities.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.

           Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens

    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    In general there are amicable relations between the religious 
communities. The Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish faiths work 
well together on an inter-faith basis. Differences among religious 
faiths are not a significant source of tension in society.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                 FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among the various religious communities contribute to the free practice 
of religion. However, the religious communities often reflect an ethnic 
identity as well, and societal tensions along those ethnic lines exist. 
The law places some limits on religious practice, for example, by 
restricting the establishments of places of worship and restricting 
where contributions may be made.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice. However, the law 
places some limits on religious practices including the establishment 
of places of worship and the collection of contributions. Despite the 
specific mention of the Macedonian Orthodox Church in the Constitution, 
that Church does not have official status.
    The constitutional provision for religious freedom is refined 
further in the 1997 Law on Religious Communities and Religious Groups. 
This law designates the Macedonian Orthodox Church, the Islamic 
community, and the Roman Catholic Church as religious communities, and 
all other religions as religious groups. However, there is no legal 
differentiation between religious communities and groups. In early 
1999, the Constitutional Court struck down several provisions of the 
1997 Law on Religious Communities and Religious Groups, and in practice 
the remaining provisions of the law are not enforced consistently.
    The Government requires that religious groups be registered. The 
1997 Law on Religious Communities and Religious Groups contained a 
number of specific requirements for the registration of religious 
groups that were struck down by the Constitutional Court in early 1999. 
Consequently, there was considerable confusion over which procedures 
still applied, and several foreign religious bodies experienced delays 
in their efforts to register. During the period covered by this report, 
the Government acted to make the remaining requirements more 
transparent, but the process remained slow and cumbersome. In practice, 
religious groups need to register to obtain permits to build churches, 
and to request visas for foreigners and other permits from the 
Government. A committee has been formed to draft a new law. During 1999 
at least one international Protestant church was granted legal 
registration, and several others are at some stage of the process. One 
Islamic group withdrew its 1998 application for registration but 
continues to operate openly without taking further steps toward legal 
registration. The Government has not taken any enforcement actions 
against the group. In 1998 the Government rejected the application for 
registration of another Islamic group headquartered in a third country. 
The group lodged a judicial appeal that is now under review in the 
court system. An Islamic Roma group applied for registration in 1998, 
and the Government rejected its application on technical grounds. The 
group resubmitted its application, and the Government granted the group 
legal registration. The Law on Religious Communities and Religious 
Groups also requires that foreign nationals carrying out religious work 
and religious rites be registered with the Government's Commission on 
Relations with the Religious Communities. The Government does not 
actively monitor new groups or advise the public on them.
Religious Demography
    The country has three major religions. Nominally, about 66 percent 
of the population of 2 million are Macedonian Orthodox, about 30 
percent are Muslim, about 1 percent are Roman Catholic, and about 3 
percent are of other faiths. The other faiths are largely various 
Protestant denominations. No reliable estimate is available for the 
number of atheists. The Islamic faith is prevalent among ethnic 
Albanians, who primarily live in the western part of the country and in 
the capital, Skopje. The Roman Catholic community is concentrated in 
Skopje.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Law on Religious Communities and Religious Groups places some 
restrictions on the establishment of places of worship. It provides 
that religious rites and religious activities ``shall take place at 
churches, mosques, and other temples, and in gardens that are parts of 
those facilities, at cemeteries, and at other facilities of the 
religious group.'' Provision is made for holding services in other 
places, provided a permit is obtained at least 15 days in advance. No 
permit or permission is required to perform religious rites in a 
private home. The law also states that religious activities ``shall not 
violate the public peace and order, and shall not disrespect the 
religious feelings and other freedoms and rights'' of persons who are 
not members of that particular religion. The Government does not 
actively enforce most of these provisions of the law but acts upon 
complaints when they are received.
    Several registered Protestant groups were unable to obtain building 
permits for new church facilities during 1998 due to normal 
bureaucratic complications that affect all new construction. Several 
churches and mosques are currently under construction despite the lack 
of appropriate building permits.
    The Law on Religious Communities and Religious Groups also places 
some limitations on the collection of contributions by restricting them 
only to places where religious rites and activities are conducted.
    Children below the age of 10 years may not receive religious 
instruction without the permission of their parents or guardians.
    Numerous foreign missionaries are active and represent a very wide 
range of faiths, mostly Protestant. Many of these missionaries enter 
the country in connection with other work, often charitable or medical. 
The 1997 Law on Religious Communities and Religious Groups specifically 
allows for foreign citizens to carry out religious activities, but only 
at the request of a registered religious body. Because many evangelical 
Christian missionaries wish to conduct religious activities that are 
aimed at the creation of new groups of believers, rather than at 
operating through existing churches, some foreign missionaries have 
chosen to disregard this portion of the law. This approach has on 
occasion led to difficulties for those missionaries, as the authorities 
have questioned their actual reasons for entering the country, usually 
on tourist visas. On one occasion in 1998, the immigration officers 
successfully pressed for the voluntary departure of a group of American 
missionaries who had intended to live in the country and conduct 
religious activities while holding only tourist visas.
    There were no reports that the Government refused Serbian Orthodox 
priests permission to enter the country as it had in previous years; 
however, as of mid-2000, no Serbian priests had applied to enter the 
country.
    The issue of restitution of previously state-owned religious 
properties has not been resolved fully. Many churches and mosques had 
extensive grounds or other properties that were expropriated by the 
Communist regime. Virtually all churches and mosques have been returned 
to the ownership of the appropriate religious community, but that is 
not the case for many of the other properties. Often the claims are 
complicated by the fact that the seized properties have changed hands 
many times or have been developed. In view of the country's very 
limited financial resources, it is unlikely that religious communities 
can expect to regain much from the expropriated properties.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are generally amicable relations between the various 
religious communities. However, the religious communities often reflect 
an ethnic identity as well, and societal tensions along those ethnic 
lines exist. Specifically, most Muslims are ethnic Albanians, while 
virtually all Macedonian Orthodox believers are ethnic Macedonians. 
Societal discrimination is more likely to be based upon ethnic bias 
than upon religious prejudice.
    The leaders of the long-established Orthodox, Muslim, and Roman 
Catholic communities have better connections within the Government than 
do the leaders of new churches, and there were some indications of an 
effort by the established religions to use that influence to shut out 
newcomers.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    During the period covered by this report, the U.S. Embassy 
initiated an extensive dialog with the Government's Commission on 
Relations with the Religious Communities, the office charged with the 
implementation of the Law on Religious Communities and Religious 
Groups. This contact was sought after several American missionaries 
advised the Embassy that they were having difficulties in their efforts 
to register their organizations or workers.
    The Embassy also intervened successfully in 1999 on behalf of two 
American students who wished to renew their residence permits. They 
were having difficulties that they believed were due to unconfirmed 
government suspicions that they were conducting unregistered religious 
activities.
    The leaders of the various religious communities in the country, as 
well as the head of the Commission on Religious Communities and 
Religious Groups, met with the Ambassador on several occasions during 
the period covered by this report. In addition to including these 
leaders in invitations to general embassy functions, the Ambassador 
hosted them at a small private dinner in June 1999. The focus of that 
working dinner was the advancement of an ecumenical process in the 
country. During the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe 
implementation review meeting in Warsaw in November 1998, the U.S. 
delegation raised its concerns in public interventions and private 
meetings about the Government's registration requirements for religious 
organizations.
                               __________

                                 MALTA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
    The Constitution establishes Roman Catholicism as the state 
religion, and declares that the authorities of the Catholic Church have 
``the authority to teach which principles are right and which are 
wrong.'' The Government and the Catholic Church participate in a 
foundation that finances Catholic schools. The Church transferred 
nonpastoral land to this foundation as part of the 1991 Ecclesiastical 
Entitles Act. There is one Muslim private school. Some governmental 
policies, such as a ban on divorce, reflect the teachings of the 
Catholic Church.
    Since 1991 churches of all kinds (not just the Roman Catholic 
Church) have had similar legal rights: religious organizations can own 
property such as buildings, and their ministers can perform marriages 
and other functions.
    While religious instruction in Catholicism is compulsory in all 
state schools, the Constitution establishes the right not to receive 
this instruction if the student (or guardian, in the case of a minor) 
objects.
    The state-owned University of Malta hosts the UNESCO ``Future 
Generations Programme'' and in January 2000 conducted a program for the 
Mediterranean region entitled ``An Interreligious Educational Agenda.'' 
Cabinet ministers and regional Muslim, Jewish, and Christian clergy 
discussed how to include religion in education and how to teach respect 
for various religious faiths.
Religious Demography
    The overwhelming majority of citizens (approximately 95 percent) 
are Roman Catholic, and approximately 65 percent attend services 
regularly. While some political leaders diverge from Catholicism, most 
of the country's political leaders also are Roman Catholic.
    Most congregants at the local Protestant churches are not Maltese; 
many British retirees live on Malta, and vacationers from many other 
nations compose the remainder of such congregations. Recently an 
indigenous Christian fundamentalist movement has begun to develop; it 
remains small and consists of a group of about 400 citizens, but it is 
growing rapidly. Jehovah's Witnesses and the Church of Jesus Christ of 
Latter-Day Saints also have an active missionary presence. The island 
has one Muslim mosque and one Jewish congregation. Zen Buddhism and the 
Baha'i Faith also have centers on the island. Of the 2,500 Muslims, 
2,000 are foreigners, 400 are naturalized Maltese, and 100 are native-
born Maltese.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    The Roman Catholic Church makes its presence and its influence felt 
in everyday life. However, converts from Catholicism do not face legal 
or societal discrimination, and relations between the Catholic Church 
and other Christian denominations generally are characterized by 
respect and cooperation.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights. Whenever possible, the Embassy advocates continued 
observance of basic human rights such as freedom of expression and 
freedom of religion. Both the Embassy's private discussions with 
government officials and its informational programs for the public 
consistently emphasize these points.
                               __________

                                MOLDOVA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, the law 
includes restrictions that at times inhibited the activities of some 
religious groups.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    In general there are amicable relations among the various religious 
communities. The law forbids ``abusive proselytizing;'' however, the 
authorities have not taken legal action against individuals for 
proselytizing.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, a 1992 
law on religion that codifies religious freedoms contains restrictions 
that could--and in some instances did--inhibit the activities of some 
religious groups. The law provides for freedom of religious practice, 
including each person's right to profess his religion in any form. It 
also protects the confidentiality of the confessional, allows 
denominations to establish associations and foundations, and states 
that the Government may not interfere in the religious activities of 
denominations. However, the law prohibits ``abusive proselytizing'' and 
requires that religious groups register with the Government.
    The procedures for registering a religious organization are the 
same for all groups. The Government has recognized 19 religious 
organizations. Three additional religious organizations have pending 
applications for registration: the General Assembly of the Evangelist 
Union, the Church of the True Orthodox-Moldova (a branch of the Russian 
Overseas Orthodox Church), and the Mitropolia Basarabiei. The 
Bessarabian Orthodox Church was denied registration by the Government 
and is involved in ongoing litigation over this issue.
    The Government denied recognition to the Bessarabian Orthodox 
Church in October 1992, March 1996, August 1996, and March 1997. The 
Bessarabian Orthodox Church was formed in 1992 when a number of priests 
broke away from the Moldovan Orthodox Church, which is subordinate to 
the Moscow Patriarchate. The Bessarabian Orthodox Church, which sees 
itself as the legal and canonical successor to the pre-World War II 
Romanian Orthodox Church in Bessarabia (the part of Moldova between the 
Nistru and Prut Rivers), subordinated itself to the Bucharest 
Patriarchate of the Romanian Orthodox Church. The Government 
consistently has refused to register the Bessarabian Church, citing 
unresolved property claims and stating that the Bessarabian Church is a 
``schismatic movement.'' The issue has political as well as religious 
overtones, as it raises the question as to whether the Orthodox Church 
should be united and oriented toward Moscow, or divided with a branch 
oriented toward Bucharest. (Leaders of the Moldovan Orthodox Church 
appear more interested in independence than in links to Moscow.) In 
1997 the Supreme Court overturned an appellate court decision affirming 
the right of the Bessarabian Church to register with the Government. 
However, the Supreme Court's decision was based on a procedural issue 
rather than on the merits of the case. The Bessarabian Church appealed 
the case to the European Court of Human Rights in June 1998. The 
Government submitted its response in February 2000, arguing that 
registering the Bessarabian Church would interfere with an internal 
matter of the Moldovan Orthodox Church. There was no decision by mid-
2000.
Religious Demography
    The Moldovan Orthodox Church is the predominant religion and 
sometimes is favored over other religious groups. The most visible area 
of favoritism is the restitution of property expropriated during the 
successive Nazi and Soviet regimes. The Church had little difficulty in 
recovering its property and, in cases where property was destroyed, the 
Government offered alternative compensation. High ranking church 
officials also reportedly have diplomatic passports issued by the 
Government.
    Over 90 percent of the population nominally belong to the Orthodox 
Church (with the Moldovan Church claiming over 1,000 parishes and the 
Bessarabian Church claiming close to 100). Followers of the Old Russian 
Orthodox Church (Old Believers) make up approximately 3.6 percent of 
the population. Other registered groups include: Roman Catholics; 
Baptists; Pentecostals; Seventh-Day Adventists; Jehovah's Witnesses; 
Baha'is; and Hare Krishnas. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day 
Saints has one congregation. The Jewish community has approximately 
60,000 members, with about 45,000 living in Chisinau. There are 9 
synagogues in Chisinau, Balti, Tiraspol, and Bender; about 5,000 
persons celebrate Rosh Hashanah.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The law on religion as amended to legalize proselytizing--in 
principle bringing the legislation in line with the European Convention 
on Human Rights--went into effect in June 1999. However, the law 
explicitly forbids ``abusive proselytizing,'' which is defined as ``an 
attempt to influence someone's religious faith through violence or 
abuse of authority.'' Thus far authorities have not taken legal action 
against individuals for proselytizing.
    Foreign missionaries are allowed to enter the country and represent 
many faiths and denominations. They experience the same difficulties in 
getting residence permits and customs clearances as other foreign 
workers.
    In the 1999-2000 school year, the history of religion was studied 
as an optional course. Approximately 1,200 students in two districts 
enrolled during the school year. During the 2000-2001 school year, in 
conformity with a February 25, 2000 decree by Parliament, religious 
instruction will be obligatory for primary-school students and optional 
for secondary and university students. There are two public schools and 
a kindergarten open only to Jewish students. These schools receive the 
same funding as the state schools, and are supplemented by financial 
support from the community. Jewish students are not restricted to these 
schools. There are no comparable schools for Moldovan Orthodox 
believers and no reports of such schools for other religious faiths. 
Agudath Israel has operated a private boys' yeshiva, licensed by the 
Ministry of Education, since 1991, and opened a girls' yeshiva in 
November 1999. There are a number of theological institutes, 
seminaries, and other places of religious education throughout the 
country.
    The law provides for restitution to politically repressed or exiled 
persons whose property was confiscated. This regulation has been 
extended in effect to religious communities. The Moldovan Orthodox 
Church has received restitution or compensation for nearly all of its 
prewar property that was expropriated. The Church has recovered 
churches, schools, hospitals, orphanages, and administrative 
properties. Property disputes between the Moldovan and Bessarabian 
Churches have not been resolved. The Jewish community has had mixed 
results in recovering its property. The Baptist Church has only one 
remaining property restitution claim.
    In January 1998, authorities in Transnistria (a separatist region 
not under the control of the Government) canceled the registration of 
Jehovah's Witnesses. Repeated attempts by Jehovah's Witnesses to 
reregister have been denied or delayed. Transnistrian officials 
regularly confiscate religious tracts from Jehovah's witnesses, most 
recently in January 2000, because the group is not registered properly. 
According to local leaders of Jehovah's Witnesses, two preachers were 
arrested and detained for several days in April 1999. The Church of the 
Living God has been denied registration in five towns in Transnistria. 
Baptist leaders have complained that they are not allowed to distribute 
religious literature or organize public meetings in Transnistria. Non-
Orthodox groups complain that they generally are not allowed to rent 
property and often are harassed during religious services.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    In general there are amicable relations between the various 
religious communities. The dispute between the Moldovan and Bessarabian 
Orthodox Churches is ongoing, but the members generally worship freely. 
No significant ecumenical movements or activities were reported.
    In May 1999, a group of about 500 Orthodox Christians and between 4 
and 6 priests attacked a small group of Baptists in the village of 
Mingir, injuring 3 and partially destroying a Baptist church that was 
under construction. The Ministry of Internal Affairs is investigating 
the case, but no charges had been filed by mid-2000. The village mayor 
who was implicated in the incident lost his bid for reelection. The 
Baptist church was allowed to register locally and has continued the 
construction project.
    The Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Moldova hosted several 
roundtable discussions on freedom of religion. These discussions 
followed the Helsinki Committee's publication, in February 1999, of a 
book, Freedom of Thought, Conscience and Religion in the Republic of 
Moldova, containing the major international and national declarations, 
laws, and cases concerning religious freedom.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. 
Embassy officers also have met with Baptist leaders and government 
officials to discuss the restitution of Baptist property in Chisinau.
    The U.S. Ambassador met with the leaders of the major religious 
organizations at various times during the period covered by this 
report. He and other embassy officers also attended the opening 
ceremonies for the Agudath Israel girls' yeshiva. Embassy employees met 
with leaders and members of most of the major religious groups, 
including the Bessarabian Orthodox Church. Embassy employees maintain 
official or social contact with most of the resident American 
missionaries. The Embassy has supported religious (and secular) groups 
that provide humanitarian assistance to the country.
    The Embassy's human rights officer maintains regular contact with 
religious leaders throughout the country, including in the separatist 
Transnistria region. In May 2000, the Embassy nominated a group of 
young parliamentarians--including a counselor for the Bessarabian 
Orthodox Church and a Baptist minister--to visit the United States as 
part of the Department of State's international visitor program.
                               __________

                                 MONACO

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Relations among the various religious communities are amicable; 
however, proselytizing is strongly discouraged.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    Roman Catholicism is the state religion. Most citizens adhere to 
Roman Catholicism. The Constitution provides the nearly 25,000 
noncitizens who live in the principality with the same religious 
freedom as the approximately 6,000 citizens.
Religious Demography
    There are five Catholic churches in the principality and a 
cathedral presided over by an archbishop. The Catholic Mass generally 
plays an important role in state festivities, such as the annual 
national day celebration. Protestantism is the next most practiced 
religion, with two churches in the principality. Most noncitizens also 
adhere to either Catholicism or Protestantism, although there are some 
residents who adhere to Judaism, Islam, or other world religions. There 
are no mosques or synagogues in the principality.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    No missionaries operate in the principality; proselytizing is 
strongly discouraged. There is no law against proselytizing; however, 
any group or association that wants to be active must, under the Civil 
Code, obtain permission to operate from the Government, and religious 
``sects'' routinely are denied such permission.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations among the various religious communities present in the 
principality are amicable.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Consulate in Marseille, France discusses religious freedom 
issues with the Government in the overall context of the promotion of 
human rights.
                               __________

                            THE NETHERLANDS

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Constitution permits 
the Government to place restrictions on the exercise of religion only 
on limited grounds, such as health hazards, traffic safety, and risk of 
public disorder.
    The Calvinist Reformist Church enjoyed a privileged status until 
1795. It received Government subsidies and only church members could 
hold public office. Church and state have been separate since 1798. 
However, the Government provides state subsidies to religious 
organizations that maintain educational facilities. The Government 
provides funding to public as well as to religious schools, other 
religious educational institutions, and religious health care 
facilities, irrespective of their religious affiliation. In order to 
qualify for funding, institutions must meet strict nonreligious based 
criteria for curriculum standards, minimum size, and health care.
Religious Demography
    Approximately 30 percent of the population consider themselves 
Roman Catholic, 15 percent Dutch Reformed, 7 percent Calvinist 
Reformist, 8 percent non-Christian (Islamic, Hindu, Jewish or 
Buddhist), and 40 percent atheist or agnostic.
    Dutch society has become increasingly secular. According to the 
Government's Social Cultural Planning Bureau, church membership has 
declined steadily from 76 percent in 1958 to 41 percent in 1995 and 
still is decreasing, although at a slower pace. The breakdown within 
this 41 percent is 20 percent Roman Catholic, 9 percent Dutch Reformed, 
6 percent Calvinist Reformist, 2 percent Muslim, and 4 percent other. 
Membership is decreasing among all denominations, except Islam, which 
is expected to become the second largest religion in the country within 
the next decade.
    About 24 percent of citizens are active within their religious 
communities. One in three Roman Catholics goes to church at least once 
a month. About one in two Dutch Reformed members and two of three 
Calvinist Reformists do the same. Those who leave a church rarely 
return.
    Nonetheless, significant numbers of those who have left their 
churches still consider themselves to be members of a religious group. 
About 60 percent of citizens claim adherence to a religion. However, 
the beliefs and practices of many of these adherents have developed 
into what some describe as a selective approach to religion: accepting 
the positive but not the negative aspects of a particular religion. 
About 20 percent of citizens, primarily among those who have left the 
``traditional'' churches, describe themselves as ``seekers of spiritual 
or philosophical truths.'' These persons tend to gravitate toward 
(though not necessarily join) newer or non-Orthodox religious 
movements, such as Pentecostal groups, Jehovah's Witnesses, Hare 
Krishna, Transcendental Meditation, Scientology, Theosophy or 
Anthroposophy.
    In the wake of secularization since the 1960's, many Roman 
Catholics left the Church. Among those remaining, many express 
alienation from their religious hierarchy and doctrine. For example, 
most Dutch Catholics express no objections to female or married priests 
and differ with church thinking on a number of sensitive doctrinal 
issues.
    Dutch Protestantism is quite heterogeneous. Among the Protestant 
churches, the Dutch Reformed Church remains the largest, although it is 
also the one that has suffered the greatest losses to secularization. 
Church membership in this denomination has declined by two-thirds in 
the past 50 years. The second largest Protestant group, the Calvinist 
Reformist Church, has been less affected by membership losses and even 
has succeeded in attracting former members of the Dutch Reformed 
Church. Other Protestant denominations include Baptists, Lutherans, and 
Remonstrants.
    The country has a long tradition of providing shelter to non-
Christian religions. Jews have been in the Netherlands since the late 
16th century. By the beginning of World War II, the Netherlands counted 
125,000 Jews, half of whom lived in Amsterdam. About 110,000 were 
killed by the Nazi regime. Following the war, more than 10,000 citizens 
emigrated to Israel. The current Jewish community includes fewer than 
20,000 members but is thriving and operates its own schools.
    Only 49 Muslims lived in the country in 1879. After 1960 the number 
of Muslims began to rise due to the arrival of migrant workers, 
primarily from Morocco and Turkey. Family unification increased their 
numbers to 234,000 Moroccans and 279,000 Turks by 1998 (out of a total 
population of 16 million). Additional Muslims came from the former 
Dutch colony of Suriname. In the past decade, Muslim numbers further 
increased due to the large numbers of asylum seekers from countries 
such as Iran, Iraq, Somalia and Bosnia. By 1998 about 700,000 persons, 
or 4.4 percent of the population, were Muslim--the majority Sunni.
    Islam is growing quickly. There is a network of mosques and 
cultural centers. Mosques and centers are organized to conform to the 
country's system of subsidies, which underwrites cultural activities 
geared to social orientation and promotion of equal opportunities. The 
number of mosques has grown to over 300. The increased influence of 
Islam also is reflected in the founding of over 30 Islamic schools, 
which is facilitated by legislation that recognizes and provides equal 
funding to schools representing different religious or philosophical 
backgrounds.
    The law provides for minority views to be heard on radio and 
television. Thus, broadcasting time has been allotted to the Islamic 
Broadcasting Foundation, an alliance of all Muslim groups in the 
country.
    The Government of Turkey exercises influence within the Dutch-
Turkish Islamic community through its religious affairs directorate, 
the Diyanet, which is permitted to appoint imams for the 140 Turkish 
mosques in the country. There is no such arrangement with the Moroccan 
Government that allows it to appoint religious officials to Moroccan 
mosques. The Moroccan Government tries to exercise influence over the 
approximately 100 Moroccan mosques through a federation of Moroccan 
friendship societies. Dutch authorities have not been pleased with 
Turkish and Moroccan interference with religious and political affairs 
because it appears to run counter to government efforts to encourage 
integration of Muslims into Dutch society. For example, government 
authorities insist on strict observance of mandatory school attendance 
up to the age of 16. They disapprove of appeals by foreign imams to 
keep sexually mature girls under the age of 16 at home. To counter such 
influence the authorities have proposed training imams in the 
Netherlands itself, a measure that is opposed within the Islamic 
communities.
    A sizable community of about 90,000 Hindus has arrived from the 
former Dutch colony of Suriname. The country also hosts smaller groups 
of Hindus who came from India and Uganda, as well as such movements 
based on Hindu teachings as Ramakrishna, Hare Krishna, Sai Baba, and 
Osho. The Buddhist community is quite small, with about 17,000 members.
    There were no reports of foreign missionary groups operating in the 
country.
    Disputes have arisen when the exercise of the rights to freedom of 
religion and speech clashed with the strictly enforced ban on 
discrimination. Such disputes are addressed either in the courts or by 
anti-discrimination boards. In November 1999, a clergyman of the 
Pentecostal church in the town of Hengelo was acquitted in court on 
charges of discriminating against homosexuals. In a public letter he 
called homophilia, pedophilia, and polygamy ``filthy sins.'' In its 
verdict the court reaffirmed longstanding jurisprudence that such a 
statement made on religious grounds did not constitute a criminal 
offense if the intention to offend or discriminate against homosexuals 
was deemed absent.
    The Equal Opportunities Committee in July 1999 ruled that an 
educational institute in The Hague acted incorrectly by denying two 
young women training as shop workers because they were wearing 
headscarves on religious grounds. The institute rejected them because 
it believed that they would not be able to find employment after 
training if they continued to wear headscarves. With this ruling the 
Equal Opportunities Committee reaffirmed its opinion that the wearing 
of headscarves may be banned only on serious grounds, such as security 
considerations.
    In other areas, employers have been rebuked publicly for failure to 
allow non-Christians leave on their religious holidays, for objecting 
to Sikhs wearing turbans or Muslim women wearing headscarves, or to 
observance of food requirements on religious grounds. The Equal 
Opportunities Committee in July 1999 ruled against a company that had 
denied employment to a Turkish applicant because he intended to attend 
Friday service at a mosque. This was considered a violation of freedom 
of religion. According to the Committee, Friday service for Muslims is 
the same as Sunday service for Christians. It ruled that employers are 
obliged to take account of reasonable religious demands from their 
employees, except in exceptional circumstances.
    The Calvinist Reformist Social Union (RMU) charged that the 1996 
law on working hours contributed to discrimination. This law permits 
work on Sunday under certain circumstances. Based on a survey among 
2,000 companies, the RMU reported that job applicants increasingly are 
turned down if they refuse for religious reasons to work on Sunday. The 
larger labor federations reacted by calling for agreements between 
labor and management on the practice of religion during working hours. 
This matter usually does not lead to problems; however, if problems 
arise the federations made clear their intention to call upon offending 
employers to observe this fundamental right. The legislature is working 
on an amendment to the laws on working hours and business hours to 
permit employees to claim time off for the practice of religion.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who have been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal attitudes

    Religious communities live alongside each other in harmony. The 
main Christian denominations participate in the National Council of 
Churches and have adopted an ecumenical approach to inter-faith 
relations. The Council regularly presents common positions of the 
churches on matters of faith, church, and society. Protestant 
denominations in particular are significant promoters of Israel and the 
Jewish cause. The Protestant churches also reach out to the Islamic 
community. Incidents of anti-Semitism are rare; however, there were a 
number of complaints about anti-Semitism on Internet sites set up by 
Dutch citizens. The Discrimination on the Internet Registration Center 
recorded 181 complaints in 1999 about discriminatory statements, racial 
discrimination, or anti-Semitism on the Internet. Most statements were 
removed voluntarily by the authors at the Center's request. Two 
complaints were passed to the Public Prosecutor when the authors 
refused to remove the controversial texts from the Internet. Decisions 
on the two cases are still pending.
    Ethnic minorities are occasional victims of incidents of 
discrimination. Non-Europeans, such as Turks, Moroccans or refugees 
from Iran and Iraq are occasional victims of discrimination, but 
primarily on racial or ethnic grounds and not because they are Muslims. 
Examples of religious discrimination incidents are primarily of an 
anti-Semitic nature and involve use of swastikas, distributing neo-Nazi 
propaganda, and making the Hitler salute. The labor federations have 
been working to include in collective bargaining agreements 
stipulations that permit non-Christian employees to take leave on non-
Christian religious holidays. Such stipulations have now been included 
in most agreements.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. 
Promoting religious freedom around the world is a high priority goal of 
Dutch foreign policy. The U.S. Embassy works very closely with the 
Government to promote religious freedom.
    In March 2000, Ambassador-at-Large for Religious Freedom Robert 
Seiple and David Saperstein, Chairman of the Commission on Religious 
Freedom, met with government officials to discuss U.S. and Dutch 
initiatives to advance understanding of the issue. The Government has 
supported efforts to monitor religious persecution more closely and has 
instituted additional reporting requirements for its own embassies.
                               __________

                                 NORWAY

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Norway is the state church. It 
is supported financially by the State, and there is a constitutional 
requirement that the King and one-half of the Cabinet belong to this 
church. The relationship between the church and the state regularly 
generates discussion. Church officials have spoken in favor of a 
greater separation in the state-church relationship. However, there 
have been no significant developments in this debate during the period 
covered by this report.
    A religious community is required to register with the Government 
only if it desires state support, which is provided to all registered 
denominations on a proportional basis in accordance with membership.
Religious Demography
    Citizens are considered members of the state church unless they 
explicitly associate themselves with another denomination; 93 percent 
of the population nominally belong to the state church. However, actual 
church attendance is considered to be rather low. Other denominations 
operate freely.
    In 1999 there were a total of 238,354 persons registered in 
religious communities outside the Evangelical Lutheran Church of 
Norway, of a total population of approximately 4.5 million. An 
additional 29,353 persons belong to unregistered religious communities 
while 68,253 were members of the nonreligious Norwegian Humanist 
Association.
    The major registered religions and religious groups are: 
Pentecostal congregations (44,094 members); Islam (45,145 members); 
Roman Catholic Church (40,203 members); Evangelical Lutheran Free 
Church of Norway (20,899 members); Jehovah's Witnesses (15,083 
members); Methodist Church of Norway (13,204 members); Norwegian 
Baptist Union (10,404 members); Church of Norway Mission Covenants 
(8,182 members); and the Buddhist Federation (6,779 members). Other 
groups include Orthodox Jews, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Anglican 
Church, and Hindus. In addition, there is one main organization for the 
nonreligious or atheists--the Norwegian Humanist Association. The 
Association has 61,000 registered adult members and 10 to 12,000 
children as associate members. Persons cannot register as full members 
until they reach early adulthood.
    Members of registered religious communities outside the state 
church are concentrated in the Oslo region and the west coast region of 
the country. The Hordaland, Rogaland, and Vest Agder districts have the 
highest number of members of religious communities outside the state 
church. The majority of European and American immigrants are either 
Christians or nonreligious, the exception being Muslim refugees from 
Bosnia and Kosovo. Most non-European immigrants practice Islam, 
Buddhism, or Hinduism.
    Foreign missionaries and other religious workers operate freely in 
the country. Foreign religious workers from countries whose citizens 
Norway requires visas need to obtain such visas before entering the 
country. In addition, all foreign religious workers from countries 
outside the European Union or European Economic Area must apply for 
work permits. There is no government registration of foreign religious 
workers beyond the regularly established database of issued work 
permits.
    The Government promotes inter-faith understanding by providing 
funding to the Cooperation Council for Faith and Secular Society (see 
Section II). The Government also pledged to provide additional funds 
for the operation of the Office of the United Nations Special 
Rapporteur on Intolerance. As Chair-in-Office of the Organization for 
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) during 1999, the Government 
promoted activities to improve religious tolerance through the OSCE.
    In October 1995, the Storting (Parliament) passed a law introducing 
the subject ``Religious Knowledge and Education in Ethics'' in the 
school system. The legality of imposing compulsory teaching of 
Christianity and Christian ethics in public schools has been contested 
in court by both the Norwegian Humanist Association and the Moslem 
Council. Both lost their initial cases in Oslo city court and have 
appealed to a higher regional court. The appeals are scheduled to take 
place in the fall of 2000. Currently, the law has been implemented in 
all public schools. On special grounds students may be exempted from 
participating in or performing specific religious acts such as church 
services or prayer, but may not forgo instruction in the subject as a 
whole. Students and workers who belong to minority denominations are 
allowed leave for the celebration of their religious holidays.
    In July 1998, the Government suspended two priests in the Church of 
Norway and asked the courts for approval legally to terminate their 
priesthood due to insubordination and disloyalty. The conservative 
priests, serving in a rural community, openly had refused to accept 
religious and spiritual guidance from their liberal bishop based in the 
provincial capital. The parties were in disagreement on a number of 
social issues (such as gay rights). In January 2000, the Alta county 
court ruled that the two local priests could not be fired due to 
insubordination and disloyalty. The Minister of Church Affairs has 
appealed the decision to the Haalogaland district court.
    The Workers' Protection and Working Environment Act permits 
prospective employers to ask job applicants for positions in private or 
religious schools, or in day care centers, whether they respect 
Christian beliefs and principles.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    In August 1998, the Cooperation Council for Faith and Secular 
Society organized a conference on religious freedom with financial 
support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The conference urged 
greater international dedication to the principles of freedom of 
religion and issued the Oslo Declaration on Freedom of Religion and 
Belief. The Cooperation Council was established in 1996 and consists of 
the state church and other religious communities, including the Jewish, 
Muslim, Buddhist, and secular humanist communities. At the 1998 
conference, the Oslo Coalition for Freedom of Religious Beliefs was 
formed in order to facilitate closer coordination and international 
cooperation.
    The Ecumenical Council of Christian Communities has promoted 
actively cooperation within the Christian community. There also has 
been cooperation between the various religious communities on human 
rights issues in recent years. Bilateral dialog between the state 
church and the Muslim and Jewish communities has generated statements 
in support of minority rights and human rights.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses worldwide religious freedom issues with 
government officials, particularly during the annual meeting of the 
United Nations Commission on Human Rights. Requests to the Embassy from 
official and nonofficial Norwegians for materials on religious freedom 
issues increased during the period covered by this report, a sign of 
growing interest in such issues as religious persecution, the church-
state relationship, and the balance between freedom of religion and 
freedom of expression.
                               __________

                                 POLAND

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion; 
however, sporadic incidents of harassment and violence against Jews, 
and occasional desecration of Jewish and Catholic cemeteries continued, 
mostly generated by skinheads and other marginal elements of society.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights. U.S. Embassy and Consulate General Krakow representatives 
actively monitor threats to religious freedom and seek to further 
resolution of unsettled legacies of the Holocaust and the Communist 
era.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There are 15 religious groups in the country whose relationship 
with the State is governed by specific legislation and 140 other 
religious communities. The legislation outlines the internal structure 
of the religious groups, their activities, and procedures for property 
restitution.
    Religious communities may register with the Government, but they 
are not required to do so and may function freely without registration. 
According to new regulations effective as of June 1998, registration 
requires that the group have submitted the names of 100 members as well 
as information regarding the group itself. This information on 
membership (i.e., signatures) must be confirmed by a notary public 
(previously only 15 names were required), although the registration 
itself often appears to be a formality. Four new religious communities 
registered during the period covered by this report. All churches and 
recognized religious groups share the same privileges (duty-free 
importation of office equipment, reduced taxes, etc.).
    In mid-2000, the Government announced plans to establish by 
September 2000 a department within the Ministry of Interior to monitor 
the activities of ``new religious groups'' and cults. As of the end of 
June 2000 the new department had not yet been formed.
Religious Demography
    More than 95 percent of citizens are Roman Catholic, but Eastern 
Orthodox, Greek Catholic, and much smaller Protestant, Jewish, and 
Muslim congregations meet freely.
    According to the Annual Statistical Gazette of Poland, the 
following figures represent the formal membership of the listed 
religious groups, but not the number of actual members (e.g., the 
actual number of Jews in the country is estimated at between 10,000 and 
30,000). There are 35,033,087 Roman Catholics in the country; 554,860 
Orthodox Church members; 122,982 Jehovah's Witnesses; 110,380 Uniates; 
87,291 Lutherans (Augsburg); 25,904 Old Catholic Mariavits; 23,969 
members of the Polish-Catholic Church; 17,966 Pentecostals; 6,720 
Seventh-Day Adventists; 5,894 Baptists; 5,438 members of the New 
Apostolic Church; 5,123 members of the Muslim Religious Union; 5,043 
Hare Krishnas; 4,349 Methodists; 4,100 members of the Church of Christ; 
3,980 Lutherans (Reformed); 3,011 Catholic Mariavits; 1,222 members of 
the Union of Jewish Communities; 950 members of the Eastern Old 
Ceremonial Church; and 180 members of the Karaims Religious Union. All 
of these churches have a relationship with the State governed by either 
legislation or treaty, with the exception of Jehovah's Witnesses, the 
Uniate Church, the New Apostolic Church, Hare Krishnas, and the Church 
of Christ.
    According to a 2000 poll, some 68 percent of citizens actively 
participate in religious ceremonies; a 1999 poll found that 8 percent 
declared that they have no contact with the Catholic Church. The 1999 
survey found women to be more religious than men, with 63 percent of 
the former attending church regularly compared with 51 percent of the 
latter. Farmers are the most religious group: 70 percent are regular 
churchgoers, while only 2 percent do not go to church at all. No 
figures are available on the number of atheists in the country, 
although one recent poll found that 4 percent of respondents said that 
they did not believe in God.
    Citizens enjoy the freedom to practice any faith they choose. 
Religious groups may organize, select, and train personnel, solicit and 
receive contributions, publish, and engage in consultations without 
government interference. There are no government restrictions on 
establishing and maintaining places of worship.
    Foreign missionary groups operate freely in the country and are 
subject only to the standard rules applicable to foreigners temporarily 
in the country.
    Although the Constitution provides for the separation of church and 
state, a crucifix hangs in both the upper and lower houses of 
Parliament, as well as in many government offices. In June 1998, a 
provincial court decided that a crucifix hung in the meeting room of 
the Lodz city council in 1990 could remain, denying the complaint of a 
city resident. An atheist complained that the crucifix threatened 
religious freedom and discriminated against him.
    State-run radio broadcasts Catholic Mass on Sundays, and the 
Catholic Church is authorized to relicense radio and television 
stations to operate on frequencies assigned to the Church, the only 
body outside the National Radio and Television Broadcasting Council 
allowed to do so.
    Although the Constitution gives parents the right to bring up their 
children in compliance with their own religious and philosophical 
beliefs, religious education classes continue to be taught in the 
public schools at public expense. While children are supposed to have 
the choice between religious instruction and ethics, the Ombudsman's 
office states that in most schools ethics courses are not offered due 
to financial constraints. Although Catholic Church representatives 
teach the vast majority of religious classes in the schools, parents 
can request religious classes in any of the religions legally 
registered, including Protestant, Orthodox, and Jewish religious 
instruction. Such non-Catholic religious instruction exists in 
practice, although it is not common, and the Ministry of Education pays 
the instructors. Priests and other instructors receive salaries from 
the state budget for teaching religion in public schools, and Catholic 
Church representatives are included on a commission that determines 
whether books qualify for school use.
    In January 1998, the Parliament ratified the Concordat, a treaty 
regulating relations between the Government and the Vatican, which was 
signed in 1993. The vote came after years of bitter disputes between 
Concordat supporters and opponents over whether the treaty simply 
ensures the Catholic Church's rights or blurs the line between church 
and state. Subsequently signed by the President, the Concordat took 
effect in April 1998.
    The Government continues to work with both local and international 
religious groups to address property claims and other sensitive issues 
stemming from Nazi- and Communist-era confiscations and persecutions. 
The Government enjoys good relations with international Jewish groups. 
The Government cooperates effectively with a variety of international 
organizations, both governmental and nongovernmental, including the 
U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad, 
which identifies and encourages the preservation of historic sites 
associated with the heritage of American citizens from eastern and 
central Europe, to include cemeteries and houses of worship.
    Progress continues in implementing the laws that permit local 
religious communities to submit claims for property owned prior to 
World War II that subsequently was nationalized. In 1997 a law was 
passed permitting the local Jewish community to submit claims for such 
property, which mirrored legislation benefiting other religious 
communities. The laws allow for the return of churches and synagogues, 
cemeteries, and community headquarters, as well as buildings that were 
used for other religious, educational, or charitable activities. The 
laws included time limits for filing claims; in several cases the 
deadlines have expired and no additional claims may be filed. However, 
restitution commissions (composed of representatives of the Government 
and the religious community) are continuing adjudication of previously 
filed claims.
    The time limit for applications by the Catholic Church expired in 
December 1991. As of the summer of 2000, 2,413 of the 3,041 claims 
filed by the Church had been concluded, with 1,123 claims settled by 
agreement between the Church and the party in possession of the 
property (usually the national or a local government), 844 properties 
were returned through decision of the Commission on Property 
Restitution, which rules on disputed claims, 434 claims were rejected, 
and 12 cases were likely to go to court. Claims by the local Jewish 
community (whose deadline for filing claims under the 1997 law expires 
in 2002) are being filed slowly. Of the thousands of potential claims, 
only 458 had been filed by the summer of 2000, mainly because the 
country's Jewish community lacks the information and financial 
resources to prepare claims more quickly. Of those 458 claims, the 
Commission on Property Restitution considered and closed 98 cases; 53 
of the 98 cases were closed by an agreement between the parties. As of 
early 2000, Lutheran claims for 1,200 properties had resulted in 392 
cases being closed with the return of the properties in question (the 
deadline for filing such claims was July 1996).
    However, the laws on religious communal property do not address the 
private property of any group. In September 1999, the Government's 
Council of Ministers approved a draft reprivatization law. The bill was 
amended in committee in a way that would have made it impossible to 
address the claims of former Polish citizens living abroad. The 
Government opposed the amendment and the committee has since changed 
the draft to allow once again for claims by persons who were citizens 
at the time the property was seized, as well as by their heirs. The 
bill remains in committee and could see additional changes.
    The laws on communal property restitution also do not address the 
issue of communal properties to which third parties now have title, 
leaving several controversial and complicated cases unresolved. In a 
number of cases over the years, buildings and residences were built on 
land that included Jewish cemeteries that were destroyed during or 
after World War II. For example, a school for disabled children now 
stands on the site of a completely destroyed Jewish cemetery in Kalisz. 
The existence of the school complicated the issue of returning the 
cemetery to the Jewish community. Efforts continued in 1999-2000 to 
reach a resolution acceptable to all concerned.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Current law places Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox, and Jewish 
communities on the same legal footing, and the Government attempts to 
address the problems that minority religious groups face. Relations 
between the various religious communities are generally amicable, 
although the erection by radical nationalist anti-Semites of some 300 
crosses near the former Auschwitz concentration camp caused tensions in 
Catholic-Jewish relations in 1998-99.
    Anti-Semitic feelings persist among certain sectors of the 
population, occasionally manifesting themselves in acts of vandalism 
and physical or verbal abuse. However, surveys in recent years show a 
continuing decline in anti-Semitic sentiment and avowedly anti-Semitic 
candidates fare very poorly in elections.
    In March 1998, a controversy arose over the ``Pope's Cross,'' 
located on the grounds of a former Carmelite convent in Oswiecim 
adjacent to the Auschwitz concentration camp museum. The Cross 
originally adorned the altar at a mass conducted by Pope John Paul II 
near Birkenau in 1979 and was erected at the site of the Carmelite 
mission in 1989. The Cross is clearly visible from the former camp's 
block 11 and marks the site where Polish political prisoners (possibly 
including Catholic priests) and later Jewish prisoners were murdered by 
the Nazis. In August 1998, radical nationalist anti-Semites erected 
dozens of additional crosses outside Auschwitz in protest of plans to 
remove the Pope's Cross, despite the opposition of the country's 
bishops. In May 1999, the Parliament passed a government-sponsored law 
to protect the sites of all the former camps in the country. The 
Government consulted with international Jewish groups in preparing the 
law, which gave the Government the power it needed to resolve the issue 
of the ``new crosses.'' In late May 1999, the leader of the Defenders 
of the Pope's Cross, Kazimierz Switon announced that he had laid 
explosives under the site where the crosses were erected, and that he 
would detonate them if the Government attempted to remove him or the 
crosses. Police officers quickly arrested Switon for possessing 
explosives and making public threats. After Switon's arrest, local 
authorities removed the crosses to a nearby Franciscan monastery, under 
the supervision of the local bishop, and sealed off the site to prevent 
the erection of additional crosses. The Pope's Cross is not to be 
removed from the site for the time being.
    Sporadic and isolated incidents of harassment and violence against 
Jews continue to occur in the country, often generated by skinheads and 
other marginal societal groups. Occasional cases of cemetery 
desecration, including both Jewish and Catholic shrines, also occurred 
during 1999 and the first half of 2000. Government authorities 
consistently criticized such actions and pledged to prevent similar 
acts in the future, for example by increased police patrols around 
Jewish sites.
    In July 1999, unknown vandals sprayed swastikas and anti-Semitic 
graffiti on the Jewish community headquarters in Bielsko-Biala. 
According to the mayor of Bielsko-Biala, city police officers were 
ordered to guard the building after the attack and an investigation was 
opened into the case; however, there were no results by mid-2000. Anti-
Semitic graffiti were painted on several monuments in the Tarnow Jewish 
cemetery in August 1999; the incident was criticized by the local 
bishop. In September 1999, vandals attacked several tombs in the Warsaw 
Jewish cemetery, leaving satanic graffiti and damaging a number of 
monuments. The chief of the Prime Minister's chancery immediately 
criticized the vandalism.
    In February 2000, near Katowice, some 60 graves were desecrated in 
what apparently was an attempt to steal and sell the stones from the 
local Catholic cemetery. Later in the month, two other Catholic 
cemeteries were desecrated with Satanist graffiti, one near Zamosc and 
one near Wroclaw. In March 2000, teenage hooligans vandalized a 
monument to martyred priest Jerzy Popielusko.
    Also in March 2000, the citizens of Lodz took action of their own 
accord to clean up anti-Semitic (and other) graffiti in the town. The 
same evening as the clean-up, vandals spray-painted anti-Semitic and 
anti-Roma graffiti on the home of Marek Edelman, the last surviving 
commander of the 1943 Warsaw ghetto uprising. The attack was criticized 
strongly by both the President and the Prime Minister.
    In April 2000, anti-Semitic and anti-Roma graffiti were painted on 
the wall of the Jewish cemetery at Oswiecim (Auschwitz). The town paid 
to have the graffiti removed. Also in April, on two successive nights, 
vandals in Krakow painted swastikas and anti-Semitic graffiti on the 
walls of a local museum, whose site once had housed a pharmacy operated 
by the only non-Jewish Pole to live in the Krakow ghetto. Local police 
promised to step up patrols in the area. The same month, Satanist 
graffiti defaced some 20 gravestones in a Catholic cemetery in a 
village near Poznan.
    Investigations continued into the May 1998 desecration of graves in 
the Warsaw Jewish cemetery and the July 1998 vandalism of a plaque 
commemorating Jewish Holocaust victims in Rzeszow. No charges have been 
filed to date, and the Rzeszow case is still under investigation. In 
the case of the 1997 beating of a 14-year-old Jewish boy in Gdansk, the 
defendant received a 4-year suspended sentence. The attack may have 
been linked to a sermon by controversial Gdansk priest Henryk Jankowski 
warning against the presence of Jews in the Government.
    The March 1999 publication of a booklet by Opole University 
professor Dariusz Ratajczak denying the Holocaust triggered severe 
public criticism in March and April of the year. The booklet was self-
published (a total of 230 copies), and as soon as it became aware of 
the publication, the university banned its distribution on school 
property, criticized its contents, and suspended the professor pending 
further disciplinary action. Ratajczak's trial began in November 1999 
on charges of violating the law on the preservation of national memory, 
which took effect on January 1, 1999 for ``disseminating the Auschwitz 
lie.'' In December 1999, the Opole district court acquitted him and 
ruled that the ``social threat'' posed by the book was low, given the 
low number of copies published, and that in the book's second edition 
and in Ratajczak's public appearances he criticized the revisionist 
views of historians who deny the Holocaust. The university, which is 
state run, fired him in April 2000 for violating ethical standards, and 
he was banned from teaching at other universities for 3 years.
    The Parliament (Sejm) is currently considering a law whose 
provisions could allow for the restoration of citizenship to Jews who 
were forced to emigrate during a Communist anti-Semitic campaign in 
1968.
    In May 2000, during the 12th March of the Living from Auschwitz to 
Birkenau to honor victims of the Holocaust, several hundred Poles 
joined the presidents of Israel and Poland as well as some 6,000 
marchers from Israel and other countries. This was the largest 
participation of Polish citizens in the event to date. Government 
officials participating in the march included Members of Parliament, 
the province's governor, and Oswiecim's mayor and city council 
chairman. Schoolchildren, boy scouts, the Polish-Israeli Friendship 
Society, and the Jewish Students Association in Poland also 
participated in the march.
    The Jewish community faced a continuing battle, which began in 
April 1999, between Gdansk's local Jewish community and the leadership 
of the Union of Jewish Communities in Poland (ZGZ), involving 
accusations of mismanagement of community funds.
    There is some public concern about the growth of groups perceived 
to be ``sects'' and the influence of nonmainstream religious groups, 
especially in the wake of press reports of the deaths of a few young 
persons in circumstances suggesting cult activity.
    Inter-faith groups work to bring together the various religious 
groups in the country.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    Representatives of the U.S. Embassy and Consulate General, up to 
and including the Ambassador, continue to monitor closely issues 
relating to religious freedom and inter-faith relations; one officer 
devotes the vast majority of his time to questions of Polish/Jewish 
relations, for example. Embassy and consulate officers meet frequently 
with representatives of religious communities, the Government, and 
local authorities on such matters as property restitution, skinhead 
harassment, and inter-faith cooperation.
    Embassy and consulate representatives actively monitor threats to 
religious freedoms; the Embassy intervened to assure rapid police 
response to threatening demonstrations by skinheads against the Jewish 
community of Wroclaw in 1998. The Embassy and Consulate General work as 
well to facilitate the protection and return of former Jewish 
cemeteries throughout the country.
    On a regular basis, embassy and consulate officials discuss issues 
of religious freedom, including property restitution, with a wide range 
of government officials at all levels. The Embassy and the Consulate 
General play a continuing role in ongoing efforts to establish an 
international foundation to oversee restitution of Jewish communal 
property. A U.S. Government mediator worked with the two sides (the 
Polish Union of Jewish Religious Communities and the World Jewish 
Restitution Organization) to resolve outstanding differences that have 
delayed establishment of such a foundation. In June 2000, the sides 
reached agreement. The sides must now submit the appropriate 
documentation to a Polish court so that the foundation can be 
registered as a non-profit organization.
    Embassy and consulate representatives, including the Ambassador, 
also meet regularly with representatives of major religious communities 
in the country. The Ambassador holds regular consultations with Primate 
Glemp and meets with religious leaders, including leaders of the Jewish 
community, both in the capital and during his travels throughout the 
country.
    The public affairs sections of the Embassy and the Consulate in 
Krakow provided continuing support for activities designed to promote 
cultural and religious tolerance. Such activities included a digital 
videoconference linking young Poles with U.S. participants in the March 
of the Living; a 2-week voluntary visitor program for senior 
administrators at the Auschwitz-Birkenau state museum; and ongoing 
press and public affairs support for the Auschwitz Jewish Center 
Foundation and its project to renovate the last remaining synagogue in 
Oswiecim.
                               __________

                                PORTUGAL

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    Portugal is a secular state. Other than the Constitution, the two 
most important documents relating to religious freedom are the 1971 Law 
on Religious Freedom and the 1940 Concordat (as amended) between 
Portugal and the Holy See. Under this legal regime, the Roman Catholic 
Church has several privileges not granted to other religions. For 
example, the Catholic Church is completely exempt from the country's 
value-added tax, whereas other religions only can exempt expenditures 
related directly to worship. The Catholic Church has exclusive control 
over the naming of military, prison, and hospital chaplains.
    Since 1975 there has been a very liberal regime for recognizing 
churches. Ministers of all faiths are also permitted to participate in 
the country's social insurance scheme.
    In recent years, minority religious groups, particularly 
evangelical Christians, have called for an updated law on religious 
freedom to replace the 1971 law. In April 2000, Communist and left bloc 
deputies in the Parliament introduced a bill that would have ended not 
only the special privileges enjoyed by the Catholic Church, but also 
the tax breaks, religious instruction in schools, and other privileges 
enjoyed by all religions. The bill was defeated, as expected. A second 
bill was introduced by the governing Socialist Party and was debated 
during the spring. The Socialist bill would preserve religious 
instruction in schools and continue tax breaks for religious bodies, 
allowing taxpayers to dedicate half a percent of their taxes to 
religious projects. Religious communities would have to have been 
present in the country for at least 30 years to qualify for these 
benefits. This bill has wide support, and the only controversy is over 
whether the country should first pass a new religious freedom law such 
as this one and then renegotiate the Concordat with the Vatican, or 
whether it should first renegotiate the Concordat and then pass a new 
religious freedom law. As of mid-2000, the first approach appeared to 
have greater support. The Catholic Archbishop of Lisbon endorsed the 
Socialist bill; however, noting the important historical role that the 
Catholic Church has played in the country. The Archbishop did not 
express a view as to which should come first, the bill or a new 
Concordat, calling them separate issues. Prior to the Pope's visit to 
Portugal and the shrine of Fatima in May 2000, the country's Catholic 
bishops met to compile their recommendations to the Vatican on 
revisions to the Concordat.
Religious Demography
    More than 80 percent of the population above the age of 12 identify 
with the Roman Catholic Church. About 2 percent identify with various 
Protestant denominations, and about 1 percent with non-Christian 
religions. Less than 3 percent say that they have no religion.
    Non-Christian religions include about 25,000 Muslims (largely from 
Portuguese Africa, ethnically sub-Saharan African or South Asian), a 
small number of Jews, and very small groupings of Buddhists, Taoists, 
and Zoroastrians. A small Hindu community also exists, which traces its 
origins to South Asians who emigrated from Portuguese Africa and the 
former Portuguese colony of Goa in India. Many of these minority 
communities are not organized formally.
    Brazilian syncretistic Catholic Churches, which combine Catholic 
ritual with pre-Christian Afro-Brazilian ritual such as Candomble and 
Ubanda, also operate in small numbers, as do the Seventh-Day 
Adventists, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and 
Orthodox Christians. The Igreja Universal do Reino de Deus (the 
Universal Church of the Kingdom of God), a proselytizing church that 
originated in Brazil, also exists.
    Public secondary school curriculums include an optional course 
called ``religion and morals.'' This course functions as a survey of 
world religions and is taught by a lay person. It can be used to give 
Catholic religious instruction. The Catholic Church must approve all 
teachers for this course. Other religions can set up such a course if 
they have 15 or more children in the particular school. There are about 
100 such non-Catholic programs in the country.
    The Government takes active steps to promote inter-faith 
understanding. Most notably, 5 days a week state television channel 
(Radiotelevisao Portuguesa 2) broadcasts ``A Fe dos Homens''--``The 
Faith of Man''--a half-hour program consisting of various segments 
written and produced by different religious communities. The Government 
pays for the segments and professional production companies are hired 
under contract to produce the segments.
    The concept behind ``The Faith of Man'' originated in 1984, when 
minority religious communities began to request broadcast time on RTP 
television. In 1997 arrangements for such broadcasts were regularized 
and formalized and the program was launched. Religious communities send 
delegates to a special television commission, which determines the 
scheduling of segments. The television commission has operated on the 
general rule that religious communities eligible for the program are 
those that have been operating for at least 30 years in the country or 
at least 60 years in their country of origin.
    The Catholic Church owns a television station, Televisao 
Independente. Its programming is basically indistinguishable from that 
of other stations.
    Foreign missionary groups (such as the Church of Jesus Christ of 
Latter-Day Saints) operate freely.
    Major Catholic holidays are also official holidays. Seven out of 
the country's 16 national holidays are Catholic holidays. The Papal 
Nuncio is always the dean of the diplomatic corps.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are amicable relations among the various religious 
communities. Many communities conduct ``open houses'' or sponsor inter-
faith education seminars. Sunday Mass is broadcast live. The Roman 
Catholic Church regularly broadcasts its television program, ``Seven 
Times Seventy.''
    In May 2000, the Islamic center in Lisbon hosted visiting Nobel 
Peace Prize winner and East Timorese bishop Ximenes Belo at a special 
prayer for East Timor. The event was covered by the Portuguese press, 
and attended by government officials, leaders from the country's other 
religious communities, and members of the diplomatic corps. In 2000 the 
municipality also revealed plans to light the Islamic center mosque at 
night (as are other prominent landmarks in Lisbon), and to rename its 
street ``Rua da Mesquita''--the street of the mosque.
    Also in 2000, a project was begun in the Azores to restore the old 
synagogue in Ponta Delgada, which was constructed in 1836 and abandoned 
60 years ago. This project is the culmination of 15 years of lobbying 
by the Azores Synagogue Restoration Committee, and is supported by both 
the regional government of the Azores, the Portuguese-American 
community, and universities in both countries. The synagogue is not to 
be used for worship (the number of Jews in the Azores is virtually 
zero) but is to serve as a monument to the country's Jewish heritage. 
In April 2000, the Portuguese National Heritage Association 
commemorated International Monuments Day at the synagogue.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    U.S. Embassy representatives have discussed issues and problems of 
religious freedom with government officials, members of the National 
Assembly, broadcasting executives, and leading religious figures in the 
overall context of the promotion of human rights. These contacts are 
ongoing.
                               __________

                                ROMANIA

    The Constitution provides for religious freedom, and the Government 
generally respects this right in practice; however, several minority 
religious groups continued to claim credibly that low-level government 
officials and Romanian Orthodox clergy impeded their efforts at 
proselytizing, as well as interfered with other religious activities.
    The status of respect for religious freedom has improved slightly 
during the period covered by this report; however, religious life 
continues to be ruled by old laws that reinforce government 
discrimination in favor of certain religious groups.
    There are generally amicable relations among the different 
religious groups; however, the Romanian Orthodox Church has attacked 
the ``aggressive proselytizing'' of Protestant, neo-Protestant, and 
other religious groups, repeatedly described as ``sects.'' Government 
registration and recognition requirements still pose obstacles to 
minority religions, and restitution of religious property remains a 
problem.
    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. The 
Embassy engaged actively in encouraging respect for religious freedom, 
pressing strongly with religious and political leaders for the 
withdrawal of the draft religion bill and the restitution of religious 
property.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for religious freedom, and the Government 
generally respects this right in practice; however, several minority 
religious groups continued to claim credibly that low-level government 
officials and Romanian Orthodox clergy impeded their efforts at 
proselytizing, as well as interfered with other religious activities.
    Since the Government has not adopted a new law, the Communist era 
decree 177 of 1948 remains the law of the land, and it allows 
considerable state control over religious life. Technically, none of 
the articles of this law have been abrogated, but, according to the 
State Secretariat for Religious Denominations, a large number of its 
articles have been nullified in practice by the Constitution and a 
series of governmental decrees. Though several religious denominations 
and religious associations confirmed that articles stipulating the 
State's interference with or control over religious life and activities 
have not been enforced, such provisions still exist in the law.
    Under the provisions of Decree 177 of 1948, the Government 
recognizes 14 religions. In addition to this, a December 1989 decree 
reestablished the Greek Catholic Church, which had been dismantled by a 
Communist decree in 1948. Only the clergy of these 15 recognized 
religions are eligible to receive state support. Recognized religions 
have the right to establish schools, teach religion in public schools, 
receive funds to build churches, pay clergy salaries with state funds 
and subsidize their housing expenses, broadcast religious programming 
on radio and television, apply for broadcasting licenses for 
denominational frequencies, and enjoy tax-exempt status. The number of 
adherents each religion had in the last census (1992) determines the 
proportion of the budget each recognized religion receives. The 
Romanian Orthodox religion, in accordance with its size as recorded in 
the 1992 census, receives the largest share of governmental financial 
support. In addition mostly Orthodox religious leaders preside over 
state occasions. In 1999 the Government allocated funds amounting to 
almost 1 million dollars (approximately 15 billion lei) to the Roman 
Catholic Church and close to $650,000 (over 9 billion lei) to the Greek 
Catholic Church (both budgetary and off-budget funds) for the 
construction of churches.
    The Government requires religious groups to register. To be 
recognized as a religion, religious groups must register with the State 
Secretariat for Religious Denominations and present their statutes, 
organizational, leadership, and management diagrams, and the body of 
dogma and doctrines formally stated by a religion. According to Article 
13 of Decree 177 of 1948, a religious group can acquire religion status 
by decree, issued at the Government's initiative, with the prior 
recommendation of the State Secretariat for Religious Denominations. 
Representatives of religious groups that sought recognition after 1990 
allege that the registration process was arbitrary and unduly 
influenced by the Romanian Orthodox Church, and that they did not 
receive clear instructions concerning the requirements. The 
Organization of the Orthodox Believers of Old Rite, Jehovah's 
Witnesses, the Adventist Movement for Reform, the Baha'i Faith, and the 
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon) are some of the 
religious groups that have tried unsuccessfully to register as 
religions. The Baha'i Faith stated that it has never received any 
answer to its repeated requests to be registered as a religious 
denomination. Jehovah's Witnesses also complained that the State 
Secretariat for Religious Denominations consistently had refused to 
grant it status as a religion.
    Not one religious group has succeeded in receiving religion status 
since 1990. The State Secretariat for Religious Denominations stated 
that this was due to the provisions of Article 13 of Decree 177 of 
1948, which stipulates the recognition of religious denominations by a 
decree issued by the Presidium of the Grand National Assembly--a 
Communist body that passed laws but does not exist any more. Since no 
new legislation has been passed in this regard, the State Secretariat 
stated that the registration of any new religion is not possible.
    The Government registers religious groups that it does not 
recognize as ``independent religions'' either as religious and 
charitable foundations or as cultural associations. The State 
Secretariat for Religious Denominations reported that it has licensed 
622 religious and charitable foundations, as well as cultural 
organizations, under Law 21 of 1924 on Juridical Entities, thereby 
entitling them to juridical status as well as to exemptions from income 
and customs taxes. According to Article 18 of Decree 177 of 1948 on 
Religion, religious and charitable foundations, to be recognized as 
juridical entities, must request and receive approval from the 
Government through the State Secretariat for Religious Denominations. 
After receiving the approval, such organizations have to apply for 
registration in local court, which has the final authority under the 
law to register religious organizations, but the courts frequently 
defer to the opinion of the State Secretariat for Religious Affairs. 
Several religious organizations have complained that, in most cases, 
the courts do not accept their registration without approval of the 
State Secretary of Religions. These organizations receive no financial 
support from the State, other than limited tax and import duty 
exemptions, and are not permitted to engage in profit-making 
activities. Moreover, religious groups registered as foundations or 
charitable organizations are allowed to rent or build office space 
only; they are not permitted to build churches or other buildings 
designated as houses of worship. According to the State Secretariat for 
Religious Denominations, such religious groups receive building permits 
only for halls of prayer because the legislation in force makes 
reference only to religions and does not include any provisions for 
religious associations. The differentiation between religions and 
religious associations with regard to the construction of places of 
worship appears to be an arbitrary decision by the State Secretariat 
for Religious Denominations.
    A government decree on associations and foundations became 
effective on May 1, 2000. Upon its coming into effect, Law 21 of 1924 
was abrogated. The new law eliminates, at least in theory, the 
bureaucratic obstacles in the registration process, which repeatedly 
have been criticized by religious groups as arbitrary and time-
consuming. (Smaller religious groups also have criticized the State 
Secretariat for Religious Denominations for its obstructionist tactics 
in favor of the Romanian Orthodox Church.) It also removes the minimum 
requirement of members required to establish religious associations and 
foundations.
    After almost a decade of discussion and multiple drafts, a bill on 
religious denominations was approved suddenly by the Government in 
September 1999 and submitted to Parliament. Since the bill dramatically 
differed from any version discussed with the religious denominations 
and would have strengthened government regulation of religious 
activity, it generated a wave of criticism. Most religious 
denominations, religious and human rights groups, and foreign observers 
called for the draft law's withdrawal. If enacted, the law effectively 
would have restricted freedom of religion, by imposing tough conditions 
on the registration of religious denominations and religious groups and 
strengthening the powers of the State Secretariat for Religious 
Denominations. The draft law would have declared the Romanian Orthodox 
Church to be the national church. Confronted with strong criticism both 
domestically and abroad, the Government (headed by a new Prime 
Minister) in February 2000 decided to withdraw the bill and undertook 
to draft a new one based on democratic principles. However, completion 
of such a draft bill is not expected before the end of 2000.
Religious Demography
    The Romanian Orthodox Church is the predominant religion in the 
country. The following are the number of believers in the historical 
religions (those recognized under the provisions of the 1948 decree), 
according to the disputed 1992 census: the Romanian Orthodox Church, 
19,802,389 followers (86.8 percent of the population) including about 
50,000 Serbs and Ukrainians; the Roman Catholic Church, 1,161,942 
followers; the Catholic Church of Byzantine Rite (Greek Catholics or 
Uniates), 223,327 followers. The census was taken in an atmosphere of 
intimidation that equated Greek Catholics with Hungarians, not 
Romanians. The Greek Catholic Church estimates that its adherents 
number close to 750,000 members. (The country's Greek Catholics were 
members of the Orthodox Church who accepted the four principles that 
were required for union with Rome in 1697, but observed the Orthodox 
festivals and many traditions from their Orthodox past). Among the 
other recognized religions, the Old Style Orthodox Church has 32,228 
members; the Old Rite Christian Church has 28,141 believers (of whom 
3,711 are ethnic Romanian and 24,016 are ethnic Lippovans/Russians); 
the Reformed (Protestant) Church has 802,454 believers (of whom 765,370 
are ethnic Hungarians); the Christian Evangelical Church has 49,963 
believers; the Evangelical Augustinian Church has 39,119 followers (of 
whom 3,660 are Romanians and 27,313 are ethnic Germans); the Lutheran 
Evangelical Church Synod-Presbyterian has 21,221 members (of whom 
12,842 are ethnic Hungarians); the Unitarian Church of Romania has 
76,708 believers; the Baptist Church has 109,462 believers; the 
Apostolic Church of God (Pentecostal Church) has 220,824 believers 
(400,000, according to Pentecostal reports); the Seventh-Day Christian 
Adventist Church has 77,546 members; the Armenian Orthodox and Catholic 
Churches have 2,023; Judaism has 9,670 followers, according to the 1992 
census (the Jewish Community Federation states there are about 12,000 
members); and the number of Muslims is 55,928.
    According to the State Secretariat for Religious Denominations, 
most religions have followers dispersed throughout the country, but a 
few religious communities are concentrated in particular regions in the 
country: the Old Rite (Lippovans) in Moldavia and Dobrogea; the Muslims 
in the southeastern part of the country in the Dobrogea area; most of 
the Greek Catholics in Transylvania but also in Moldavia; Protestant 
and Catholic churches in Transylvania, but also around Bacau; the 
Orthodox or Greek Catholic ethnic Ukrainians in the northwest area; the 
Orthodox ethnic Serbs in Banat; and the Armenians in Moldavia and the 
south.
    According to published sources, the following religious 
denominations are also active in the country in the form of religious 
organizations: the Baha'i Faith, established in 1990; the Family (God's 
Children), established in 1990; the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
Day Saints (Mormons), which sent more than 100 missionaries to the 
country immediately after 1989; the Unification Church; the Methodist 
Church, established in 1990; Jehovah's Witnesses, established in 1990; 
the Presbyterian Church, established in 1995; Transcendental 
Meditation, legally registered in 1992; Hare Krishna; and Zen Buddhism.
    According to a nationwide poll conducted in May 2000, 6 percent of 
those polled say that they go to church on a weekly basis; 25 percent 
claim to go several times per month; 28 percent attend services several 
times per year; 12 percent go only once a year or less; and 9 percent 
do not go to church at all.
    In August 2000, the Government passed an ordinance on military 
clergy, according to which all recognized religious denominations are 
entitled to have military clergy, trained to render religious service 
to conscripts.
    The State Secretariat for Religious Denominations stated that the 
Government does not have a policy of sponsoring or promoting inter-
faith programs.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Although protected in law, several minority religious denominations 
made credible complaints that low-level government officials and 
Romanian Orthodox clergy impeded their efforts to proselytize. Members 
of religious communities not officially recognized as religious 
denominations by the Government presented credible accusations that 
government officials discriminated against them during the period 
covered by this report. The Government denies these allegations. 
Although under the Constitution persons are legally free to speak about 
their religious beliefs, some low-level government officials strongly 
discourage proselytizing. Representatives of some religious groups 
recognized only as religious associations credibly claimed that local 
officials pressure them to refrain from speaking out. In some 
instances, local police and administrative authorities tacitly 
supported, which were at times violent, societal campaigns against 
proselytizing (see Section II). There seems to be no clear 
understanding of what activities constitute proselytizing.
    Minority religious groups asserted that they have found central 
government and parliamentary officials more cooperative than local 
officials. They specifically reported that communication with the State 
Secretariat for Religious Denominations has improved in recent months.
    According to the State Secretariat for Religious Denominations, 
about 1,000 missionaries per year who enter the country as tourists can 
renew their residence permits without special formalities. They require 
only a formal letter of request from the religious group for which they 
work. Over the past year the process has become smoother and faster. 
Most religious groups said that they have not been faced with any 
problems other than minor delays in getting residence permit extensions 
for their missionaries. The State Secretariat for Religious 
Denominations differentiates between missionaries of religious 
denominations, who receive 1-year extensions, and those of religious 
organizations, who are granted only 6-month extensions, apparently 
because of a protocol between the State Secretariat for Religious 
Denominations and the Interior Ministry. However, minority religious 
groups, such as Jehovah's Witnesses, complained of receiving shorter-
term extensions. There are penalties for any foreigner who stays over 
30 days without a visa, but there is no evidence that these penalties 
were linked to religious activities.
    Representatives of minority religious groups dispute the 1992 
census results, claiming that census takers in some cases simply 
assigned an affiliation without inquiring about religious affiliation. 
Moreover, representatives of several minority religious groups complain 
that off-budget funds are allocated in many cases in a biased manner, 
mostly favoring the Orthodox Church. For example, minority religious 
groups complained that Orthodox churches were built in areas without 
Orthodox believers. According to the State Secretariat for Religious 
Denominations, off-budget funds are distributed depending on the needs 
of the various religious denominations.
    The Government's approach to building places of worship by 
organized churches varies, depending upon whether the organized 
religion is one of the 15 recognized religions or not. The State 
Secretariat for Religious Denominations reported that, between January 
1999 and April 2000, it granted 31 approvals to the Greek Catholic 
Church and 13 to the Roman Catholic Church for the construction of 
churches. Religious groups that are not among the 15 recognized 
religions receive approvals only for halls of prayer and not for places 
of worship. Several nonrecognized religious groups have made credible 
allegations that their efforts to acquire property, including getting 
building permits and other documents, have been delayed or impeded for 
lengthy periods of time by local officials. They believe these delays 
are encouraged by local Orthodox clergy. The new State Secretary for 
Religious Denominations, who took office in the fall of 1999, said that 
he had withdrawn an internal note issued by his predecessor, who had 
asked local authorities to deny building licenses to religious 
associations and foundations. As a result, it has been much easier to 
get licenses since then, though some religious groups still complain of 
delays.
    In July 1999, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Seventh-Day 
Adventist high school students, who did not show up at one of the 
graduation exams because it was scheduled on a Saturday. Consequently 
they were entitled to take the exam in question on a different date and 
without paying a fee. In March 2000, the Supreme Court also issued two 
rulings that called for the official recognition of the status of 
Jehovah's Witnesses as a religious denomination.
    The law does not prohibit or punish assembly for peaceful religious 
activities. However, several different nonrecognized religious groups 
complained that on various occasions local authorities and Orthodox 
priests prevented religious activities from taking place, even when 
they had been issued permits. The Evangelical Alliance mentioned 
incidents in particular in rural areas in Iasi and Vaslui counties, but 
also in Braila and Arges counties, where a movie about Jesus could not 
be shown in several villages (Sipote, Vladeni, Tufesti, Insuratei, and 
Dobresti) because of violent incidents, allegedly instigated by 
Orthodox priests supported by the police, who reportedly asserted that 
prior approval by the Orthodox priest and the local police was required 
for such activities.
    The Government permits but does not require religious instruction 
in public schools. While the law permits instruction according to the 
faith of students' parents, some parents who practice minority 
religions complain that they have been unable to have classes offered 
in their faith in public schools. Teachers of religion are permitted to 
teach only those students who adhere to the same religion as the 
teacher.
    Religious leaders occasionally play a role in politics. In 
particular, many Orthodox leaders make public appearances alongside 
prominent political figures on various occasions.
    There is no law establishing procedures for restituting religious 
or communal property. Some of the properties in these categories, which 
were seized by the Communist regime, were returned to former owners as 
a result of government decrees or agreement of local religious leaders. 
However, in many cases religious minorities have not succeeded in 
regaining actual possession of the properties. In fact many of the 
properties returned by decree house state offices, schools, or 
hospitals that would require relocation, and resolving this issue has 
delayed restitution of the property to rightful owners.
    The Greek Catholic community has been less successful than any 
other group in regaining its properties. The Greek Catholic Church was 
the second largest denomination (about 1.5 million adherents out of a 
population of about 15 million) in 1948 when Communist authorities 
outlawed it and dictated its forced merger with the Romanian Orthodox 
Church. The latter received most of the former Greek Catholic 
properties, including over 2,600 churches and other facilities. The 
Greek Catholic Church made little progress in recovering its former 
properties. Of the 2,600 former Greek Catholic churches and other 
facilities that were transferred to the Orthodox Church by the 
Communist regime, only a handful have been returned. According to the 
State Secretariat for Religious Denominations, the Greek Catholic 
Church has received 142 (the Greek Catholics claim they have received 
only 136) of the churches transferred by the Communists to the Orthodox 
Church. The Greek Catholic Church has very few places of worship. Many 
followers still are compelled to hold services in public places or 
parks (260 such cases, according to Greek Catholic reports) because 
most of the former Greek Catholic churches have not been returned. In 
1992 the Government adopted a decree that listed 80 properties owned by 
the Greek Catholic Church to be returned. Only between 60 and 65 of 
them have been returned to date (the worst situation is in Maramures 
county and Bucharest.) In some cases, Orthodox priests whose families 
had been Greek Catholics converted back to Greek Catholicism and 
brought their parishes and churches back with them to the Greek 
Catholic Church. In several counties, in particular in Transylvania, 
local Orthodox leaders have given up smaller country churches 
voluntarily. For example, in the Diocese of Lugoj in the southwestern 
part of the country, local Orthodox Church representatives have reached 
agreement on the return of an estimated 160 of 2,600 churches; however, 
for the most part the Orthodox have refused to return to the Greek 
Catholics those churches that they acquired during the Communist era 
(Orthodox Archbishop of Timisoara Nicolae Corneanu was responsible for 
returning some of the churches, including the cathedral in Lugoj, to 
the Greek Catholic Church. However, due to his actions, the Orthodox 
Holy Synod marginalized Archbishop Corneanu, and his fellow clergymen 
criticized him.)
    A governmental decree in 1990 called for the creation of a joint 
Orthodox and Greek Catholic committee to decide the fate of churches 
that had belonged to the Greek Catholic Church before 1948. However, 
the Government has not enforced this decree, and the Orthodox Church 
has resisted efforts to resolve the issue. The committee did not meet 
until October 1998 and had three more meetings in 1999. The courts 
generally refuse to consider Greek Catholic lawsuits seeking 
restitution, citing the 1990 decree establishing the joint committee to 
resolve the issue. However, the Orthodox Church consistently has 
resisted efforts to resolve the issue in that forum. From its initial 
property list of 2,600 seized properties, the Greek Catholic Church has 
scaled back the properties that it is asking back to fewer than 300--
all of them churches--yet the only thing agreed upon at the joint 
committee meetings has been the date for the next meeting. Restitution 
of the existing churches is important to both sides because local 
residents, who prize tradition, are likely to attend the church no 
matter whether it is Greek Catholic or Orthodox. Thus the number of 
believers and share of the state budget allocation for religions is at 
stake. At the most recent meeting of the joint committee in November 
1999, the Orthodox Church proposed to help the Uniates build new 
churches. However, such support has been almost nonexistent, according 
to Uniate reports. Since July 1999, the Greek Catholic Church has 
recovered fewer than 10 of its former churches (in Cluj, Blaj, and 
Oradea). A new meeting of the committee was scheduled for September 
2000.
    The historical Hungarian churches, including the Roman Catholic as 
well as the Protestant churches (Reformed, Evangelical, and Unitarian), 
have not received their properties back from the Government. Churches 
from these denominations were not seized by the Communist regime, just 
closed. However, the Communist regime confiscated many of their secular 
properties, which still are used for public schools, post offices, and 
student dormitories. Of the about 1,400 to 1,450 buildings reclaimed by 
the Hungarian churches, it has been able to take possession of only 
about 10. The Catholic Church of Romanian Language is in a similar 
situation.
    The Jewish community reported in May 2000 that 21 of its properties 
had been returned by government decrees. However, the Jewish community 
has taken actual possession of only 5 of them, the rest having been 
restituted merely on paper so far.
    Several religious communities have regained ownership of some of 
their schools, hospitals, residences, and other properties. In some 
cases this proved to be a disadvantage since the rightful owner could 
not take possession of the property because it was being used by the 
State, in which situation the owner receives minimal or no rent but has 
to pay taxes as the property owner instead. For example, this was the 
case of the former Reformed College restituted to the Reformed Church 
in Cluj by government decree in 1999. The building currently is used as 
a high school, which does not pay any rent, and the Reformed Church has 
not been able to occupy the property. Compensation to any kind of 
former owner for properties that are not returned must be established 
by law; this issue remains with Parliament.
    On June 22, 2000, the Government passed an emergency ordinance to 
allow restitution of 10 unspecified buildings (not churches) to each 
bishopric of each religious denomination from which property was seized 
during the Communist period. This ordinance requires a commission be 
established to determine which properties will be restored, a process 
that is expected to take time.
    According to Law 1/2000 adopted by Parliament in December 1999 and 
signed into law in January 2000, religious denominations are entitled 
to claim between 10 and 100 hectares (25 to 250 acres) of farmland 
(depending on the type of religious unit--parish, eparchy, bishopric, 
etc.) and up to 30 hectares (75 acres) of forestland from properties 
seized by the Communists. This is the first law that establishes a 
systematic procedure for churches to claim land.
    The Hungarian churches repeatedly have expressed dissatisfaction 
with the Government's failure to allow by law the establishment of 
confessional schools subsidized by the State.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Improvements in Respect for Religious Freedom
    The status of respect for religious freedom improved slightly 
during the period covered by this report. Parliament passed a law 
entitling religious denominations to reclaim back farm and forestland, 
and the Government took steps to allow restitution of 10 unspecified 
buildings (not churches) to each bishopric. A government decree 
somewhat reduced the bureaucratic procedures required for the 
registration of religious associations and foundations. Two decisions 
by the State Secretariat for Religious Denominations have contributed 
somewhat to speeding up the process of granting visa extensions for 
religious workers and relaxed the policy of issuing construction 
licenses for religious associations and foundations.
    Jehovah's Witnesses and the Seventh-Day Adventists reported three 
court rulings upholding their rights to build places of worship and 
practice their faith, which apparently represent small steps toward 
increased religious freedom.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are generally amicable relations among the different 
religious groups. However, the Romanian Orthodox Church has attacked 
the ``aggressive proselytizing'' of Protestant and other religious 
groups repeatedly (see Section I). Some prominent members of society 
publicly criticized proselytizing.
    There is no law against proselytizing. However, the dominant 
Orthodox Church repeatedly and publicly has criticized what it 
described as proselytizing by various religious groups. Proselytizing 
that involves denigrating established churches is perceived as 
provocative. There seems to be no clear understanding of what 
activities constitute proselytizing. This sometimes has led to 
conflicts. According to the Jehovah's Witnesses, the local Orthodox 
clergy in Mizil (Prahova county), with the tacit support of the local 
police and administration, started a campaign at the beginning of 2000 
aimed at barring activity by Jehovah's Witnesses. Anti-Jehovah's 
Witnesses flyers were spread in the town, denouncing it as a fanatic 
and criminal sect, and Jehovah's Witnesses repeatedly were harassed and 
assaulted, allegedly at the instigation of an Orthodox youth league 
tied to the Orthodox Church.
    In addition, the dialog between the Orthodox and the Greek Catholic 
churches has not eliminated disputes at the local level and has led to 
little real progress in solving the problem of the restitution of the 
Uniate assets (see Section I).
    Disputes between Greek Catholics and Orthodox believers over church 
possession in several localities occasionally became heated during the 
period covered by this report. In Ardud the Orthodox Church first 
reached agreement to share the local church with the Greek Orthodox 
community in the same town, but subsequently changed its mind and the 
lock on the church door. Eventually, the Uniates decided to build a new 
church. In Bicsad the Uniates obtained a government decision allowing 
them to take possession of a former Greek Catholic monastery, but they 
were stopped by agitated local residents led by Orthodox priests. In 
Sercaia the Greek Catholic Church regained its former church after a 
series of violent incidents, with Orthodox believers allegedly 
instigated by the local Orthodox priest. In Dumbraveni the Orthodox 
Church's opposition to a court-ordered proposal to share the local 
church has forced the Uniates to hold their religious services in a 
high school.
    The centuries-long domination of the Orthodox Church, and its 
status as the majority religion, has resulted in the Orthodox Church's 
reluctance (in particular at the local level and with the more or less 
direct support of low-level officials) to accept the existence of other 
religions (especially new ones.) Consequently, actions by other 
religious groups to attract believers are perceived by the Orthodox 
Church as attempts to diminish the number of its followers (see Section 
I). Due to its broad range of influence, few politicians dare to 
sponsor bills and measures that would oppose the Orthodox Church. 
According to minority religious groups, the population is receptive to 
minority Christian confessions; it is the Orthodox clergy that was at 
the root of isolated mob incidents.
    Most mainstream politicians have criticized publicly anti-Semitism, 
racism, and xenophobia. However, the fringe press continued to publish 
anti-Semitic harangues.
    In October 1999, a court sentenced Mihai Bogdan Antonescu, editor 
of the weekly Atac la Persoana, to a 2-year suspended sentence for 
publishing articles that were intended to spread intolerance toward 
Jews. The Jewish Community Federation reported that Jewish cemeteries 
were desecrated in 10 localities in 1999. The perpetrators have not 
been identified in any of these cases, but are believed to have been 
local hooligans, rather than an organized anti-Semitic movement. In 
April 2000, a letter warning about the danger of the expansion of the 
Legionnaire Movement, sent to the President, government officials, and 
Parliament by the Jewish Community Federation failed to generate any 
reaction by any of the addressees. However, the Jewish Community 
Federation praised the local authorities in Timisoara and Iasi for 
taking a prompt stand against anti-Semitic graffiti in February 2000.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. The 
Embassy also maintains close contact with a broad range of religious 
groups in the country. Embassy staff, including the human rights 
officer, political counselor, and the Ambassador, met with religious 
leaders and government officials who work on religious affairs in 
Bucharest and in other cities.
    In addition, embassy staff members are in frequent contact with 
numerous nongovernmental organizations that monitor developments in the 
country's religious life. U.S. officials have lobbied consistently in 
government circles for fair treatment on property restitution issues, 
including religious and communal properties. The Embassy has a core 
group of officials who focus on fostering good ethnic relations, 
including relations between religious groups.
    The U.S. Embassy took an active stand against the reactionary 
religion bill approved by the Cabinet and sent to Parliament in 
September 1999. Embassy staff lobbied heads of all the major political 
parties, key government officials including the Prime Minister, and 
members of the relevant parliamentary committees. In addition, the 
Embassy encouraged other western embassies and religious groups in the 
country to engage in parallel lobbying actions. The Secretary of State 
also raised the issue during Romanian Foreign Minister Petre Roman's 
visit to the United States. The bill was eventually withdrawn in 
February 2000.
                               __________

                                 RUSSIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, although 
the Constitution also provides for the equality of all religions before 
the law and the separation of church and state, in practice the 
Government does not always respect the provision for equality of 
religions, and some local authorities imposed restrictions on some 
religious minority groups. The commitment of the new Government under 
President Vladimir Putin to adhere to international standards of 
religious freedom remained unclear by mid-2000.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    The 1997 law on religion, which replaced a more liberal 1990 law, 
continues to be the focus of serious concern about the state of 
religious freedom in the country. One of the law's most controversial 
provisions is a requirement that a church must prove that it has 
existed for at least 15 years in the country before it is allowed to be 
registered as a full-fledged religious organization. (Registration as a 
religious organization is necessary in order for a religious community 
to rent or buy a facility, proselytize, publish literature, provide 
religious training, or conduct other activities.) In a November 1999 
ruling, the Constitutional Court upheld the 15-year requirement but 
also permitted the registration of organizations that already were 
registered when the 1997 law was passed or that were willing to become 
a local branch of a larger registered denomination. The provision still 
severely restricts the activities of small, new, independent 
congregations. The 1997 law also requires that all religious 
organizations be registered by December 31, 2000. Due to several 
factors, the registration process has been slow, and a large number of 
religious organizations may remain unregistered by the end of 2000 and 
therefore may be subject to ``liquidation'' (that is terminated as a 
legal entity) by local authorities at the end of 2000. The lack of 
clarity in the 1997 law, combined with contradictions between federal 
and local law and varying interpretations of the law, furnish regional 
officials with pretexts to restrict the activities of religious 
minorities. Discriminatory practices at the local level also are 
attributable to the increased decentralization of power over the past 
several years and the relatively greater susceptibility of local 
governments to lobbying by majority religions, as well as to government 
inaction and discriminatory attitudes that are widely held in society. 
For example, articles heavily biased against religions considered 
``nontraditional'' appear regularly in both the local and national 
press. There were reports of harassment of members of religious 
minority groups. Several religious communities were forced to defend 
themselves in court from charges by local authorities that they were 
engaging in harmful activities; however, in many cases local courts 
demonstrated their independence by dismissing frivolous cases or 
rulings in favor of the religious organizations. As of mid-2000, it 
remained unclear whether any religious organization had ceased 
operations as a result of the 1997 religion law.
    The U.S. Government has been active in encouraging respect for 
religious freedom. The U.S. Embassy and the U.S. Consulates General 
actively investigated reports of violations of religious freedom, 
including anti-Semitic incidents. U.S. officials discuss these issues 
with a broad range of government officials, representatives of 
religious groups, and human rights activists on a daily basis.

          Section I. Government Policies on Religious Freedom

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, although 
the Constitution also provides for the equality of all religions before 
the law and the separation of church and state, in practice the 
Government does not always respect the provision for equality of 
religions, and in some instances local authorities imposed restrictions 
on some groups.
    In December 1990, the Soviet Government adopted a law on religious 
freedom designed to make all religions equal before the law. (After the 
breakup of the Soviet Union, this law became part of the Russian 
Federation's legal code.) The 1990 law forbade government interference 
in religion and established simple registration procedures for 
religious groups. Registration of religious groups was not required; 
however, by registering groups obtained a number of advantages, for 
example, the ability to establish official places of worship and 
benefit from tax exemptions.
    During the early and mid-1990's, many sectors of society, 
particularly nationalists and many members of the Russian Orthodox 
Church, were disturbed by a sharp increase in the activities of well-
financed foreign missionaries. Many advocated limiting the activities 
of what they termed ``nontraditional'' religious groups and what 
sometimes were called ``dangerous'' or ``totalitarian'' sects. In 
October 1997, the Duma enacted a new, restrictive, and potentially 
discriminatory law on religion, which raised questions about the 
Government's commitment to international agreements honoring freedom of 
religion. This law replaced the progressive 1990 religion law that had 
helped facilitate a revival of religious activity. Passage of the law 
and its signature by then-President Boris Yeltsin prompted concern in 
the international community because, for the first time since the 
breakup of the Soviet Union, the Government had adopted legislation 
that could abridge fundamental human rights. Although President Yeltsin 
had rejected earlier drafts of the law, the Presidential Administration 
considered the last version the least objectionable and concluded that, 
in view of the political situation, any further veto would have been 
overridden.
    In its preamble (which government officials insist has no legal 
force), the 1997 religion law recognizes the ``special contribution of 
Orthodoxy to the history of Russia and to the establishment and 
development of Russia's spirituality and culture.'' It accords 
``respect'' to Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, and certain 
other religions as an inseparable part of the country's historical 
heritage.
    The 1997 religion law ostensibly targeted so-called ``totalitarian 
sects'' or dangerous religious cults. However, the intent of some of 
the law's sponsors appears to have been to discriminate against members 
of foreign and less wellestablished religions by making it difficult 
for them to manifest their beliefs through organized religious 
institutions. The critics of the law believe that the basic assumption 
behind the law is that religious groups must prove their innocence and 
their legitimacy before gaining the advantages of state recognition. 
Government officials, including then-President Boris Yeltsin and then-
Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin, pledged that the law on religion 
would not result in any erosion of religious freedom in the country. As 
of mid-2000, the Presidential Administration under President Putin has 
yet to comment on the law. Presidential Administration officials have 
established consultative mechanisms to facilitate government 
interaction with religious communities and to monitor application of 
the law on religion. The Government continues to attempt to mitigate 
some of the law's most negative aspects and has shown some willingness 
to intervene with local authorities in defense of religious rights.
    Government officials, some nongovernmental organizations (NGO's), 
and religious freedom experts believe that President Vladimir Putin's 
emphasis on centralization of power and strengthened rule of law could 
lead to improvements in the area of religious freedom. Putin has 
promised stricter and more consistent application of all laws. However, 
some other NGO's, religion-law experts, and representatives of 
religious groups point out that stricter implementation of the 1997 
religion law could create opposite results. On one hand, stricter 
implementation of the 1997 federal law in the regions could compel some 
reluctant local authorities to stop blocking local registration of 
``nontraditional'' religions. On the other hand, stricter 
implementation also could require local authorities to ``liquidate'' 
(that is terminate as a legal entity) by court order organizations that 
have failed to register by December 31, 2000. An amendment to extend 
the registration deadline in the 1997 law, signed on March 27, 2000 by 
President Putin, also changed a key phrase: organizations still 
unregistered after the deadline ``are subject to liquidation'' (rather 
than the previous text's ``may be liquidated''). Some observers believe 
that the law now appears to require liquidation of unregistered 
organizations; however, other religion law experts consider the more 
precise phrasing, which appears to require the liquidation of all 
organizations that are unregistered by the deadline, less likely to be 
enforced, since the authorities would be unwilling to liquidate the 
large number of Russian Orthodox groups that they expect to remain 
unregistered at that time.
    Given the inadequacy of regulatory guidance from the federal 
authorities on how to apply the 1997 law correctly, the shortage of 
knowledgeable local officials registering by the end of 2000 is 
expected to be a significant obstacle for many religious groups. Human 
rights observers remain deeply concerned that President Putin has not 
expressed a firm commitment to freedom of religion publicly and point 
to the continued public association of the Presidential Administration 
with the Russian Orthodox Church as evidence of favoritism.
    In May 2000, President Putin took a significant step toward 
increasing federal control in the regions by signing a decree dividing 
the country into seven federal districts and naming to each of the 
seven regions a presidential representative. The Presidential 
Administration also reportedly is conducting a review of regional 
legislation that conflicts with federal law and the Constitution, 
including regional religion laws. According to the Presidential 
Administration, 30 of 89 regions have laws and decrees on religion that 
violate the Constitution by restricting the activities of religious 
groups; presumably they would have to be changed. However, as of June 
30, 2000 it remained unclear whether the Federal Government had the 
necessary legal mechanisms and political will to bring all religion 
legislation into compliance with federal law.
    The office of the Russian Federation Human Rights Plenipotentiary 
(a government entity created by the Parliament in 1997 and tasked with 
promoting human rights) has announced that it is setting up a 
department dedicated to religious freedom issues. Oleg Mironov of the 
office of Plenipotentiary publicly criticized the 1997 religion law in 
a memo to the Duma in April 1999 and recommended changes to bring it 
into accordance with the Constitution and international norms for 
religious freedom.
    The 1997 law on religion is very complex, with many ambiguous and 
contradictory provisions. On its face, the law creates various 
categories of religious communities with differing levels of legal 
status and privileges. The law distinguishes between religious 
``groups'' and ``organizations,'' two mutually exclusive registration 
categories, and creates two categories of organizations: ``regional'' 
and ``centralized.'' A religious ``group'' is a congregation of 
worshipers that does not have the legal status of a juridical person, 
meaning that it may not open a bank account, own property, issue 
invitations to foreign guests, publish literature, or conduct worship 
services in prisons and state-owned hospitals. Groups are permitted to 
rent public spaces and hold services. Moreover, the law does not 
purport to abridge the rights of individual members of groups. For 
example, a member of a religious group could buy property for the 
group's use, invite personal guests to engage in religious instruction, 
and import religious material. However, in this case, the group would 
not enjoy tax benefits and other rights extended to religious 
organizations, such as proselytizing.
    In contrast to religious groups, religious organizations, both 
local and centralized, are considered juridical persons, enjoy tax 
exemptions, and are permitted to proselytize, establish religious 
schools, host foreign religious workers, and publish literature. The 
law provides that congregations that had existed for 15 years when the 
new law was enacted were eligible for registration as an organization. 
A ``centralized religious organization'' may be founded by a confession 
that has three functioning ``local organizations'' (each of which must 
have at least 10 members who are Russian citizens) in different 
regions. A centralized organization apparently has the right to 
establish affiliated local organizations without adhering to the 15-
year rule. In implementing this provision, the Government has extended 
this definition to include a ``registered centralized managing 
center.''
    The provisions that require that religious groups exist for 15 
years before they may qualify for ``organization status'' and that 
relegate other religious entities to the status of ``groups'' are among 
the most controversial elements of the 1997 law. Critics of the law 
claimed that these articles violated the Constitution's provision of 
equality before the law of all confessions.
    A constitutional challenge to the law on religion was filed with 
the Constitutional Court in May 1998 by the NGO the Institute for 
Religion and Law. It was based on the cases of a Khakasiya Pentecostal 
church and the Yaroslavl Jehovah's Witnesses. The petitioners claimed 
that the provision of the 1997 religion law requiring religious 
organizations to prove 15 years of existence in Russia in order to be 
registered is unconstitutional. In a November 23, 1999 hearing, the 
Constitutional Court upheld the 15-year provision but also ruled that 
religious organizations that were registered before the passage of the 
1997 law were not required to prove 15 years' existence in the country 
in order to be registered. The Constitutional Court also upheld the 
right of the Government to place certain limits on the activity of 
religious groups in the interests of national security. The Institute 
and other experts described the decision as a sound and legally correct 
compromise.
    However, under this ruling independent churches with less than 15 
years in the country still are not able to register as religious 
organizations unless they affiliate themselves with existing 
centralized organizations. The Institute for Religion and Law and other 
NGO's point out that this is a significant restriction for small, 
independent religious communities. Some human rights activists also are 
concerned by language in the ruling that cites 1993 and 1996 decisions 
in the European Court of Human Rights regarding religious ``sects,'' 
and upholds the right of the Government to place certain limits on the 
activity of religious groups in the interests of national security.
    Despite the Federal Government's efforts to implement the religion 
law liberally and to provide assurances that religious freedom would be 
observed, restrictions continued at the local level. The vagueness of 
the law and regulations, the contradictions between federal and local 
law, and varying interpretations of the law provide regional officials 
with a pretext to restrict the activities of religious minorities. 
Discriminatory practices at the local level are attributable to the 
increased decentralization of power and the relatively greater 
susceptibility of local governments to lobbying by majority religions, 
as well as to national government inaction and prejudicial attitudes 
that are widely held in society. Concerns continue that a large number 
of religious organizations may remain unregistered by the end of 2000 
and therefore may be even more vulnerable to attempts by local 
authorities to restrict their activities.
    Since 1994 30 of the country's 89 regional governments have passed 
laws and decrees intended to restrict the activities of religious 
groups. At the time the 1997 religion law was under discussion, its 
proponents argued that it was necessary in order to deal with the many 
restrictive local laws. However, the federal Government has not 
challenged effectively the unconstitutionality of these restrictions, 
although the Presidential Administration sent warnings to 30 regions 
regarding the unconstitutionality of local laws. Critics contend that 
the Federal Government should be more active in preventing or reversing 
discriminatory actions taken at the local level by more actively 
disseminating information to the regions and, when necessary, 
reprimanding the officials at fault. Observers also have proposed that 
the federal authorities take action to ensure that regional and local 
legislation or other actions do not contradict constitutional 
provisions protecting religious freedom. As part of President Putin's 
initiative to centralize power, the Presidential Administration 
currently is conducting an overall review of regional legislation and 
has stated that religion laws also would be addressed by this 
initiative.
    The Russian Orthodox Church was involved actively in drafting the 
1997 law on religion. It has made special arrangements with government 
agencies to conduct religious education and to provide spiritual 
counseling to Russian military service members. These arrangements do 
not appear to be available to other religions. (In particular, Muslim 
religious leaders have complained that they are not permitted to 
minister to Muslim military service members.) The head of the Moscow 
Patriarchate, the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, participates in 
most high-level official events and appears to have direct access to 
and influence with officials of the executive branch. The traditional 
view that Russian soil is an exclusively ``Orthodox domain'' leads to 
frequent criticism and intolerance of foreign religious groups that 
proselytize in the country. Many Orthodox Church officials condemn such 
``sheep stealing'' when practiced by other Christian churches. Even 
well established foreign religious organizations have been 
characterized by some in the Orthodox leadership as ``dangerous and 
destructive sects.''
    On June 4, 2000, news reports surfaced alleging that Chief Rabbi of 
Russia Adolf Shayevich was urged by Presidential Administration 
officials to step down in favor of a prominent Lubavitcher rabbi, Berl 
Lazar. Rabbi Shayevich later denied that the incident had occurred. On 
June 12, 2000, authorities arrested media magnate Vladimir Gusinskiy, 
the President of the Russian Jewish Congress President and a critic of 
the Government. On the same day, the Federation of Jewish Communities 
of Russia elected Rabbi Lazar Chief Rabbi of Russia, which created a 
schism in the Jewish community between supporters of Shayevich and 
supporters of Lazar. This sequence of events aroused serious concern 
among many observers that the Presidential Administration was 
attempting to meddle in intraconfessional affairs and prompted the 
Russian Jewish Congress to accuse the Administration publicly of a 
``divide and conquer'' strategy against the Jewish community. In 
addition, on June 19, 2000, the Minister of Culture signed an agreement 
with the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia giving it, along 
with other organizations, the right to negotiate on behalf of the 
Jewish community for restituted property.
    Under the 1997 religion law, representative offices of foreign 
religious organizations are required to register with state 
authorities. They are barred from conducting liturgical services and 
other religious activity unless they have acquired the status of a 
group or organization. Although the law officially requires all foreign 
religious organizations to register, in practice foreign religious 
representatives' offices (those not registered under Russian law) have 
opened without registering or have been accredited to a registered 
Russian religious organization. However, those offices may not carry 
out religious activities and do not have the status of a religious 
organization.
Religious Demography
    There are no reliable statistics that break down the country's 
population by denomination, but available information suggests that 
approximately half of all citizens consider themselves Russian Orthodox 
Christians (although the vast majority of these persons are not regular 
churchgoers). An opinion poll of 1,500 respondents conducted by Public 
Opinion in April 1999 found that 55 percent of the population consider 
themselves Orthodox Christian, 9 percent follow another religion, and 
31 percent claim to be atheists. Another poll of some 4,000 respondents 
by the Center of Sociological Studies at Moscow State University in the 
spring of 1999 found that 43 percent claimed to be Orthodox Christians, 
while 51 percent described themselves as ``religious believers'' (not 
necessarily Orthodox). A separate poll found that in Moscow only 20 
percent of respondents who identify themselves as Orthodox are regular 
churchgoers, while in the regions only 7 percent attend church 
regularly. According to January 2000 Ministry of Justice statistics, 
there are now 17,427 religious organizations registered nationwide. 
This figure represents a more than three-fold increase over the 
approximately 5,500 organizations registered in 1990. Over half of 
registered organizations are Russian Orthodox, 18 percent are Muslim, 
and 20 percent are Christian organizations other than Russian Orthodox. 
Jewish and Buddhist registered religious organizations each account for 
slightly less than 1 percent of the total number of organizations. 
Jehovah's Witnesses account for 2 percent of the total registered 
religious organizations, and the group reports that it has 250,000 
members in the country. Ministry of Justice figures also show that 
approximately 5,000 nontraditional organizations are registered 
nationwide, representing a broad range of denominations and religious 
practices. Nontraditional registered organizations include Jehovah's 
Witnesses, Methodists, Presbyterians, Pentecostals, the Church of Jesus 
Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), Evangelical Christian-Baptists, 
Roman Catholics, Hare Krishnas, Seventh-Day Adventists, Lutherans, 
Baha'is, and offshoots of Russian Orthodox Christianity, as well as 227 
organizations representing less well-known denominations. Other 
religions, including Buddhism and Shamanism, are practiced in specific 
localities where they are rooted in local traditions.
    An agreement signed on May 23, 2000, between two large Russian 
state radio networks and an international Christian broadcaster, Trans 
World Radio, provides for airing evangelical Christian programs on 750 
transmitters throughout Russia. The broadcasts began on June 1, 2000 on 
Radio Mayak and Radio Yunost.
Governmental Restrictions of Religious Freedom
    The Constitutional Court's November 1999 ruling effectively 
legalized a number of religious organizations that were registered at 
the time the 1997 law was passed but could not prove 15 years of 
operation in the country. For example, in the case of Jehovah's 
Witnesses, the 15-year rule no longer prevents the registration of 
newly created local Jehovah's Witnesses religious organizations, nor 
the reregistration of organizations that were registered at the time of 
implementation of the 1997 law but which were less than 15 years old.
    The likely degree of adherence to this ruling by regional 
authorities remains unclear. Most observers agree that many local 
authorities remain unaware of this ruling and are uncertain as to how 
the 1997 law should be applied. In May 2000, the Russian State Academy 
of Public Service, in cooperation with local and foreign NGO's, 
attempted to address this problem by conducting a seminar on religion, 
which was attended by Ministry of Justice officials from 80 regions.
    Between February 12 and June 3, 1998, the Government issued three 
sets of regulations governing implementation of the new law. While 
providing procedural guidelines for registration, the regulations 
failed to clarify many key definitional points in the law.
    The case of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) reflects this confusion. 
The Society was denied federal registration in April 1999 because the 
Jesuit order's status, which is independent of a local bishop, does not 
meet requirements contained in the 1997 law's provisions. However, an 
April 13, 2000 Constitutional Court ruling authorized the Jesuits to be 
registered. This ruling, published in full on May 13, 2000 in 
Rossisskaya Gazeta, referred extensively to passages in the November 
1999 Constitutional Court ruling (which effectively legalized 
registered organizations existing at the time of the passage of the 
1997 law). The April 2000 ruling also specifically refuted points cited 
by the Ministry of Justice as reasons for refusal. By mid-2000 the 
Society of Jesus was still negotiating certain points of its charter 
with the Ministry of Justice.
    In the case of at least one religion, a federal government agency 
has been responsible for significant restrictions on the activities of 
a church. In some areas, foreign Roman Catholic religious workers must 
return to their home countries every 3 months in order to renew their 
visas, unlike other foreign workers who may apply for multipleentry 
visas or extend their stays.
    In addition to ambiguities in the regulations, the considerable 
time, effort, and legal expense required by the registration process--
which involves simultaneous registration at both the federal and local 
levels--represent major obstacles for a number of confessions. 
International and well-funded Russian religious organizations, in 
particular, began the reregistration process soon after publication of 
the regulations governing reregistration. Russian Pentecostal groups, 
which have a solid and growing network of churches throughout the 
country, sought guidance from the Ministry of Justice on reregistration 
as early as November 1997. One of the larger organizations, the Russian 
Unified Fellowship of Christians of the Evangelical Faith (which traces 
its origins back to the early 1900's) reregistered as a centralized 
religious organization by late March 1998. It since has incorporated 
many smaller, newer Pentecostal groups within its structure. However, a 
significant number of smaller congregations remain unaware of how (or 
in a few cases, may be reluctant) to comply with Russian registration 
and tax-inspection requirements.
    According to a May 2000 report by the Keston Institute, 
registration of Muslim religious organizations also is proceeding 
slowly, with only a small percentage of local organizations registered. 
The delay is largely due to a struggle between the Central Spiritual 
Directorate of Muslims in European Russia and Siberia, based in Ufa and 
led by Mufti Talgat Tadzhuddin, and the Moscow-based Russian Council of 
Muftis, led by Chief Mufti Ravil Gainutdin. The Central Spiritual 
Directorate informed the Keston Institute that approximately 20 percent 
of its 2,500 local organizations have been registered. Mufti 
Gainutdin's organization is registered but did not have an estimate of 
how many of its local organizations were registered. Chief Mufti 
Gainutdin's staff complained that local authorities in some cases were 
obstructing the registration of local organizations that wished to join 
Gainutdin's rather than Tadzhuddin's union, and that those who wished 
to leave Tadzhuddin's Spiritual Directorate were being accused of 
``Wahhabism.'' In the Russian context, ``Wahhabism,'' the name of a 
strict branch of Sunni Islam that originated in Saudi Arabia, has 
become a pejorative term because of persistent allegations that 
``Wahhabi extremism'' is to blame for terrorist attacks linked to 
Chechnya.
    The delay in reregistration was due in part to the slow pace at 
which the Federal Ministry of Justice has disseminated the regulations 
and guidelines to local authorities and in part to understaffing both 
at the Ministry of Justice and at local levels. In many instances, the 
Ministry of Justice has asked for additional information and has 
demanded changes in the organizational structure and by-laws of some 
groups to ensure that they are in conformity with the law. Smaller 
minority confessions also sometimes feared the registration process, 
while others started the process late because of the time involved in 
agreeing internally on how to register their organizations in 
conformity with the law. Katya Smyslova of the Esther Legal Assistance 
Center, an NGO that provides information to religious groups, reports 
that a significant number of congregations are unaware of registration 
and tax inspection requirements.
    Although reliable statistics are unavailable, observers estimated 
that as of mid-2000 just under half of the 400 of those requiring 
registration were registered at the federal level. Figures on the 
number of pending local registrations are also unavailable, but 
observers estimate that from one-half to two-thirds of the 
approximately 16,850 organizations required to reregister have not done 
so. The Institute for Religion and Law estimates that by the end of 
2000, as many as one-third of local religious organizations will not be 
reregistered and therefore will be subject to liquidation.
    In 1998 and early 1999, the Government attempted to address 
mounting concerns that a large number of religious organizations, 
particularly at the local level, might remain unregistered when the 
deadline passed at the end of 1999 and become left vulnerable to 
attempts by local authorities to restrict their activities. In June 
1999, the Ministry of Justice recommended to regional directorates of 
justice that local religious organizations be reregistered. Religious 
groups reported in 1999 and early 2000 that local registrations began 
to be processed more easily after the recommendation. On August 2, 
1999, a presidential decree was signed that clarified the relationship 
between the federal Ministry of Justice and the regional directorates 
of justice, stating that the directorates are ``territorial organs of 
the Ministry.'' Observers and officials viewed this decree as a means 
to help bring insubordinate directorates more in compliance with 
federal policies, but, reflecting the decentralization of power of 
recent years, it appears to have had little effect.
    Due to the Duma's failure to pass the amendment before the law's 
original deadline expired, between December 31, 1999 and March 26, 
2000, approximately 8,400 religious organizations were left exposed to 
``liquidation'' (closure by court order) on grounds of lack of 
registration. In an effort to forestall closures, which appears to have 
been largely successful, the Ministry of Justice in December 1999 sent 
a recommendation to regional authorities that they refrain from 
initiating legal proceedings to liquidate any organizations.
    According to the Keston Institute and local NGO's, a small handful 
of religious organizations were threatened with liquidation due to lack 
of registration. In Voronezh, local administration officials filed 
petitions to liquidate 13 religious organizations on the basis of lack 
of registration in February, 2000, of which three cases were brought to 
court. The Institute of Religion and Law alerted the Ministry of 
Justice, which took prompt action to prevent the closures. Only one 
organization, a Pentecostal church, was liquidated. Local officials in 
Voronezh reportedly claimed that they were unaware of the federal 
Ministry's recommendation and subsequently withdrew petitions to 
liquidate the 10 remaining organizations. Although the incident alarmed 
religious freedom activists, in particular because none of the 
unregistered Russian Orthodox organizations were singled out, it 
appears that the proposed liquidations would not have harmed all of the 
denominations in question, because some of the organizations in 
question appeared to be either inactive or defunct. In Tatarstan the 
Church of Christ in Kazan was reportedly liquidated in April 2000 for 
allegedly holding a church conference without the permission of local 
authorities. The Kostroma regional department of justice was preparing 
lawsuits in June 2000 to dissolve the Kostroma Christian Center and 
Grace Church Evangelical Christians for allegedly violating the 
religion law by using ``hypnosis'' during their services. The 
department refused to register the two groups and authorized a 
committee of experts of the regional administration to evaluate the 
groups. The actions came after reports appeared on Kostroma state 
television accusing Pentecostal groups of using hypnosis during 
services.
    While there were few efforts at liquidation, local authorities 
resisted the registration efforts of congregations belonging to a 
number of faiths. Jehovah's Witnesses report a total of 1,000 
congregations in Russia, not all of which require registration. In 1998 
and 1999, local authorities were refusing to register some local 
organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses, pending federal level 
registration and the resolution of a Moscow municipal court case 
against Jehovah's Witnesses in that city under Article 14 of the 1997 
religion law. Jehovah's Witnesses and religious rights activists 
welcomed the Ministry of Justice's April 30, 1999 decision to 
reregister Jehovah's Witnesses at the federal level, and Jehovah's 
Witnesses reported in May 2000 that since the new religion law went 
into force on October 1, 1997, it has registered a total of 337 local 
religious organizations in 65 regions of the country. However, as of 
April 2000, local authorities in 14 regions refused to register local 
Jehovah's Witnesses organizations, and no Jehovah's Witnesses 
organizations have been registered in St. Petersburg, although there 
are some 7,000 members of Jehovah's Witnesses there, according to the 
group's representatives. As of May 2000, the Moscow directorate of 
justice refused registration to Jehovah's Witnesses in Moscow eight 
times, despite the precedent set by the Ministry of Justice's April 30 
decision to reregister Jehovah's Witnesses at the federal level. 
Although there is no legal basis to do so, the directorate may be 
refusing registration pending resolution of the outstanding civil case 
against Jehovah's Witnesses in Moscow. The civil case against the 
Jehovah's Witnesses has been adjourned for over 1 year, following a 
March 1999 municipal ruling to refer the case to an expert panel for a 
recommendation. In the absence of reregistration, the group is subject 
to liquidation by court order after December 31, 2000. Moreover, 
according to representatives of Jehovah's Witnesses, as of May 31, 
2000, there were liquidation warnings and actions to ban Jehovah's 
Witnesses at various levels of the judicial system in Novokuznetsk, 
Pechora (Komi), Prokhladnyi (Kabardino-Balkaria), Saratov, and Ushaly 
(Bashkortostan). An appellate court in Lipetsk ruled in favor of 
Jehovah's Witnesses after the group's registration was denied, and 
Jehovah's Witnesses intend to challenge decisions in some of the 14 
other regions where congregations have been denied registration.
    Jehovah's Witnesses report that their applications for local 
registration in some regions have been referred to local expert panels, 
despite a recommendation by the federal Ministry of Justice expert 
panel which, according to the Ministry of Justice, obviates the need 
for such review. Local expert studies of Jehovah's Witnesses have 
stalled registration efforts in Mari-El, Khabardino-Balkaria, Novgorod, 
and Orel. In Lipetsk a local expert study recommended the registration 
be refused, but in April 2000 the Lipetsk regional court ordered the 
Lipetsk justice department to register Jehovah's Witnesses under their 
standard nationwide charter.
    Keston reported in March 2000 that Voronezh officials refused to 
register the Community of All Saints of the True Orthodox Church, an 
Orthodox Christian congregation that left the Moscow Russian Orthodox 
Patriarchate in the early 1990's. Parish priest Valeriy Kravets said 
that Orthodox communities outside the jurisdiction of the Moscow 
Patriarchate that met secretly in the apartments of members and hid 
successfully from the KGB during the Soviet era, now are finding it 
nearly impossible to register.
    The Unification Church had 15 local organizations registered under 
the old law. By mid-2000, three organizations, including organizations 
in Ul'yanovsk and Ufa, had reregistered under the new law and the 
efforts of four others, in Yakutsk, Samara, Yekaterinburg, and Perm, 
were rejected. The efforts of the Central Unification Church to 
register as a centralized religious organization have been denied 3 
times for various reasons.
    The Salvation Army has registered local organizations in St. 
Petersburg, Rostov-on-Don, and Volgograd, and currently is seeking 
federal registration as a centralized religious organization.
    The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) has 
registered successfully 20 local religious organizations. After some 
initial trouble concerning registration of missionaries residing in the 
cities of Tolyatti and Novokuybyshevsk in the Samara region, by 
November 1999 the Church was able to agree with the Samara directorate 
of justice to establish registered local organizations in these cities 
in order to allow Mormon missionaries to reside there legally.
    The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints since mid-1998 has 
been attempting to register its organizations in Kazan, Tatarstan as a 
local religious organization. After an earlier rejection, the court 
responded to a second appeal by transferring the case to a so-called 
``religious expertise assessment'' in accordance with the Tatarstan law 
on religion. The assessment was supposed to have been completed by 
January 2000, but was not completed by mid-2000. Lack of registration 
has made it difficult for American missionaries, who would be sponsored 
by the local religious organization, to register their visas in Kazan. 
The local visa office refuses to register them as sponsored by an 
organization, but has told them that if individuals sponsor them, they 
can register. Despite these difficulties, the church has managed to 
rent space.
    Registration problems persist in several regions. For example, the 
Moscow directorate of justice, reportedly on legally questionable 
grounds, repeatedly has refused registration of at least five religious 
organizations, besides Jehovah's Witnesses, including the Salvation 
Army and the Church of Scientology. The Salvation Army has a lawsuit 
pending against the Moscow department of justice but has had great 
difficulty getting a hearing because the municipal court repeatedly 
attempted to dodge jurisdiction over the case. The Salvation Army 
eventually was forced to obtain a ruling from a higher court, assigning 
jurisdiction back to the original municipal court.
    The directorate of justice in Chelyabinsk continues to reject the 
local registration application of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
Day Saints, based on the alleged incompatibility of church activities 
with federal law. Even without registration, the church continues to 
hold regular services without incident, although its missionaries have 
suspended their door-to-door canvassing and other outreach activities. 
The Chelyabinsk directorate of justice also has rejected the 
registration applications of Baptist, Adventist, and Pentecostal 
churches in Chelyabinsk on similar grounds. As of May 2000, Jehovah's 
Witnesses reported that the Chelyabinsk directorate of justice had 
refused the group's application for registration seven times.
    Measures have been taken to restrict the activities of a number of 
foreign missionaries and of congregations associated with them. There 
were reports that four U.S. missionaries are being refused visas to 
return to Russia. Dan Pollard (formerly of the Vanino Baptist Church in 
the Khabarovsk region) currently is banned from receiving a visa based 
on allegations that he violated customs regulations and evaded property 
taxes; however, it appears that local authorities violated their own 
regulations and refused to take necessary actions (such as providing a 
timely tax assessment), which would have enabled Pollard to comply with 
the law. David Binkley of the Church of Christ in Magadan also faced a 
criminal charge for failing to report $8,000 to customs officials, 
reportedly because he feared that the money would be stolen. He was 
acquitted in December 1999, primarily because the investigation and 
prosecution were marred by serious violations of due process by local 
authorities. Local authorities then defied a court ruling to return the 
money, returning it briefly only to confiscate it a few minutes later, 
citing administrative customs regulations not applicable to the case. 
The third case, regarding Charles Landreth of the Church of Christ in 
Volgograd, appears to have been a response to articles in the local 
press accusing Landreth of being a spy. Those allegations may have led 
local authorities to recommend to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that 
a visa be refused. A member of the local congregation, who has sought 
to resolve the matter since January 2000, reported in May that since 
local authorities no longer object to Landreth's return, it appears to 
be federal authorities who still are refusing to authorize issuance of 
a visa. A fourth missionary, Monty Race of Evangelical Free Church of 
America, who entered the country legally with a visa sponsored by a 
Moscow congregation, has been refused registration to reside in 
Naberezhniy Chelniy, Tartarstan. Race, who is married to a Russian 
citizen, also has been refused permission to register as a resident 
foreign spouse of a Russian citizen. The letter of refusal he received 
from the Ministry of Internal Affairs' local passport control office 
cited ``national security'' concerns.
    Since March 1998, the Vanino Baptist Church and Pollard have fought 
a legal battle over registration of the church so that it could sponsor 
Pollard or a replacement to remain in the country. Khabarovsk 
authorities continue to deny reregistration of the Vanino Baptist 
Church on extremely questionable legal grounds. This not only prevents 
the Vanino Baptist Church from sponsoring a visa for any foreign 
religious worker but also is likely to leave it subject to liquidation 
at the end of 2000. The most recent reason for refusal offered by a 
local justice official is that the church building must be reclassified 
from a residential to a nonresidential property before the church may 
use it as a juridical address. However, this official did not cite a 
specific local statute, and federal law does not prohibit using a 
residence for religious services.
    Although it may be a slow and costly process for religious groups, 
the judicial system has provided an appeal process for religious 
organizations threatened with loss of registered status or 
``liquidation'' as a religious organization under Article 14 of the 
1997 religion law, expired registration, or other laws. Some local 
churches that were initially denied local registration have been 
registered following successful lawsuits, as in the case of the 
Evangelical Lutheran Mission in Khakasiya in November 1998, when the 
federal Supreme Court overturned the verdict of the Khakasiya supreme 
court. A few congregations also reported that local authorities that 
initially refused to register them relented after the churches said 
that they would take the matter to court. In May 1999, a Magadan 
municipal court dismissed for lack of evidence a local procurator's 
civil case against the Word of Life Pentecostal Church in the Far 
Eastern city of Magadan under Article 14 of the 1997 religion law, in 
which the Church was accused of using ``cult'' practices to manipulate 
its members. The Magadan oblast court upheld this decision in June 
1999. The Church reports that investigation of the church on criminal 
and tax-related charges continues. Church representatives report that 
negative stories about them continue to appear in the local state-
controlled press. Despite these difficulties, the Word of Life 
Pentecostal church continues its normal activities.
    According to the Keston News Service and to the Slavic Law and 
Justice Center's Vladimir Ryakhovskiy, a Kirov municipal court on 
February 1, 2000 dismissed the petition of the Kirov department of 
justice to close the Kirov Christian Church, a member organization of 
the Russian Union of Evangelical Christian Pentecostals. Local justice 
officials alleged that the Church used mass hypnosis to manipulate its 
followers and presented videotaped ``evidence.'' Church lawyer 
Ryakhovskiy and a public prosecutor both successfully argued in court 
that the videotape, secretly filmed without the consent of the church, 
violated the congregation's right to privacy and could not be presented 
as legal evidence.
    The department of justice in Cheboksary, Chuvashiya, petitioned for 
liquidation of the Cheboksary Church of Christ. Officials accused the 
Church of violating a health protection law by praying for the sick, 
violating civil law by conducting services in the pastor's apartment, 
failing to register by the original December 31, 1999 deadline of the 
1997 religion law, and involving minors in church activity without 
their parents' consent. In a January 20, 2000 hearing, Anatoliy 
Pchelintsev of the Institute of Religion and Law and Vladimir 
Ryakhovskiy of the Slavic Center for Law and Justice argued that these 
charges had no legal merit, as prayer is not a medical activity and 
religious services in residential apartments are not forbidden by law. 
Furthermore the children simply had watched videos of ``Superbook,'' a 
children's program about the Bible that already had been broadcast in 
Russia for 2 years by government-controlled television. Nevertheless, 
the judge postponed the case for another hearing.
    At mid-June 2000, Jehovah's Witnesses in Moscow were continuing 
their effort to avoid legal ``liquidation.'' Acting on a complaint from 
the Committee to Save Youth from Totalitarian Cults (a group allegedly 
linked to the Russian Orthodox Church), a Moscow municipal procurator 
is seeking ``liquidation'' of the Moscow Jehovah's Witnesses 
organization under Article 14 of the 1997 religion law for its alleged 
anti-social, anti-family character. In March 1999, the trial was 
suspended pending review of the case by a panel of court-appointed 
religious experts. On June 28, 1999, the Moscow city court upheld the 
decision of the Golovinskiy municipal court to appoint an expert panel. 
As of mid-2000, the expert panel still was reviewing the case and was 
expected to render a split recommendation. Meanwhile Jehovah's 
Witnesses are preparing an appeal to the Supreme Court.
    According to Jehovah's Witnesses, the St. Petersburg case in which 
Nataliya Ilyina, the mother of a young mentally disabled woman, had 
brought suit against Jehovah's Witnesses, alleging that they 
psychologically damaged her daughter, Yekaterina Ilyina, remained 
unresolved. Jehovah's Witnesses lawyer Artur Leontyev claimed that the 
anti-cult group Committee for Family and Personality and also self-
described ``sectomania'' expert and Moscow psychiatrist Fedor 
Kondratyev are responsible for the case being brought. An earlier court 
had ruled that the Church had not harmed Ilyina, whose mental 
disability existed well before she began attending services. The 
plaintiff requested a second study by experts, which was underway at 
mid-2000.
    There are continuing reports that some local and municipal 
governments prevented religious groups from using venues such as 
cinemas that are suitable for large gatherings. In many areas of the 
country, government-owned facilities are the only available venues. As 
a result, in some instances, denominations that do not own property 
effectively have been denied the opportunity to practice their faith in 
large groups. For example, in August 1999, Jehovah's Witnesses nearly 
were forced to cancel a convention for 15,000 members of the group at 
Moscow's Olympic Stadium, reportedly because stadium management was 
under pressure from the Moscow city administration. The weekend 
convention also was disrupted briefly by a telephone bomb threat, but 
no device was found (see Section II).
    According to representatives of Jehovah's Witnesses, as of spring 
2000 four cases were being litigated in which police officers 
interrupted meetings or public preaching by Jehovah's Witnesses, 
including an April 16, 2000 incident in which police in Chelyabinsk 
broke up a small religious meeting of the sign-language congregation of 
Jehovah's Witnesses. The other cases occurred in St. Petersburg, Lensk, 
and Kislovodsk.
    Some congregations also have reported difficulty obtaining 
necessary permits to renovate facilities and that local property owners 
were pressured by local officials to cancel leases signed with 
nontraditional religious churches. Although it remains a legally 
registered organization, Jehovah's Witnesses in Moscow continue to have 
trouble leasing assembly space and obtaining the necessary permits to 
renovate their main building. Other religions, including Protestant 
groups and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, report that 
they continue to face discrimination in their ability to rent premises 
and conduct group activities. For example, in April in Kursk, the mayor 
refused Baptists and Muslims land and permission to build in the city.
    Disputes concerning the return of religious property confiscated by 
the Soviet government are some of the most frequent complaints cited by 
religious groups. For the most part, synagogues, churches, and mosques 
have been returned to communities to be used for religious services. 
The Federal Government has met the requirements of the 1993 
presidential decree on communal property restitution, and the decree 
continues to guide the ongoing process. According to statistics from 
the Ministry of State Property, over 2,000 federally owned properties 
have been returned to religious communities since 1989. However, 
jurisdiction in most cases is at the regional level, and there is no 
centralized source of information on these cases. A Ministry of Culture 
official responsible for restitution of religious historical monuments 
estimated in early 1999 that over 3,600 transfers of religious 
buildings had occurred at the regional level and that approximately 30 
percent of property designated for return had been transferred back to 
its original owners at both the federal and regional levels. 
Nonetheless there continue to be reports of religious property that has 
not been returned. For example, the Church of the Immaculate Conception 
in Ryazan still has not been returned to the local Catholic community. 
The Moscow Patriarchate has claimed and taken possession of properties 
owned by other branches of Orthodoxy and, in certain cases, property of 
other religions. In some property disputes, religious buildings have 
been ``privatized,'' and there are long delays in finding new locations 
for the current occupants, as required by law. Local authorities often 
refuse to get involved in property disputes, which they contend are 
between private organizations. Even where state or municipal 
authorities still have undisputed control of properties, a number of 
religious communities continue to meet significant obstacles when they 
request the return of religious buildings. The Jewish community, which 
has met with some success on communal property restitution, faces the 
same obstacles as other religious communities and has concerns about 
the return of Torah scrolls, many of which are in state museum 
collections. The federal Government turned over 61 Torah scrolls to the 
Jewish community in May 2000.
    Land problems are handled similarly when some religious communities 
seek to acquire land and necessary building permits for new religious 
structures. For example, since February 1999 local authorities in Omsk 
have not responded to the Mormons' request to lease land, although 
local church leaders are continuing their efforts to locate a site. 
Some Protestant faiths have suggested that the Russian Orthodox Church 
influences the Government regarding land allocated for churches of 
other faiths.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    Reports of harassment and punishment for religious belief or 
activity continue. Mormon missionaries throughout the country 
frequently are detained for brief periods or asked by local police to 
cease their activities, regardless of whether they were actually in 
violation of local statutes on picketing. The Word of Life Pentecostal 
church in Magadan continues to allege that members have been harassed 
and followed by persons suspected of being local agents of the Federal 
Security Service (FSB). An unregistered local Baptist congregation in 
the village of Chernyshevskiy in Sakha-Yakutiya complained that local 
authorities were harassing it. Church members reported that on May 5, 
2000, local police officers and a fire safety inspector raided the 
apartment where the Church meets and gathered lists of church members. 
After the Church's pastor protested, he reportedly was brought to the 
police station for questioning. The local chief confirmed that police 
officers did visited the apartment as part of a fire-safety 
investigation but denied that there was any ``incident'' with church 
members. He believes the group is illegal because it has not registered 
(the congregation believes registration leads to unacceptable 
interference in church affairs), although the religion law does not 
require all groups to register officially. The group has been harassed 
before; in June 1999, local Chernyshevskiy police broke up a street-
evangelism meeting, confiscated a tent, and detained three Baptists.
    Catholic parishioners in Moscow have complained of excessive 
document checks by authorities, including a document check of attendees 
at a Sunday Mass. Catholic organizations have complained of excessive 
attention from authorities including the fire inspector and the 
Ministry of Interior. In June 2000, police in Tura in central Siberia 
threatened to arrest local Baptists if they continued to distribute 
free religious material outside of their place of worship. According to 
the local police chief, it is a crime for the group to distribute 
religious material because it is not a registered religious 
organization and such material may not be distributed outside of places 
of worship. While the Baptists were distributing Bibles and other 
religious material, Russian Orthodox parishioners and a local Orthodox 
priest protested and threatened to call the police. Later the police 
summoned the Baptists to the police station for questioning.
    Human rights activists have claimed in the past that only 15 
percent of actual violations of religious freedom are reported, and it 
still appears that only a small percentage of actual incidents are 
reported to authorities or independent media. According to various 
sources, the majority of citizens, especially those living in the 
regions, are still skeptical about the protection of religious freedom 
and are reluctant to assert their rights due to fear of retaliation. 
Federal authorities did not take sufficient action to reverse 
discriminatory actions taken at the local level or to discipline those 
officials responsible. Federal authorities and Moscow human rights 
activists often have limited information about what is happening in the 
regions.
    Some churches and NGO's are taking steps to teach church members 
how to assert their rights. For example, the Church of Scientology 
reported that its Russian members initially accepted without protest 
verbal harassment and intimidating inquiries by local residents and 
police. The Church subsequently educated its members on their rights 
under the law and worked to establish cooperative relations with local 
police officers, which led to a decrease in harassment.
    In May 1999, assisted by religion law experts Anatoliy Pchelintsev 
and Vladimir Ryakhosvkiy, former judge Galina Pitkevich filed a case 
with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), claiming that her right 
to fair trial and her rights to freedom of thought and of expression 
under the European Convention on Human Rights had been violated. 
Pitkevich, a member of the charismatic church Living Faith, was fired 
from her job at the Noyabrsk city court of Yamalo-Nenets autonomous 
region, based on accusations that she used her position to attract new 
members to her faith. Some human rights groups believe the evidence was 
fabricated. The ECHR determined that she has not yet exhausted all 
legal remedies in Russia (a fundamental requirement for an ECHR 
ruling), but her lawyers are appealing the decision. Pitkevich, now a 
private lawyer, reportedly faces discrimination from former colleagues.
    The case of Nataliya Nikishchina, a member of Jehovah's Witnesses 
who lost custody of her son, allegedly based on religious 
discrimination, was returned in 1999 to Russian courts by the ECHR. In 
this case, Russia's Supreme Court overturned all previous rulings and 
ordered the case be heard again in a new court.
    Lengthy investigations continue regarding a number of so-called 
``nontraditional'' denominations. The Church of Scientology continued 
to experience registration problems. Originally registered in 1994, the 
Moscow Church of Scientology has applied 3 times for reregistration 
under the 1997 law, only to have the applications denied. As of mid-
2000, the Church was applying a fourth time. The Moscow general 
procurator and approximately 70 individuals representing members of the 
FSB, Federal Tax Police, the local police, and other law enforcement 
organizations in April 1999 conducted a high-profile, 3-day raid on the 
Hubbard Humanitarian Center, which is affiliated with the Moscow Church 
of Scientology. This was the second such raid. It was undertaken in 
connection with charges by the Procurcacy that the Center was engaging 
in commercial enterprise without a license and had failed to pay taxes. 
Although the Center successfully reregistered as a social organization 
in 1997 in accordance with legal requirements that such organizations 
reregister by July 1, 1999, a Moscow court subsequently invalidated the 
reregistration and ordered the Center to be liquidated, a verdict 
upheld by a higher court. However, by mid-2000 this had not taken place 
and the center continued to operate as a registered social 
organization. A separate case based on similar charges was initiated 
against the Center's director, Gennadiy Kudinov, who is also head of 
the Church. As of mid-2000, the courts had not determined which Moscow 
judge should have jurisdiction over the case. While court rulings were 
based on the law on social organizations, church officials believe that 
the ruling is part of a broader attack on the Church and its 
activities. The Magadan Word of Life Pentecostal Church reports that it 
still is being investigated on criminal and tax-related charges. The 
Church of Krishna Conscious, which has experienced rapid growth in 
recent years and is registered at the federal level, encountered 
difficulties in some regions, particularly in Krasnodar and other 
southern regions, as well in the Moscow region, where the authorities 
repeatedly have denied it permission to acquire land and the building 
permits for construction of a temple. Its activities are strongly 
opposed by elements of the Russian Orthodox Church.
    There have been instances of the serious misuse of psychiatry by 
local officials reminiscent of Soviet-era abuses. The Independent 
Psychiatric Association of Russia, along with several human rights 
organizations, has criticized the use of psychiatry in 
``deprogramming'' victims of ``totalitarian sects.'' In such cases, 
authorities use pseudo-psychological and spiritual techniques to 
``treat'' persons who have been members of new religious groups.
    St. Petersburg authorities arbitrarily detained six Scientologists 
for psychiatric evaluation. In January in St. Petersburg, Vladimir 
Tretyak, leader of Sentuar (the local branch of the Church of 
Scientology), was accused by St. Petersburg chief psychiatrist Larisa 
Rubina of inflicting psychological damage on his coreligionists. On 
June 17, six members of Sentuar--Mikhail Dvorkin, Igor Zakrayev, Irina 
Shamarina, Svetlana Kruglova, Svetlana Pastushenkova, and Lyudmila 
Urzhumtseva--were hospitalized forcibly and underwent 3 weeks of 
criminal psychiatric investigation by order of Boris Larionov, 
procurator of the Vyborgskiy district of St. Petersburg. In televised 
remarks, Rubina reported their July 8 release and declared that the six 
were mentally competent. Rubina referred to the six as ``the accused,'' 
despite the fact they were only witnesses in the criminal case against 
Tretyak.
    While they generally have not been inhibited by the authorities in 
the free practice of their religion, Jews and Muslims continue to 
encounter prejudice and societal discrimination, and government 
authorities have been criticized for insufficient action to counter 
such prejudice (see Section II). Violently anti-Semitic remarks in 
national venues, such as those made by former Communist Duma Deputy and 
retired General Albert Makashov in October 1998 and February 1999, have 
not been repeated. Makashov's remarks, which blamed Jews for the 1998 
financial crisis and called for their elimination, caused a public 
furor, but the Duma's Communists and their allies blocked a November 4, 
1998 motion to censure him. Some Jewish groups report that the 
Communists and a neo-Nazi group, the Russian National Unity (RNE), 
continue to use anti-Semitism as a political tool to build populist 
support. However, since the December 1999 Duma elections, the Communist 
Party's influence and support in the country has somewhat eroded. The 
RNE, which is active in a few regions, regularly calls for violence 
against other religious and ethnic groups as well, such as Jehovah's 
Witnesses and Muslims.
    Krasnodar region governor Nikolay Kondratenko is well known for 
making anti-Semitic remarks. The governor's public speeches in the 
region often contained crude anti-Semitic remarks and stereotypes, and 
blame Jews and alleged Jewish conspiracies for the country's problems. 
Although some local residents have downplayed the effect of 
Kondratenko's open anti-Semitism, it appears that at least some of 
these persons practice a degree of self-censorship to avoid retaliation 
by local authorities.
    According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on March 29, 2000, 
then-President-elect Putin approved an interagency plan to combat 
extremism and promote religious and ethnic tolerance. Broad in scope, 
the plan calls for a large number of interagency measures, such as the 
review of federal and regional legislation regarding extremism, 
required training for public officials on how to promote ethnic and 
religious tolerance, and the design of new educational materials for 
use in public educational institutions. Implementation of the plan, 
which is to be guided by an interagency commission on combating 
extremism, has not yet begun. This plan has attracted little public 
commentary so far. In a March 2000 open letter to members of the U.S. 
Congress released by the Kremlin press service, President Putin called 
anti-Semitism ``an inadmissible display of aggressive nationalism 
incompatible with civilized society in Russia.''
    The federal Government reports that it has moved forward on other 
promised initiatives against extremism and anti-Semitism. In May 1999, 
the Moscow city duma adopted a law forbidding the distribution and 
display of Nazi symbols, and the Moscow regional duma passed similar 
legislation in June 1999. However, on September 2, 1999, the 
Nezavisimaya Gazeta newspaper reported that then-Moscow oblast governor 
Anatoliy Tyazhlov refused to sign the law, stating that the draft law 
threatened not only artistic and academic freedom of expression, but 
also freedom of religion, as swastikas are displayed by some religious 
groups. Regional duma members are working to redraft the law.
    Federal and Dagestani authorities stepped up their pressure on what 
they label as the republic's ``Wahhabi'' Muslim community. After an 
incursion on August 7 by Chechen-backed Islamist guerrillas, Dagestan 
President Magomedali Magomedov declared that his government would take 
a harder line against ``Wahhabism.'' In September Dagestan's parliament 
passed legislation that outlawed ``Wahhabi'' groups and other 
organizations it considered extremist. The Keston News Service reports 
that government and religious officials in several Dagestani districts 
have wrecked conservative Islamic mosques, suppressed religious 
broadcasts, and harassed local conservative Islamic communities. 
According to press reports, federal and Dagestani forces have followed 
up their initial counterinsurgency efforts with attacks on Muslim 
villages that they consider to be ``Wahhabi'' and that refuse to 
register their religious communities and turn in their weapons.
    On February 3, 1999, Chechen president Aslan Maskhadov declared 
Shari'a (Islamic law) to be in effect in the republic of Chechnya. 
Maskhadov signed several decrees stipulating that all local legislation 
be brought into line with the Koran and Shari'a regulations. Maskhadov 
ordered the Chechen legislature and the Council of Muftis to draft a 
constitution based on Shari'a within 1 month. The legislature also was 
stripped of its legislative functions and, on February 10, 1999, was 
replaced with a 34-member Shura that has responsibility for 
``consulting'' with the republic's president. The Shura includes 
several prominent opposition leaders. According to one expert, the 
Shura created in Chechnya is not a traditional Muslim Shura run by 
religious men, but instead is a council of military men. The Shura is 
not known to have functioned since the beginning of the federal 
Government's military campaign in Chechnya in late 1999.
    Apart from the 3-week detention and involuntary psychiatric 
evaluation of six members of the Church of Scientology, there were no 
other reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Forced Religious Conversions of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens abducted or illegally removed from the United States, or 
of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to be returned to 
the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between different religious groups are frequently tense, 
and there continue to be instances of religiously motivated violence.
    Many Russians firmly believe that at least nominal adherence to the 
Russian Orthodox Church is at the heart of what it means to be Russian, 
and Russian Orthodoxy is considered in conservative nationalist circles 
as the de facto official religion of the country.
    There is no large-scale movement to promote inter-faith dialog, 
although on the local level different religious groups successfully 
collaborate on charity projects and participate in inter-faith dialog. 
In addition, the Russian Orthodox Church, and Russian Pentecostal and 
Baptist organizations also have been reluctant to support ecumenism. 
Traditionally, the Russian Orthodox Church has pursued inter-faith 
dialog with other Christians on the international level.
    Muslims, who constitute approximately 10 percent of the population, 
continue to encounter societal discrimination and antagonism in some 
areas where they are a minority. According to press reports, on October 
17, 1999, protesters in Volgograd successfully pressured the World 
Congress of Tatars to postpone a ceremony to lay a cornerstone for a 
new mosque. Chief Mufti Ravil Gainutdin reportedly stated that 
construction would be suspended until an agreement could be reached 
with local residents.
    Over the last 4 years, there were many instances of violence in the 
north Caucasus, some of which had religious motivations. There was only 
one new report of violence against non-Muslim religious workers in 
Chechnya, apparently because very few or no workers remain. However, on 
August 14, 1999, a deacon of the Groznyy Baptist Church was kidnaped 
and held for ransom in Groznyy and another church member was kidnaped 
earlier that month. The threat of hostage taking, primarily for ransom, 
continues to be extremely high in the North Caucuses. There were no 
reports of developments in the case of religious affairs official 
Abuzar Sumbulatov, who, according to the Keston Institute in Groznyy, 
was kidnaped in 1999. No ransom was demanded, and Sumbulatov, known for 
his tolerant views on religion, is presumed dead. Kidnapings of Russian 
Orthodox and Baptist clergy in Chechnya and bordering areas in 1998 and 
1999, according to Keston, suggested that Christians were being 
targeted specifically. The Russian Baptist Union advised its members in 
1998 to leave Chechnya.
    Following large-scale emigration over the last 2 decades, between 
600,000 and 700,000 Jews remain in Russia (0.5 percent of the total 
population). While Jewish emigration rates are significantly lower than 
there were during the late Soviet period, the number of Jews leaving 
Russia for economic reasons and fear of persecution more than doubled 
in 1999, from 13,019 to 29,534, according to the Russian branch of the 
Jewish Agency. The vast majority of Jews (80 percent) live in Moscow or 
St. Petersburg. Jews continue to encounter societal discrimination, and 
government authorities have been criticized for insufficient action to 
counter it. However, in August 1999, the Ministry of Press, Television, 
Radio Broadcasting, and Mass Communications issued a warning to a city-
owned television station in St. Petersburg for broadcasting anti-
Semitic material in violation of the mass media law's prohibition on 
inciting racial violence or hatred. That same month, the St. Petersburg 
Commissioner for Human Rights, Mikhail Chulaki, publicly criticized the 
program that broadcast the anti-Semitic material.
    Anti-Semitic themes continue to figure prominently in hundreds of 
extremist publications in Krasondar and Samara regions, among others. 
However, traditionally anti-Semitic publications with a large 
distribution, such as the newspaper Zavtra, while still pursuing anti-
Semitic themes, such as portraying Russian Oligarchs as exclusively 
Jewish, appear to be more careful than in the past about using crude 
anti-Semitic language. Some Jewish groups believe that the Communist 
Party of the Russian Federation (KPRF) uses anti-Semitism as a 
political tool to build populist support, which is seen by many to be 
decreasing.
    Observers in the country and abroad are assessing whether anti-
Semitic rhetoric represents a sustained pattern of intensified anti-
Semitism. There were several reports of major crimes or acts of 
intimidation linked to anti-Semitic groups or motives in the early 
months of the period covered by this report. However, the number of 
anti-Semitic incidents reportedly decreased beginning in the fall of 
1999. Observers differ as to whether these incidents represent an 
increase in violence, but human rights proponents agree that anti-
Semitism remains a very serious societal problem and that the 
Government and civil society must continue to build institutions to 
protect the rights of religious minorities.
    On July 13, 1999, Jewish Cultural Center director Leopold 
Kaymovskiy was wounded severely in a knife attack in his office at the 
Moscow Choral Synagogue. Kaymovskiy's attacker, 20-year-old Nikita 
Krivchun, said that he acted alone and that he considered Jews 
``evil.'' Krivchun was charged with attempted murder for reasons of 
national, racial, or religious hatred, and subsequently was declared 
mentally incompetent and placed in a psychiatric institution. Initial 
press reports quoted statements by Krivchun implying that he belonged 
to an anti-Semitic group, but investigators did not uncover evidence of 
such a connection and made no other arrests. On July 25, 1999, a bomb 
was found in the Bolshaya Bronnaya Lubavitcher synagogue. The bomb was 
removed by synagogue workers and later detonated by the FSB, causing 
some damage to the synagogue. Moscow Mayor Yuriy Luzhkov criticized the 
bombing and attended a July 29, 1999 service at the synagogue. The FSB 
is investigating the bomb as a terrorist act, but has made no arrests 
in the case. Vandals desecrated six Jewish graves in Tomsk on August 2, 
1999. Also, on August 2, 1999, then-President Yeltsin told visiting 
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak that the Government would prosecute 
anti-Semitic crimes and proposed Israeli-Russian cooperation in 
combating anti-Semitism. No progress was reported in investigations of 
two May 1999 bombings near the Moscow Choral Synagogue, the May 1998 
bombing of the Marina Roshcha Synagogue in Moscow, the vandalism of 
synagogues in Novosibirsk and in Birobidjan in early 1999, or the May 
1998 desecration of 149 Jewish graves in Irkutsk. There was a more 
positive outcome to the June 5, 2000 incident in which some 40 
gravestones in the Jewish part of a cemetery in Nizhnii Novgorod were 
destroyed. The teenage vandals were quickly captured by local police, 
and they and their parents were required to work with their children to 
help clean up the cemetery.
    The ultranationalist and anti-Semitic Russian National Unity (RNE) 
paramilitary organization, led by Aleksandr Barkashov, claims to have 
extended its presence beyond its southern Russian stronghold since 
1998. However, the party has remained a fairly marginal political force 
in regional and national politics. Although reliable figures on its 
membership are not available, in what is most likely an exaggeration, 
the RNE claims a membership of 50,000 persons in 24 federation 
chapters. At least one RNE member has been elected to a local 
administration (in Saratov) and, according to press accounts, the RNE 
has representatives in regional governments in Kostroma and Vladimir, 
Tver and Samara oblasts provide resources for RNE youth groups, and, in 
Voronezh, RNE members patrol the streets with local militias. According 
to press sources, these joint street patrols failed in Kostroma and 
Yekaterinburg, where RNE members turned them into opportunities for 
petty crime, causing local authorities to cancel the programs. RNE 
``uniformed'' members were visible in 1999 at political and cultural 
public gatherings, but their day-to-day visibility on the streets and 
in public areas of Moscow has not been obvious since a march in January 
1999.
    The increased visibility of the RNE and other extremists across the 
country prompted government efforts to address the problem of extremism 
more forcefully in 1998 and 1999. Moscow authorities banned the RNE 
from convening a congress in December 1998, citing the RNE's lack of 
credentials as a legally registered public organization at the time. 
(The Ministry of Justice twice denied the RNE's registration.) The RNE 
subsequently managed to register, but then was stripped of its 
registration by a Moscow court in April 1999. However, some observers 
called the municipal prosecutor's case weak and motivated only by the 
desire of city authorities to ban the organization. Although an 
interagency plan to combat extremism and promote tolerance was signed 
by President Putin on March 29, 2000, many elements of the plan need 
further definition, and implementation of most of its concrete measures 
has yet to begin. Its potential impact cannot yet be gauged.
    Krasnodar region governor Kondratenko regularly engages in anti-
Semitic remarks (see Section I). A report issued in October 1997 by the 
human rights group Memorial criticized Krasnodar government officials 
for ``encouraging radical nationalist groups,'' including the Cossacks, 
and ``indirectly inciting them to violence'' against ethnic minority 
groups in the area. Local government authorities have sanctioned 
patrols by Cossack paramilitary groups in the name of law enforcement. 
Such groups are not publicly accountable, and their activities have 
resulted in human rights abuses.
    After his 1996 election, Kondratenko appointed Cossack ``hetman'' 
Vladimir Gromov as deputy governor of the region. In April 1997, 
Kondratenko and Gromov issued a resolution making Cossack groups 
subordinate to the regional rather than the federal Government, 
according to the Center for Human Rights Advocacy. According to media 
reports of statements by radical Cossack chieftain Ivan Bezguly, he has 
44,000 Cossacks at his disposal ostensibly to enforce ``law and 
order.'' Estimates of the total number of Cossacks in Krasnodar are as 
high as 300,000. The Cossacks' tactics appear designed to brutalize and 
intimidate the area's ethnic minorities and to bring about the group's 
stated goal of cleansing the area of all non-Slavic Russians. A 1999 
joint report by anti-fascist Youth Action, the Union of Societies of 
Soviet Jews, and the Moscow Helsinki Group states that Cossacks closely 
monitor local officials to ensure loyalty to Kondratenko. The extent or 
effectiveness of federal investigations of racial or ethnic 
provocations in Krasnodar is unknown. Nonetheless, the effect of 
Putin's regional reforms on such regions remains to be seen.
    Despite legal registration, members of some religions, including 
some Protestant groups, Jehovah's Witnesses, and the Church of Jesus 
Christ of Latter-Day Saints, continued to face discrimination in their 
ability to rent premises and conduct group activities (see Section I).
    Occasionally opposition to the activities of religious groups came 
from other religious groups. For example, in July 1999, the Russian 
Orthodox Church diocese in Vladivostok asked the Primorskiy Kray 
prosecutor to examine the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-
Day Adventists, and an offshoot group of Hare Krishnas. The diocese 
reportedly argued that the three groups were violating the religion law 
by using deceptive methods to recruit converts. Leaders of the Russian 
Orthodox Church also have criticized publicly the Catholic Church for 
proselytizing in regions where residents have been traditionally 
Orthodox. Russian Orthodox Patriarch Aleksii II charged in June 2000 
that the Catholic Church was attempting to expand its influence into 
Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine. From time to time, the 
Russian Orthodox Church has criticized the press for what it called 
``antichurch publications,'' but stopped short of imposing any church 
sanctions against particular authors or editors. However, the Church 
appealed to authors of what it considered inaccurate accounts of church 
history to ``realize the sinfulness of their evil deeds.'' Religious 
groups frequently complain of biased accounts in local press outlets. 
While the overall scope of the problem is difficult to gauge, both 
regional and national newspapers have published sensational, biased, or 
libelous articles criticizing nontraditional religions, such as the 
Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Pentecostals, the Church of Christ, and 
the Church of Scientology. According to Jehovah's Witnesses, a local 
Chelyabinsk television station broadcast prime time news reports in 
late 1999, accusing Jehovah's Witnesses of being an illegal 
organization of mentally ill persons who abuse children and possess 
nuclear and chemical weapons. Jehovah's Witnesses filed a libel suit, 
which was under way as of mid-2000. The defendants rejected an out-of-
court settlement that would have permitted Jehovah's Witnesses a 
televised response to the programs. The court itself rejected a similar 
request by Jehovah's Witnesses.
    As foreign or so-called nontraditional religions in the country 
continue to grow, many Russians, influenced by negative reports in the 
mass media and public criticism by Russian Orthodox Church officials 
and other influential figures, continue to exhibit hostility toward 
these ``foreign sects.'' These sentiments apparently sparked occasional 
harassment and even physical attacks. For example, according to press 
reports, in August 1999, between 10 and 15 youths burst into a Moscow 
Hare Krishna temple, beat followers, and inflicted a severe head 
laceration on 1 person that require hospitalization. Mormons and 
Pentecostals have reported instances in which they may have been 
followed, harassed, and, in at least one case, physically struck. For 
example, on August 21, 1999, an anonymous bomb threat led to the 
evacuation of 15,000 persons attending a Jehovah's Witnesses convention 
in Moscow's Olympic Stadium (see Section I). There are believed to be 
more cases of such harassment than are reported. In several instances 
during 1999, local press outlets accused Scientologists, Mormons, and 
Jehovah's Witnesses of espionage, brainwashing, and other activities 
that they believed to be harmful to citizens. A political commentator 
for the ORT network alleged in a November 1999 broadcast that Moscow 
mayor Luzhkov is a Scientologist as part of the station's effort to 
reduce Luzhkov's party's chances in the December 1999 Duma elections.
    In an August 1999 conference on spirituality at Moscow State 
University, Metropolitan Kirill, head of the Patriarchate's public 
relations department, voiced the view that international human rights 
standards do not apply to Russia, because they are based on Western 
standards, which do not take into account Eastern tradition.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Mission has been active in encouraging respect for 
religious freedom. Throughout the period covered by this report, the 
Embassy in Moscow and the Consulates General in Yekaterinburg, St. 
Petersburg, and Vladivostok were active in investigating reports of 
violations of religious freedom, including anti-Semitic incidents. 
Working-level U.S. Government officials engage a broad range of 
government officials, representatives of religious groups, and human 
rights activists on a daily basis. These contacts include: 
representatives of over 20 religious confessions; the Institute for 
Religion and Law; the Slavic Law and Justice Center; the Esther Legal 
Information Center; lawyers representing religious groups; journalists; 
academics; former and current government officials; and mainstream 
human rights activists long known for their commitment to religious 
freedom, such as Moscow Helsinki Group Chairman Lyudmila Alekseyeva, 
Father Gleb Yakunin, and former Duma Deputy Valeriy Borshchev.
    The Embassy's political section uses a team approach to track 
religious issues, which involves the human rights officer, the rule-of-
law officer, and the civil society officer (all of whose duties include 
religious affairs). This strategy allows the Embassy to offer a broad 
range of reporting and provide continuous coverage, even if one of the 
officers is absent. The Embassy's consular section, officers from the 
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and representatives 
of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) regularly cooperate 
with the political section to gather information on religious freedom 
in the country. Embassy personnel of all sections and agencies 
travelling to the regions are encouraged to inquire into the local 
religious-freedom situation. Embassy officials at the chief of mission 
level discuss religious freedom with high-ranking officials in the 
Presidential Administration, the Government, and Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs approximately every 6 weeks, raising specific cases of concern. 
Federal officials have responded by investigating those cases and 
keeping embassy staff informed on issues they have raised. The 
Ambassador publicly criticized the attack on Jewish leader Leopold 
Kaymovskiy and the attempted bombing of the Bolshaya Bronnaya 
Synagogue, calling on the Government to investigate these crimes 
vigorously. Embassy representatives maintained close contact with 
Jewish leaders throughout the aftermath of these two crises. After the 
attempted bombing, the Embassy's regional security officer also visited 
two other Lubavitcher synagogues to advise them on physical security. 
The Embassy closely followed and reported on the progress of the 
amendment to the 1997 religion law and related Constitutional Court 
rulings.
    The Embassy and consulates also approach local officials at the 
working-level on individual religious freedom cases. For example, the 
Embassy played a role in resolving registration problems of two 
religious groups in Samara and Tatarstan, and is maintaining contact 
with Tatarstan authorities in an effort to resolve a third case. The 
Embassy and consulates also repeatedly have investigated and raised 
with federal and local authorities problems experienced by individual 
missionaries, including the refusal of Russian visas and registrations. 
As implementation of the 1997 religion law continues, the Embassy 
maintains semiweekly contact with working-level officials at the 
Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In May 2000, an 
Embassy official attended a 4-day religion law seminar hosted by the 
Russian State Academy for Public Service, consulted with Russian and 
foreign religion law experts on the seminar results, and met with 
representatives of religious groups at a subsequent briefing organized 
by the Esther Legal Information Center.
    In Washington as well as in Russia, the U.S. Government urges 
adherence to international standards of religious liberty in the 
Russian Federation. Officials in the State Department regularly meet 
with human rights groups and religious organizations concerned about 
religious tolerance in Russia. The Office of International Religious 
Freedom, headed by Ambassador-at-Large for Religious Freedom Robert 
Seiple, has met with numerous visiting Russian officials, as well as 
with delegations representing various Russian religious groups. The 
1997 law on religious freedom has been the subject of numerous high-
level communications between representatives of the U.S. and Russian 
Governments, involving the President, the Vice President, Secretary of 
State Madeleine Albright, and other senior U.S. officials. For example, 
at the U.S.-Russia Summit held in Moscow on June 10-11, 2000, President 
Clinton discussed religious freedom in Russia in his meetings with 
President Putin and other government officials. On September 14, 1999, 
Ambassador-at-Large Stephen Sestanovich, Special Advisor to the 
Secretary of State for the New Independent States, co-chaired a 
roundtable meeting with representatives of religious communities at the 
State Department, together with Senator Gordon Smith, Ambassador at 
Large for International Religious Freedom Robert Seiple, and National 
Security Council Senior Director Carlos Pascual. On April 13, 2000, 
Ambassador Sestanovich co-chaired another roundtable discussion on 
religious freedom in Russia with Senator Smith, Ambassador Seiple, and 
NSC Senior Director Mark Medish. On May 22, 2000, in compliance with 
Section 567 of the fiscal year 2000 Foreign Operations Act, the Acting 
Secretary of State made a determination that the central authorities in 
Russia did not implement the law on religion in a manner intended to 
restrict the religious liberty of minority faiths. However, in the 
report to Congress that accompanied the Acting Secretary's 
determination, he noted that some local officials have used the 1997 
law to restrict citizens' rights.
                               __________

                               SAN MARINO

    The law provides for freedom of religion, and the Government 
respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The law provides for freedom of religion, and the Government 
respects this right in practice.
    Although Roman Catholicism is dominant, it is not the state 
religion, and the law prohibits discrimination based on religion. The 
Catholic Church receives direct benefits from the State through income 
tax revenues as taxpayers may request that 0.3 percent of their income 
tax payments be allocated to the Catholic Church or to ``other'' 
charities, including two religions (the Waldesian Church and Jehovah's 
Witnesses).
    In 1993 recently elected parliamentarians objected to the 
traditional 1909 oath of loyalty to the ``Holy Gospels.'' Although they 
eventually swore as required, the parliamentarians contended that it 
violated Article 9 of the European Convention and brought suit in the 
European Court of Human Rights. Following this objection, Parliament 
changed the law in 1993 to permit a choice between the traditional oath 
and one in which the reference to the Gospels was replaced by ``on my 
honor.'' On February 18, 1999, the European Court found the requirement 
that Members of Parliament swear their loyalty to the ``Holy Gospels'' 
violated religious freedom. However, its ruling also implicitly 
endorsed the revised 1993 legal formulation. The Court also noted that 
the traditional (``Holy Gospels'') oath is still mandatory for other 
offices, such as the Captain Regent or a member of the Government; 
however, to date, no elected Captain Regent or government member has 
challenged the validity of the 1909 oath.
Religious Demography
    The country does not provide statistics on the size of religious 
groups and there is no recent census data providing information on 
religious membership; however, it is estimated that over 95 percent of 
the population are Catholic. There are also small groups of Jehovah's 
Witnesses and adherents to the Baha'i Faith (who organize small, active 
missionary groups), some Muslims, and members of the Waldesian Church.
    There are no private religious schools; the school system is public 
and is financed by the State. Public schools provide Catholic religious 
instruction; however, students may choose without penalty not to 
participate.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Amicable relations exist between the religious communities, and 
government and religious officials encourage mutual respect for 
differences.
    Roman Catholicism is not a state religion but it is dominant in 
society, as most citizens were born and raised under Catholic 
principles that form part of their culture. These principles still 
permeate state institutions symbolically; for example, crucifixes may 
be found hanging on courtroom or government office walls. They also 
affect societal lifestyles independently of individual compliance with 
Catholic precepts (such as strictures on divorce).

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Consulate General in Florence discusses religious freedom 
issues with the Government in the overall context of the promotion of 
human rights.
                               __________

                           SERBIA-MONTENEGRO

    Federal and republic law provide for freedom of religion; however, 
in practice both the Government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 
(FRY) and the constituent Republic of Serbia and their legal systems 
provide little protection for the religious rights of minority groups. 
The Republic of Montenegro, in contrast, does attempt to ensure and 
protect religious rights. In Kosovo the withdrawal of Serbian forces 
and establishment of the U.N. Interim Administration Mission (UNMIK), 
resulted in an improved situation for the largely Muslim ethnic 
Albanian population that was a victim of the massive human rights 
abuses committed by FRY forces in 1999. However, retributions against 
the minority Serbs have continued. UNMIK has worked since June 1999 to 
secure peace and foster respect for human rights regardless of 
ethnicity or religion.
    There was no change in the overall status of respect for religious 
freedom during the period covered by this report in those areas subject 
to the Serbian Government's control.
    Religion and ethnicity are closely intertwined in Serbia-
Montenegro, and it is often difficult to clearly identify 
discriminatory acts as primarily religious in origin rather than 
ethnic. However, views on ethnic groups in the region historically have 
been strongly influenced by religion, and most instances of ethnic 
discrimination have at least some religious roots.
    Both the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) Government and 
Government of Serbia continued to suppress ethnic and religious 
minorities, using intolerance as a tool to maintain FRY President 
Slobodan Milosevic's grip on power. Both Governments provided 
preferential treatment to the Serbian Orthodox Church, and societal 
discrimination against minorities remained widespread throughout areas 
of the FRY under the Serbian Government's control. In Kosovo where the 
effects of the regime's ethnic cleansing campaign linger, societal 
tensions were particularly noticeable. In Montenegro tensions between 
the unofficial Montenegrin Orthodox Church and the Serbian Orthodox 
Church worsened and were politicized by opposing political factions, 
despite the Montenegrin Government's attempts to moderate the 
situation.
    The U.S. Government seeks to promote ethnic and religious tolerance 
in the FRY through public admonitions, support of the U.N. Interim 
Administration Mission in Kosovo, support for the democratic opposition 
in Serbia, and support of the reform-oriented government of Montenegro.

          Section I. Government Policies on Religious Freedom

Legal/Policy Framework
    The law in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, as well as in the 
constituent republics of Serbia and Montenegro, provides for freedom of 
religion; however, in practice, the Government and the legal system 
provide very little protection for the religious rights of minority 
groups in those areas under the Serbian Government's administration. 
There is no state religion, but the regime of President Milosevic gives 
preferential treatment, including access to state-run television for 
major religious events, to the Serbian Orthodox Church.
    In Montenegro, the Constitution specifically recognizes the 
existence of the Serbian Orthodox Church, but not other faiths. The 
Montenegrin Orthodox Church was autocephalous when Montenegro was an 
independent principality. However, when Montenegro became part of the 
Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes after the First World War, the 
Montenegrin Orthodox Church lost its independence and became part of 
the Serbian Orthodox Church. The re-established Montenegrin Orthodox 
Church is registered with the Government of Montenegro Ministry of 
Interior in Cetinje, the former capital, as a nongovernmental 
organization (NGO). The Government of Montenegro has been careful to 
remain neutral in the dispute between followers of the Serbian Orthodox 
Church and Montenegrin Orthodox Church, but political parties have used 
this issue in pursuit of their own agendas. Pro-Serbian parties 
strongly support moves for the establishment of an official state 
religion, while pro-independence parties have pushed for the official 
recognition of the Montenegrin Orthodox Church.
Religious Demography
    The predominant faith in the FRY, outside of Kosovo, is Serbian 
Orthodoxy, although religion is not a significant factor in public 
life. Serbs, who are predominantly Serbian Orthodox if they follow any 
religion, make up approximately 65 percent of the population. 
Montenegrins, who constitute about 6 percent of the total population 
and live mainly in Montenegro, also primarily follow Serbian Orthodoxy. 
The Muslim population, composed mostly of Slavic Muslims who live 
predominantly in the Sandzak region bordering Serbia and Montenegro, 
and ethnic Albanians located primarily in Kosovo, constitutes about 19 
percent of the total population. Like Serbs and Montenegrins, many FRY 
Muslims are not in fact religious, and ``Muslim'' is often more a form 
of ethnic identity than of belief. About 4 percent of the population 
are Roman Catholic, and consist of ethnic Hungarians, who live 
primarily in Vojvodina, ethnic Albanians, and Croats who live in 
Vojvodina and scattered communities in Montenegro. About 1 percent of 
the population is Protestant. Other minority religious groups make up 
another 12 percent of the population.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Serbian Government made no progress in the restitution of 
property that belonged to the Jewish community prior to World War II, 
despite President Milosevic's past promises to resolve the disputes. 
The Orthodox and Catholic Churches have had similar difficulties with 
the restitution of their property confiscated by the Communist regime 
(1944-89).
    When it suits its political aims, the Milosevic regime does not 
hesitate to attack verbally the Serbian Orthodox Church, which was more 
outspoken in its criticism of the regime during the period covered by 
this report. The Church called openly for Milosevic to step down in 
1999 as a result of his campaign of ethnic cleansing.
    There was no change in the overall status of respect for religious 
freedom during the period covered by this report in those areas subject 
to the Serbian Government's control.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    Since 1992 the Milosevic regime has attempted to suppress all of 
its enemies in the FRY, Serb and non-Serb alike. To achieve his primary 
political aim of continued rule of Serbia, Milosevic has exploited 
ethnic, religious, and political divisions through his control of the 
media and the organs of state security. The focus of this suppression 
has been primarily along ethnic lines, and in general encompasses 
religion only as a component of ethnicity.
    Prior to their expulsion from Kosovo in June 1999, Serbian Interior 
Ministry troops, police, and paramilitary formations committed 
widespread and severe abuses against Kosovo's ethnic Albanian 
population. The regime attempted to rid the province of almost its 
entire ethnic Albanian population, killing thousands of ethnic 
Albanians and forcing nearly one million to become refugees. This 
ethnic cleansing was distinct from religiously motivated violence; 
however, because most Kosovar Albanians are Muslim, the Serbian 
campaign also resulted in deliberate destruction of mosques and other 
Islamic landmarks.
    For similar reasons, during the period of this report, police 
repression continued against ethnic and religious minorities elsewhere 
in Serbia. Repression was reported against Muslims in the Sandzak 
region along the border between Serbia and Montenegro. Reports of 
harassment in the Sandzak region indicated that it was carried out 
mostly by federal Yugoslav army troops.
    Serbian police often selectively applied certain laws only against 
minorities and used force with relative impunity. In the Sandzak 
region, Serb authorities harassed the Slavic Muslim minority. Police 
use of arbitrary arrest and detention continued in the region.
    In Kosovo the withdrawal of Serbian troops and establishment of 
UNMIK resulted in an improved situation for the majority, largely 
Muslim ethnic Albanian population. One of the most serious challenges 
facing the international community in its administration of Kosovo has 
been to ensure the protection of the minority Serbian community from 
retribution by the Albanian community for the abuses they suffered at 
the hands of Serbian forces.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Religion and ethnicity in the FRY are so closely intertwined as to 
be inseparable. Increased societal violence against the Catholic 
minority in Vojvodina, largely consisting of ethnic Hungarians and 
Croats, also was reported. In addition, Catholic churches frequented by 
the Croat minority were attacked, although there have been few reports 
of this type of activity during the period covered by this report.
    Ethnic and religious minorities in Kosovo, the Sandzak region, and 
Vojvodina face discrimination in housing and employment. In Kosovo, 
ethnic Serbs have experienced societal discrimination since the 
expulsion of FRY security forces. Slavic Muslims in Sandzak face severe 
discrimination in health care, commerce, and education. There were 
credible reports that ethnic Albanians and Muslims in Serbia continued 
to be driven from their homes or fired from their jobs on the basis of 
religion or ethnicity. Other ethnic minorities, including ethnic 
Hungarians in Vojvodina who are predominantly Catholic (if religious), 
also allege discrimination. However, these forms of discrimination are 
primarily based on ethnicity rather than religion.
    In light of societal violence in Kosovo against properties owned by 
the Serbian Orthodox Church and Serbian Orthodox religious symbols, 
UNMIK authorities took extra steps following the Kosovo conflict to 
protect religious sites and to ensure that members of all religious 
groups could worship safely. Kosovo Force (KFOR) deployed security 
contingents at religious sites throughout the province to protect them 
from further destruction, as had occurred immediately after KFOR's 
intervention in June 1999.
    However, reflecting the severity of security concerns, Bishop 
Artemije, head of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo, declared soon 
after KFOR entered the province in June 1999, that the city of Prizren 
was no longer safe and announced that he, 9 priests, and 200 Serb 
civilians would leave for Pristina. Approximately 60 Serb families from 
Pristina already had taken refuge with Artemije in a monastery outside 
the city.
    As of December 1999, Bishop Artemije reported that more than 80 
Orthodox churches had been destroyed, damaged, or desecrated. Serbian 
Orthodox priests also were intimidated by Albanian Kosovars, with 
reports of attacks on priests accused in the Albanian press of 
collaborating with Serb forces. However, targeting of Orthodox churches 
and priests was based primarily on ethnic rather than religious 
grounds.
    The small Albanian Roman Catholic community, largely centered in 
the southern and western part of Kosovo, complained during the summer 
of 1999 that Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) members or others acting in 
the name of the KLA harassed Catholics and hindered religious 
activities on the pretext that Catholics collaborated with the Serbs 
during the conflict.
    Although there were few reported instances of abuses based on 
religion in the Republic of Montenegro, there were numerous acts of 
societal violence against ethnic minorities in Serbia, especially in 
the Sandzak region and Vojvodina. Serbs primarily have shown 
intolerance toward predominantly Muslim ethnic Albanians in Kosovo and 
toward the Slavic Muslims in the region of Sandzak. These abuses stem 
both from religious intolerance and ethnic prejudice.
    In Montenegro, relations between religious communities are 
generally peaceful. Catholic, Muslim, and Orthodox communities coexist 
within the same communities and often use the same municipally owned 
properties to conduct worship services. However, during the period 
covered by this report, there was a rise in tensions between the 
Serbian Orthodox Church and the self-proclaimed Montenegrin Orthodox 
Church. There were several incidents of violence between the supporters 
of these two competing Orthodox churches. The Montenegrin Orthodox 
Church has claimed holdings of the Serbian Orthodox Church in 
Montenegro. The Serbian Orthodox Church remains the most significant 
faith in Montenegro and has rejected the property claims.
    Violence is alleged to have broken out between members of the 
Montenegrin Orthodox Church and of the Serbian Orthodox Church in late 
1999 when on November 21 Father Dragan Stanisic of the Serbian Orthodox 
Church reportedly hit Montenegrin Orthodox Metropolitan Mihajlo in the 
face during a confrontation on a road near Cetinje. According to press 
reports, Father Stanisic's followers then attacked Metropolitan 
Mihajlo's car, although Stanisic denies that the incident ever 
occurred. Approximately 250 persons demonstrated to protest the 
incident in Cetinje, and authorities summoned riot police and 
reinforcements to prevent further incidents.
    The rift between the churches was highlighted again in January 2000 
when a Serbian Orthodox priest delayed the traditional Christmas 
celebration by calling on the audience to leave the hall because 
Montenegrin Orthodox Metropolitan Mihailo was present. Police 
reportedly had prevented a parallel Montenegrin Orthodox celebration 
from taking place in a separate location in the town on the same day. 
The Serbian Orthodox Church then publicly protested the Government's 
tolerance of the Montenegrin Orthodox Church.
    Seventh-Day Adventists and Jehovah's Witnesses are officially 
registered religions in Montenegro. However, their followers report 
that their efforts to build and renovate churches have been impaired by 
persons they believe to be loyal to the local Serbian Orthodox Church.
    The Jewish population in the FRY has also expressed concern about 
ultra-nationalist political figures and their anti-Semitic rhetoric.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Government has sought to promote ethnic and religious 
tolerance in the FRY. The break in diplomatic relations has limited 
severely the U.S. Government's ability to engage directly with 
religious representatives. However, in the summer of 1999 and again in 
February 2000, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright met with Bishop 
Artemije, head of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo, who expressed 
concern about the safety of the Serbs still living in Kosovo. During 
visits to Kosovo in July and November 1999, Secretary Albright 
delivered strong messages concerning ethnic tolerance in Kosovo. 
President Clinton also appealed for tolerance in the region on his 
visit in November 1999. U.S. KFOR peacekeeping troops have worked to 
prevent ethnic and religious violence in Kosovo and have guarded some 
religious sites. The U.S. is involved actively in UNMIK, the interim 
administration mission in Kosovo, which is aimed at securing peace, 
facilitating refugee return and reconstruction, laying the foundations 
for democratic self-government in the province, and fostering respect 
for human rights regardless of ethnicity or religion.
    In September 1999, the Secretary of State identified the Federal 
Government of Serbia-Montenegro for particularly severe violations of 
religious freedom.
    In Montenegro the U.S. Government has provided significant support 
and assistance to the reform-oriented republic government, which also 
seeks to ensure respect for human rights, including religious freedom.
                               __________

                            SLOVAK REPUBLIC

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion. 
However, anti-Semitism persists among some elements of the population.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
    The Constitution also provides for the right to change religion or 
faith, as well as the right to refrain from any religious affiliation.
    Registration is not required, but under existing law, only 
registered churches and religious organizations have the explicit right 
to conduct public worship services and other activities, although no 
specific religions or practices are banned or discouraged by the 
authorities in practice. Those that register receive state benefits 
including subsidies for clergymen and office expenses. State funding 
also is provided to church schools and to teachers who lecture on 
religion in state schools. Occasionally, the State subsidizes one-time 
projects and significant church activities, and religious societies are 
partly exempt from paying taxes and import custom fees. A religion may 
elect not to accept the subsidies. There are 15 officially registered 
religions.
    To register a new religion, it is necessary to submit a list of 
20,000 permanent residents who adhere to that religion. There is no 
case of a religious order being refused registration and the religions 
already established before the law passed in 1991 were all exempt from 
the minimum membership requirement.
    The Church Department at the Ministry of Culture administers 
relations between church and state. The Church Department manages the 
distribution of state subsidies to churches and religious associations. 
However, it cannot intervene in their internal affairs and does not 
direct their activities. The Ministry administers a cultural state 
fund--Pro Slovakia--which, among other things, allocates money to cover 
the repair of religious monuments. There is a government institute for 
relations between church and state.
    Religious officials report that due to cuts in subsidies their 
ability to pay salaries of clergy was hindered.
    Law 308/91 provides for freedom of religion and defines the status 
of churches and religious groups, including those groups not registered 
with the Government. It does not prohibit the existence of 
nontraditional religions.
    In April 2000, the Parliament passed legislation establishing a 
private Catholic university in the town of Ruzomberok. The university 
is to be launched by the Roman Catholic Church and managed by the 
Conference of Bishops. It is to receive a state subsidy amounting to 
$200,000 (Sk 8.6 million) in 2000; this amount is scheduled to be 
increased to $445,000 (Sk 20 million) in 2001. Initially, the 
university is to consist of two faculties, pedagogical and 
philosophical, and a theological institute. In the future the 
Conference of Bishops plans to open a faculty for mass media.
    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is negotiating a treaty with the 
Vatican to define the framework of church-state relations and mutual 
commitments. It is expected to be signed in a few months.
Religious Demography
    There are approximately 3.2 million Roman Catholics who make up 
60.4 percent of the population. There are 180,000 Byzantine Catholics, 
who constitute roughly 3.4 percent of the population. There are 35,000 
Orthodox believers, who make up 0.7 percent of the population. The 
Augsburg Lutheran Church has 330,000 members, who constitute 6.2 
percent of the population. The Reformed Christian Church has 80,000 
members and constitutes 1.7 percent of the population. Jehovah's 
Witnesses have 22,000 members. The Baptist Church has 2,500 members. 
The Brethren Church has 2,000 members. There are 1,700 Seventh-Day 
Adventists. The Apostolic Church has 1,200 members. The Evangelical 
Methodist Church has 1,100 members. Jewish congregations have 1,000 
members. The Old Catholic Church has 900 members. The Christian Corps 
in Slovakia has 700 members. The Czechoslovak Husite Church has 700 
members. According to the 1991 census, 27.2 percent of the population 
had no religious affiliation.
    According to a poll conducted by the Institute of Sociology of the 
Academy of Sciences in 1998, the number of practicing believers 
increased from 73 percent in 1991 to 83 percent in 1998. There was also 
an increase in the number of those who do not practice any religion, 
from 9.9 to 16.3 percent. Approximately 54 percent of Catholics and 22 
percent of Lutherans actively participate in formal religious services.
    There are three categories of nonregistered religions that comprise 
about 30 groups: nontraditional religions (Ananda Marga, Hare Krishna, 
Yoga in Daily Life, Osho, Sahadza Yoga, Shambaola Slovakia, Shri 
Chinmoy, Zazen International Slovakia, and Zen Center-myo Sahn Sah); 
the syncretic religious societies (Moonist, the Church of Scientology, 
Movement of the Holy Grail, and Baha'i); and the Christian religious 
societies (the Church of Christ, Manna Church, International 
Association of Full Evangelium Traders, Christian Communities, 
Nazarens, New Revelation, New Apostolic Church, Word of International 
Life, Society of the Friends of Jesus Christ, Sword of Spirit, 
Disciples of Jesus Christ, Universal Life, Church of Jesus Christ of 
Latter-Day Saints (Mormon), Unification Church, and Free Peoples' 
Mission).
    The law allows all churches and religious communities and enables 
them to send out their representatives as well as to receive foreign 
missionaries without limitation. Missionaries do not need special 
permission to stay in the country, nor are their activities regulated 
in any way.
    According to Government information, there are missionaries from 
the Roman Catholic, Augsburg Lutheran, and Methodist faiths as well as 
a Jewish emissary active in the country. From among the nonregistered 
churches, there are Mormon missionaries.
    Since 1989 the State has promoted inter-faith dialog and 
understanding by supporting events organized by various churches.
    The state-supported Ecumenical Council of Churches in Slovakia 
promotes communication within the religious community. All Christian 
churches have the status of members or observers in the Council. The 
Jewish community was invited, but chose not to participate.
    Law 282/93 on restitution of communal property enabled all churches 
and religious societies to apply for the return of their property that 
was confiscated by the Communist government. The deadline for these 
claims was December 31, 1994. The property was returned in its current 
condition and the State did not provide any compensation for the damage 
to it during the previous regime. The property was returned by the 
State, by municipalities, by state legal entities, and under certain 
conditions even by private persons. In some cases, the property was 
returned legally by the State but has not been vacated by the former 
tenant--often a school or hospital with nowhere else to go--rendering 
no gain to the religious entity involved. There also have been problems 
with the return of property that had been undeveloped at the time of 
seizure but upon which there since has been construction. Churches, 
synagogues, and cemeteries have been returned, albeit mostly in poor 
condition. The churches and religious groups often lack the funds to 
repair these properties to a usable condition. The main obstacles to 
the resolution of outstanding restitution claims are the Government's 
lack of financial resources, due to its austerity program, and 
bureaucratic resistance on the part of those entities required to 
vacate restitutable properties. While the Orthodox Church reported that 
six of the seven properties on which it had filed claims already had 
been returned, the Catholic Church and the Federation of Jewish 
Communities reported lower rates of success. The Catholic Church 
reported that almost half of the property that it had claimed had been 
returned to it already. In another 12 percent of cases the property had 
been returned legally to the Church but typically was occupied by other 
tenants and would require court action to be returned to Church hands. 
The Church had not received any compensation for the remaining 40 
percent of claims since these properties were undeveloped at the time 
of nationalization but since have been developed. The Church also is 
not eligible to reacquire lands that originally were registered to 
Church foundations that no longer exist or no longer operate in the 
country, like the Benedictines. The Federation of Jewish Communities 
(FJC) has reported some successful cases of restitution and has only a 
few pending cases that require resolution. These include cases in which 
property had been restituted to the FJC but not in usable condition; 
cases in which the property still is occupied by previous tenants; and 
lands upon which buildings had been constructed after the seizure of 
the property.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report. However, the Government took 
several steps that contributed to religious tolerance. In February 
2000, the Ministry of Education and the Institute of Judaism undertook 
an educational project on Jewish history and culture that is targeted 
to elementary and high school teachers of history, civic education, and 
ethics. This project is intended to assist in broadening the education 
of the public about Jewish themes, which were absent in the past, and 
increase tolerance toward minorities.
    On May 18, 2000, the Government sponsored a national conference on 
racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, and intolerance. At the conference 
the President announced that he would dedicate September 10 as a 
memorial day to victims of the Holocaust.
    When the city council of the town of Zilina announced in March 2000 
its decision to install a plaque honoring the Nazi-collaborationist 
wartime Slovak president, Jozef Tiso, on the city's Catholic community 
center, high-level politicians including President Rudolf Schuster and 
Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda made public statements condemning the 
proposal. The council reversed its decision (see Section I).
    On November 3, 1999, Parliament passed legislation compensating 
citizens who were deported to German-controlled concentration camps 
during World War II on the basis of their nationality, race or 
religion. For each month of deportation, those eligible are to receive 
a cash sum of $75 (Sk 3,000) plus a $0.75 (Sk 30) addition to their 
monthly pension. Direct heirs of deceased victims, who were minors at 
the time of deportation, are entitled to a lump sum of up to 
approximately $2,500 (Sk 100,000). The legislation disqualifies nearly 
700 Slovak Jewish survivors from southern Slovakia, which was under 
Hungarian control during World War II, because they received 
compensation from the Hungarian Government. Of the 450 applications 
submitted to date, 200 were refused and only 50 applications have been 
processed completely. The Federation of Jewish Communities has asked 
the Justice Ministry to expedite its procedures in order to compensate 
the aging survivors.
    In February 1999, police arrested two former high officials in the 
Slovak Secret Information Service (SIS) for involvement in the 1995 
effort to discredit the chairman of the Slovak Bishops Conference. The 
SIS allegedly framed the bishop for selling religious art for personal 
gain. If convicted former Chief of the SIS Counterintelligence Unit 
Jaroslav Svechota and Deputy Director of the Surveillance Unit Robert 
Beno would face sentences of between 5 and 12 years in jail.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations among churches and religious societies are amicable. 
However, anti-Semitism persists among some elements of the population.
    In October 1998, police arrested four teenage skinheads who 
allegedly painted swastikas and pro-Fascist slogans on a business run 
by a Jewish manager in Zvolen, but released them because they were 
juveniles. In November 1998, approximately 40 gravestones in the Jewish 
cemetery in Nitra were overturned. The Ministry of Interior arrested 
four high school students from Nitra and one apprentice from Bratislava 
for the incident. Because they were juveniles, they were given only 
community service work as punishment.
    Despite protests by the Federation of Jewish Communities, Slovak 
National Party members and the official Slovak cultural organization 
Matica Slovenska continued their efforts to rehabilitate the historical 
reputation of Jozef Tiso, the leader of the Nazi-collaborationist 
wartime Slovak state. On March 14, 2000, a marginal nationalist party, 
Slovak National Unity (SNU), held a rally to commemorate the 61st 
anniversary of the founding of the wartime Slovak State. The rally was 
attended by approximately 300 persons, including a number of skinheads. 
The police kept the event under tight control to prevent any violence. 
The chairman of the SNU, Stanislav Panis, in his tribute to Tiso 
appealed to the Government to make March 14 an official national 
holiday.
    In March 2000, the official Slovak cultural organization Matica 
Slovenska and the confederation of political prisoners commemorated the 
1939-1945 Slovak State at a meeting in which they emphasized the 
significance of March 14 as a symbol of Slovak statehood. Unlike 
previous years, prominent government officials did not attend.
    The Lutheran Church, Jewish community, government officials, and 
NGO leaders and activists criticized the Zilina city council's decision 
to install a memorial plaque to commemorate the wartime Slovak 
president Jozef Tiso (see Section I.). The overwhelmingly negative 
public reaction led to the council to reverse its decision in March 
2000.
    In early 1999, the Conference of Catholic Bishops in Slovakia and 
the Ecumenical Council of Churches in Slovakia had declared 1999 the 
year of Christian culture and invited the Ministry of Culture to join 
this project. These activities have been continued under the title 
``Great Anniversary of 2000.''
    An interconfessional tradition called the Week of Prayers for the 
Unity of Christians was established in 1994.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy maintains contacts with a broad spectrum of 
religious groups. The Embassy assists U.S. groups in making contacts in 
the country and also encourages tolerance for minority religions.
    Embassy officers meet with officials of the major religious groups 
on a regular basis to discuss property restitution issues as well as 
human rights conditions. Relations with religious groups are friendly 
and open. The Embassy continued its dialog with the Conference of 
Bishops, Federation of Jewish Communities, and the Orthodox Church. The 
Embassy has good relations with the Ministry of Culture and has 
fostered an effective dialog between religious groups, the Ministry, 
and the Commission for the Preservation of U.S. Heritage Abroad on 
matters of importance to the Commission.
    The U.S. Embassy issued a press release criticizing the local 
initiative to install a plaque commemorating Josef Tiso. Embassy 
officers met with the head of Catholic Church, Cardinal Jan Korec, and 
the director of the local branch of Amnesty International to discuss 
human rights concerns, including those of a religious nature. The 
Embassy organized meetings between the First Lady and several officials 
of the Jewish community during her visit to the country in October 
1999. Embassy officers have played an active role in assisting in 
restitution cases involving U.S. citizens and have assisted the 
Government in its attempts to become a member of the Task Force for 
International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance, and 
Research and to initiate a Liaison Project on Holocaust education in 
cooperation with the Task Force.
                               __________

                                SLOVENIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all 
levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its 
abuse, either by governmental or private actors. The Constitution 
provides that no person shall be compelled to admit his religious or 
other beliefs.
    There are few formal requirements for recognition as a religion by 
the Government. The requirements are technical, and there were no 
reports that any group was denied registration during the period 
covered by this report. The Government's Office for Religious 
Communities registers organizations as religious with the Ministry of 
Interior and also convenes regular meetings of all 35 registered 
religious communities in the country.
    Religious groups, including foreign missionaries, must register 
with the Ministry of the Interior if they wish to receive value added 
tax rebates on a quarterly basis. All groups in the country report 
equal access to registration and tax rebate status.
Religious Demography
    While no data are available on active participation in religious 
services, citizens identify themselves as follows: about 71 percent are 
Roman Catholic, 2.5 percent are Serbian Orthodox, and 1.5 percent are 
Sunni Muslim. Protestants, largely Lutherans concentrated in the 
eastern part of the country, constitute less than 1 percent of the 
population. The remainder of the population considers itself agnostic 
or atheist.
    Foreign missionaries, including a mission of the Church of Jesus 
Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) and religious groups (including 
Hare Krishna, Scientology, and Unification organizations) operate 
without hindrance.
    The appropriate role for religious instruction in the schools 
continues to be an issue of debate. The Constitution states that 
parents are entitled to give their children ``a moral and religious 
upbringing.'' Before 1945 religion was much more prominent in the 
schools, but now only those schools supported by religious bodies teach 
religion.
    The Roman Catholic Church was a major property holder in the 
Kingdom of Yugoslavia before World War II. After the war, much Church 
property--church buildings and support buildings, residences, 
businesses, and forests--was confiscated and nationalized by the 
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
    After Slovenian independence in 1991, Parliament passed legislation 
calling for denationalization (restitution and/or compensation) within 
a fixed period. The first post-independence government in 1991 was a 
center-right coalition headed by a Christian Democrat prime minister. 
However, a subsequent change of government in 1992 to a center-left 
coalition led by current Prime Minister Janez Drnovsek led to a virtual 
standstill in denationalization proceedings for several years. The 
strong opposition of the current Government toward returning large 
tracts of forest and other property to the Catholic Church is an 
frequently cited reason for the paralysis of the denationalization 
process.
    As of mid-1999, only one-third of all cases had been adjudicated at 
the initial administrative level. Restitution of church property is a 
politically unpopular issue, and the Catholic Church, despite its 
numerical predominance, does not have the political support necessary 
to force a faster pace for denationalization.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Societal attitudes toward religion are complex. Historical events 
dating long before Slovene independence color societal perceptions of 
the dominant Catholic Church. Much of the gulf between the (at least 
nominally) Catholic center-right and the largely agnostic or atheistic 
left stems from the massacre of large numbers of alleged Nazi and 
Fascist collaborators in the years 1946-48. Many of the so-called 
collaborators were successful businessmen whose assets were confiscated 
after they were killed or driven from Slovenia, and many were prominent 
Catholics.
    Inter-faith relations are correct, although there is little warmth 
between the majority Catholic Church and foreign missionary groups, 
such as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which are 
viewed as aggressive proselytizers.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy has discussed worldwide religious freedom 
worldwide in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. The 
Embassy has held extensive discussions with the Government on the topic 
of property denationalization in the context of the rule of law, 
although it has not specifically discussed church property during these 
sessions.
                               __________

                                 SPAIN

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice. The Government at 
all levels generally protects this right in full and does not tolerate 
its abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
    The 1978 Constitution, which declares the country to be a secular 
state, and various laws provide that no religion should have the 
character of a state religion. However, the Government treats religions 
in different ways. Catholicism is the predominant religion and enjoys 
the closest official relationship with the Government as well as the 
most benefits, including financing through the tax system. The 
Government supports the Catholic Church with an amount close to $1 
million annually. Jews, Muslims, and Protestants also have official 
status but enjoy fewer privileges. These religions have bilateral 
agreements with the Government and receive some financial assistance 
from the Government. Other recognized religions, such as Jehovah's 
Witnesses and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 
(Mormons), are covered by constitutional protections but have no 
special agreements with the Government.
    The Organic Law of Religious Freedom of 1980 implements the 
constitutional provision for freedom of religion. The 1980 law 
establishes a legal regime and certain privileges for religious 
organizations. To enjoy the benefits of this regime, religious 
organizations must be entered in the Register of Religious Entities 
maintained by the General Directorate of Religious Affairs of the 
Ministry of Justice. The register was established in 1981, and was 
updated most recently in 1998. In order to register with the Ministry 
of Justice, religious groups must submit documentation supporting their 
claim to be religions. If a group is turned down, it may appeal the 
decision to the courts. If it is judged not to be a religion, it may be 
included on a Register of Associations maintained by the Ministry of 
Interior. Inclusion on the Register of Associations grants legal status 
as authorized by the law regulating the right of association. Religions 
not officially recognized, such as the Church of Scientology, are 
treated as cultural associations.
    The Catholic Church does not have to register with the Ministry of 
Justice's religious entities list; however, some entities do register 
for financial or other reasons. The first section of the Register of 
Religious Entities, called the special section, contains a list of 
religious entities created by the Catholic Church and a list of non-
Catholic churches, confessions, and communities that have an agreement 
on cooperation with the State. In 1992 agreements on cooperation with 
the State were signed by three organizations on behalf of Protestants, 
Jews, and Muslims. The organizations were the Federation of Evangelical 
Entities of Spain (FEREDE), the Federation of Israelite Communities of 
Spain (FCIE), and the Islamic Commission of Spain (CIE).
Religious Demography
    The Catholic Church hierarchy maintains that 93.63 percent of 
citizens are declared Catholics. However, many persons argue that this 
figure is based on numbers of baptisms, weddings, and first communions, 
events that are essentially social rites, and which are practiced by 
many who do not attend church regularly or believe in Catholic 
teachings. According to a survey published in April 2000 by the Center 
for Sociological Investigations, 83.6 percent of citizens consider 
themselves Catholics, 2 percent followers of other religions, 7.9 
percent non-believers, and 4 percent atheists. The Federation of 
Protestant Churches represents 350,000 Protestants. The Federation of 
Spanish Islamic Entities (FEERI), located in Cordoba, estimates that 
there are more than 450,000 Muslims, not counting illegal immigrants 
(who could number a quarter million). There are approximately 25,000 
Jews registered with the major Jewish organization. However 50,000 
persons attend Jewish religious services in 13 of the country's 17 
regions. There are 3,000 Buddhists registered, but according to their 
president, there are three times that many in practice.
    There are 11,081 entities created by the Catholic Church in the 
first section of the Register of Religious Entities, and 570 non-
Catholic churches, confessions, and communities. The second section of 
the register, called the general section, contains non-Catholic 
churches, confessions, and communities that do not have an agreement 
with the State, and their creations. There are 329 entities in this 
section. The third section contains canonical foundations of the 
Catholic Church. There are 153 entries in this section.
    There are a total of 899 non-Catholic churches, confessions, and 
communities in the register. These consist of 747 Protestant church 
entities, which have 1,643 places of worship. These include: 
Charismatics--89 entities and 113 places of worship; Assemblies of 
Brothers-120 entities and 143 places of worship; Baptists-213 entities 
and 247 places of worship; Pentecostals64 entities and 259 places of 
worship; Presbyterians--36 entities and 58 places of worship; one 
entity of the Evangelical Church of Philadelphia, which has 613 places 
of worship; Church of Christ--9 entities and 19 places of worship; the 
Salvation Army--1 entity and 9 places of worship; Anglicans--17 
entities and 26 places of worship; interdenominational churches and 
entities--60 entities and 13 places of worship; Churches for Attention 
to Foreigners-25 entities and 9 places of worship; Adventists--3 
entities and 76 places of worship; and other evangelical churches--106 
entities and 53 places of worship. In addition, there are also: 
Orthodox--5 entities and 5 places of worship; Christian Scientists--3 
entities and no places of worship; Jehovah's Witnesses--1 entity and 
873 places of worship; Mormons--1 entity and 30 places of worship; 
other Christian confessions--10 entities and 29 places of worship; 
Judaism--15 entities and 15 places of worship; Islam--99 entities and 
45 places of worship; Baha'is--2 entities and 12 places of worship; 
Hinduism--3 entities and no places of worship; Buddhism--13 entities 
and 13 places of worship; and other confessions--3 entities and 12 
places of worship.
    Foreign missionaries proselytize in the country.
    Religion courses are offered in public schools but are not 
mandatory. There are religious schools, supported by the Catholic 
Church.
Governmental Restrictions on Freedom of Religion
    There are some allegations that the Government discriminates 
against non-Catholic religions. A senior Protestant leader stated that 
Protestants want the same tax exemptions as Catholics, the same access 
to legal services, the same right to establish foundations, the same 
presence in the communications media, and better treatment in the 
matter of religious groups.
    According to a senior Muslim leader, in 1999 30 Muslim girls in 
Granada were required to remove their veils for their national identity 
card photos; Catholic nuns are not required to remove their head 
coverings for their identity card photos.
    The Defense Ministry requires soldiers to declare their religion 
before allowing entry into military barracks by any religious figures 
other than Catholic army chaplains. The State funds Catholic chaplains 
who serve in hospitals.
    The government income tax form includes a box that allows taxpayers 
to assign 0.5239 percent of their taxes to the Catholic Church. 
Protestant and Muslim leaders would like their adherents to have a 
similar option. The Government was agreeable to adding the three 
``established religions''--Protestants, Jews, and Muslims--to the 
income tax check-box list, and opened negotiations with the Protestants 
on this subject on April 15, 1999. As of mid-2000, both Protestants and 
Muslims had been added to the list.
    The Jewish community wants to receive money from the Government, 
but does not want to be included in the check-box list on the income 
tax form. This reticence is attributed to the community's past history, 
which included persecution and expulsion from the country in 1492. In 
addition to an annual subsidy, the Jewish community is asking for a 
one-time reparations payment for the community's historic experience of 
suffering. A spokesman for the Jewish community said that Jews would 
not claim compensation for their lost patrimony, but would like the 
State to give back part of what was once theirs and is now in the hands 
of the Catholic Church. These properties could then be used jointly by 
Jews and Catholics. The Jewish community also wants the Government to 
resolve problems associated with Jewish cemeteries. (Under the law, 
land for cemeteries is not granted in perpetuity, and it is expected 
that cemeteries may be moved and the land developed for urban uses if 
the need so arises.)
    In May 1999, the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament approved a 
nonbinding resolution calling on the Government to reinforce measures 
against the activity of destructive ``sects'' in the country and to 
create a permanent observatory to monitor these organizations. In press 
reports, sources cited figures attributed to the Interior Ministry 
stating that there were 200 destructive sects in the country, which 
have between 100,000 and 150,000 members. The Law of Sects in Spain, 
passed in 1989, authorizes the police to investigate sects with a 
destructive character. As a result, a special unit was created within 
the police to investigate allegedly destructive sects.
    The government of the Canary Islands, one of Spain's 17 regions, 
has refused to grant permission to the Salvation Army to open a center 
for needy children, on the grounds that the Salvation Army is a 
``destructive sect.''
    In early April 1999, the Helsinki Human Rights Federation presented 
a report to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe 
(OSCE) that included criticism of Spain for failing to implement its 
commitment in the 1994 Budapest Document on freedom of religion and 
conscience. The report criticized Spain for discrimination against 
``new religions,'' which often are considered by authorities to be 
dangerous and destructive, while older, established religions continue 
to receive financial and other privileges from the State.
    The regional government of Catalunya's 1999 failure to renew three 
broadcast licenses belonging to the ``Network of Popular Spanish 
Airwaves,'' or ``Cadena Cope,'' would have effectively shut down three 
of the Catholic Church's FM radio stations. However, this decision was 
challenged successfully in the Supreme Court of Justice of Catalunya by 
the Cope. The Court ruled in March 2000 that the criteria used by the 
regional government to determine the award or renewal of licenses and 
frequencies placed a disproportionate emphasis on the planned use of 
the Catalan language in the programming, adding that this violated 
constitutional provisions for free access to information. The 
Government elected not to appeal the decision and announced its 
intention to review the applications again, using more balanced 
criteria.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the various religious communities are amicable.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. 
Embassy officials meet with religious leaders of the various 
denominations.
                               __________

                                 SWEDEN

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government respects this right in practice. The rights and freedoms 
enumerated in the Constitution include freedom of worship, protection 
from compulsion to make known one's religious views, and protection 
from compulsion to belong to a religious community.
    The country has maintained a state (Lutheran) church for several 
hundred years, supported by a general ``church tax'' (although the 
Government routinely grants any request by a taxpayer for exemption 
from that tax). The Church of Sweden receives state financial support 
not offered to other religions.
    In 1995 after decades of discussion, the state church and the 
Government agreed to a formal separation. This reform came into effect 
in 2000. However, the Church still is to receive some state support.
Religious Demography
    As of 1996, citizens were no longer automatically members of the 
state church at birth. It is possible to leave the state church, but 
very few persons do. Eighty-four percent belong to the Church of 
Sweden.
    There are about 165,000 Catholics, and the Orthodox Church has 
around 100,000 members, the main national groups being Greek, Serbian, 
Syrian, Romanian, Estonian and Finnish. There is a large Finnish-
speaking Lutheran denomination in Sweden. The number of Muslims has 
increased rapidly in recent years to between 250,000 and 300,000. 
Mosques are being built in many parts of the country. There are around 
17,000 Jews, of whom 8,500 are members of a congregation. Buddhists and 
Hindus number around 3,000 to 4,000 each. Although no reliable 
statistics are available, it is estimated that 15 to 20 percent of the 
adult population are atheist.
    The major religious communities and the state church are spread 
across the country. Large numbers of immigrants in recent decades have 
led to the introduction of nontraditional religions in those 
communities populated by immigrants.
    In October 1998, the Government published a report by a commission 
of experts entitled ``In Good Faith--Society and New Religious 
Movements.'' The report sought to gauge the needs of persons leaving 
new religious movements for support from the larger Swedish community. 
It paid special attention to the needs of children. According to the 
commission, each year approximately 100 persons seek assistance for 
various medical, legal, social, economic, or spiritual difficulties 
arising from their departure from new religious movements. The 
commission recommended passage of legislation making ``improper 
influence'' (such as forcing an individual to renounce his or her 
faith, or other such ``manipulation'') a punishable offense. The 
commission's proposal for legislation requires further investigation by 
the Government. The commission also proposed the establishment of a 
foundation for the study of questions of belief and to help build 
bridges between new religious movements and mainstream society.
    While weekly services in Christian houses of worship generally are 
poorly attended, a great many persons observe major festivals of the 
ecclesiastical year and prefer a ceremony with a religious stamp to 
mark the turning points of life. About 78 percent of children are 
baptized, 50 percent of all those eligible are confirmed, and 90 
percent of funeral services are performed under the auspices of the 
state church. Approximately 62 percent of couples marrying choose a 
Church of Sweden ceremony. Around 100,000 of the 250,000 to 300,000 
Muslims in the country are active religiously. Large numbers of Jews 
attend high holiday services but attendance at weekly services is low.
    There is a relatively large number of smaller church bodies. 
Several are offshoots of 19th century revival movements in the Church 
of Sweden. Others, such as the Baptist Union of Sweden and the 
Methodist Church of Sweden, trace their roots to British and North 
American revival movements. There are Orthodox, Conservative, and 
Reform synagogues. Muslim affiliations are represented among immigrant 
groups predominantly from the Shi'a and Sunni branches of Islam.
    The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and other foreign 
missionary groups are active in the country. They do not face special 
requirements.
    In 1986 Parliament established the Office of the Ombudsman Against 
Ethnic Discrimination, whose task is to ensure that individuals and 
groups do not suffer discrimination ``due to race, skin color, national 
or ethnic origin, or religion.'' For many years the Government has 
supported the activities of groups working to combat anti-Semitism.
    The Government promotes inter-faith understanding and meets 
annually with representatives from various religious groups. The 
Commission for State Grants to Religious Communities (SST) is a 
government body. It cooperates with the Swedish Free Church Council. 
SST members are selected by religious bodies, which are entitled to 
some forms of state financial assistance.
    In 1985 the Parliament resolved that public education should adopt 
an intercultural approach. There is an overall time schedule for 
compulsory course work in public schools. Religious education is part 
of this schedule, but is not limited to instruction in the state 
religion.
    The law permits official institutions, such as government 
ministries and Parliament, to provide copies to the public of documents 
that are filed with them, even though such documents may be unpublished 
and protected by copyright law. This is due to a contradiction between 
the Constitution's freedom of information provisions and the country's 
international obligations to protect unpublished copyrighted works. 
This contradiction has affected copyrighted, unpublished documents 
belonging to the Church of Scientology which have been made available 
to the public by the Parliament in accordance with domestic 
legislation. The Government is now in the process of drafting new 
legislation designed to eliminate the contradiction and protect 
copyrights.
    In January 1998, the Government began a national Holocaust 
education project after a public opinion poll found that only a low 
percentage of school children had basic knowledge about the Holocaust. 
Approximately 1 million copies of the education project's core textbook 
(available at no cost to every household with children, including in 
the most prevalent immigrant languages) are in circulation among the 
population of 9 million. Also in May 1998, the Prime Minister initiated 
the Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, 
Remembrance, and Research, to combat anti-Semitism, racism, and 
intolerance by placing international political support behind efforts 
to teach about the Holocaust. Eight other countries, including the 
United States, are members of the Task Force. In January 2000 the 
Government established January 27, the anniversary of Auschwitz's 
liberation, as a national day of remembrance. Also in January 2000, 
Sweden hosted a large, high level international conference on Holocaust 
education. The Stockholm International Forum on the Holocaust was 
attended by over 40 countries and over 20 heads of state and 
government.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who have been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Citizens are tolerant of diverse religions practiced in the 
country, including the Mormon faith and Scientology. However, there is 
limited anti-Semitism, which occasionally manifests itself in the 
vandalization of synagogues with graffiti and in threatening letters. 
In 1997 there were two cases of synagogues being vandalized with 
graffiti. In 1998 there was one case. No cases were reported in 1999 or 
the first half of 2000. The only anti-Semitic incident of note during 
1999 involved an assault by neo-Nazi teenagers on a Jewish musical 
conductor in July of that year. The teenagers involved were tried and 
incarcerated. Some immigrant groups have experienced discrimination or 
violence due to their ethnic background or race. The Government 
criticizes such practices and prosecutes offenders.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. The 
U.S. Government is a member of the Task Force for International 
Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance, and Research. The Task 
Force is an intergovernmental multinational Government initiative to 
combat anti-Semitism, racism, and intolerance. Deputy Treasury 
Secretary Stuart Eizenstat led the U.S. delegation to the Stockholm 
International Forum on the Holocaust, and President Clinton addressed 
the forum in a videotaped message.
                               __________

                              SWITZERLAND

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice.
    There is no official state church. However, all of the cantons 
financially support at least one of the three traditional 
denominations--Roman Catholic, Old Catholic, or Protestant--with funds 
collected through taxation. Each of the 26 states (cantons) has its own 
regulations regarding the relationship between church and state. In all 
cantons an individual may choose not to contribute to church taxes. 
However, in some cantons private companies are unable to avoid payment 
of the church tax. A religious organization must register with the 
Government in order to receive tax-exempt status. There have been no 
reports of a non-traditional religious group applying for the ``church 
taxation'' status that the traditional three denominations enjoy.
    The Government is considering formulating a national policy on 
``sects.'' In July 1999, the Business Review Commission of the National 
Assembly issued a report entitled ``Sects or Assimilative Movements in 
Switzerland,'' containing recommendations to the Government on the need 
for state involvement and the creation of national policy. The 
Commission recommended that the Government formulate a ``sect'' policy 
and coordinate the cooperation of researchers and informational and 
counseling committees. In June 2000, the Government rejected the 
Business Review Commission's recommendation to formulate a national 
sect policy. The Government said such a policy would conflict with the 
constitutional right to freedom of religious beliefs. The Government 
also opposed the creation of a National Information and Counseling 
Center pointing out that religious matters fall under the jurisdiction 
of the cantons.
Religious Demography
    Although traditionally approximately 95 percent of the population 
have been split 50-50 between the Protestant and Catholic churches, in 
the last 10 years there has been a trend of persons formally renouncing 
their membership and thus excluding themselves from church taxation. 
According to the 1990 census, the trend of renouncing church membership 
accounts for a loss of 1 to 2 percent for each of the three traditional 
religions. Membership in religious denominations is as follows: Roman 
Catholic--44 percent, Protestant--40 percent, Atheist--7 percent, 
Muslim--2 percent, Eastern religions--1 percent. Other denominations 
account for trace percentages: Christian, other--58,501, new religious 
movements--19,175, Jewish--17,577, Old Catholic--11,768, and unknown/
undecided--1 percent.
    Muslims have grown to at least 200,000, fueled by the influx of 
Yugoslav refugees in recent years. Muslims practice their religion 
throughout the country. Although only two mosques exist--in Zurich and 
Geneva--there have been no reports of difficulties in Muslims buying or 
renting space to worship. Although occasional complaints arise, such as 
a Muslim employee not being given time to pray during the workday, 
attitudes are generally tolerant toward Muslims, who constitute the 
country's largest non-Christian minority.
    Groups of foreign origin are free to proselytize. Groups such as 
Young Life, Youth for Christ, Church of Scientology, Youth With a 
Mission, the Salvation Army, Jehovah's Witnesses, the Church of Jesus 
Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), Seventh-Day Adventists, and the 
Islamic Call are also active in the country. Experts estimate that 
between 300 to 800 denominations and groups are established throughout 
the country.
    Foreign missionaries must obtain a ``religious worker'' visa to 
work in the country. Requirements include proof that the foreigner 
would not displace a citizen from doing the job, that the foreigner 
would be financially supported by the host organization, and that the 
country of origin of religious workers also grants visas to Swiss 
religious workers. Youth ``interns'' may qualify for special visas as 
well.
    Religion is taught in public schools. The doctrine presented 
depends on which religion predominates in the particular state. 
However, those of different faiths are free to attend classes for their 
own creeds during the class period. Atheists are allowed to skip the 
classes. Parents also may send their children to private schools or 
teach their children at home.
    In response to the issue of Holocaust era assets, the Government 
and private sector initiated a series of measures designed to shed 
light on the past, provide assistance to Holocaust victims, and address 
claims to dormant accounts in Swiss banks. These measures include: The 
Independent Commission of Experts under Professor Jean-Francois 
Bergier, charged with examining the country's wartime history and its 
role as a financial center;
    the Independent Committee of Eminent Persons under Paul Volcker, 
charged with resolving the issue of dormant World War II era accounts 
in Swiss banks; and the Swiss Special Fund for Needy Holocaust Victims, 
which received approximately $190 million (273 million Swiss francs) in 
contributions from the private sector and the Swiss National bank. In 
August 1998, a $1.25 billion settlement of the class action lawsuit 
filed in the U.S. against Swiss banks was announced.
    The debate over the country's World War II record contributed to 
the problem of anti-Semitism (see Section II). The Federal Council took 
action to address the problem of anti-Semitism. In December 1999, the 
Council reiterated a statement of regret first made in 1997 over 
Switzerland's failures to assist minorities fleeing the Nazi regime. On 
December 13, 1999, it established an association for a Center of 
Tolerance in Zurich. The aim of the center is to keep alive lessons of 
the past, to encourage ongoing analysis of history and current events, 
and to make clear the danger of possible manifestations of racism and 
xenophobia. The center's activities include a permanent exhibit in Bern 
and two traveling exhibits per year, as well as workshops. Its 
facilities include research and documentation offices.
    The Government does not initiate inter-faith activities.
    Of the country's 16 largest political parties, only three--the 
Evangelical People's Party, the Christian Democratic Party, and the 
Christian Social Party--subscribe to a religious philosophy. There have 
been no reports of individuals being excluded from a political party 
because of their beliefs. Some groups have organized their own parties, 
such as the Transcendental Meditation Maharishi's Party of Nature and 
the Argentinean Guru's Humanistic Party. However, none of these have 
gained enough of a following to win political representation.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Due to increasing concern over certain groups, especially 
Scientology, the Government in 1997 asked an advisory commission to 
examine Scientology. The commission's 1998 report concluded that there 
was no basis for special monitoring of Scientology, since it did not 
represent any direct or immediate threat to the security of the 
country. However, the report stated that Scientology had 
characteristics of a totalitarian organization and had its own 
intelligence network. The commission also warned of the significant 
financial burden imposed on Scientology members and recommended 
reexamining the issue at a later date. There have been no new 
developments in this regard.
    In 1998 the city of Basel passed a law banning aggressive tactics 
for handing out flyers. This action was prompted by complaints about 
Scientologists' methods. In June 1999, Scientology suffered a setback 
when it lost a bid in the country's highest court to overturn a 
municipal law that barred persons from being approached on the street 
by those using ``deceptive or dishonest methods.'' The Court ruled that 
a 1998 Basel law, prompted by efforts to curb Scientology, involved an 
intervention in religious freedom but did not infringe on it.
    The city of Buchs, St. Gallen, also has passed a law modeled on the 
Basel law. However, it is still legal to proselytize in nonintrusive 
ways, such as public speaking on the street or by going door-to-door in 
neighborhoods.
    In Zurich in June 1995 Scientologists appealed a city decision that 
prohibited them from distributing flyers on public property. In a 
qualified victory for the Scientologists, a higher court decided in 
September 1999 that the Scientologists' activities were commercial and 
not religious, and that the city should grant them and other commercial 
enterprises such as fast food restaurants more freedom to distribute 
flyers on a permit basis. Fearing a heavy administrative and 
enforcement workload, the city has appealed to the Supreme Court. The 
Supreme Court decision rejected the appeal in June 2000, reinforcing 
the decision by the previous court that the Scientologists' activities 
were commercial in nature. The Supreme Court decision is expected to 
establish a nationwide legal guideline on the issue.
    In Winterthur city authorities require Scientologists to apply for 
an annual permit to sell their books on public streets. The permit 
limits their activities to certain areas and certain days. This 
practice has been in effect since 1995 when a district court upheld 
fines issued to Scientologists by the city for accosting passersby to 
invite them onto their premises to sell them books and do personality 
tests. The court ruled that the Scientologists' activities were 
primarily commercial, rather than religious, which required them to get 
an annual permit for the book sale on public property and prohibited 
them from distributing flyers or other advertising material. The 
Supreme Court ruling in the Zurich case is expected to set a precedent 
for this case as well.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the various religious communities generally are 
amicable.
    In the context of discussions over Nazi gold and Holocaust era 
assets, anti-Semitic slurs reportedly still remain a problem, although 
there was no marked increase over the previous year. Government 
officials, including the President, have spoken frequently and publicly 
against anti-Semitism. According to the 1999 Swiss National Security 
Report, between 1995, when the anti-racism law was enacted, and 
December 1999, there were 104 cases brought to court under the anti-
racism law, with 45 convictions. Of those, 15 persons were convicted 
for anti-Semitism, 9 for revisionism, 20 for racist oral or written 
slurs, and 1 for other reasons. The heaviest penalty was a 15-month 
imprisonment and a fine of $12,000 (20,000 Swiss francs) against a 
person for denying the existence of the Holocaust.
    In November 1998, the Federal Commission Against Racism released a 
report on anti-Semitism in Switzerland, expressing concern that the 
recent controversy over the country's role during World War II had to 
some extent opened the door to expressions of latent anti-Semitism. At 
the same time, the Commission described the emergence of strong public 
opposition to anti-Semitism and credited the Federal Council with 
taking a ``decisive stand'' against anti-Semitism. The Commission also 
proposed various public and private measures to combat anti-Semitism 
and encourage greater tolerance and understanding.
    In response the Federal Council has committed to intensify efforts 
to combat anti-Semitic sentiment and racism. The Federal Council 
welcomed the publicly funded Bergier Commission report in December 1999 
that disclosed Switzerland's World War II record on turning away 
certain refugees fleeing from Nazi oppression, including Jewish 
applicants. The Federal Council described the publication of the 
Bergier Report as an occasion for reflection and discussion of 
Switzerland's World War II history. The Federal Council took action to 
address the problem of anti-Semitism (see Section I).
    In March 2000, a Geneva research group released a survey in 
cooperation with the American Jewish Committee in New York, stating 
that anti-Semitic views are held by 16 percent of Swiss citizens. Other 
prominent survey firms, as well as some Jewish leaders, disputed the 
accuracy of the Geneva firm's survey, stating that the survey 
overestimated the prevalence of anti-Semitic views. According to the 
survey, 33 percent of the Swiss People's Party (SV) supporters voiced 
anti-Semitic views. However, the survey found that 92 percent of all 
Swiss youth rejected anti-Semitic notions. The survey reflected some 
inconsistencies. For example, during the recent period of controversy 
over the country's World War II record, public opinion in support of 
Switzerland's anti-racism laws actually strengthened.
    Many nongovernmental organizations coordinate inter-faith events 
throughout the country.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with both 
Government officials and representatives of the various faiths and in 
the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
                               __________

                               TAJIKISTAN

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, there 
are some restrictions, and the Government monitors the activities of 
religious institutions to keep them from becoming overtly political.
    There was no change in the overall status of respect for religious 
freedom during the period covered by this report. However, a national 
referendum in September 1999 amended the Constitution to legalize 
religiously oriented political parties, and two representatives of one 
such party were elected to Parliament. Legal action was initiated 
against one evangelical Christian congregation that for many years has 
declined to register with the Government.
    The Government continues to pursue an aggressive policy of 
secularism, which it tends to define in anti-religious rather than 
nonreligious terms. Government policies reflect a pervasive fear of 
Islamic fundamentalism, a fear shared by much of the general 
population.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, there 
are some restrictions, and the Government monitors the activities of 
religious institutions to keep them from becoming overtly political. 
According to the Law on Religion and Religious Organizations, religious 
communities must be registered by the Committee on Religious Affairs 
under the Council of Ministers, which monitors the activities of Muslim 
groups, the Russian Orthodox Church, and possibly other religious 
establishments. While the official reason given to justify registration 
is to ensure that religious groups act in accordance with the law, the 
practical purpose is to ensure that they do not become overly 
political. In 1997 the Council of the Islamic Center was subordinated 
to the Government Committee on Religious Affairs. This move took place 
quietly, and with no apparent objection from the observant Muslim 
community.
    Regularly throughout the period covered by this report President 
Imomali Rahmonov aggressively defended secularism, which in the Tajik 
political context is a highly politicized term that carries the strong 
connotation--likely understood both by the President and his audience--
of being ``antireligious'' rather than ``nonreligious.'' The President 
also occasionally criticized Islam as a political threat. While the 
vast majority of citizens, including members of the Government, 
consider themselves Muslims and are not anti-Islamic, there is a 
pervasive fear of Islamic fundamentalism among both progovernment 
forces and much of the population at large.
    On May 23, 1998, Parliament passed a law prohibiting the creation 
of political parties with a religious orientation. The United Tajik 
Opposition (UTO), the largest component of which is the Islamic Revival 
Party (IRP), along with international organizations and foreign 
governments, strongly criticized the law for violating the June 1997 
peace agreement, which included a government commitment to lift the ban 
on member parties of the UTO. The post-independence 1992-97 civil war 
was fought in part over differing views of the role of religion in the 
republic. On June 2, 1998, President Rahmonov established a Special 
Conciliation Commission to resolve the dispute. On June 18, the 
Commission reported that it had devised compromise language for the 
law, banning parties from receiving support from religious 
institutions. A new version of the law including the compromise 
language was passed in the November 1998 parliamentary session. A 
constitutional amendment passed in a September 26, 1999 referendum, 
states that the State is secular and that citizens can be members of 
parties formed on a religious basis. Two representatives from a 
religiously oriented party, the Islamic Renaissance Party, now sit in 
the lower house of the national Parliament.
Religious Demography
    An estimated 95 percent of the citizens, about 5,550,000 persons, 
consider themselves to be Muslims, although the degree of religious 
observance varies widely. Only an estimated 10 percent regularly follow 
Muslim practices (such as daily prayer and dietary restrictions) or 
attend services at mosques. About 3 percent of all Muslims are 
Ismailis; almost all reside in the remote Gorno-Badakhshan region. The 
rest of the Muslim population is Sunni. There are more than 4,000 
registered mosques open for daily prayers. (An exact figure was not 
available from the State Committee on Religion. The number appears to 
have risen significantly in comparison to the previous figure of 3,082 
only because of a government effort to force existing mosques to 
register and thus pay registration fees.) In addition there are 237 so-
called ``Friday mosques'' (which are large facilities built for Friday 
prayers) registered with the State Committee on Religion. These figures 
do not include Ismaili places of worship because complete data were 
unavailable. There is no religious conflict between these two groups. 
There are approximately 230,000 Christians, mostly consisting of ethnic 
Russians and other Soviet-era immigrant groups. The largest Christian 
group is Russian Orthodox, but there are also Baptists (five registered 
organizations), Roman Catholics (two registered organizations), 
Seventh-Day Adventists (one registered organization), Korean 
Protestants (one registered organization), Lutherans (no data on 
registration), and Jehovah's Witnesses (one registered organization). 
Other religious minorities are very small and include Baha'is (four 
registered organizations), Zoroastrians (no data on registered 
organizations), Hare Krishnas (one registered organization), and Jews 
(one registered organization).
    Each of these groups probably totals less than 1 percent of the 
general population. The overwhelming majority of them live in the 
capital or other large cities.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Missionaries of registered religious groups are not restricted 
legally and proselytize openly. There were no reports of harassment of 
such groups, but neither are missionaries particularly welcomed. 
Christian missionaries from Western nations, Korea, India, and other 
countries are present, but their numbers are quite small. Current 
estimates put the number of recent Christian converts at approximately 
2,000 persons. However, the Government's fear of Islamic terrorists 
prompts it to restrict visas for Muslim missionaries. There was 
evidence of an unofficial ban on foreign missionaries who are perceived 
as Islamic fundamentalists.
    Aside from the registration requirement, there are few official 
constraints on religious practice, but government officials sometimes 
issue extrajudicial restrictions. For example, the mayor of Dushanbe 
prohibited mosques from using microphones for the 5-times-daily call to 
prayer. There are also reports that some local officials have forbidden 
members of the Islamic Revival Party from speaking in mosques in their 
region. However, this restriction is more a reflection of political 
rather than religious differences. In Isfara, following allegations 
that a private Arabic language school was hosting a suspected Uzbek 
terrorist, the authorities imposed restrictions on private Arabic 
language schools (to include restrictions on private Islamic 
instruction). These restrictions appear to be based on political 
concerns, but the effect on private religious instruction is also 
clear.
    The Government arrested numerous members of the Islamist 
organization, Hizb Ut-Tahrir (Party of Emancipation) in the northern, 
primarily ethnic Uzbek, Leninobod district. According to a press 
account, over 50 of the Hizb Ut-Tahrir organization's members were 
arrested between January and April 2000. At least two of the detainees 
reportedly were charged with disseminating subversive literature and 
planning to overthrow the Government. This organization is linked with 
an organization of the same name in Uzbekistan which calls for the 
creation of a Muslim caliphate in the country and has become a target 
of repression by the Uzbek Government, which has accused its members of 
acting against the constitutional order and of belonging to an 
extremist group.
    An unregistered Baptist congregation in Dushanbe was informed in 
early 2000 that it was obliged to register with the Government, but the 
Baptists refused on the grounds that they are a branch of the larger 
All-Baptist Churches, an organization of Baptist churches from 
throughout the former Soviet Union. They argued that only their 
leadership in Moscow has the right to register with a government 
authority. Proceedings began against the Baptists in March 2000 and the 
court fined the congregation a little more than 50 cents (1,000 Tajik 
rubles). The congregation refuses to pay as a matter of principle. 
There have been some instances of petty harassment of the church, with 
the militia on at least one occasion taking down the sign outside the 
congregation's building.
    Although there is no official state religion, the Government has 
declared two Islamic holidays, Id Al'fitr and Idi Qurbon, as state 
holidays.
    There were government-imposed restrictions on the number of 
pilgrims allowed to go on the Hajj in 1999. Individuals were not 
permitted to travel in a personal vehicle; persons were required to 
travel by government-owned transportation, primarily buses. There were 
regional quotas on the number of pilgrims, which led to corruption as 
places were sold. The motivation for quotas and other restrictions 
appears to be profit (maximizing bribes from Hajj pilgrims), rather 
than discouraging a religious practice.
    Government publishing houses are prohibited from publishing 
anything in Arabic script; they do not publish religious literature. 
However, in the first half of 1998, the President initiated a project 
to publish a Tajik version of the Koran in both Cyrillic and Arabic 
script. The books were printed in Iran and sold through the Iranian 
bookshop in Dushanbe. There are small private publishers that publish 
Islamic materials without serious problems. There is no restriction on 
the distribution or possession of the Koran, the Bible, or other 
religious works. The Islamic Renaissance Party, a religiously oriented 
party, began publishing Najot, a weekly newspaper, in 1999. Privately 
owned mass-circulation newspapers regularly published articles 
explaining Islamic beliefs and practices.
    There was no change in the overall status of respect for religious 
freedom during the period covered by this report. However, a national 
referendum in September 1999 amended the Constitution to permit 
religiously oriented political parties, and two representatives of one 
such party were elected to Parliament.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Conflict between different religious groups is virtually unknown, 
in part because there are so few non-Muslims. However, some Muslim 
leaders occasionally have expressed concern that minority religious 
groups undermine national unity.
    There were no reports that conservative Muslims in rural areas 
physically harassed non-Muslim women for not wearing traditional attire 
during the period covered by this report.
    The small Baha'i community normally does not experience prejudice, 
but a prominent 88-year-old member of the community was killed in his 
home in Dushanbe in September 1999. Members of the Baha'i community 
believe that he was killed because of his religion, since none of his 
personal possessions were taken from the murder scene. Police have made 
no arrests, but militant Islamists aligned with Iran are considered 
likely perpetrators.
    On July 28, 1998, an unknown group near Dushanbe kidnaped the imam 
of the central mosque, Mullo Giyomiddin. His body was found some days 
later. There have been no developments in the case. His successor, 
Mullo Khudoiberdi, was kidnaped on September 3, 1998, but was released 
after a few days. There have been no arrests in the case. Motives 
behind these crimes are unclear.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
    Through public diplomacy, the U.S. Embassy has supported programs 
designed to create a better understanding of how democracies address 
the issue of secularism and religious freedom. Several participants in 
these programs are key members of the opposition who now, through their 
writings and their debate on the definition of secularism, reveal a 
more sophisticated understanding of the concept and of how secularism 
and religious activism can coexist in a free society.
                               __________

                                 TURKEY

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, the 
Government imposed some restrictions on religious minorities and on 
religious expression in government offices and state-run institutions, 
including universities.
    There was no significant change in the status of respect for 
religious freedom during the period covered by this report; however, 
there were a few positive developments.
    Government policy and the mostly amicable relationship among 
religions in society contribute to the generally free practice of 
religion; however, extremist groups or individuals target minority 
communities from time to time. Unknown perpetrators damaged Greek 
Orthodox community property. Some converts to Christianity face 
harassment. The Muslim community continued to engage in a heated debate 
over the question of wearing traditional religious clothing in 
government facilities, including universities. The Government brought 
legal action against several prominent Islamist politicians, 
businesspersons, and writers, for allegedly ``inciting hatred'' through 
speech (albeit usually of a political, not a religious, nature). Police 
detained and arrested some Turkish Christians for allegedly 
proselytizing or for unauthorized gatherings.
    The U.S. Government frequently discusses religious freedom issues 
with the Government.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, it 
imposes some restrictions on religious minorities and on Muslim 
religious expression in government offices and state-run institutions, 
including universities. The Constitution establishes Turkey as a 
secular state and provides for freedom of belief, freedom of worship, 
and the private dissemination of religious ideas. However, these rights 
are restricted by constitutional provisions ensuring the integrity and 
existence of the State, and rejecting ``discrimination on the basis of 
religion.''
    The Government oversees Muslim religious facilities and education 
through its Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet). The Diyanet, 
which some groups claim reflects the beliefs of the Sunni Islamist 
mainstream, regulates the operation of the country's more than 70,000 
mosques, and employs local and provincial imams, who are civil 
servants. The Government states that the Diyanet treats equally all 
that request services.
    A separate government agency, the Office of Foundations (Vakiflar 
Genel Mudurlugu), regulates some activities of religious minorities 
including those established under the Lausanne Treaty in 1923 (Greek 
Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Jewish), and their affiliated 
churches, monasteries, and religious schools. The Vakiflar, which dates 
back to the Ottoman Empire, must approve the operation of churches, 
monasteries, synagogues, schools, and charitable religious foundations, 
such as hospitals and orphanages.
    There are 160 minority foundations, including Greek Orthodox (about 
70 sites), Armenian Orthodox (about 50), and Jewish (20), as well as 
Syrian Christians, Chaldoneans, Bulgarian Orthodox, Georgians, and 
Maronis. Minority foundations, including those of religions recognized 
under the Lausanne Treaty, may not acquire property for any purpose, 
although they can lose it. If a community does not use its property 
because of a decline in the size of its congregation over 10 years, the 
Vakiflar takes over direct administration and ownership. If such 
minorities can demonstrate a renewed community need, they may apply 
legally to recover their properties.
    During the period covered by this report, the military and 
judiciary, with support from other members of the country's secular 
elite, continued to wage a private and public campaign against Islamic 
fundamentalism, which they view as a threat to the secular republic. 
The National Security Council (NSC)--a powerful military/civilian body 
established by the Constitution to advise senior leadership on national 
security matters--categorizes fundamentalism as a primary threat to 
public safety and order. At a meeting in March 2000, the NSC discussed 
a report that claimed that fundamentalist Islamic elements had 
increased their activities in a number of areas, including infiltrating 
government ministries. However, the same NSC report noted that 
legislative measures have been taken on only 5 points of the February 
1997 18-point program against fundamentalism.
    Many prosecutors regard proselytizing and religious activism on the 
part of Evangelical Christians, and particularly Islamists, with 
suspicion, especially when such activities are deemed to have political 
overtones. There is no law that explicitly prohibits proselytizing or 
religious conversions; however, police sometimes arrest proselytizers 
for disturbing the peace or distributing literature that has criminal 
or separatist elements. Courts usually dismiss such charges. If the 
proselytizers are foreigners, they may be deported, but generally they 
are able to reenter the country.
Religious Demography
    About 99 percent of the population are Muslim, primarily Sunni. In 
addition to the country's Sunni majority, there is a significant Shi'a 
minority, of which an estimated 12 million are Alawis. Alawis, a 
heterodox Muslim Shi'a sect, are recognized as a distinct legal school 
within the 12 imam Shi'a tradition. Their rituals include men and women 
praying together through speeches, poetry, and dance.
    There are several non-Muslim religious minority groups; most are 
concentrated in Istanbul and other large cities. While exact population 
figures are not available, these include an estimated 50,000 Armenian 
Orthodox Christians, 25,000 Jews, and roughly 3,000 Greek Orthodox 
adherents. There are approximately 3,000 Protestants and 10,000 
Baha'is. Additionally, there are an estimated 15,000 Syrian Orthodox 
(Syriac) Christians and a small, undetermined number of Bulgarian, 
Chaldean, Nestorian, Georgian, and Maronite Christians. The number of 
Christians in the southeast has declined as the younger generation, 
especially among Syriacs, leaves the area to live in Istanbul, Europe, 
or North America.
    There are no known estimates on the number and religious 
affiliation of foreign missionaries in the country.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    As a minority within the predominant (Sunni Muslim) faith, Alawis 
freely practice their religion and build ``Cem houses'' (Alawi places 
of gathering). Some Alawis allege discrimination in the form of failure 
to include any of their doctrines or beliefs in religious instruction 
classes, and charge a Sunni bias in the Diyanet, which they claim tends 
to view the Alawis as a cultural rather than religious group. However, 
some Sunni Islamic political activists charge that the secular State 
favors and is under the influence of the Alawis. No funds are allocated 
specifically from the Diyanet budget for Alevi activities. In addition, 
there are no government-salaried Alawi religious leaders, in contrast 
to Sunni religious leaders.
    Tarikats (Sufi religious orders) and other mystical Sunni Islamic, 
quasi-religious, and social orders have been banned officially since 
the 1920's, but largely are tolerated. In recent years, the National 
Security Council has called for stricter enforcement of the ban as part 
of its campaign against the perceived threat of Islamic fundamentalism. 
Nevertheless, prominent political and social leaders continue to be 
associated with Tarikats. There were no significant legal actions 
undertaken against the Tarikats during the reporting period.
    The military regularly dismisses from the service individuals whose 
official files reflect participation in Islamist fundamentalist 
activities. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) upheld one such 
dismissal in 1998; other cases are pending.
    The Government continued to enforce a more than 50-year-old ban on 
the wearing of religious head coverings at universities or by civil 
servants in public buildings. Some women who wear head coverings, and 
both men and women who actively have shown support for those who defy 
the ban, have lost their jobs in the public sector as nurses and 
teachers; some others were not allowed to register as university 
students. In December 1999, the country's Council of State (Danistay) 
overturned a lower court decision that would have permitted a student 
to attend a university wearing a headscarf. The Danistay based its 
decision on the rationale that universities are public institutions 
and, as such, have an obligation to protect the country's basic 
principles, including secularism. In its decision, the court referred 
to its understanding of a ruling by the ECHR in favor of Turkey, noting 
that students had to abide by university dress codes, and that the 
wearing of a headscarf could be construed as pressure on other 
students.
    In November 1999, the Malatya State Security Court (SSC) decided to 
remove the threat of the death penalty and charges of attempting to 
change the constitutional order by force, and instead charged 48 
defendants, arrested for staging violent protests against the headscarf 
ban of May 1999 at Malatya's Inonu University, under the (Turkish law 
2911) meetings and demonstrations law and Penal Code article (312/2) of 
``promoting enmity'' along religious lines. It sentenced them to jail 
terms of 18 months to 5 years. Appeals continue. Twenty-two others were 
acquitted, 4 cases continue, and 2 were transferred.
    Merve Kavakci, elected in April 1999 from the Fazilet (Virtue) 
Party, unsuccessfully sought to be sworn in to Parliament wearing an 
Islamist-style head covering. Kavakci's case highlighted the ongoing 
dispute over the ban on wearing religious-style clothing in official 
settings. She later was stripped of Turkish citizenship on the grounds 
that she had violated the law by assuming another country's citizenship 
without notifying proper authorities. She appealed the verdict and 
lost. Kavakci also lost her parliamentary privileges soon after her 
citizenship was revoked, although not her elective office since 
Parliament has not voted to remove her. The issue of headscarves in 
Parliament, in terms of legislation that would give a final definition 
to the parliamentary dress code, remains unresolved.
    In May 1999, a case was filed at the Constitutional Court to close 
the Islamist Fazilet Party for promoting anti-secular activity and for 
representing the ideologies of the Islamist Refah (Welfare) Party, 
which was banned in 1998. The indictment also calls for banning 
Fazilet's leaders from politics for 5 years and stripping its Members 
of Parliament (M.P.'s) of their seats. The case still is pending before 
the Constitutional Court.
    In March 2000, Islamist former prime minister Necmettin Erbakan was 
convicted under the Penal Code (Article 312) of ``promoting enmity'' 
along religious lines, for a speech he had made in 1994 in which (inter 
alia) he referred to parliamentarians as ``infidels.'' He was sentenced 
to 1 year's imprisonment, pending appeal. Human rights groups and some 
politicians criticized the verdict as undemocratic, but the judiciary 
and many mainstream politicians defended it. Also in March, the 
chairman of the Islamic business-oriented association Musiad was 
sentenced to one year's imprisonment under the same law, for a 1999 
statement where he referred to ``believers and non-believers.'' His 
sentence was suspended.
    Government authorities do not interfere on matters of doctrine 
pertaining to minority religions, nor do they restrict the publication 
or use of religious literature among members of the religion.
    The authorities monitor the activities of Eastern Orthodox churches 
and their affiliated operations. While the Government does not 
recognize the ecumenical nature of the Greek Orthodox patriarch, it 
acknowledges him as head of the Turkish Greek Orthodox community and 
does not interfere with his travels or other ecumenical activities. The 
Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul has sought for years to reopen the 
seminary on the island of Halki in the Sea of Marmara. The seminary has 
been closed since 1971, when the State nationalized all private 
institutions of higher learning. Under current restrictions, including 
a citizenship requirement, religious communities remain unable to train 
new clergy for eventual leadership. Coreligionists from outside the 
country have been permitted to assume leadership positions.
    Religious and moral instruction in public 8-year primary schools is 
compulsory for Muslims. Upon written verification of their non-Muslim 
background, minorities ``recognized'' by the Government to be covered 
by the 1923 Lausanne Treaty (Greek Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and 
Jewish) are exempted by law from Muslim religious instruction. These 
students may attend courses with parental consent. Other non-Muslim 
minorities, such as Catholics, Protestants, and Syriac Christians, are 
not exempted.
    In accordance with a 1997 law, which made 8 years of secular 
education compulsory, new enrollments in the first 8 years of the 
Islamic imam-Hatip schools (in existence since 1950) were stopped, 
although children already in those classes were allowed to finish their 
grades. The imam-Hatip schools were very popular among conservative and 
Islamist Turks as an alternative to secular public education. Under the 
law, students may pursue study at Islamic imam-Hatip high schools upon 
completion of 8 years in the secular public schools. Children already 
enrolled in the later portion of those classes are allowed to finish 
their grades. Only the Diyanet is authorized to provide religious 
training, although some clandestine private religious classes may 
exist. Students who complete 5 years of primary school may enroll in 
Diyanet Koran classes on weekends and during summer vacation.
    There are legal restrictions against insulting any religion 
recognized by the State, interfering with that religion's services, or 
debasing its property.
    Under the law, religious services may take place only in designated 
places of worship. Non-Muslim religious services, especially for 
religions that do not have the status of ``official minorities,'' often 
take place in nondesignated places of worship, such as diplomatic 
property or apartments. The Roman Catholic Church in Ankara, for 
example, is confined to diplomatic property.
    Some religious minority groups have lost property. In October 1999, 
an Armenian church in Kirikhan, Hatay province, was taken over by the 
Vakiflar, because its congregation had dwindled to only two persons. 
The case is under administrative appeal. In addition, bureaucratic 
procedures and considerations relating to historic preservation at 
times have impeded repairs to religious facilities. Restoration or 
construction may be carried out in buildings and monuments considered 
``ancient'' only with authorization of the Regional Board on the 
Protection of Cultural and National Wealth.
    The Baha'i community currently is fighting a legal battle against 
government expropriation of a sacred Baha'i site near Edirne. The site 
was granted cultural heritage status in 1993 by Edirne's Board of 
Natural and Cultural Riches, a branch of the Ministry of Culture. 
However, in January 2000, the Baha'i community was notified by the 
Ministry of Education that the property had been expropriated for 
future use by the adjacent primary school. The Ministry has deposited 
funds in the Baha'i community's bank account for the expropriated 
property. The court process is continuing, and the local administration 
court in Edirne recently rescinded its temporary stay of execution, 
which technically allows the Ministry of Education to implement 
expropriation. However, the Baha'i appeal of the expropriation process 
continues.
    Although religious affiliation is listed on national identity 
cards, there is no official discrimination.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    In several incidents over the period covered by this report, police 
detained or stopped Christians who were holding services in private 
apartments, and those considered to be proselytizing by handing out 
literature. In September 1999, police interrupted a service in an Izmir 
apartment and held 40 Turkish and foreign Christians overnight, 
apparently after neighbors called the police to complain about an 
illegal meeting. In another case in March 2000, two Turkish Christians 
were detained for a month on the charge of ``insulting Islam'' by 
distributing Bibles; they were released in May 2000 at their first 
hearing when witnesses refused to stand by their signed statements. 
Their trial continues in only one of four jurisdictions where cases 
were opened.
    On May 24, 2000, in Istanbul, several persons were detained 
overnight following a police raid on a private apartment where a group 
was holding Protestant services. Most of the participants were released 
the next day, but may face charges; two persons were held for several 
days before being released.
    The Istanbul State Security Court ordered the confiscation of the 
June 28 issue of the reportedly anti-Semitic ``Akit'' and the June 23-
29 edition of its related weekly publication ``Cuma'' for ``inciting 
religious hatred'' for its treatment of the death of a prominent 
secular military official.
    Prominent Islamist political leaders, including former Istanbul 
mayor Recep Tayyip Erdogan, have been sentenced to jail for threatening 
the unity of the State and banned from politics. Erdogan's 10-month 
sentence was upheld in September 1998, and he was jailed from March to 
July 1999.
    There were no reports of persons who were detained or imprisoned 
solely for their religious beliefs.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Improvements in Respect for Religious Freedom
    While the incidents involving Christians brought into focus the 
lack of full understanding and tolerance of all minority religions, 
there also were positive developments during the period covered by this 
report. For the first time, the President issued a Christmas message. A 
private foundation and the Ministries of Culture and Tourism co-hosted 
an April 2000 seminar on Abraham at his birthplace in Harran. In May 
2000, the Diyanet sponsored two ecumenical events: a seminar on 
religion and politics in the European Union context and a gathering of 
religious groups in Tarsus. The latter was attended by representatives 
of Roman, Armenian, and Syrian Catholic communities; Greek, Armenian, 
Syrian, and Bulgarian Orthodox communities; and Chaldean and Jewish 
communities.
    In April 2000, a papal representative participated in a ceremony in 
Antakya organized by the Syriac Christians commemorating the 2,000th 
anniversary of Jesus's birth. In May 2000, a court victory for the 
country's small Protestant community allowed a Protestant church in 
Istanbul to establish itself as a ``foundation.'' Normally all 
``religious'' foundations need to have been in existence since the 
early days of the Republic in order to be deemed as such. On June 16, 
2000, in an unprecedented event, Diyanet leader Mehmet Nuri Yilmaz met 
at the Vatican with the Pope.
    In late 1999, the Vakiflar changed some regulations for minority 
foundations. These foundations now may hire their own lawyers, rather 
than having to use those from a special government list, to represent 
them in dealings with the Government. They also do not have to ask the 
Vakiflar's permission to conduct repairs/renovations (previously they 
needed this permission for renovations over $200,000; however, they 
still must get permission from the Ministry of Culture and local 
officials.) In addition, the Government, not the minorities themselves, 
now pays Vakiflar inspections and oversight fees.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Jews and most Christian denominations freely practice their 
religions and report little discrimination in daily life. However, some 
Turks who have converted to Christianity experience harassment from 
family and neighbors. Proselytizing remains socially unacceptable. 
While there are no legal prohibitions against religious conversion, 
individuals contemplating conversion often face family and community 
pressures. Some members of religious minorities claim that they have 
limited career prospects in government or military service as a result 
of their religious affiliation.
    Extremist groups or individuals target minority communities from 
time to time. In 1999-2000 there were 2 reported attacks on Greek 
Orthodox properties in Istanbul. No perpetrators were arrested or 
charged in these attacks; or in a 1998 arson attack on the Orthodox 
shrine, now a museum, at Saint Therapon where the custodian was killed; 
or in the December 1997 bombing at the Orthodox Patriarchate. Police 
protection increased after the 1998 attack, and investigations 
continue. There were no reported attacks on Jewish and other minority 
groups' properties. In June 2000, 33 persons were convicted and given 
the death penalty for ``trying to change the constitutional regime,'' 
for their role in setting a July 1993 fire in which 37 intellectuals 
(mainly Alawi Muslims) died.
    Many religious minority members, along with many in the secular 
political majority of Muslims, fear the possibility of rising Islamic 
extremism and the involvement of even moderate Islam in politics. Two 
Islamist newspapers regularly publish anti-Semitic material.
    In January 2000, police raids uncovered the Turkish Hizbullah 
network of Islamic terrorists. This group is alleged to have killed 
scores of moderate Islamic imams, businessmen, and political leaders--
including a woman known for her untraditional view of women's role in 
Islam.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    Encouraging respect for religious freedom is an integral part of 
the U.S. Mission's activities. Mission officials, including staff of 
the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul and the U.S. Consulate in Adana, 
enjoy close relations with the Diyanet, the Ecumenical Greek Orthodox 
Patriarchate, the Armenian Orthodox Patriarchate, Jewish communities in 
major cities, and other religious groups. Embassy officers also remain 
in close contact with local nongovernmental organizations (NGO's) that 
monitor freedom of religion.
    In November 1999, during his visit, President Clinton met briefly 
in Ankara with the head of the Diyanet and the chief Rabbi of Turkey, 
and visited the Ecumenical Patriarch in Istanbul. President Clinton 
also visited ``Meryem Ana Evi'' (Mary's House) at Ephesus, and met 
there with the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Izmir.
    In December 1999, Ambassador-at-Large for Religious Freedom Robert 
Seiple visited the country. He met with government officials, including 
the head of the Diyanet; representatives of minority faiths; and human 
rights NGO's. During his meetings, Ambassador Seiple stressed the 
importance of respect for the diversity of the country's religions and 
the need for citizens to be able to practice their faith without undue 
governmental restrictions.
    Embassy and consulate staff members monitor and report on incidents 
of detention and deportation of foreigners found proselytizing.
                               __________

                              TURKMENISTAN

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion and does not 
establish a state religion; however, the Government severely restricts 
all religious expression except for the two registered groups, Sunni 
Muslims and Russian Orthodox Christians. Unregistered groups are 
discouraged from holding gatherings, disseminating religious materials 
or proselytizing, although some unregistered congregations exist.
    There was a decline in the Government's overall respect for 
religious freedom during the period covered by this report. The 
Government became more intolerant of religious minorities and increased 
its interference with their religious observances. However, new 
procedures ordered by President Saparmurat Niyazov in April 2000, sent 
to the legislature in May and passed by the Parliament in June limited 
house searches by Government authorities. Coincident with the proposal 
and subsequent enactment of the new legislation, reported harassment of 
religious believers declined.
    Beginning in May 1999, the Government began a crackdown on local 
Christian churches. During the period covered by this report, 
noncitizen believers were deported, and the Government refused to renew 
visas for approximately 20 foreigners it accused of being involved in 
missionary activities. In November 1999, the Government razed a 
Seventh-Day Adventist church in Ashgabat. In April 2000, the President 
ordered the implementation of new procedures restricting searches of 
private homes. The measures were formally incorporated into a draft law 
in May, and approved by the legislature in June 2000. In parallel, 
measures were enacted into law restricting the ability of law 
enforcement authorities to institute criminal proceedings against 
Turkmen citizens, by requiring permission to do so from commissions 
formed of local officials and social organizations. The period 
following these measures reportedly saw a significant reduction of 
police harassment of some religious believers in their private homes 
and a reduction of confiscation of religious property. There were 
reports of several religious detainees and prisoners. There is little 
or no overt tension among adherents of the various religious groups.
    On numerous occasions, officials from the U.S. Embassy in Ashgabat 
and Washington pressed the Government to expand religious freedom, in 
particular to reduce its burdensome registration requirements for 
minority religions. The Ambassador offered his residence for use as a 
place of worship by a Protestant prayer group composed of expatriates 
who previously used the Seventh-Day Adventist church.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal Policy/Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion; however, the 
Government imposes severe restrictions on minority religious groups. 
There is no state religion, but a modest revival of Islam has occurred 
since independence. The Government has incorporated some aspects of 
Muslim tradition into its efforts to define a Turkmen identity, and 
gives some financial and other support for the construction of new 
mosques to the Council on Religious Affairs. This body plays an 
intermediary role between the government bureaucracy and registered 
religious organizations, but does not promote actively inter-faith 
dialog. The Government pays the salaries of Muslim clerics and during 
the period covered by this report provided free transportation for as 
many as 300 citizens to undertake the Hajj to Mecca.
    While it affirms a number of important religious freedoms, the Law 
on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations, which was amended 
in 1995 and again in 1996, also provides for significant government 
control over religion. Religious congregations are required to register 
with the Government and must have at least 500 citizens over the age of 
18 as adherents to be registered. Moreover, the Government applies this 
500-member standard on a local and regional basis. For example, a 
Catholic representative was told in 1998 that his congregation would 
have to have 500 adherents in Ashgabat to be registered there and 
another 500 in the city of Turkmenbashi to be registered there. 
Moreover, since Turkmen names are routinely deleted from lists to 
prevent discrimination against congregations trying to register ethnic 
Turkmen, it has proven almost impossible for groups to find 500 non-
Turkmen names to register. These stringent registration requirements 
have prevented all but Sunni Muslims and Russian Orthodox Christians 
from setting up legal religious organizations. Although only registered 
religious congregations legally can hold gatherings, disseminate 
religious materials, and proselytize, some congregations, including 
Baptists and Jehovah's Witnesses do manage to meet, and since April 
2000 have done so without harassment.
Religious Demography
    Reliable statistics on religious affiliation are not available, but 
ethnic Turkmen (77 percent of the population), ethnic Uzbeks (9 
percent), and ethnic Kazakhs (2 percent) are nominally Muslim. However, 
Islam does not play a dominant role in society, in part due to 70 years 
of Soviet rule and in part because of the pre-Soviet cultural history 
of the region. Russians constitute about 7 percent of the population, 
and the remaining 5 percent consist of Armenians, Azeris, and other 
ethnic groups. Religious believers among the Russians are most likely 
to be members of the Russian Orthodox Church, but their level of 
religious observance is uncertain. Some Russians are also Pentecostals, 
Jehovah's Witnesses, and Baptists. A small community of Baha'is exists. 
Roman Catholicism is practiced by a small number of persons, 
predominantly foreigners.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Constitution provides that each person has the right to express 
and disseminate religious beliefs. However, proselytizing by 
unregistered (that is, other than Russian Orthodox or Sunni Muslim) 
religious groups incurs a negative official reaction. Government 
permission is required for any mass meetings or demonstrations for 
religious purposes.
    Islamic religious literature is available from mosques.
    Russian Orthodox Churches offer Christian religious literature.
    State-controlled broadcast media do not allow religious 
broadcasting. Unregistered religious groups face government harassment 
if they attempt to meet or distribute religious literature. Some 
minority Christian religious groups in Ashgabat said that since the 
April 2000 presidential decree restricting searches of private homes, 
law enforcement officials had not visited the meetings they hold in 
private homes nor confiscated any of their religious literature.
    The Government's restrictive policies toward minority religions 
have caused problems for a number of them, including the Baha'i Faith, 
which was registered by the Government in 1994 only to be deregistered 
in 1997 when the threshold was raised to 500 adherents. Members of the 
Baha'i Faith have been prevented from conducting services since 1997. 
The local Baha'i community in Ashgabat was able to conduct a memorial 
service at a local restaurant in January 2000. In January 1999, the 
local Armenian community in Turkmenbashi applied to local authorities 
to use a church appropriated during the Soviet era as a cultural center 
pending registration as a religious organization, but it did not 
receive a reply during the period covered by this report. In May 1999, 
President Niyazov promised to permit registration of almost all 
remaining religious groups by September 1999; however, the Government 
did not take any action during the period covered by this report. No 
new religious groups were registered and the Halk Mahslahaty (People's 
Council) did not reduce the 500-person threshold during its December 
1999 meeting despite indications by senior officials that it would do 
so.
    There is no formal missionary activity in the country. Beginning in 
May 1999, the Government began a crackdown on local Christian churches. 
According to the Brussels-based nongovernmental organization (NGO) 
Human Rights Without Frontiers, in May 1999 government authorities 
questioned more than 100 citizens about their contacts with foreign-
nationality Christians residing in the country. In June 1999, 
representatives of internal security organizations also visited the 
Baha'i center and warned its members not to distribute religious 
materials. In June, July, and August 1999, law enforcement officials 
harassed congregations of Baptists, Seventh-Day Adventists, and 
Pentecostals, seized religious materials, and instructed the groups to 
stop their activities in the country. Credible press reports indicate 
that another series of efforts to intimidate Baptist congregations 
throughout the country took place in early 2000, including raids of 
homes and confiscation of religious materials. In March 2000, border 
officials confiscated religious materials in bulk being brought into 
the country by a visiting group affiliated with an evangelical 
Christian organization.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    There were reports of religious detainees and prisoners, and there 
were some credible reports that some law enforcement officials beat 
religious detainees or prisoners. In March 1999, Shageldi Atakov, a 
member of the Baptist faith, was sentenced to 2 years in prison for an 
alleged illegal transfer of automobiles in 1994. The prosecutor in the 
case protested the leniency of the decision and in August 1999, Atakov 
was resentenced to 4 years in prison and fined $12,000. Atakov denied 
the charges and claimed that he was being imprisoned because of his 
religious beliefs. Atakov reportedly was beaten severely by a law 
enforcement officer while in prison. According to a foreign evangelical 
organization, authorities sought to pressure Atakov's wife to convert 
to Islam. On February 3, 2000, the local Committee of National Security 
(KNB) chief reportedly expelled Shageldy's wife and children from Mary 
to Kaakha where they were told not to leave the town. On March 3, 2000, 
the Government arrested Shageldy's brother Chariyar on unknown charges.
    Jehovah's Witnesses living in Gizylarbat also reported that they 
were beaten severely while in government custody. In June 1999, 
Yazmammed Annamammedov was arrested and charged with insulting a 
policeman. While he was being interrogated, local representatives of 
the KNB beat him. He was tried and sentenced to 12 days' imprisonment. 
On July 23, 1999, he again was arrested, tried, and sentenced to 10 
days' imprisonment. In October 1999, he was arrested and sentenced to 
10 days' imprisonment. Upon his release on October 19 he again was 
asked to renounce his religious beliefs and beaten. According to 
Jehovah's Witnesses sources, Annamammedov is now serving a 4-year 
sentence at a prison work camp in Bezmein.
    In September 1999, local police and KNB officers in Geokdepe 
reportedly arrested two Jehovah's Witnesses for discussing the Bible 
with fellow citizens. After 3 days of interrogation, which reportedly 
included beatings, the two were sentenced to 15 days' imprisonment. 
Upon their release, they were told to renounce their faith and warned 
not to tell human rights organizations about their treatment while in 
Government custody.
    Rahim Tashov, the pastor of an unregistered Baptist congregation in 
the city of Turkmenabad (formerly Charjou) was arrested twice in 
October 1999 and fined for holding meetings of an unregistered 
religious group. He reportedly was beaten while in police custody. 
Since his arrest the entire congregation has not been able to meet 
together in one place. Members of the Baha'i Faith have been questioned 
by internal security representatives for holding private prayer 
meetings in their homes.
    The Government also harassed Pentecostals. On February 4, 2000, law 
enforcement authorities reportedly beat up the Pastor and confiscated 
religious materials at a facility in Tejen. On February 6, agents from 
the KNB broke up a service at a Pentecostal house of worship in 
Ashgabat and recorded the names of all those present.
    During the December 16-17 visit of a Helsinki Commission staff 
delegation, police arrested two Baptist pastors and orchestrated raids 
on Baptist churches in Chardjou, Mary, Turkmenbashi, and Ashgabat. In 
April 2000, President Niyazov ordered that Muslim madrassahs and other 
religious schools be closed and that only two or three such schools, 
functioning under the auspices of the government-controlled Muftiyat, 
be allowed. In March 2000, the Government arrested religious leader 
Hoja Ahmed Orazgylychev and tore down an unregistered mosque and 
religious school run by him and his followers. Orazgylychev 
subsequently was released and sentenced to internal exile. He earlier 
had criticized President Niyazov for directing that Turkmen children 
dance around a Christmas tree during New Year's celebrations.
    In December 1999, the Government began deporting foreigners 
suspected of carrying out missionary activities. In November 1999, the 
Government arrested Ramil Galimov, a member of a Jehovah's Witnesses 
group in Gizylarbat who has dual Russian-Turkmen citizenship. After 
imprisoning him for 2 weeks, it forced him to board a train to Russia 
in December 1999 but retained his Turkmen passport. The Government also 
deported Baptist pastors Vladimir Chernov to Ukraine and Aleksandr 
Yefremov to Russia in December 1999. Baptist leader Anatoliy Belyaev 
was arrested in February 2000, and he and his family also were deported 
to Russia. In March 2000, Yuriy Senkin, Vyacheslav Shulgin, and their 
families also reportedly were deported. In January 2000, the Government 
began to refuse to renew residence permits for some 20 westerners that 
it believed were engaging in proselytizing. This action was a severe 
blow to the expatriate Ashgabat International Fellowship, and the group 
now only meets informally in the homes of the remaining members.
    In August 1999, the Government demolished a Hare Krishna temple in 
Mary and deported the director of the Ashgabat temple. In September 
1999, representatives of internal security organs, including the KNB, 
attempted to break up a religious service of the Seventh-Day Adventist 
congregation in Ashgabat. The congregation later paid a fine for 
meeting illegally. On November 13, 1999, a demolition team, sent by the 
Ashgabat mayor's office, began tearing down the recently completed 
church during a prayer meeting. The building's destruction was part of 
a government plan to build a new road through the neighborhood, but to 
date the Seventh-Day Adventist church is the only building in the 
neighborhood that has been destroyed. The congregation has requested 
compensation, but the Government, following initial discussions, had 
not acted on the request by mid-2000.
    The Government also restricts the travel of clergy or members of 
religious groups to the country, although in March 2000, 
representatives from the Baptist Union in Uzbekistan reportedly were 
able to visit with Baptist congregations in Ashgabat, Balkanabad 
(formerly Nebit Dag), Mary, and Turkmenbashi.
    In April 2000, President Niyazov appeared on television to announce 
that he had received numerous complaints from the public about abusive 
law enforcement practices in people's homes and the confiscation of 
people's possessions. He is reported to have singled out the names of 
officials whose offices were responsible for the behavior. Also in 
April 2000, the President ordered the implementation of new procedures 
restricting searches of private homes. The measures were formally 
incorporated into a draft law in May, and approved by the legislature 
in June 2000. In parallel, measures were enacted into law restricting 
the ability of law enforcement authorities to institute criminal 
proceedings against Turkmen citizens, by requiring permission to do so 
from commissions formed of local officials and social organizations. 
The period following these measures reportedly saw a significant 
reduction of police harassment of some religious believers in their 
private homes and a reduction of confiscation of religious property.
    However, despite this positive development, there was a decline in 
the Government's overall respect for religious freedom during the 
period covered by this report. The Government became more intolerant of 
religious minorities and increased its interference with their 
religious observances.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal attitudes

    There is little or no overt tension among adherents of the various 
religions present in the country. However, there are reports that 
clerics from the registered religious are sometimes resentful of 
inroads made by those proselytizing for other, unregistered religions. 
The government-controlled press has run articles against proselytizing 
by groups that the authorities perceive as cult-like, such as Jehovah's 
Witnesses.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    In July 1999, an embassy officer attempted to attend the trial of 
Shageldy Atakov but was not allowed into the courtroom. In September 
and December 1999, embassy officers met with the head of President 
Niyazov's Institute for Democracy and Human Rights and members of the 
Council on Religious Affairs to press for reducing the burdensome 
registration requirements for minority religions. In the course of a 
discussion with the Foreign Minister on bilateral relations in December 
1999, an embassy official raised the issue of religious freedom and 
prisoners and urged that the latter be included in an upcoming 
presidential amnesty. U.S. officials repeatedly raised these issues 
with President Niyazov.
    In November 1999, the Ambassador and other officials went to the 
site of the destruction of the Seventh-Day Adventist church to 
criticize the Government's decision to tear down the church. They 
assisted the congregation in removing some of its religious materials 
from the church for storage elsewhere.
    In February 2,000, officials from the U.S. Department of State 
visited the country and raised issues about religious freedom with 
government officials. In May 2000, the U.S. Ambassador also raised the 
burdensome registration requirement with the Deputy Chairman of the 
Council on Religious Affairs. Also in May, the Ambassador at Large for 
International Religious Freedom, Robert Seiple, visited Ashgabat with a 
staff member and met with members of the religious community and with 
government officials to discuss religious freedom issues, such as 
promised changes in the registration law, amnesty of religious 
prisoners, and recent deportations.
                               __________

                                UKRAINE

    The Constitution and the 1991 Law on Freedom of Conscience and 
Religion provide for the separation of church and state and the right 
to practice the religion of one's choice, and the Government generally 
respects these rights in practice; however, some religious groups 
experienced delays in registering.
    Virtually all religious organizations must register with the State, 
a process that is supposed to take only 1 to 3 months but often takes 
longer. No religious organization was denied registration permanently, 
although ``traditional'' religious organizations exerted pressure on 
local and regional officials not to register nonnative religious 
organizations.
    The Government's respect for religious freedom improved somewhat 
during the period covered by this report. Some ``nontraditional'' and 
minority religious organizations reported that registration was easier 
than in the previous year. President Leonid Kuchma repeatedly and 
publicly spoke about the need for peaceful coexistence among ethnic and 
religious groups. The Government also took steps to return to religious 
groups properties expropriated during the Soviet era.
    Relations among religious denominations in the country are 
generally amicable, although problems remain in certain areas. There 
are strains among various traditional Christian denominations, between 
them and some less traditional groups, and between the Orthodox and 
Progressive branches of the Jewish community. However, disputes are 
generally resolved through discussion. Many representatives of 
religious organizations, although they appreciated the monthly 
roundtable of religious leaders convened by the State Committee for 
Religious Affairs, believe that sufficient interconfessional dialog 
takes place without the assistance of the State Committee. There are 
some indications of popular suspicion of less traditional religions and 
foreign missionaries; however, such religions continue to find many 
converts. Anti-Semitic incidents continue to occur periodically. 
Cumbersome visa requirements for foreign clergy and other religious 
workers create hardships for religious groups that make extensive use 
such workers. The draft law on religion submitted to Parliament in 
April 1999, which broadens the range of buildings formerly owned by 
religious organizations that would be subject to restitution to include 
secular buildings, still had not passed as of mid-2000.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government periodically and has pressed its concerns actively when the 
occasion has warranted it. The Embassy has intervened as necessary to 
defend the interests of U.S. citizen missionaries working in the 
country. The U.S. Government also has been very active in advocating 
the just restitution of religious property confiscated by the Nazi and 
Communist regimes. The Embassy places a high priority on monitoring 
anti-Semitism and maintaining close relations with local Jewish 
organizations. The embassy human rights officer continuously monitors 
the status of religious freedom in the country.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The 1996 Constitution and the 1991 Law on Freedom of Conscience and 
Religion provide for separation of church and state and the right to 
practice the religion of one's choice; the Government generally 
respects these rights in practice with the exception of some minority 
and nontraditional religions, which experienced difficulties in 
registering, buying, or leasing property.
    The law requires virtually all religious organizations to register 
with the state. The agency responsible for interacting with religious 
organizations and executing state policy on religion is the State 
Committee for Religious Affairs. This committee has its headquarters in 
Kiev and maintains branch offices in every regional capital, as well as 
the cities of Kiev and Sevastopol. The Law on Freedom of Conscience and 
Religion requires all religious organizations of more than 10 
individuals who have reached 18 years of age to register their articles 
and statutes as either a local or a national organization in order to 
obtain the status of a ``juridical entity.'' If a group chooses to 
register as a national organization, it must register with the central 
office of the State Committee for Religious Affairs, and each of its 
local groups must register with the local office of the State Committee 
in the region where they are located. Those groups that choose to 
register as local organizations must register only with the local 
office of the State Committee. This status is necessary to own property 
or carry out many economic activities, such as publishing religious 
materials or opening bank accounts. According to the law, this 
registration process should take not more than 1 month (or 3 months in 
cases in which either the central or local committee decides that an 
expert opinion is necessary to determine the legitimacy of a group 
applying for registration). However, this requirement often is not met. 
The local offices also supervise the compliance of religious 
organizations with the provisions of the law.
    There was no known instance in which a religious organization was 
denied registration permanently. Some religious organizations reported 
that, especially at the local or regional levels, officials of the 
State Committee refused to register their organizations for protracted 
periods, thus effectively delaying their activities and limiting 
freedom of association. However, these groups also reported that 
registration was easier than in the previous year. Delays in 
registration sometimes were due to bureaucratic delays and inertia on 
the part of individual bureaucrats. However, traditional religious 
organizations, especially the Orthodox Church in central, southern, and 
eastern regions of the country and the Greek Catholic Church in the 
west exerted significant political influence at the local and regional 
levels and pressured local officials not to register nontraditional 
religious organizations or to allow them to rent or purchase property. 
Each of the two dominant denominations, within their respective spheres 
of influence, also reportedly pressured local officials to restrict the 
activities of the other.
Religious Demography
    The primary religions practiced in the country are Orthodox 
Christianity and Greek Catholicism. They nominally represent 
approximately 85 per cent of the religiously active population. 
According to the State Committee, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow 
Patriarchate) has 8,590 officially registered parishes. The Ukrainian 
Greek Catholic Church has 3,350 officially registered parishes. 
According to the State Committee for Religious Affairs, the Ukrainian 
Orthodox Church (Kiev Patriarchate) has 2,565 officially registered 
parishes, and the Ukrainian Orthodox Autocephalous Church has 1,003. 
Judaism, Roman Catholicism, some evangelical Christian denominations, 
and Islam also have a firm presence in the country. Evangelical 
Christian denominations have grown rapidly since independence.
    The Orthodox Church, which nominally represents between 60 and 70 
percent of the population, is divided into three denominations: The 
Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), the Ukrainian Orthodox 
Church (Kiev Patriarchate), and the much smaller Ukrainian 
Autocephalous Orthodox Church. The Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox 
Church was founded in 1918 as a reaction of many Orthodox believers to 
what they regarded as the Russification of the Orthodox Church in 
Ukraine and to realize their desire to be self-governing 
(autocephalous). It was abolished by Stalin in 1933 and survived in the 
western Diaspora until its rebirth in Ukraine in 1989. There are 
considerable interconfessional disputes among the three Ukrainian 
Orthodox denominations; however, these disputes generally have remained 
peaceful.
    In 1997 leaders of major religious denominations and churches 
signed a government-drafted memorandum on the nonviolent resolution of 
religious disputes. Nonetheless, some problems remain (see Section II).
    The central Government generally discouraged anti-Semitism. In 1999 
the authorities opened a criminal case against the editor of the Lviv-
based newspaper Idealist for fomenting interethnic hatred. In addition, 
the procuracy warned certain publications against publishing anti-
Semitic material. However, Jewish representatives complained that some 
cases were not prosecuted. Representatives of Jewish groups expressed 
appreciation for state support of Jewish magazines and newspapers, 
including Jewish News, an insert to the weekly Parliament newspaper. A 
book documenting Ukrainian Judaica that was financed primarily by state 
funds was presented at the May 2000 Cultural Heritage Commission 
meeting in Kiev. According to Jewish representatives, President Kuchma 
and other high-ranking officials visit the Babi Yar memorial each year 
on the anniversary of the massacre of hundreds of Jews. During the 
period covered by this report, President Kuchma repeatedly and publicly 
spoke about the need for the peaceful coexistence of ethnic and 
religious groups. In January 2000, he attended a jubilee service 
celebrating the 2000th anniversary of Christ's birth at which the heads 
of all major Christian religions gave speeches. Additionally, on 
Orthodox Easter, President Kuchma and Prime Minister Viktor Yushchenko 
attended services representing diverse Christian Orthodox 
denominations, actions which were widely viewed as a sincere effort to 
foster religious freedom.
    The Ukrainian Greek Catholic (or Byzantine Rite Catholic, sometimes 
called ``Uniate,'' a term some Ukrainian Catholics consider derogatory) 
Church constitutes around 10 percent of the population. It is centered 
in the west, where the proportion of Greek Catholics is much higher 
than in the country as a whole. The Greek Catholic Church arose in the 
16th century as an attempt to reunify the Catholic and Orthodox 
Churches under Polish auspices. It is an eastern Byzantine Rite Church 
that recognizes the authority of the Pope and uses Byzantine church 
liturgies. Because the Church was introduced to the country in 
connection with an attempt by local leaders to loosen the influence of 
Moscow, the Church often is associated with Ukrainian nationalism.
    During the period covered by this report, various Jewish 
representatives estimated the country's Jewish population at between 
250,000 and 500,000 persons, of which between 35 and 40 percent are 
active religiously or communally. The country's Jews have enjoyed 
increasing opportunities for religious and cultural expression since 
Ukrainian independence. Although there has been a rebirth of Jewish 
life, the community continues to be affected by yearly Jewish 
emigration to Israel of around 25,000 persons, an emigration of 18,000 
persons to western countries, and an annual decrease of 16,000 due to 
negative population growth. Between 1989 and 1997, the Jewish 
population decreased by 445,000, of whom 223,000 went to Israel. Both 
Orthodox and Progressive (Reform) Judaism are practiced in the country, 
although for historical reasons the large majority of religiously 
active Jews subscribe to Orthodoxy. The number of progressive 
communities increased from 18 to 24 during the period covered by this 
report. According to the Kiev Institute of Jewish Studies, in 1999 
there were 115 Jewish organizations and religious communities in 62 
cities. They publish 30 periodicals and newspapers.
    Roman Catholicism is practiced by about 2 percent of the 
population, for the most part concentrated in the formerly Austro-
Hungarian and Polish territories of the west. A papal visit originally 
planned for the end of 1999 had not taken place as of mid-2000.
    Such faiths as Baptists, evangelical Christians, Jehovah's 
Witnesses, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 
(Mormons), also have experienced rapid growth since the country's 
independence and currently also constitute approximately 2 percent of 
the population.
    The Islamic faith is concentrated primarily among the Tatar 
population of the autonomous republic of Crimea and amounts to 250,000 
persons.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Government generally permits religious organizations to 
establish places of worship and to train clergy. The Government 
continued to take steps to facilitate the allotment of land plots for 
construction of new houses of worship and to return religious buildings 
and sites to their former owners. Some groups believe that the pace was 
adequate while others felt it was too slow.
    A 1993 amendment to the 1991 law on freedom of conscience and 
religion restricts the activities of foreign religious workers in the 
country. The amendment narrowly defines the permissible activities of 
foreign members of the clergy, preachers, teachers, and other foreign 
religious representatives who seek to carry out religious activities in 
the country. They may preach, administer religious ordinances, or 
practice other canonical activities ``only in those religious 
organizations which invited them to Ukraine and with official approval 
of the governmental body that registered the statutes and the articles 
of the pertinent religious organization.'' The Mormons previously had 
reported difficulty in transferring missionaries between cities; 
however, during the period covered by this report they reported no such 
difficulties.
    As of May 2000, invitations no longer are required for Ukrainian 
visa issuance to citizens of Canada, the European Union, Japan, and the 
United States. While this greatly simplifies travel to the country for 
religious tourists, religious workers still must obtain special 
religious visas that are issued only by invitation from a Ukrainian 
organization. Both the Mormon Church and the relatively powerful Greek 
Catholic Church asserted that such invitations were often difficult to 
obtain and that the decision by the regional offices of the State 
Committee for Religious Affairs often appeared arbitrary. However, both 
the Mormon Church and the Baptist Church reported that they are now 
able to obtain visas for all their religious workers. According to 
statistics from the State Committee for Religious Affairs, in 1999 the 
State Committee (including regional departments) issued 11,650 permits 
to foreigners for religious activities and refused 40 applications. 
During the first quarter of 2000, the State Committee reported that it 
issued 4,089 permits and refused 32. According to the State Committee, 
the refusals were based on a failure to fill out the forms properly. Of 
the 32 who were refused, none chose to reapply.
    Visiting foreign missionaries still must register with the local 
government within 3 days of arrival, as must all other foreign visitors 
to the country. Some missionaries found this an unnecessarily 
burdensome requirement.
    In order to promote inter-faith understanding, the State Committee 
for Religious Affairs formed the Council of Churches in 1996. The 
Council is a consultative body consisting of the heads of all major 
religions and denominations, representing over 90 percent of the 
country's faithful. The State Committee convenes monthly roundtables 
with the council as a whole, as well as monthly roundtables with 
representatives of each of the constituent religions and denominations. 
However, many representatives of religious organizations believed that 
this State Committee activity, while generally helpful in facilitating 
interconfessional dialog, was no longer necessary and was not in 
accordance with separation of church and state as provided for in the 
Constitution.
    Religious organizations enjoy privileged status over individuals 
and other nonreligious organizations with regard to property 
restitution. According to current law, only they are eligible for 
restitution of property nationalized during the Soviet period. Only 
churches, synagogues, and religious artifacts immediately necessary for 
religious services are subject to restitution. Restitution of other 
forms of property (for example, school buildings and community centers) 
formerly owned by religious organizations is not regulated by current 
legislation. Religious buildings and property currently under state 
ownership may be returned either to exclusive use without charge or to 
actual ownership by religious organizations.
    The decision whether or not to return religious buildings or 
property is made by the regional administration (or the Kiev or 
Sevastopol city administrations) in which the building is located. The 
decision on restitution is to be made by these organs within 1 month of 
application, and a written notification of the decision is to be 
provided to the applicant. However, implementation of a 1992 decree on 
restitution of religious community property seized during the Soviet 
era remains stalled in many places. In practice it is more common for 
buildings to be provided for exclusive free use than for an actual 
transfer of ownership to be permitted. Despite the law's provision that 
the decision be made within 1 month, the time period involved is 
usually considerably longer. Numerous Jewish congregations have 
negotiated successfully with local authorities for worship space.
    While some Jewish community representatives were pleased with 
progress on restitution, others thought that much more should be done. 
In August 1999, several Jewish community leaders noted the failure of 
local authorities to enforce existing decrees and legislation, and the 
group specifically criticized the local governments in Lviv and 
Zhytomyr for failing to enforce a presidential decree banning 
construction on former Jewish cemeteries. The decrease in Jewish 
population has reduced demand for access to religious space, but 
progress has been made. For example, a synagogue was returned in 
Poltava Oblast in the fourth quarter of 1999. In the first quarter of 
2000, one synagogue in Kerch and another in Slavuta in Khmelnitsky 
oblast were returned. However, some Jewish leaders maintained that they 
continued to face obstacles in reacquiring community properties 
confiscated during the Soviet period. Jewish communities claimed that 
all property so far returned to them had only been for free exclusive 
use, not transferred to Jewish community ownership. However, the State 
Committee for Religious Affairs maintains that as of May 2000, 55 
synagogues had been transferred to Jewish community ownership, and 22 
other buildings had been returned for their exclusive use.
    The Jewish communities officially claim approximately 3,000 
properties of all types, of which only a minor portion have been 
restituted. However, since current law only permits restitution of 
synagogues, the proportion of buildings legally subject to restitution 
that have been returned is higher than the proportion of the total of 
all buildings claimed that have been restituted. In addition, the pace 
of restitution of Christian churches has slowed in recent years, since 
the buildings that remain in state possession tend to be prime 
properties currently in use as museums, concert halls, or city halls. 
The Roman Catholic Church has outstanding claims on approximately 40 
buildings across the country that have not been returned, some of which 
already have been privatized partially. The Ukrainian Greek Catholic 
and Ukrainian Orthodox Churches also reported problems in obtaining 
formerly owned properties. These difficulties often are due not only to 
government bureaucracy, but also to competing claims to the buildings 
in an economy where resources are scarce for construction of public 
buildings. Nevertheless, even these two dominant churches have been 
encountering restitution difficulties, since the remaining buildings in 
state ownership are more prestigious or income generating.
    However, all religions have enjoyed equal opportunity to regain 
control over former community property. Problems in obtaining 
restitution result from inadequate legislation, bureaucratic inertia, 
and the difficulty of locating alternative quarters for current 
occupants. In 1996 a Kiev arbitration court decided in favor of 
transferring the title of the former Kiev Central Synagogue, which in 
Soviet times was used as a puppet theater, to a Chabad Hasidic 
congregation. The decision set an important precedent for the 
judiciary's role in religious property restitution. By December 1997, 
the puppet theater had vacated the building, and in the spring of 1998 
the building reopened once again as a synagogue. In March 2000, the 
synagogue held a rededication ceremony after extensive renovation. The 
ceremony was attended by Ukrainian and foreign representatives of many 
religious groups.
    A number of religious properties were returned to Christian 
churches during the period covered by this report. Of the 42 houses of 
worship returned in the fourth quarter of 1999, the Ukrainian Orthodox 
Church received 20 buildings. These included four churches of the 
Assumption Monastery in Donetsk and a church of national architectural 
importance in Berzhany, Ternopil Oblast. In the first quarter of 2000 
the Ukrainian Orthodox Church received 17 buildings. In May 2000, the 
Kiev Patriarchate received the newly rebuilt, historic St. Michael's 
Cathedral in Central Kiev. The cathedral, which had been destroyed by 
Stalin in 1936, was rebuilt with significant local government funding. 
During the period covered by this report, authorities transferred 16 
former cathedrals to the Greek Catholic Church and 5 to Roman Catholic 
parishes. A Lutheran Church also was returned in Ternopil oblast. 
However, Christian representatives complained that property generally 
was returned for exclusive or shared use, rather than for actual 
ownership.
    A May 1998 government resolution committed local regional 
administrations to pursue the step-by-step restitution of unused or 
misused places of worship to religious organizations. According to the 
State Committee for Religious Affairs, a list of such buildings had 
been compiled, and deadlines and conditions for their return had been 
set. In July 1998, the Cabinet issued an ordinance prohibiting 
construction and privatization on previous and current Jewish 
cemeteries. At a May 2000 meeting in Kiev of the Bilateral Cultural 
Heritage Commission, Deputy Minister of Culture Leonid Novahatko and 
U.S. Commissioner Stolberg agreed to cooperate on completing the 
necessary legislation. However, some construction was reported at the 
cemetery in Lviv, which was destroyed by the Nazis in World War II and 
is now the site of the city's central market. The cemetery in Berdychev 
was returned to the Jewish community early in 1998, and restoration has 
begun.
    In February 1999, President Kuchma instructed the Cabinet and other 
executive bodies to settle all outstanding church property restitution 
cases within the current year. This instruction was issued not long 
after a meeting between the President and representatives of the 
country's religious communities. However, as of mid-2000, there 
remained church property restitution cases to be settled. In February 
1999, President Kuchma instructed the State Property Fund to take 
measures to ban the transfer of property formerly owned by religious 
communities to private (that is, non-Church) owners and to require 
local authorities to provide land to be used for new churches and 
cemeteries. Kuchma also ordered the State Customs Committee to 
streamline procedures for sending humanitarian aid to religious 
organizations.
    A revision of the law on religion was submitted to Parliament by 
the Government in April 1999. It would broaden the range of buildings 
formerly owned by religious organizations that would be subject to 
restitution to include secular buildings once owned by religious 
organizations. While in several ways an improvement over the existing 
law (including clarification of the separation of church and state and 
provision for conscientious objection), it would maintain registration 
requirements for religious organizations. As of mid-2000, it remained 
unclear when this draft would be considered by Parliament.
    The Kiev Patriarchate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church complained 
of harassment by local authorities in the predominantly Russian-
speaking eastern region of the country.
    The Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church complained of 
governmental pressure to join either the Kiev or Moscow Patriarchate 
after the April 2000 death of Patriarch Dmitri. It also reported 
governmental pressure to choose a Ukrainian successor to Patriarch 
Dmitri rather than Metropolitan Konstantin, a U.S. citizen.
    In early June 2000, there were reports of harassment from a group 
of four American teachers with religious affiliations hired to teach at 
a public school in Sevastopol. The teachers initially were hired to 
teach morality and ethics, but after a change in school administration, 
their contracts were revised to limit their activities to teaching 
English. The teachers indicated that they complied with this request. 
However, Ukrainian colleagues and fellow parishioners subsequently were 
approached by local authorities and asked to report on the activities 
of the teachers, in what appeared to be an effort to implicate them in 
work and visa status irregularities. One report suggested that this 
monitoring may have been prompted by complaints from the Orthodox 
Church.
    On June 1, 2000, a private prayer meeting hosted by the teachers in 
their home was broken up by Ukrainians who refused to identify 
themselves but insisted on checking the passports and visa status of 
the persons present. The teachers reported that government officials 
were verbally abusive and that they interrogated the Ukrainians present 
about the teachers' activities. Subsequently, local authorities 
searched the school and found religious materials stored by the 
teachers. Deportation proceedings against the four followed; they were 
found to have engaged in illegal religious activity incompatible with 
their visa status. Officials from the State Committee for Religious 
Affairs indicated that the local officials claimed to have received 
complaints that the teachers were proselytizing in a public school, in 
violation of the separation of church and state.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    The Keston news service reported that members of the Karaite 
community in Simferopol began to use their historical religious and 
cultural center during the period covered by this report. The center, 
Tchufut Kale (``impregnable fortress'' in Turkish), is the site of two 
Karaite kenassas (prayer houses). However, according to this report, 
which has not been independently verified, representatives of the 
community have complained that they have to pay to worship there. 
Tchufut Kale currently is designated a conservation area and is under 
the control of the Ministry of Culture of the Autonomous Republic of 
Crimea. When the Karaites go there to pray, they have to buy tickets to 
enter or sometimes have to pray outside until the conservation 
authorities grant them permission to enter. The Karaite community also 
pointed out that the buildings and grounds have not been cared for 
properly by the conservation authorities. Since the community's 
registration in 1991, it has been trying to reclaim its property seized 
during the Soviet era, including the two kenassas at Tchufut Kale, 
through correspondence with the chairman of the committee for religious 
affairs in the council of ministers of the Autonomous Republic of 
Crimea. There are only about 800 Karaites in Crimea.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.
Improvements in Respect for Religious Freedom
    Overall, respect for religious freedom improved somewhat during the 
period covered by this report. Although problems remained regarding the 
Government's protection of religious freedom for ``nontraditional'' 
religious organizations (defined as all organizations other than 
Orthodox, Greek Catholic, and Jewish), which faced some difficulty in 
carrying out their activities, they reported less difficulty in 
obtaining visas and registering during the period covered by the 
report. Some measures to improve property restitution have been 
undertaken. The Government took steps to return to religious groups 
properties expropriated during the Soviet era.
    As of May 2000, invitations no longer are required for Ukrainian 
visa issuance to citizens of Canada, the European Union, Japan, and the 
United States for tourist and business travel. Although this greatly 
simplified travel to Ukraine for religious tourists, religious workers 
still require invitations from an organization registered in Ukraine.
    The Baptist Church reported that it no longer encountered any 
restrictions on baptizing persons in the Dnipro. A successful Easter 
service in Kiev drew more than 5,000 persons.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations among the religions and religious denominations in the 
country are generally amicable, although problems remain in certain 
areas.
    The ongoing dispute among competing Orthodox Christian 
administrative bodies claiming to be ``the Ukrainian Orthodox Church'' 
remained deadlocked. The disagreements primarily center on the 
inheritance of property that belonged to the Unified Russian Orthodox 
Church before independence, the proper language to use in the liturgy 
(Ukrainian, Russian, or Church Slavonic), and recognition by foreign 
religious organizations. The Moscow Patriarchate thus far has claimed 
successfully to be the only legitimate representative of Ukrainian 
Orthodoxy to foreign religious organizations such as the Vatican, the 
Constantinople Patriarchate, and the Russian Orthodox Church. The Kiev 
Patriarchate of the Orthodox Church complains of harassment by local 
authorities in the predominantly Russian-speaking eastern region of the 
country, while the Moscow Patriarchate of the Orthodox Church complains 
that local governments turn a blind eye to the appropriation of their 
churches by Ukrainian nationalists in the Ukrainian-speaking western 
region.
    The Government has been unable to stop disagreements between 
Orthodox believers and Greek Catholics in the western part of the 
country, where the two communities have contentious relations and 
engage in bitter disputes over church buildings and property in some 
300 localities. The number of localities with disputes between the 
Orthodox and Greek Catholic Churches has decreased over the last few 
years. The Greek Catholic Church cooperates with the Roman Catholic 
Church and with various Jewish groups on humanitarian aid projects.
    The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church assisted Lutheran missionaries 
with invitations and necessary documentation to work in the country. It 
also provided invitations to and facilitated visits and meetings for 
U.S. Jewish leaders. The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church assisted the 
Jewish community in Ukraine and Jewish organizations in the United 
States in obtaining Torah scrolls in government museums and archives 
restored to Jewish communities in the country. The Ukrainian Greek 
Catholic Church cooperated with the Lviv Jewish community on the 
distribution of two shipments of medical humanitarian aid from the U.S. 
Government. The Ukrainian Greek Catholic and Roman Catholic Churches 
also work together with Caritas, the international Catholic charity.
    Church leaders generally resolve interconfessional disputes through 
discussion. Many leaders believed that the State Committee for 
Religious Affairs, although helpful, should be eliminated, since they 
believe that it represents forced rather than natural cooperation.
    There are some indications of popular suspicion of ``nonnative'' 
religions and foreign missionaries. There have been occasional 
statements by Ukrainian Orthodox Church officials (both Moscow and Kiev 
Patriarchates) denouncing the spread of such religions and sharply 
criticizing their missionary activities. Popular suspicion has not led 
to significant public criticism or actions against such religions, 
which continue to find many converts. However, missionaries reported 
some instances of societal discrimination against members of their 
churches, such as salary cuts, layoffs, and public criticism for 
betraying ``native religions.''
    Anti-Semitism exists on an individual and societal basis. Some 
ultranationalist groups and newspapers continued to publish and 
distribute anti-Semitic tracts regularly. Anti-Semitic publications 
also are imported from Russia and distributed without the necessary 
state license. In early 1999, the Shimon Dubnov Ukrainian Academy of 
Jewish History and Culture filed suit against the nationalist newspaper 
Vechirny Kiev for publishing anti-Semitic diatribes about the Academy's 
collection of scholarly articles, ``Judeophobia against Ukraine,'' 
which was published in 1998. As of mid-2000, this case still was 
pending.
    Anti-Semitic incidents continue to occur but, according to local 
Jewish organizations, have declined in number over recent years and 
were concentrated in western regions of the country.
    During the period covered by this report, there were no arrests 
made in the 1997 firebombing of the Kharkiv Israeli cultural center, 
nor have there been any prosecutions for the desecration of Jewish 
cemeteries in 1997.
    Tension continued within the Jewish community, focused primarily on 
which Jewish organization should be recognized as representing the 
Jewish community in international Jewish forums.
    The smaller Progressive Jewish community reported that it was 
subject to pressure and discrimination from the dominant Orthodox 
Jewish organizations.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government periodically. The U.S. Government has pressed its concerns 
actively when the occasion has warranted it. Since most problems 
related to religious freedom in the country lie in the relationship 
between foreign missionaries of nontraditional religions and local 
authorities, and most of the foreign missionaries--approximately 55 
percent--working in the country today are U.S. citizens, the Embassy 
has intervened as necessary to defend their interests. Responding to 
complaints by American missionaries that Ukrainian embassies and 
consulates were not issuing religious worker visas, the Embassy's 
consular section raised the importance of honoring visa reciprocity in 
several 1999-2000 meetings with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These 
meetings did not result in tangible improvements in the Government's 
visa practices toward prospective religious workers; however, the 
Embassy continues to stress the issue with the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs. During meetings with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the 
consular section repeatedly recommended doing away with the Soviet 
requirement of an invitation to receive Ukrainian visas. As of May 
2000, invitations no longer were required for certain visa categories.
    The U.S. Government also has been active in advocating the just 
restitution of religious property confiscated by the Nazi and Communist 
regimes. The Embassy's political counselor raised the issue in a 
February meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Ambassador 
stressed the importance of a transparent and nondiscriminatory process 
for property restitution at the May 2000 meeting of the joint U.S.-
Ukraine Cultural Heritage Commission in Kiev. U.S. Commissioner 
Stolberg and Deputy Minister of Culture Novohatko agreed to cooperate 
on drafting legislation that would prohibit construction and 
privatization on previous and current cemeteries of all religious 
denominations.
    An embassy officer is tasked with monitoring the status of property 
restitution. This officer has discussed the issue on several occasions 
with the State Committee for Religious Affairs, with the Cultural and 
Humanitarian Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 
and with representatives of religious organizations. In October 1999, 
National Security Council Director for Russian, Ukrainian, and Eurasian 
Affairs Tedstrom met with representatives of religious organizations in 
Kiev to discuss religious freedom and property restitution.
    The Embassy places a high priority on monitoring anti-Semitism and 
maintaining close relations with local Jewish organizations. In August 
1999, the Embassy hosted a meeting of Jewish community leaders with 
Senator Arlen Specter. Two embassy officers and a representative of the 
State Department's Office of International Religious Freedom attended 
the October 1999 induction ceremony of Rabbi Alexander Dukhovny as the 
progressive rabbi of the country. The political counselor and two 
political officers attended the March 2000 rededication of the Kiev 
grand synagogue. The Embassy's human rights officer also holds regular 
meetings with a variety of Jewish community representatives around the 
country.
    The Embassy closely followed the case of the four American teachers 
in Sevastopol. The Embassy raised the case with the Foreign Ministry, 
the State Committee for Religious Affairs, and prosecutorial officials. 
The Foreign Ministry was helpful and at one point sought to block the 
deportation decision. The Embassy requested that the Foreign Ministry 
and the State Committee for Religious Affairs review the handling of 
this matter to avoid similar problems in the future and to consider 
lifting the 1-year restriction on the return of the teachers.
    The Embassy's human rights officer continuously monitors the status 
of religious freedom in the country. The officers serving in that 
position during the period covered by this report regularly met with 
the State Committee for Religious Affairs and with representatives from 
all the primary religious groups in the country, not only in Kiev, but 
in several regional centers as well. They also regularly met with 
representatives of human rights groups and other nongovernmental 
organizations (NGO's) who deal with issues of religious freedom.
    A representative from the State Department's Office of 
International Religious Freedom visited Ukraine in October, meeting 
with representatives of religious organizations, government officials, 
and embassy staff to promote religious freedom.
    In Washington, the Department's Office of International Religious 
Freedom met with Jewish leaders from Ukraine as well as with Christian 
clergy.
                               __________

                             UNITED KINGDOM

    Government policy provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice. The 1998 Human 
Rights Act, which is to enter into force in October 2000, incorporates 
the principle of religious freedom into law.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion. 
However, centuries-old sectarian divisions--and instances of violence--
are part of the troubles in Northern Ireland.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

          Section I. Government Policies on Religious Freedom

Legal/Policy Framework
    Government policy provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice. The 1998 Human 
Rights Act, which is to enter into force in October 2000, provides for 
freedom of religion, including freedom to change one's religion or 
belief.
    There are two established (that is state) churches, the Church of 
England (Anglican) and the Church of Scotland (Presbyterian). The Queen 
is the ``Supreme Governor'' of the Church of England and must always be 
a member of the Church and promise to uphold it. The Queen appoints 
Church of England officials on the advice of the Prime Minister and the 
Crown Appointments Commission (which includes lay and clergy 
representatives.) The Church of Scotland appoints its own office 
bearers, and its affairs are not subject to any civil authority. There 
are no established churches in Wales or Northern Ireland, but the 
Church in Wales, the Scottish Episcopal Church, and the Church of 
Ireland are members of the Anglican Communion.
    Religious groups are not required to register with the Government. 
No church or religious organization--established or otherwise--receives 
direct funding from the State. Religious bodies are expected to finance 
their own activities through endowment, investments, and fund-raising. 
Since 1977 the Government has appropriated funds for the repair of 
historic church buildings, such as cathedrals, but such funding is not 
restricted to Church of England buildings. The Government also 
contributes 70 percent of the budget of the Redundant Churches Fund, 
established by the Church of England in 1969 to preserve ``redundant'' 
Church of England buildings that are of architectural or historic 
significance. In 1993 a similar body, the Historic Chapels Trust, was 
founded with the aid of a grant from the Department of National 
Heritage to preserve, repair, and maintain non-Anglican houses of 
worship, such as mosques, temples, or synagogues. No such bodies exist 
in Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland.
    Most religious institutions are classified as charities and, as 
such, enjoy a wide range of tax benefits. (The advancement of religion 
is considered to be a charitable purpose.) In England and Wales, the 
Charity Commission reviews the application of each body applying for 
registration as a charity. Commissioners base their decisions on a 
substantial body of case law. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, the 
Inland Revenue performs this task. Charities are exempt from taxes on 
most types of income and capital gains, provided that the charity uses 
the income or gains for charitable purpose. They are also exempt from 
the value-added tax. Donors to charities also enjoy tax relief for 
their donations. Transfers to charities are exempt from the inheritance 
tax, capital gains tax, and stamp duty.
    In November 1999, the Charity Commission rejected a Church of 
Scientology application for charitable status, concluding that 
Scientology is not a religion for the purposes of charity law.
    Some ``voluntary schools'' provided by religious groups enjoy state 
support. While the majority of these schools are Anglican or Catholic, 
there are a small number of Methodist and Jewish schools. There are 
also privately funded schools with religious foundations, including a 
growing number of Muslim schools.
Religious Demography
    There are no official statistics collected on religious beliefs or 
church membership, except in Northern Ireland. Although their 
methodologies differ greatly, the numbers collected by individual 
religious communities highlight patterns of adherence and belief.
    About 65 percent of the population (estimated to total 58.5 million 
in 1996) would identify with some form of Christianity. About 45 
percent of the population identify with Anglican churches, 10 percent 
with the Roman Catholic Church, 4 percent with Presbyterian churches, 2 
percent with Methodist churches, and 4 percent with other Christian 
churches, but only about 8.7 percent attend a Christian church on a 
regular basis. Church attendance in Northern Ireland is estimated at 30 
to 35 percent of the population. An additional 2 percent of the 
population are affiliated with non-Trinitarian churches, such as 
Jehovah's Witnesses, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 
the Church of Christ, Christian Scientists, and Unitarians. A further 5 
percent of the population are adherents to other faiths, including 
Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Sikhism.
    About 28 percent of the population are nonreligious. About half of 
all parents choose to have their children baptized. A similar 
proportion of all weddings (41.3 percent) are conducted as religious 
ceremonies, but the number has decreased in recent years. The vast 
majority of funerals are religious, and recent surveys suggest that 63 
to 70 percent of the population believe in God.
    Between the Reformation and the mid-19th century, Britain was a 
predominantly Protestant country. The Jewish community dates from 1656, 
with the arrival of Sephardic Jews from Spain and Portugal, but it 
experienced much of its growth during the 1800's and 1900's, when 
Ashkenazic Jews arrived from Eastern Europe. Irish immigration during 
the 1800's fostered the resurgence of Roman Catholicism, and later 
immigration from British colonies (and now the Commonwealth) led to the 
establishment of thriving Muslim, Sikh, and Hindu communities. These 
latter communities tend to be concentrated around larger cities.
    The conflict between nationalists and unionists in Northern Ireland 
has been drawn along religious lines, but the avowed policy of the 
Government remains one of religious neutrality and tolerance (See 
Section II).
    The Government makes an active effort to ensure that public 
servants are not discriminated against on the basis of religion and 
strives to accommodate religious practices by government employees 
whenever possible. For example, the Prison Service permits Muslim 
employees to take time off during their shifts to pray. It also 
provides prisoners with Jewish and Muslim chaplains. The military 
generally provides soldiers who are adherents of minority religions 
with chaplains of their faith.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The United Christian Broadcasters (UCB) radio station appealed to 
the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in 1999 the existing ban on 
nationwide broadcast licenses for religious broadcasters. The 
Government filed a counter brief in February 2000; the UCB filed a 
response in April 2000. The Court is scheduled to hear the case in late 
2000 or early 2001. Due to the limited broadcast spectrum, the 1990 
Broadcasting Act precludes certain groups, including those ``wholly or 
mainly of a religious nature,'' from obtaining the few available 
national licenses. Due to their limited number, digital radio multiplex 
licenses, provided for in the 1996 Broadcasting Act, also are 
unavailable to religious groups. Religious groups can and do compete 
successfully for the more numerous local and regional stations, and 
cable and satellite channels; they can advertise. The UCB now 
broadcasts by satellite without restriction.
    The Church of Scientology asserts that it faces discrimination due 
to the failure of the Government to treat Scientology as a religion. In 
particular Scientology ministers are not regarded as ministers of 
religion under prison regulations, and thus they are not permitted to 
provide official pastoral care to prisoners; nor are they considered 
ministers of religion for the purpose of immigration relations. The 
Government bases its treatment of Scientology on a 1970 judgment by the 
Court of Appeal, which held that Scientology chapels did not qualify as 
places of worship under the Places of Worship Registration Act of 1855.
    In November 1999, the Charity Commission, which acts independently 
of the Government and is accountable to the courts for its decisions, 
rejected a Church of Scientology application for charitable status, 
concluding that Scientology is not a religion for the purposes of 
charity law, as ``the core practices of Scientology, being auditing and 
training, do not constitute worship.'' It also declared that ``Public 
benefit arising from the practice of Scientology and/or the purposes of 
the Church of Scientology had not been established.''
    Religious education in publicly maintained schools is required by 
law throughout the country. According to the Education Reform Act of 
1988, it forms part of the core curriculum for students in England and 
Wales (the requirements for Scotland were outlined in the Education Act 
of 1980.) The shape and content of religious instruction is decided on 
a local basis. Locally agreed syllabi uses are required to reflect the 
predominant place of Christianity in religious life, but they must be 
nondenominational and refrain from attempting to convert pupils. All 
parents have the right to withdraw a child from religious education, 
but the schools must approve this request.
    In addition schools have to provide a daily act of collective 
worship. In practice this action is mainly Christian in character, 
reflecting Christianity's importance in the religious life of the 
nation. This requirement may be waived if a school's administration 
deems it inappropriate for some or all of the students. Under some 
circumstances, non-Christian worship may instead be allowed. Teachers' 
organizations have criticized school prayer and called for a government 
review of the practice.
    Where a student body is characterized by a substantial population 
of religious minorities, schools may observe the religious festivals of 
other faiths. Schools also endeavor to accommodate religious 
requirements, such as providing halal meat for Muslim children.
    In general membership in a given religious group does not confer a 
political or economic advantage on individual adherents. However, on 
the national level, the House of Lords provides an exception to this 
rule. The Anglican Archbishops of York and Canterbury; the Bishops of 
Durham, London, and Winchester; and 21 other bishops, in order of 
seniority, receive automatic membership in the House of Lords, whereas 
prominent clergy from other denominations or religions are not afforded 
this privilege. In January 2000, the Wakeham Report on the Reform of 
the House of Lords recommended that other Christian denominations and 
other faiths also should be represented in the House of Lords. The 
report recommended that there be 16 seats for the Church of England, 5 
seats for other Christian denominations, and at least 5 seats for non-
Christian faiths. House of Lords reform still is being debated 
vigorously, and no final decision has been made.
    While it is not enforced and is essentially a legal anachronism, 
blasphemy against Anglican doctrine remains technically illegal. 
Several religious organizations, in association with the Commission for 
Racial Equality, are attempting to abolish the law or broaden its 
protection to include all faiths. Responding to a parliamentary 
question on removing blasphemy from the statute book, the Home Office 
stated in July 1998 that there were no current plans to change the law.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the various religious communities are generally 
amicable.
    While the troubles in Northern Ireland are the product of 
political, economic, and social factors, conflict between nationalists 
and unionists in Northern Ireland is rooted in centuries-old sectarian 
divisions between the Protestant and Catholic communities.
    The majority of citizens in Northern Ireland appear determined to 
diminish sectarian tensions and continue to support the 1998 Good 
Friday Agreement, which aims to create a lasting settlement to the 
conflict in Northern Ireland and a society based on equality of 
opportunity and human rights.
    Employment discrimination on religious grounds is proscribed 
specifically by law in Northern Ireland, although not in the rest of 
the country. Those who believe that their freedom of religion has been 
infringed have the right to appeal to the courts for relief. The 1998 
Human Rights Act, which is to enter into force in 2000, prohibits 
discrimination on the basis of religion.
    Government programs and continued economic growth in the region 
have resulted in a decrease in the overall unemployment rate (6.3 
percent as of March 2000). Although there is some evidence that 
unemployment rates among Catholics remain higher than among 
Protestants, the often-quoted figure, based on 1991 data, that Catholic 
male unemployment is twice the rate of Protestant male unemployment, 
has not been updated reliably.
    In August 1999, in accordance with the Good Friday Agreement, the 
Government appointed 20 members to the board of the Equality 
Commission, an amalgamation of the Northern Ireland Fair Employment 
Commission, the Equal Opportunities Commission, the Commission for 
Racial Equality, and the Disability Council. The Commission assumed its 
responsibilities in October 1999.
    One of the Commission's mandates is to help enforce the Fair 
Employment and Treatment Order of 1998, which incorporates previous 
equality legislation and outlaws discrimination based on religion or 
political opinion in the workplace, and aids in access to goods, 
facilities, services, and premises. Under the order, all public sector 
employers and all private firms with more than 10 employees must report 
annually to the Equality Commission on the religious composition of 
their work forces and must review their employment practices at least 
once every 3 years.
    In addition Section 75 of the 1998 Northern Ireland Act stipulates 
that all public authorities (for example, Northern Ireland Office 
government departments, district councils, and the Northern Ireland 
Tourist Board, among others) must show due regard to the need to 
promote equality of opportunity, including between persons of different 
religious beliefs. Each public authority must submit a plan to the 
Equality Commission outlining how it plans to promote equality within 
its organization. The Equality Commission is to review such plans every 
5 years.
    Unlike the Northern Ireland Office (comprising province-wide 
government departments and the Northern Ireland civil service) and 
district councils, the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), Northern 
Ireland's police force, currently is not required to conform to Section 
75. Although Catholics now comprise less than 8 percent of the police 
force, the implementation of the recommendations of the Patten 
Commission report on police reform, scheduled for late 2000, is 
expected to initiate measures intended to make the force more broadly 
accepted in Northern Ireland. These include the establishment of an 
independent recruitment agency and a recruitment policy mandating equal 
intake of qualified Catholics and non-Catholics. The Patten Commission 
projected that, following implementation of these reforms, Catholics, 
who comprise approximately 40 percent of the population, would make up 
30 percent of the police force within 10 years. Reaching this goal in 
part depends on the Catholic community's encouragement of its members 
to apply for the police force.
    The Northern Ireland Office reported 80 attacks against both 
Catholic and Protestant churches, schools, and meeting halls from 
January 1999 through mid-May 2000. Such sectarian violence often 
coincides with heightened tensions, especially in spring and summer, 
surrounding certain marches by the ``Loyal Institutions'' (the Royal 
Black Preceptory, Orange Order, and Apprentice Boys), whose membership 
is almost exclusively Protestant.
    In April 2000, an interim report on religious discrimination 
commissioned by the Home Office claimed that the establishment of the 
Church of England causes ``religious disadvantage'' to other faiths and 
Christian denominations. The Home Office is considering the report.
    Members of the public have raised concerns with the Home Office 
regarding the Church of Scientology, particularly about financial 
demands made on church members, alienation of members from their 
families, and harassment of members who have left the church.
    According to the Community Security Trust, the number of anti-
Semitic incidents during 1999 was 412, compared with 385 in 1998. 
Public manifestations of anti-Semitism are confined largely to the 
political fringe, either far right or Islamist.
    The country has both active inter-faith and ecumenical movements. 
The Council of Christians and Jews was founded in 1942 to promote 
Christian-Jewish understanding. It continues its work to advance better 
relations between the two religions and to combat anti-Semitism. In the 
postwar period, as other religious communities arose in Britain, new 
inter-faith organizations evolved. The Inter-faith Network was 
established in 1987 and links a wide range of religious and educational 
organizations with an interest in inter-faith relations, including the 
national representative bodies of the Baha'i, Buddhist, Christian, 
Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, and Zoroastrian communities. The 
newest vehicle for the promotion of inter-faith cooperation is the 
Inner Cities Religious Council, which has helped to encourage inter-
faith activity through regional conferences and support for local 
initiatives.
    The main ecumenical body is the Council of Churches for Britain and 
Ireland. The Council serves as the main forum for interchurch 
cooperation and collaboration. Interchurch cooperation is not limited 
to dealings among denominations at the national level. At the local 
level, for example, local Anglican parishes may share their church with 
Roman Catholic congregations.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. In 
Northern Ireland, longstanding issues related to religion have been 
part of the political and economic struggle largely between Protestant 
and Catholic communities. As an active participant in the peace 
process, the U.S. Government has supported efforts to diminish 
sectarian tension and promote dialog between the two largest religious 
communities.
                               __________

                               UZBEKISTAN

    During the period covered by this report, the Government's respect 
for religious freedom improved with regard to minority religions, 
including Christians; however, its respect for the rights of 
unauthorized Muslim groups worsened, as its harsh campaign against such 
groups, which it perceives as terrorist security threats, intensified. 
In August 1999, the Government made a concerted effort to improve 
respect for the religious freedom of Christians and members of other 
minority confessions. The President pardoned six Christians who had 
been imprisoned, some on fabricated narcotics charges, because of their 
religious activities. In addition, the Government registered 20 
churches whose applications had been blocked by local officials.
    The Government arrested hundreds of alleged members of unauthorized 
Islamic groups, such as Hizb ut-Tahrir, and sentenced them to lengthy 
jail terms. It also imprisoned dozens of Muslims suspected of being 
``Wahabbist,'' a term used loosely to encompass both suspected 
terrorists and any former students of certain independent imams or 
foreign madrassas (Islamic schools). (As of mid-2000, certain Islamic 
extremist groups were conducting significant armed incursions in 
Uzbekistan and neighboring states. The publicly acknowledged aim of 
this campaign, which includes violent terrorist actions, bombings, and 
killings, is the overthrow of the Government of Uzbekistan by force.) 
The number of Muslim prisoners, the severity of court sentences, and 
the number of deaths from mistreatment in custody all increased. There 
are amicable relations among the various religious communities.
    U.S. officials, both in Washington and in Tashkent, repeatedly 
urged the Government to improve respect for religious freedom. A series 
of visits by high-level State Department officials, including Secretary 
of State Albright in April 2000, emphasized this point to the 
Government. Other visitors during the period covered by this report 
included staff members of the U.S. Congress Helsinki Commission, the 
Secretary of State, the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International 
Religious Freedom Robert Seiple, and other State Department officials. 
The Embassy conducted regular meetings of the U.S.-Uzbek Human Rights 
Working Group, which addressed questions of religious freedom.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion and for the 
principle of separation of church and state; however, in practice the 
Government only partially respects these rights. The Government 
perceives unofficial Islamic groups or mosques as extremist security 
threats and outlaws them. The Government permits persons affiliated 
with mainstream religions, including approved Muslim groups, Jewish 
groups, the Russian Orthodox Church, and various other denominations, 
such as Catholics and Lutherans, to worship freely and generally 
registers more recently arrived religions. However, the religion law 
forbids or severely restricts activities such as proselytizing and 
importing and disseminating religious literature.
    The Government is secular and there is no official state religion. 
Although the laws treat all religious confessions equally, the 
Government shows its support for the country's Muslim heritage by 
funding an Islamic university and subsidizing citizens' participation 
in the Hajj. The Government promotes a moderate version of Islam 
through the control and financing of the Spiritual Directorate for 
Muslims (the Muftiate), which in turn controls the Islamic hierarchy, 
the content of imams' sermons, and the volume and substance of 
published Islamic materials.
    In May 1998, the Parliament passed two laws that restrict religious 
activity. The Law on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations 
provides for freedom of worship, freedom from religious persecution, 
separation of church and state, and the right to establish schools and 
train clergy. However, the law also severely limits religious activity. 
It restricts religious rights that are judged to be in conflict with 
national security, prohibits proselytizing, bans religious subjects in 
schools, prohibits private teaching of religious principles, forbids 
the wearing of religious clothing in public by anyone other than 
clerics, and requires religious groups to obtain a license to publish 
or distribute materials.
    The law also requires that all religious groups and congregations 
register and provides strict and burdensome criteria for their 
registration. In particular it stipulates that each group present a 
list of at least 100 Uzbek citizen members (compared with the previous 
minimum of 10) to the local branches of the Ministry of Justice. This 
provision enables the Government to ban any group simply by denying its 
registration petition. Government officials designed the law to target 
Muslims who worship outside the system of state-organized mosques. 
Although the Government has granted some exemptions to the 100-member 
requirement, there are no formal criteria for receiving exemptions. 
Instead, exemptions are granted arbitrarily. To register, groups must 
report in their charter a valid juridical address. Local officials on 
occasion have denied approval of a juridical address in order to 
prevent churches from registering.
    As of May 1, 2000, the Government had registered 1,894 religious 
congregations and organizations, 1,724 of which were Muslim. An 
additional 335 applications were denied, 323 of which were from Muslim 
groups. The number of mosques has increased significantly from the 80 
or so permitted during the Soviet era, but has decreased from the 4,000 
or more that opened after the country gained independence and before 
registration procedures were in place. Some groups with too few members 
have reported that they prefer not to bring themselves to the attention 
of the authorities by submitting a registration application that does 
not, on its face, meet legal requirements.
    A special commission created in August 1998 may grant exemptions to 
the religious law's strict requirements and register groups that have 
not been registered by local officials. The commission has granted 
exemptions to 51 such groups, including congregations with fewer than 
100 Uzbek members. However, no formal procedures or criteria have been 
established to bring a case before this commission.
    Although authorities generally tolerate Christian groups, some 
churches found it difficult to obtain registration, especially before 
August 1999. In that month, the central Government undertook to 
register minority religious groups whose applications had been blocked 
by recalcitrant local officials. Twenty churches received their 
registration right away, and most new applications since that time have 
been approved. While there were several groups whose recent 
applications had not been approved by June 2000, only a Baptist 
congregation in Gazalkent claimed that officials were blocking its 
registration. The deputy mayor of Gazalkent allegedly told church 
leaders that its application might be approved if it removed from its 
membership list all names of ethnic Uzbek origin.
    Some churches, particularly those with ethnic Uzbek members, have 
not submitted registration applications because they know they are 
unable to comply with the law's requirements. Although church leaders 
cite high registration fees and the 100-member rule as obstacles, the 
most frequent problem is the lack of an approved legal address, which 
is required in order to submit an application. Some groups have been 
reluctant to invest in the purchase of a property without assurance 
that the registration would be approved. Others claim that local 
officials arbitrarily withhold approval of the addresses because they 
oppose the existence of Christian churches with ethnic Uzbek members.
    The Committee on Religious Affairs has approved the registration of 
170 minority religious groups including 47 Korean Christian, 32 Russian 
Orthodox, 27 Pentecostal (``full gospel''), 23 Baptist, 10 Seventh-Day 
Adventist, 8 Jewish (1 Ashkenazy, 6 Bukharan, 1 mixed), 5 Baha'i, 4 
Lutheran, 3 Roman Catholic, 2 Jehovah's Witnesses, and 2 Krishna 
Consciousness groups. Several of these congregations had fewer than the 
required 100 members but received exemptions from the requirement. 
Denis Podorozhny's Word of Faith Pentecostal Church near Tashkent, 
which lost its registration in 1998, was reregistered in September 
1999. As of June 30, 2000, there was only one pending application by 
Jehovah's Witnesses. Government officials stated that many of the 
unregistered groups could not meet the requirement of 100 Uzbek 
members. Although another unregistered group, the Reformed Baptists, 
had refused to register as a matter of religious principle, the 
Committee on Religious Affairs subsequently took steps to ensure that 
such Baptist congregations meet undisturbed for worship.
    The second legislative change enacted in May 1998 consisted of a 
series of revisions to the Criminal and Civil codes that stiffened the 
penalties for violating the religion law and other statutes on 
religious activities. It provided for punishments for activities such 
as organizing a banned religious group, persuading others to join such 
a group, and drawing minors into a religious organization without the 
permission of their parents.
    The Criminal Code was amended again in May 1999 with two changes 
that affected religious freedom. The changes draw a distinction between 
``illegal'' groups, which are those that are not registered properly, 
and ``prohibited'' groups, which are banned altogether. The first 
measure makes it a criminal offense punishable by up to 5 years in 
prison to organize an illegal religious group or to resume the 
activities of such a group (presumably after being denied registration 
or ordered to disband). Furthermore, the measure punishes any 
participation in such a group by up to 3 years in prison. The second 
measure sets out stiff penalties of up to 20 years in prison and 
confiscation of property for ``organizing or participating'' in the 
activities of religious extremist, fundamentalist, separatist, or other 
prohibited groups. In practice, the courts ignore the theoretical 
distinction and frequently convict members of disapproved Muslim groups 
under both statutes.
Religious Demography
    Since 1991 when the country gained independence from the Soviet 
Union, there has been a resurgence, particularly in the Fergana valley, 
of the Sunni variety of Islam traditional in the region. There are no 
official statistics on membership in various faiths, but 80 to 85 
percent of the population are nominally Muslim. Another 10 to 15 
percent are nominally Russian Orthodox. Only a small portion of members 
of these two leading faiths actually practices, although the numbers 
who do so are growing. Because of the decades of Soviet rule, Islam was 
not previously an important factor in the lives of most citizens.
    There are roughly 30,000 Ashkenazy and Bukharan Jews, concentrated 
in the main cities of Tashkent, Bukhara, and Samarkand. Almost 70,000 
have emigrated to Israel or the United States since independence. The 
remaining 5 to 10 percent of the population include small communities 
of Korean Christians, Baptists, Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Seventh-Day 
Adventists, evangelical and Pentecostal Christians, Buddhists, Baha'is, 
and Hare Krishnas.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious freedom
    Although there were no new restrictive policies, there were serious 
governmental restrictions on religious freedom during the period 
covered by this report. The Government deprived some politically 
oriented religious groups of their right to exist, restricted many 
religious practices and activities, and punished citizens for their 
religious beliefs. Russians, Jews, and foreigners generally enjoy 
greater religious freedom than traditionally Muslim ethnic groups, 
especially Uzbeks. Christian churches generally are tolerated as long 
as they do not attempt to win converts among ethnic Uzbeks. Christians 
who are ethnic Uzbeks are secretive about their faith and rarely 
attempt to register their organizations. Christian congregations that 
are of mixed ethnic background are reluctant to list their Uzbek 
members on registration lists for fear of incurring official 
displeasure.
    While supportive of moderate Muslims, the Government is intolerant 
of Islamic groups that attempt to operate outside the state-run Muslim 
hierarchy. The Government controls the content of imams' sermons and 
the volume and substance of published Islamic materials. At the 
beginning of 1998, the Government ordered the removal of loudspeakers 
from mosques in order to prevent the amplified public announcement of 
calls to prayer. The Government permanently closed several hundred 
unauthorized mosques during 1998. Authorities suspect Muslims who meet 
privately to pray or study Islam of being extremists, and such 
believers are at risk of arrest.
    The Government is determined to prevent the spread of 
ultraconservative or extremist varieties of Sunni Islam, which it 
labels ``Wahabbism'' and considers a security threat. President Islam 
Karimov frequently has declared the Government's intention to rid the 
country of Wahhabists and underground Islamic groups such as Hizb ut-
Tahrir. The Government considers these groups to be political and 
security threats and represses them severely. Hizb ut-Tahrir members 
desire an Islamic government and the group's literature includes much 
anti-western, anti-Semetic, and anti-democratic rhetoric, but they deny 
that they advocate violence. Some independent Muslims deny that they 
are extremists and claim that they are being persecuted for their 
religious beliefs.
    There are numerous reports that Muslims in places of detention are 
punished severely if they are caught praying. The Koran reportedly is 
banned in most facilities.
    The Government bans the teaching of religious subjects in schools, 
and also prohibits the private teaching of religious principles. Under 
the laws dealing with religion, only registered central offices of 
religious organizations are permitted to produce and distribute 
religious literature. Six such offices have been registered to date: a 
non-denominational Bible society, as well as Islamic, Russian Orthodox, 
Full Gospel, Baptist, and Roman Catholic offices. However, the 
Government discourages and occasionally has blocked even registered 
central offices from producing or importing Christian literature in the 
Uzbek language even though Bibles in many other languages are available 
in Tashkent bookstores.
    Although authorities tolerate the existence of many Christian 
evangelical groups, they enforce the law's ban on proselytizing. The 
Government often monitors and harasses those that openly try to convert 
Muslims to Christianity. Members of Jehovah's Witnesses claim that they 
are subject routinely to police questioning, searches, and arbitrary 
fines. Several churches, including the Baptist church in Gazalkent, 
have reported that local officials did not accept membership lists that 
included Uzbek names.
    In May 2000, authorities denied the Union of Baptists permission to 
hold a religious summer camp for the children of church members.
    In 1999 the international nongovernmental organization (NGO) Human 
Rights Watch compiled a list of 28 confirmed cases from 1997 and 1998 
in which university and secondary school students were expelled for 
wearing religious dress. (Only clerics may wear religious clothing in 
public.) Several of these students from Tashkent's Oriental Studies 
Institute brought suit in civil court to be reinstated but were 
unsuccessful.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    The Government continued to commit numerous serious abuses of 
religious freedom. The Government deprived some groups of their right 
to exist, restricted many religious practices and activities, and 
punished citizens for their religious beliefs. The Government's most 
serious abuses of the right to religious freedom were committed against 
Muslim believers. The Government's campaign against independent Muslim 
groups, begun in the early 1990's, resulted in numerous serious human 
rights abuses during the period covered by this report. The campaign 
has been directed at three types of Muslims: alleged Wahhabists, 
including those educated at madrassas (schools) abroad and followers of 
missing imams Nazarov of Tashkent and Mirzaev of Andijon; those 
suspected of being involved in the 1999 Tashkent bombings or of being 
involved with the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, whose roots are in 
Namangan; and suspected members of Hizb ut-Tahrir throughout the 
country.
    The line between the so-called Wahhabists and those suspected of 
being involved in the 1999 bombings is not always apparent, even to an 
unbiased observer, and the Government sees them as being closely 
connected even when they are not in a given case. Both stem from the 
growth of independent Islam that the Government has sought to suppress 
since the early 1990's. The distinction is that the Government 
considers the Wahhabists to be extremists and potential terrorists and 
those suspected of involvement in the bombings to be active terrorists.
    The Government does not consider repression of these groups to be a 
matter of religious freedom, but instead to be directed against those 
who oppose the political order. However, authorities are highly 
suspicious of those who are more pious than is the norm, including 
frequent mosque attendees, bearded men, and veiled women. In practice 
this approach results in abuses against many devout Muslims for their 
religious beliefs.
    There were credible reports that police mistreatment resulted in 
the deaths of persons in custody. Law enforcement officials regularly 
beat and torture suspects held in pretrial detentionincluding those 
accused of religious extremism--in order to extract confessions. Severe 
mistreatment of convicted prisoners is also common. According to human 
rights activists and other observers, many of those killed in custody 
were interned at a new prison near Jaslik in Karakalpakstan, where 
conditions are known to be extremely harsh. Nearly all the inmates of 
this facility, which opened in the spring of 1999, were accused of 
religious extremism. Although there is specific information available 
on only a handful of deaths from mistreatment in custody, human rights 
observers claim that the number of such cases throughout the country 
during the period covered by this report reached at least several 
dozen. Law enforcement officials have been known to threaten families 
not to talk about their relatives' deaths. Government officials 
acknowledge that some inmates of Jaslik died, but attribute the deaths 
to illness and the extremely hot climate rather than mistreatment.
    According to a Hizb ut-Tahrir leaflet, on July 4, 1999, the parents 
of 23-year-old Ulugbek Anvarov buried their son, who authorities 
claimed had committed suicide in detention at the end of June. Anvarov 
was a member of Hizb ut-Tahrir awaiting trial after his June 23, 1999, 
arrest for possessing leaflets. Witnesses to the burial claimed that, 
in addition to rope marks on his neck, his skull was crushed and his 
body showed clear signs of torture.
    Azimboy Khodjaev died in the Jaslik prison in Karakalpakstan on 
July 2, 1999. Khodjaev allegedly was imprisoned for not revealing to 
police the whereabouts of his two sons, both sought as wahhabist 
extremists. According to eyewitnesses, Khodjaev's body showed signs of 
severe beatings, although the official cause of death was an 
unspecified stomach ailment. Khodjaev's son, Pavlanozar, later was 
arrested in Russia and extradited to Uzbekistan. He was sentenced to 
death in mid-May 2000 for his alleged involvement in an Islamist 
terrorist conspiracy.
    On July 17, 1999, according to the Human Rights Society of 
Uzbekistan, Jurakhon Azimov died while serving a 16-year sentence at 
the Jaslik prison. Azimov's body allegedly was bruised badly and cut 
with razor blades, although officials claimed that he died of a heart 
attack. Azimov, a 34-year-old leader of the Birlik Democratic Movement, 
was arrested after police allegedly planted narcotics, bullets, and 
Hizb ut-Tahrir leaflets on him.
    Jaloliddin Sodiqjonov, a 45-year-old ``Islamic missionary,'' 
allegedly died from mistreatment in jail on or about October 13, 1999, 
according to the Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan. Sodiqjonov had 
been arrested in March after police allegedly planted narcotics and a 
weapon in his pocket.
    According to the World Organization Against Torture, Rustam 
Norbaev, a possible member of Hizb ut-Tahrir, was arrested on March 13, 
2000, and died in pretrial detention in Yakkabaga on March 18, 
allegedly after being tortured. Officials claimed that Norbaev hanged 
himself.
    Negmat Karimov, who was sentenced in July 1999 to 20 years in 
prison for alleged involvement in the terrorist conspiracy behind the 
1999 Tashkent bombings, died in prison in Navoi on March 22, 2000. 
According to his parents, his body showed multiple signs of beating. 
Karimov also was convicted on charges related to religious extremism.
    Shukhrat Parpiev, who was sentenced in December 1998 to 15 years in 
prison, died in the Jaslik prison on May 5, 2000. According to an 
acquaintance, Parpiev was not religious, but had been arrested because 
he was seen with a known religious figure suspected of extremism. 
Parpiev's body allegedly was bruised badly, and had a broken clavicle, 
crushed skull, and broken ribs.
    There were no new reports of disappearances of religious leaders. 
It is now widely believed that Imam Sbidkhon Nazarov, who has been 
missing since March 5, 1998, fled the country to avoid arrest and was 
not abducted by security forces. There were no reported developments in 
the 1995 disappearance of Imam Abduvali Mirzaev, the 1997 disappearance 
of his assistant, Nematjon Parpiev, or the 1992 disappearance of 
Aboullah Utaev, leader of the Uzbekistan chapter of the outlawed 
Islamic Renaissance Party (IRP). Most independent observers believe 
that the three missing Islamic activists are either dead or in custody.
    On September 27, 1999, government agents abducted Kyrgyz citizen 
Uuldashbay Tursunbaev on Kyrgyz territory. They brought him to 
Tashkent, where he stood trial for being one of the leaders of the 
Wahhabist movement throughout the 1990's. He was sentenced in February 
2000 to 20 years in prison.
    The security services have arrested, detained, and harassed Muslim 
leaders for perceived acts of insubordination and independence. 
Although international observers are not permitted to inspect prisons, 
conditions are said to be inhuman for all varieties of prisoners.
    Arbitrary arrest and detention of Muslim believers is commonplace. 
Following both the December 1997 murder of police officials in Namangan 
and the February 1999 terrorist bombings in Tashkent, police detained 
hundreds and perhaps thousands of suspected Wahhabists. The majority of 
those detained were released after questioning and detention that 
lasted as long as 2 months. The police routinely planted narcotics, 
ammunition, and, beginning in 1999, religious leaflets, on citizens to 
justify their arrest. According to human rights activists, the police 
arrested scores of those whose religious piety, sometimes indicated by 
their dress or by wearing beards, made them suspect in the eye s of the 
security services.
    To determine whom to arrest, the Government used the local mahalla 
(neighborhood) committees as a source of information. Shortly after the 
February 1999 Tashkent bombings, President Karimov directed that each 
committee assign a ``defender of the people,'' whose job it was to 
assure that young persons in the neighborhoods were not joining 
independent Islamic groups. The committees identified for police those 
residents who appeared suspicious. Human rights observers noted that in 
practice the committees often saw as suspicious those same individuals 
who already had been detained by the police in the wake of either the 
1997 murders of officials in Namangan or the Tashkent bombings, and who 
subsequently had been released because there was no case against them. 
There were dozens of cases involving people who had previously been 
detained and released being retried during the period covered by this 
report.
    The absence of a free press and the rarity of public trials make it 
impossible to determine how many persons have been incarcerated. 
Nonetheless, the Moscow human rights center, Memorial, has compiled a 
list of over 1,400 names of persons arrested and convicted for 
political and religious reasons from January 1999 to April 2000. The 
number of those in pretrial detention is unknown but is probably 
several hundred. Nearly all those listed were accused of being Muslim 
extremists. Some human rights groups have speculated that the total of 
those in custody is in the tens of thousands. By the end of June 2000, 
the Government had convicted 128 persons for direct involvement in the 
bombing plot. Of these, at least 18 received death sentences.
    Although the Constitution provides for the presumption of 
innocence, the system of justice operates on the assumption that only 
the guilty are brought to trial. To bolster this claim, government 
officials point out that since the bombings, approximately 5,000 
persons who were detained later were released. According to government 
officials, most of these were released after they renounced their 
allegiance to Islamist groups and pledged never again to engage in 
anti-state activities, while others were released for lack of evidence.
    The Government typically held unannounced trials of large groups of 
the alleged extremists, and rarely let international observers attend. 
Human rights observers contended these groupings of defendants were 
arbitrary, since the prosecution only occasionally argued that those on 
trial were actually connected to one another. Defendants often claimed 
that the confessions on which the prosecution typically based its cases 
were extracted by torture. Judges ignored these claims and invariably 
convicted the accused, handing down severe sentences--usually from 15 
to 20 years imprisonment.
    In one such trial that ended on April 14, 2000 in Tashkent, 12 
defendants were convicted of anti-state activity, belonging to illegal 
groups, and other charges. Two of the defendants were sentenced to 20 
years, and eight more to 17 years. One defendant, Abdulaziz Mavlianov, 
an employee of the Tashkent office of the International Committee for 
the Red Cross, allegedly confessed only to having given about $15 
(10,000 soum) and some publicly available information to the main 
defendant, alleged Islamist activist Toirjon Abdusamatov. At his trial, 
Mavlianov renounced even that confession, which he had never signed. 
Despite the nature of the alleged activities that led to his 
conviction, he was sentenced to 17 years in prison.
    Accused Hizb ut-Tahrir members also were tried in large groups, 
claimed mistreatment, and were sentenced to lengthy jail terms. In a 
closed April 2000 trial in Termez, 48 defendants were tried together. 
The defendants included both alleged Hizb ut-Tahrir members and alleged 
Wahhabists. According to observers at the courthouse, the judge 
appointed the police investigator who developed the case against six of 
the defendants as their defense counsel. In a Tashkent trial of 10 
alleged Hizb ut-Tahrir members in April 2000, all were sentenced to 20 
years in prison, although the prosecution asked for lighter sentences. 
Most accused Hizb ut-Tahrir members have acknowledged membership in the 
group but claim that they believe in peaceful change. Others appear not 
to be members of the group but to have been apprehended because of 
their religious piety or their possession of Hizb ut-Tahrir leaflets. 
While the Government has not charged that Hizb ut-Tahrir was involved 
in the bombings, group members usually are accused of acting to 
overthrow the constitutional order and of belonging to a prohibited 
extremist group.
    Abdurakhim Abdurakhmanov, an independent Tashkent imam and follower 
of Imam Nazarov, was arrested on or about April 27, 2000. The 
Government held him incommunicado and did not inform his family of his 
whereabouts. Abdurakhmanov had been fired from his job as leader of the 
Kokoldash Madrassa in 1996 and was arrested, severely beaten, and 
imprisoned briefly in 1998 after police claimed to have found narcotics 
and a false passport on him. After the recent arrest, officials 
questioned his wife and sister-in-law, accusing them of Wahhabism.
    Authorities continued their persecution of relatives of Imam Abid 
Khon Nazarov. All of Nazarov's close male relatives have been 
imprisoned. His youngest brother, who has been imprisoned since 1998, 
was transferred to Jaslik prison during 1999. Relatives who have 
visited him there report that he was bruised and malnourished. 
Nazarov's brother, Umarkhon Nazarov, his uncle, Ahmadali Salomov, and 
his brother-in-law, Abdurashid Nasetdinov, remain in prison following 
their convictions in May 1999. On February 10 and February 17, 2000, 
Nazarov's wife and mother were forced to attend anti-Nazarov rallies 
staged by local (mahalla) authorities. Speakers from the procuracy, 
mayor's office (hokimiat), police, and the official Muftiate, addressed 
assemblies of up to 300 persons, calling Nazarov an enemy of the 
people. Police keep constant surveillance on the Nazarov household and 
have attempted to recruit dozens of neighbors as informants regarding 
the family's activities.
    There were few reports of human rights abuses against members of 
minority religions during the period covered by this report. The major 
exception was the October 1999 incident in Karshi in which police beat 
and tortured several churchgoers.
    An ethnic Korean Christian pastor, Stanislav Kim, who was jailed in 
February 1999, allegedly was beaten on one occasion during the period 
covered by this report. An acquaintance claimed that Kim was convicted 
on false charges of tax evasion and financial impropriety, in part 
because local officials believed that Kim's religious activities 
conflicted with his duties as director of a state concern. Prison 
officials said that Kim was considered a model prisoner, denied he was 
in any way mistreated, and suggested that he may have been beaten by 
other inmates.
    The authorities have attempted to silence human rights activists 
who criticize government repression of religious Muslims and others. In 
a 3-hour trial on July 13, 1999, a Tashkent court sentenced Mahbuba 
Kasimova, a member of the Independent Human Rights Organization of 
Uzbekistan (IHROU) and of the Birlik Democratic Movement to 5 years in 
prison. On May 12, 1999, police had arrested her houseguest, Ravshan 
Hamidov, who was suspected of religious extremism. During their search 
of Hamidov's belongings in Kasimova's house, police allegedly planted 
narcotics, a grenade, and literature linking Hamidov to the Islom 
Lashkarlari religious extremist organization. Kasimova was convicted of 
harboring a criminal, despite the fact that her husband was the owner 
of the house and that Hamidov had not been accused of a crime prior to 
the search (and thus technically could not be considered a criminal). 
The prosecutor argued that Kasimova must have known that Hamidov was 
wanted by police, although his arrest was not based on a previous 
arrest warrant but on the discovery of contraband. Kasimova also was 
convicted of fraud, for not having repaid a debt to a neighbor, 
although the neighbor insisted in court that she did not want to press 
charges.
    Kasimova was denied the right to hire her own counsel for the 
trial. Officials ignored the presumption of innocence in handling her 
case. Prior to the trial, investigators organized a citizens' assembly 
headed by the deputy hokim (mayor) of Tashkent, Shukrat Jalilov, at 
which Kasimova was accused falsely of supporting religious extremists 
and advocating the creation of an Islamic state. In front of relatives 
of victims of the February 1999 bombings, she was accused of moral 
complicity in the deaths of those victims.
    Newspaper, television, and radio coverage of the event echoed the 
accusations. On August 17, after a 45-minute appeal hearing, the judge 
confirmed the original sentence.
    On July 10, 1999, police took into custody IHROU member Ismail 
Adylov and held him incommunicado for 72 hours before confirming his 
whereabouts to his family. Police allegedly planted 100 Hizb ut-Tahrir 
leaflets among his effects to justify the arrest, although Adylov is 
known not to be religious. On September 29, 1999, a remote regional 
court sentenced Adylov, who has a kidney ailment, to 6 years in prison 
for allegedly possessing incriminating papers. Reporters and the 
defendant's family were not allowed to attend the 2-day trial; his 
appeal was denied on October 26, 1999.
    Despite repeated appeals, authorities did not return property, 
including a passport, seized from IHROU head Mikhail Ardzinov on June 
25, 1999. Ardzinov has alleged that the police beat him twice during 
questioning on that date. Although the Government denies beating 
Ardzinov, a reliable medical expert confirmed that he was beaten 
severely.
    The Government is suspicious of all religious literature that does 
not emanate from the Muftiate. Possession of tracts by authors deemed 
to be Wahhabist can lead to arrest and prosecution. Hundreds of Uzbeks 
have been imprisoned for possessing or distributing Hizb ut-Tahrir 
leaflets, which are both political and religious in content. Others 
have been imprisoned for possessing Islamic texts in Arabic. One ethnic 
Uzbek Christian was detained by police for 12 hours after they 
discovered a copy of the New Testament in the Uzbek language.
    The law treats prayer meetings or services by unregistered groups 
as a criminal activity. On October 10, 1999, the police raided the 
annual harvest celebration at a Baptist church in the city of Karshi. 
(The church is one of several Baptist congregations that, as a matter 
of religious conviction, had not attempted to register.) The police 
detained and beat many of the participants. Authorities sentenced two 
of the group's organizers to 10 days' incarceration and demanded that 
they pay fines. The Government investigated the incident and some 
officials acknowledged that the Karshi police acted improperly; 
however, no disciplinary action was taken against the officers 
involved. On May 14, 2000, police detained 10 Baptists who were meeting 
for prayer in a private home in Tashkent. The pastor of the 
unregistered group was forced to pay a fine of $26 (18,500 sum).
Improvements in Respect for Religious Freedom
    Beginning in August 1999, the Government made a concerted effort to 
improve respect for the religious freedom of Christians and members of 
other minority confessions. The President pardoned six Christians who 
had been imprisoned, some on fabricated narcotics charges, because of 
their religious activities. These were: Pastor Ibrahim Yusupov of 
Tashkent, Sergei Brazgin of Uchkuduk, Na'il Asanov of Bukhara, Pastor 
Rashid Turibayev of the unregistered Karakalpak Full Gospel Christian 
Church in Nukus and Turibayev's associates, Farkhad Yangibayev, and 
Yasif Tarashev.
    In addition, the Ministry of Justice summarily approved the 
registration applications of 20 minority religion congregations that 
were having trouble registering. Since August 1999, the Committee on 
Religious Affairs has assisted several additional congregations with 
problematic registration applications, and the Ministry of Justice has 
been relatively tolerant in approving applications. After the October 
1999 incident in Karshi, the Committee on Religious Affairs took steps 
to ensure that police allow such Baptist congregations, which consider 
registration to be inconsistent with their religious beliefs, to meet 
undisturbed for worship.
    In a February 2000 roundtable on religious freedom, officials 
called for clarifications that would bring religion law and practice 
into line with the International Convenant on Civil and Political 
Rights, and on May 25, 2000, President Karimov suggested that the 
Parliament consider improvements to the religion law.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are amicable relations among the various religious 
communities. There is no pattern of discrimination against Jews. 
Synagogues function openly; Hebrew education (long banned in the Soviet 
Union), Jewish cultural events, and the publication of a community 
newspaper take place undisturbed. However, many Jews are emigrating 
because of the perception of bleak economic prospects in Uzbekistan and 
their connection to families abroad.
    Members of ethnic groups that traditionally are associated with 
Islam who convert to Christianity sometimes encounter particular 
societal and low-level governmental hostility.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy is engaged actively in monitoring religious 
freedom issues and problems and maintains contact with both government 
and religious leaders.
    The Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom and 
other U.S. officials met with the Uzbek Ambassador to the United States 
in July, August, and November 1999 and June 2000 to encourage 
improvement in his country's respect for religious freedom.
    The chief of staff of the Commission for Security and Cooperation 
in Europe of the U.S. Congress, along with several staff members, held 
a series of meetings in Tashkent with government officials in December 
1999. Issues of religious freedom were a prominent part of the agenda 
in these discussions.
    In February 2000, the assistant to the Special Adviser to the 
Secretary of State for the Newly Independent States gave a major 
address on religious freedom at the Tashkent University for World 
Economy and Diplomacy. Together with the Deputy Assistant Secretary of 
State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, he also discussed the 
country's religion law, and issues of religious freedom with government 
officials, religious leaders, and human rights activists. The Deputy 
Assistant Secretary held additional separate meetings on these topics 
with both officials and activists.
    The U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan delivered a speech calling for 
improved respect for religious freedom at the Ombudsman's February 29, 
2000, Roundtable on Amending the Religion Law.
    The Secretary of State met with President Karimov in Tashkent in 
April 2000, and raised U.S. concerns on these issues, in particular 
calling for amendments to the religion law. During her visit the 
Secretary also visited Muslim and Jewish places of worship.
    The Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human 
Rights, and Labor returned to Uzbekistan with the Secretary's party in 
April to follow up on his previous meetings, and held a separate series 
of discussions with government officials. He also met with the families 
of victims of government repression against independent Muslims, as 
well as with human rights activists.
    The Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom and 
staff visited Uzbekistan and met with foreign ministry and other 
officials in May, 2000, to press for progress in amending the religion 
law, improved treatment of imprisoned Muslims, and permission for 
missionary activity. He also met with religious leaders of minority 
confessions, including the Russian Orthodox Church, with the families 
of victims of government repression against independent Muslims, and 
with human rights activists.
    The U.S. Ambassador and Deputy Chief of Mission raised issues of 
religious freedom on at least 10 occasions in meetings with the Foreign 
Minister and other officials, as well as in the context of the U.S.-
Uzbek human rights working group.
    The Embassy's human rights officer regularly discussed religious 
freedom with the deputy director of the Committee on Religious Affairs 
in the Cabinet of Ministers. The Embassy's human rights officer 
maintains regular contact with religious leaders and human rights 
activists on these and other issues.

                       NEAR EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

                              ----------                              


                                ALGERIA

    The Constitution declares Islam to be the state religion but 
prohibits discrimination based on religious belief, and the Government 
generally respects this right in practice.
    Islam is the only legal religion, and the law limits the practice 
of other faiths; however, the Government follows a de facto policy of 
tolerance by not inquiring into the religious practices of individuals. 
Terrorists continue to justify their killing of security force members 
and civilians by referring to interpretations of religious texts. The 
level of violence perpetrated by terrorists declined during the period 
covered by this report.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and religious homogeneity of society 
contribute to the free practice of religion. A very small number of 
citizens practice nonmainstream forms of Islam or other religions. 
These groups do not seek political rights as groups, and there is 
minimal societal discrimination against them.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom with the Government 
in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting human 
rights. The U.S. Embassy has worked with Islamic organizations to 
promote exchanges with U.S.-based organizations, with a view toward 
promoting democratic principles within these organizations.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution declares Islam to be the state religion but 
prohibits discrimination based on religious belief, and the Government 
generally respects this right in practice.
    Islam is the only legal religion, and the law limits the practice 
of other faiths; however, the Government follows a de facto policy of 
tolerance by not inquiring into the religious practices of individuals.
Religious Demography
    The vast majority of citizens belong to the Sunni branch of Islam. 
There are no official data available on the number of non-Muslim 
residents. Many citizens who practice non-Muslim faiths have fled the 
country as a result of the civil war. Thus, the number of Christians 
and Jews in the country is significantly lower today than the estimated 
total before 1992. The small Christian community, which is 
predominantly Roman Catholic, has approximately 25,000 members, and the 
Jewish community numbers perhaps fewer than 100.
    For security reasons, both Christians and Jews have concentrated in 
Algiers and the larger cities of Constantine and Oran. There is also a 
Christian community in the eastern region of Kabylie. The small 
Christian and Jewish populations practice their faiths without 
government interference.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The law prohibits public assembly for purposes of practicing a 
faith other than Islam. However, there are Roman Catholic churches, 
including a cathedral in Algiers, which is the seat of the Archbishop, 
that conduct services without government interference. In 1994 the size 
of the Jewish community diminished significantly, and its synagogue has 
since been abandoned. There are only a few smaller churches and other 
places of worship; non-Muslims usually congregate in private homes for 
religious services.
    Because Islam is the state religion, the country's education system 
is structured to benefit Muslims. Education is free to all citizens 
below the age of 16, and the study of Islam is a strict requirement in 
the public schools, which are regulated by the Ministry of Education 
and the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Private primary and secondary 
schools are not permitted to operate.
    The Government appoints preachers to mosques and gives general 
guidance on sermons. The Government monitors activities in mosques for 
possible security-related offenses. The Ministry of Religious Affairs 
provides some financial support to mosques and has limited control over 
the training of imams.
    Conversions from Islam to other religions are rare. Because of 
safety concerns and potential legal and social problems, Muslim 
converts practice their new faith clandestinely. The Shari'a-based 
Family Code prohibits Muslim women from marrying non-Muslims, although 
this regulation is not always enforced. The code does not restrict 
Muslim men from marrying non-Muslim women.
    Non-Islamic proselytizing is illegal, and the Government restricts 
the importation of non-Islamic literature for widespread distribution. 
Personal copies of the major works of other religions, such as the 
Bible, may be brought into the country. Occasionally, such works are 
sold in local bookstores in Algiers. However, many vendors refuse to 
sell these works due to fear of reprisal by extremists, and, to a 
lesser extent, because of government policy. The Government also 
prohibits the dissemination of any literature that portrays violence as 
a legitimate precept of Islam.
    Under both Shari'a (Islamic law) and Algerian law, children born to 
a Muslim father are Muslim, regardless of the mother's religion. Islam 
does not allow conversion to other faiths at any age.
    Religious affiliation is not noted on identity documents issued by 
the Government.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    During the period covered by this report, an indeterminate number 
of persons were serving prison sentences because of their alleged 
Islamist sympathies or membership in Islamist groups; however, there 
were no reports of cases in which it was clear that persons were 
arrested or detained based solely on their religious beliefs.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.
    The country's 8-year civil conflict has pitted self-proclaimed 
radical Muslims against moderate Muslims. Approximately 100,000 
civilians, terrorists, and security forces have been killed during the 
past 8 years. Extremist self-proclaimed Islamists have issued public 
threats against all ``infidels'' in the country, both foreigners and 
citizens, and have killed both Muslims and non-Muslims, including 
missionaries. During the period covered by this report, extremists 
continued attacks against both the Government and moderate Muslim and 
secular civilians. The majority of the country's terrorist groups do 
not, as a rule, differentiate between religious and political killings. 
In the majority of cases during the period covered by this report, in 
which both security forces and civilians died at the hands of 
terrorists, the preferred methods of assault were knifings 
(particularly throat-slitting), and shootings. Terrorists, claiming 
religious justification for their actions, set up false roadblocks to 
kill civilians and security forces personnel. Terrorists also killed 
villagers and shepherds in their homes and fields, with firearms and 
knives.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    The majority of cases of harassment and security threats against 
non-Muslims come from radical Islamists who are determined to rid the 
country of those who do not share their extremist interpretation of 
Islam (see Section I). However, a majority of the population subscribes 
to Islamic precepts of tolerance in religious beliefs. Through joint 
communiques, moderate Islamist religious and political leaders have 
criticized publicly acts of violence committed in the name of Islam.
    In general, noncitizens who practice faiths other than Islam enjoy 
a high level of tolerance within society. However, citizens who 
renounce Islam generally are ostracized by their families and shunned 
by their neighbors, and expose themselves to the risk of attack by 
radical extremists. The Government generally does not become involved 
in these kinds of internal family disputes.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy maintains frequent contact with the National 
Observatory for Human Rights (ONDH), a quasi-governmental institution 
that was established by the Government in response to international and 
domestic pressure to improve Algeria's human rights record. The Embassy 
assists wherever possible to augment the ONDH's ability to address 
human rights abuses. The Embassy also maintains contact with the 
Ministry of Religious Affairs and discusses religious freedom issues.
    Because Algiers was rated as a ``critical threat'' post during the 
period covered by this report, the U.S. Embassy's staff level was one-
third the size that it would have been under normal circumstances. 
Officers were confined to the Embassy grounds and moved outside its 
walls, for business purposes only, with armed escorts. For practical 
and logistical purposes, the Embassy could not maintain regular contact 
with leaders in the Muslim community or with the Ministry of Religious 
Affairs. Nevertheless, the Embassy tracked human rights issues, 
including religious freedom, as closely as possible under these 
restrictive working conditions.
    The Embassy maintains close contact with religious leaders in the 
non-Muslim community, who cite the dangers posed by radical Islamists 
as their principal concern regarding the safe practice of their faith.
    The Embassy has established contacts with several moderate Islamist 
organizations, including a social service nongovernmental organization 
and a scholarly institute.
                               __________


                                BAHRAIN

    The Constitution states that Islam is the official religion and 
also provides for freedom of religion; however, the Government does not 
tolerate political dissent, including from religious groups or leaders. 
The Government subjects both Sunni and Shi'a Muslims to governmental 
control and monitoring. Members of other religions who practice their 
faith privately do so without interference from the Government.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Proselytizing by non-Muslims is discouraged, anti-Islamic writings 
are prohibited, and conversions from Islam to other religions, while 
not illegal, are not tolerated well by society. Although there are 
notable exceptions, the Sunni Muslim minority enjoys a favored status.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom with the Government 
in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting human 
rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution states that Islam is the official religion and 
also provides for freedom of religion; however, the Government does not 
tolerate political dissent, including from religious groups or leaders. 
The Government subjects both Sunni and Shi'a Muslims to governmental 
control and monitoring. Members of other religions who practice their 
faith privately do so without interference from the Government.
Religious Demography
    The population is overwhelmingly Muslim. Citizens belong to the 
Shi'a and Sunni branches of Islam, with Shi'a constituting more than 
two-thirds of the indigenous population. However, Sunnis predominate 
because the ruling family is Sunni and is supported by the armed 
forces, the security service, and powerful Sunni and Shi'a merchant 
families. Foreigners constitute 35 to 40 percent of the total 
population. Roughly half of resident foreigners are non-Muslim. 
Christians and other non-Muslims, including Jews, Hindus, Baha'is, 
Buddhists, and Sikhs, are free to practice their religion, maintain 
their own places of worship, and display the symbols of their religion.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Government funds, monitors, and closely controls all official 
religious institutions. These include Shi'a and Sunni mosques, Shi'a 
Ma'tams (ceremonial centers), Shi'a and Sunni Waqfs (charitable 
foundations), and the religious courts, which represent both the 
Ja'afari (Shi'a) and Maliki (Sunni) schools of Islamic jurisprudence. 
While the Government rarely interferes with what it considers 
legitimate religious observations, it actively suppresses any activity 
deemed overtly political in nature. In the past, the Government 
occasionally has closed mosques and Ma'tams for allowing political 
demonstrations to take place on or near their premises and has detained 
religious leaders for delivering political sermons or for allowing such 
sermons to be delivered in their mosques. The Government also may 
appropriate or withhold funding in order to reward or punish particular 
individuals or places of worship. There were no reported closures of 
Ma'tams or mosques during the period covered by this report.
    The High Council for Islamic Affairs is charged with the review and 
approval of all clerical appointments within both the Sunni and Shi'a 
communities, and maintains program oversight for all citizens studying 
religion abroad. Public religious events, most notably the large annual 
commemorative marches by Shi'a, are permitted but are watched closely 
by the police. There are no restrictions on the number of citizens 
permitted to make pilgrimages to Shi'a shrines and holy sites in Iran, 
Iraq, and Syria. However, stateless residents who do not possess 
Bahraini passports often have difficulties arranging travel to 
religious sites abroad. The Government monitors travel to Iran and 
scrutinizes carefully those who choose to pursue religious study there.
    Proselytizing by non-Muslims is discouraged, anti-Islamic writings 
are prohibited, and conversions from Islam to other religions, while 
not illegal, are not tolerated well by society. However, Bibles and 
other Christian publications are displayed and sold openly in local 
bookstores that also sell Islamic and other religious literature. Some 
small groups worship in their homes. Notable dignitaries from virtually 
every religion and denomination visit the country and frequently meet 
with the Government and civic leaders. Religious tracts of all branches 
of Islam, cassettes of sermons delivered by Muslim preachers from other 
countries, and publications of other religions are readily available.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    The political dynamic of Sunni predominance has led to incidents of 
unrest between the Shi'a community and the Government, including during 
the period covered by this report.
    During the period covered by this report, the Government held in 
detention hundreds of Shi'a for security-related crimes such as 
treason. In June 1999, the Government gradually began freeing 
incarcerated individuals as part of an Amiri decree calling for the 
release or pardon of more than 350 Shi'a political prisoners, 
detainees, and exiles. Since then, the Amir has pardoned at least 
another 350 prisoners in December 1999 and the year 2000. In early July 
1999, the Amir pardoned prominent Shi'a cleric Abdul Amir Al-Jamri, who 
had been in prison since 1996. Since his release, the Government has 
monitored Al-Jamri's movements closely. It also has denied him the 
right to issue marital status certificates, a lucrative source of 
income for many clerics. Several other clerics associated with Al-Jamri 
remain in jail. On March 22, 2000, Shi'a cleric leader Abdul Wahab 
Hussain was rearrested only hours after a judge released him following 
more than 4 years in detention without charge. The authorities neither 
brought charges against Hussain nor provided an explanation for his 
rearrest. Hussain remained incarcerated in a Manama jail at the end of 
the period covered by this report. By the end of the period covered by 
this report, it is believed that less than 500 persons still remain in 
detention for political reasons. There were no reports of religious 
detainees or prisoners during the period covered by this report whose 
imprisonment could be attributed to the practice of their religion.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Although there are notable exceptions, the Sunni Muslim minority 
enjoys a favored status. Sunnis receive preference for employment in 
sensitive government positions and in the managerial ranks of the civil 
service. Shi'a citizens are not allowed to hold significant posts in 
the defense and internal security forces. However, since April 1999, 
Shi'a have been allowed to be employed in the enlisted ranks of the 
Bahrain Defense Force and with the Ministry of the Interior, two bodies 
in which Shi'a had been denied employment during the past 4 years. In 
the private sector, Shi'a tend to be employed in lower paid, less 
skilled jobs.
    Educational, social, and municipal services in most Shi'a 
neighborhoods, particularly in rural villages, are inferior to those 
found in Sunni urban communities. In an effort to remedy social 
discrimination, the Government has built numerous subsidized housing 
complexes, which are open to all citizens on the basis of financial 
need. In order to ease both the housing shortage and strains on the 
national budget, in 1997 the Government revised its policy in order to 
permit lending institutions to finance mortgages on apartment units.
    The Government has declared the Shi'a religious celebration of 
Ashura to be a national holiday, and allows Shi'a to stage public 
demonstrations during the holiday. In a gesture of conciliation toward 
the Shi'a community, the Amir donated rice and lamb to some 500 Shi'a 
community centers for the 2000 Ashura.
    Converts from Islam to other religions are not well tolerated by 
society (see Section I).

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    An official written dialog takes place between U.S. Embassy 
officials and government contacts on matters of religion. One such 
example is the memorandum received by the Embassy each year from the 
Government in response to the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 
for Bahrain.
                               __________

                                 EGYPT

    The Constitution provides for freedom of belief and the practice of 
religious rites; however, the Government places restrictions on this 
right. Under the Constitution, Islam is the official state religion and 
primary source of legislation. Accordingly, religious practices that 
conflict with Islamic law (Shari'a) are prohibited. However, in Egypt 
the practice of Christianity or Judaism does not conflict with Shari'a 
and, for the most part, members of the non-Muslim minority worship 
without harassment and maintain links with coreligionists abroad.
    There was a trend toward improvement in the Government's respect 
for and protection of the right to religious freedom during the period 
covered by this report. The Government undertook a series of 
initiatives to address the concerns of the Christian community, 
including the facilitation of church repairs, the appointment of Copts 
to senior positions in the ruling political party, and expanded 
treatment of Coptic themes in the media. There was a significant 
increase in press and public discussion of the subject of religious 
discrimination.
    Many Egyptians agree that more needs to be done to eliminate 
religious discrimination, but argue that development of the economy, 
polity, and society is the most effective and enduring way to abolish 
prejudice. A trade dispute between a Christian clothing merchant and a 
Muslim customer that occurred on December 31, 1999, in the village of 
Al-Kush in Sohag governorate, escalated into violent exchanges between 
Muslims and Christians in the area, culminating in the death of 21 
Christians and 1 Muslim on January 2, 2000.
    The subject of religious freedom remains an important and active 
part of the bilateral dialog between the U.S. and Egyptian Governments. 
President Clinton, the U.S. Ambassador, other senior administration 
officials, and members of Congress have raised U.S. concerns about 
religious discrimination with President Hosni Mubarak and other senior 
officials.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of belief and the practice of 
religious rites; however, the Government places restrictions on this 
right. Under the Constitution, Islam is the official state religion and 
primary source of legislation. Accordingly, religious practices that 
conflict with Shari'a are prohibited. However, in Egypt the practice of 
Christianity or Judaism does not conflict with Shari'a and, for the 
most part, members of the non-Muslim minority worship without 
harassment and maintain links with coreligionists abroad.
    All mosques must be licensed, and the Government is engaged in an 
effort to control them legally. The Government appoints and pays the 
salaries of the imams who lead prayers in mosques, proposes themes for 
them, and monitors their sermons. In September 1999, the Minister of 
Awqaf announced that the Government now controls 46,000 mosques and 
12,000 ``zawaya'' (corner mosques, or mosques located within a 
multipurpose building). (There are approximately 70,000 mosques in the 
country.) In an effort to combat extremists, the Government has 
announced its intention to bring all unauthorized mosques under its 
control by 2002.
Religious Demography
    Most Egyptians are Sunni Muslims. There is a small number of Shi'a 
Muslims. Approximately 10 percent of the population, or 6 million of 64 
million, are Christians, the majority of whom belong to the Coptic 
Orthodox Church. Other traditionally Christian communities include the 
Armenian, Greek, and Syrian Orthodox Churches, and the Coptic, 
Armenian, Chaldean, Greek, Maronite, Roman, and Syrian Catholic 
Churches. An Evangelical Protestant Church, first established in the 
middle of the 19th century, has grown to a community of 17 Protestant 
denominations. The Seventh-Day Adventist Church was granted legal 
status in the 1960's. The non-Muslim, non-Coptic communities range in 
size from several thousand to hundreds of thousands. Christians are 
geographically dispersed throughout the country, although the 
percentage of Christians tends to be higher in upper (southern) Egypt 
than the national average.
    The Jewish community currently numbers fewer than 200 persons. 
There is also a very small number of Baha'is.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    An 1856 Ottoman decree still in force requires non-Muslims to 
obtain what is now a presidential decree to build a place of worship. 
In addition, Interior Ministry regulations issued in 1934 specify a set 
of 10 conditions that the Government must consider prior to issuance of 
a presidential decree permitting construction of a church. These 
conditions include the location of the proposed site, the religious 
composition of the surrounding community, and the proximity of other 
churches.
    The Ottoman decree also requires the President to approve permits 
for the repair of church facilities. In response to strong criticism of 
the decree, President Mubarak took several steps to facilitate church 
repairs. In December 1999, President Mubarak issued a decree making the 
repair of all places of worship subject to a 1976 civil construction 
code. The decree is significant symbolically because it places churches 
and mosques on equal footing before the law. The practical impact of 
the decree has been to facilitate significantly church repairs. During 
the period covered by this report, the Government approved a total of 
32 permits for church-related construction, including 4 permits for the 
construction of new churches; 6 permits for the construction of 
additional church facilities; and 26 permits for churches previously 
constructed without authorization. The Government reported that 
governors issued more than 200 permits for church-related repair in 
1999.
    However, the approval process for church construction is time-
consuming and insufficiently responsive to the wishes of the Christian 
community. Although President Mubarak reportedly has approved all 
requests for permits presented to him, Christians maintain that the 
Interior Ministry delays--in some instances indefinitely--submission to 
the President of their requests. They also maintain that security 
forces have blocked them from utilizing permits that have been issued.
    As a result of these restrictions, some communities use private 
buildings and apartments for religious services. In February 2000, 
security forces closed a church operating without a permit in the city 
of Al-Tour in the Sinai. The Christian community in the Sinai had 
submitted its first request for a permit to construct a church in Al-
Tour in 1995. In April 2000, the Government issued a permit to build a 
new church in the neighborhood of Al-Qalag in the city of Shebin Al-
Qanater in Qalubiya governorate. Security forces had closed the 
community's historic church in 1989. In May 2000, the weekly Christian 
newspaper Watany published an editorial series documenting the 
Government's failure to issue church permits in 10 ``new communities'' 
(those areas outside the traditionally inhabited Nile Valley).
    In January 1996, human rights activist Mamdouh Naklah filed suit 
challenging the constitutionality of the Ottoman decree. In December 
1998, an administrative court referred Naklah's case to the State 
Commissioner's Office. This decision was considered a setback, as this 
body of legal experts is not required to issue an opinion expeditiously 
and its advisory opinions are not binding. The office had not issued an 
opinion in this case by mid-2000. Once an opinion is issued, the court 
is expected to try the case.
    Neither the Constitution nor the Civil and Penal Codes prohibit 
proselytizing or conversion. However, during the past 2 decades, 
several dozen Christians who were accused of proselytizing or who had 
converted from Islam to Christianity have been harassed by police or 
arrested on charges of violating Article 98(F) of the Penal Code, which 
prohibits citizens from ridiculing or insulting heavenly religions or 
inciting sectarian strife. No such incidents occurred during the period 
covered by this report.
    There are no restrictions on the conversion of non-Muslims to 
Islam. However, in cases involving conversion from Islam to 
Christianity, authorities have charged several converts with violating 
laws prohibiting the falsification of documents. In such instances, 
converts, who fear government harassment if they officially register 
the change from Islam to Christianity, have altered their 
identification cards and other official documents themselves to reflect 
their new religious affiliation. No such charges were raised during the 
period covered by this report.
    In 1997, human rights activist Mamdouh Naklah filed suit seeking 
removal of the religious affiliation category from government 
identification cards. Naklah challenged the constitutionality of a 1994 
decree by the Minister of Interior governing the issuance of new 
identification cards. The court referred the case to the State 
Commissioner's Office. In May 2000, the State Commissioner's Office 
issued an opinion noting that the legal challenge had not been filed 
within 60 days of the decree's issuance, as required by law. However, 
the advisory opinions of the State Commissioner's Office are not 
binding. The court is now expected to try the case.
    In 1960, President Gamal Abdel Nasser issued a decree (Law 263 for 
1960) banning Baha'i institutions and community activities. All Baha'i 
community properties, including Baha'i centers, libraries, and 
cemeteries, were confiscated. This ban has not been rescinded.
    According to a 1995 law, application of family law, including 
marriage, divorce, alimony, child custody, inheritance, and burial, is 
based on an individual's religion. In the practice of family law, the 
State recognizes only the three ``heavenly religions:'' Islam, 
Christianity, and Judaism. Muslim families are subject to the Personal 
Status Law, which draws on Shari'a. Christian families are subject to 
canon law, and Jewish families are subject to Jewish law. In cases of 
family law disputes involving a marriage between a Christian woman and 
a Muslim man, the courts apply the Personal Status Law. The children of 
such marriages must be raised as Muslims. The Coptic Orthodox Church 
excommunicates Christian women who marry Muslim men. Muslim women are 
prohibited by Shari'a from marrying Christian men.
    The Constitution requires schools to offer religious instruction. 
Public and private schools provide religious instruction according to 
the faith of the student.
    The Minister of Awqaf, Hamdy Zaqzouq, established in 1996 a 
committee to address a dispute with the Coptic Orthodox Church that 
originated in 1952. At that time, the Government seized approximately 
1,500 acres of land from the Church and transferred title to the 
Ministry of Awqaf, which is responsible for administering religious 
trusts. Based on the committee's recommendations, more than 800 acres 
have been returned to the Church. The committee continues to review 
claims to the remaining disputed property.
    The Ministry of Awqaf engages in interfaith discussions both 
domestically and abroad.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    The Government occasionally prosecutes members of religious groups 
whose practices deviate from mainstream Islamic beliefs and whose 
activities are believed to jeopardize communal harmony. One focus of 
government scrutiny has been the eponymous religious group established 
in 1969 by Salim AlFaramawy, which advocates the belief that members 
should isolate themselves from the State and society, which he 
considered atheistic, and abjure the use of science and technology, 
including medicine. Faramawy also advocated the consumption of dogs and 
cats, a practice prohibited by Islam. After his death in 1991, his son-
in-law, Mohamed Gouda, reportedly assumed leadership of the group. In 
March 2000, the State Security Prosecutor arrested 48 persons from 
several governorates alleged to be members of the Faramawy group. Gouda 
and the other 47 alleged members of the group remained in detention at 
the end of the period covered by this report, pending completion of an 
investigation by the Public Prosecutor.
    On November 11, 1999, the State Security Prosecutor arrested 50 
persons in Cairo suspected of heresy against Islam. On November 15, 
1999, 30 detainees were released and the remaining 20 were charged with 
degrading Islam, inciting strife, and meeting illegally. The lead 
defendant, a woman named Manal Wahid Mana'a, was accused of attempting 
to establish a new Islamic offshoot. She claims that the Prophet 
Mohamed speaks to her. A State Security Emergency Court in Boulaq began 
the trial of Mana'a and her followers on May 9, 2000. The next hearing 
was scheduled for July 11, 2000.
    In July 1999, a state security court in Alexandria convicted 14 
persons of heresy against Islam. The lead defendant, Mohamed Ibrahim 
Mahfouz, was sentenced to 5 years in prison for claiming that he speaks 
directly to God and is at times transformed into God or the Prophet 
Mohamed. Seven of his followers were sentenced to 3 years in prison. 
Six of his followers were sentenced to 1 year in prison. Five other 
defendants were acquitted.
    In August 1999, the public prosecutor reopened and expanded an 
investigation of police torture of mostly Christian detainees that took 
place during the police investigation in August and September 1998 of 
the murder of Samir Aweda Hakim and Karam Tamer Arsal in the largely 
Coptic village of Al-Kush in Sohag governorate. This investigation of 
police conduct is ongoing and no conclusions had been reached by mid-
2000. It is unclear whether religion was a factor in the actions of the 
police officers. Some human rights groups outside Egypt believe that 
religion was a factor in the Al-Kush murder investigation, but most 
human rights and Christian activists in Egypt do not. Police abuse of 
detainees is a widespread practice that occurs regardless of a 
detainee's religious beliefs.
    On June 5, 2000, a criminal court in Sohag city convicted Shayboub 
William Arsal of the murder of Hakim and Arsal. The court sentenced 
Shayboub to 15 years in prison at hard labor. An appeal is pending. The 
Christian community of Al-Kush believes that Shayboub, a Christian 
resident of Al-Kush, was accused and convicted of the crime because of 
his religion. The public prosecution in Sohag has taken no action on 
charges of witness tampering in Shayboub's trial that were raised in 
1998 against Bishop Wisa and Arch-Priest Antonious.
    An estimated several thousand persons are imprisoned because of 
alleged support for or membership in Islamist groups seeking to 
overthrow the Government. The Government states that these persons are 
in detention because of membership in or activities on behalf of 
violent extremist groups, without regard to religious affiliation. 
There were no reports linking their detention solely to their religious 
belief.
Improvements in Respect for Religious Freedom
    There was a trend toward improvement in the Government's respect 
for and protection of the right to religious freedom during the period 
covered by this report. In December 1999, President Mubarak issued a 
decree making the repair of all places of worship subject to a 1976 
civil construction code. The decree is significant symbolically because 
it places churches and mosques on equal footing before the law. The 
practical impact of the decree has been to facilitate significantly 
church repairs. In February 2000, President Mubarak announced the 
reorganization of the Government's National Democratic Party (NDP), 
including the appointment of five Copts to senior political party 
positions. The NDP holds the vast majority of seats in Parliament. The 
NDP and opposition political parties also have announced that they 
intend to nominate Copts to run for seats in Parliament in the fall 
2000 elections.
    The Ministry of Tourism arranged festivities in June 2000, which 
were attended by the Prime Minister and other senior dignitaries, 
celebrating the millennium anniversary of the arrival of the Holy 
Family, which, according to tradition, sojourned in Egypt. The Ministry 
of Housing and the American Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Athra Kadisha were 
expected to complete construction of a highway-bridge through the 
ancient Basatin Jewish Cemetery in Cairo in September 2000. The project 
is designed to be a modern highway--part of Cairo's Ring Road--that 
traverses a cemetery but meets the religious strictures against moving 
or vibrating buried bodies.
    In January 1999, the Government formed a committee of academics to 
revise the history curriculum in the primary and secondary schools. A 
primary objective of the committee is to reintroduce into the 
curriculum the Coptic and Byzantine periods of Egyptian history. During 
the period covered by this report, new text was developed; however, it 
has not yet been incorporated into the curriculum.
    Building on actions first taken in December 1999 and January 2000, 
government-owned television and radio significantly expanded the amount 
of programming time devoted to Christian issues, including the live 
broadcast of Christmas and Easter services and documentaries on the 
Holy Family's travels in Egypt and other Christian history. Pope John 
Paul II's February 2000 visit to Egypt, including his Mass, visits to 
holy sites, and meetings with religious leaders, received extensive 
press and television coverage. The Government introduced several 
television dramas that emphasize religious tolerance, and news programs 
pointedly sought official Christian views on topical matters. The media 
did not broadcast any discriminatory programs. Government newspapers 
provided more editorial space to Christian themes and authors than in 
past years. The First Lady, Suzanne Mubarak, has endorsed the 
development of reading materials that advocate tolerance. These 
materials are distributed by projects under her patronage that promote 
literacy and educational opportunities for girls.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.
    During the past 2 decades, the ``Islamic Group in Egypt'' (Islamic 
Group) and other terrorist groups that seek the overthrow of the 
Government have committed violent acts, including assaults against 
government targets, foreign tourists, and Christians. There were no 
reported terrorist incidents during the period covered by this report. 
Government, Islamic, and community leaders have criticized the attacks 
against Christians. The Government remains fully engaged in efforts to 
arrest and convict these extremists. However, some Christians allege 
that the Government is lax in protecting Christian lives and property. 
In October 1999, a State Security Emergency Court in Assiyut city began 
the trial of four members of a terrorist group from the upper city of 
Dairout who were accused of the murder and attempted murder of 
policemen and Christians in the early 1990's. On June 20, 2000, each of 
the four defendants was sentenced to 5 years in prison.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Muslims and Copts share a common history and national identity. 
They also share the same ethnicity, race, culture, and language. 
Christians are geographically dispersed throughout the country, and 
Christians and Muslims live as neighbors. At times religious tensions 
flare up and individual acts of prejudice occur. Discrimination is 
practiced by members of both faiths. The majority of citizens agree 
that more needs to be done to eliminate discrimination, but argue that 
development of the economy, polity, and society is the most effective 
and enduring way to abolish social prejudice.
    The Constitution provides for equal public rights and duties 
without discrimination due to religion or creed. For the most part, 
these constitutional protections are upheld by the Government. However, 
discrimination against Christians exists. There are no Christians 
serving as governors, university presidents, and deans. There are few 
Christians in the upper ranks of the security services and armed 
forces. Although there was improvement in a few areas, government 
discriminatory practices include: Suspected statistical 
underrepresentation of the size of the Christian population; bias 
against Christianity and Coptic history in the educational curriculums; 
limited coverage of Christian subjects in the media; failure to admit 
Christians into public university training programs for Arabic language 
teachers (because the curriculum involves study of the Koran); 
discrimination against Christians in the public sector; and 
discrimination against Christians in staff appointments to public 
universities.
    Christians have been the objects of occasional violent assault by 
the Islamic Group and other terrorists. However, there were no reports 
of terrorist attacks against Christians during the period covered by 
this report. In incidents unrelated to terrorism, a Christian priest in 
the lower (northern) city of Mahalla and a Christian priest in the city 
of Dairout were attacked by individual extremists in August and 
September 1999, respectively. The assailant in the first case was 
convicted on April 15, 2000 of assault and sentenced to 3 years at hard 
labor. The assailant in the second case was determined to be mentally 
unstable and placed in a state mental institution on April 29, 2000. 
The Government provided the priests with medical care.
    The public prosecutor charged Ahmad Fergally Ahmad Nasir and 
Ibrahim Fergally Ahmad Nasir with premediated murder after the Nasir 
brothers shot and killed a monk on September 2, 1999, in Assiyut 
governorate following a land dispute. The monk was affiliated with a 
monastery that rents thousands of acres of agricultural land to local 
tenants, and the Nasir brothers were tenants on the land. The public 
prosecutor appealed the September 21, 1999 verdict of a criminal court 
that ruled that the Nasir brothers were guilty of an ``attack leading 
to death'' and sentenced them to 7 years in prison. The public 
prosecutor is seeking a conviction for premeditated murder. The case 
was pending before an appeals court at mid-2000.
    A trade dispute between a Christian clothing merchant and a Muslim 
customer that occurred on December 31, 1999, in the village of Al-Kush 
in Sohag governorate, escalated into violent exchanges between Muslims 
and Christians in the area, resulting in the death of 21 Christians and 
1 Muslim on January 2, 2000. The violence also resulted in the injury 
of 39 persons in AlKush and 5 persons in the neighboring municipality 
of Dar AlSalaam. Approximately 200 businesses and homes in the area 
were damaged. Following the incident, President Mubarak sent the 
Minister of Local Administration to Al-Kush as his emissary. The 
Minister of Housing and the Public Prosecutor also visited Al-Kush to 
investigate. The Government subsequently provided $882 (3000 Egyptian 
pounds) to each of the families of those who were killed and $147 (500 
Egyptian pounds) to each person who was injured. The Government 
relocated and rebuilt 65 kiosks destroyed in the riots. The placement 
of the kiosks prior to the incident had been a subject of longstanding 
dispute between Christian and Muslim merchants. The Christian community 
estimates that Christian residents and merchants lost $1,061,588 
(3,609,400 Egyptian pounds) worth of merchandise and personal property 
during the looting. The Ministry of Social Affairs thus far has 
disbursed $15,560 (52,900 Egyptian pounds) in compensation. The Coptic 
Orthodox Church has provided $192,779 (655,450 Egyptian pounds) in 
compensation. Several individuals and organizations also provided 
donations to the Christian community in Al-Kush.
    On March 11, 2000 the Public Prosecutor announced the indictment of 
135 persons for involvement in the sectarian violence, on charges 
ranging from unlawful assembly to murder. Charges initially raised 
against a local priest were dropped. On June 3, 2000 a criminal court 
in Sohag city conducted the first hearing in the trial of 39 persons 
indicted for committing acts of violence in the municipality of Dar Al-
Salaam. The next hearing was scheduled for July 3, 2000. On June 4, 
2000, the same criminal court in Sohag city conducted the first hearing 
in the trial of 96 persons accused of committing acts of violence in 
the village of Al-Kush. The next hearing was scheduled for August 7, 
2000. Coptic Orthodox Pope Shenouda stated publicly that negligence on 
the part of the police and local leaders led to an increase in the 
number of victims and an escalation of the violence. Although rumors 
reportedly played a significant role in exacerbating the violence, no 
incitement charges were brought. The Government did not investigate 
police conduct; however, the director of state security for Sohag 
governorate, Said Abu Al-Ma'aly, was removed from his position in 
March.
    On May 8, 2000, Islamist students from Al-Azhar University clashed 
with police after their protest of the Culture Ministry's re-issuance 
of a novel, which the students deemed insulting to Islam, turned 
violent. Dozens of students were injured and approximately 75 were 
detained for up to 15 days of questioning. None of the students were 
charged for their roles in the incident. Islamic fundamentalists had 
objected to the Culture Ministry's supposed pro-Western, anti-Islamic 
orientation.
    There were reports of forced conversions of Coptic girls to Islam. 
Reports of such cases are disputed and often include inflammatory 
allegations and categorical denials of kidnaping and rape. Observers, 
including human rights groups, find it extremely difficult to determine 
whether compulsion was used, as these cases typically involve a Coptic 
girl who converts to Islam when she marries a Muslim boy. According to 
the Government, the girl in such cases must meet with her family, with 
her priest, and with the head of her church before she is allowed to 
convert. However, there are credible reports of the Government's 
failure to ensure that such meetings occur, of government harassment of 
Christian families that attempt to regain custody of their daughters 
prior to the marriage, and of the failure of the authorities to uphold 
the law (which states that a marriage of a girl under the age of 16 is 
prohibited, and between the ages of 16 and 21 is illegal without the 
approval and presence of her guardian) in some cases of marriage 
between an underage Christian girl and a Muslim male.
    There is no legal requirement for a Christian girl or woman to 
convert to Islam in order to marry a Muslim. If a Christian woman 
marries a Muslim man, she is excommunicated by the Church. Ignorance of 
the law and social pressure, including the centrality of marriage to a 
woman's identity, often affect her decision. Family conflict and 
financial pressure also are cited as factors. In addition, conversion 
is a means of circumventing the legal prohibition on marriage between 
the ages of 16 and 21 without the approval and presence of the girl's 
guardian. Most Christian families would object to a daughter's wish to 
marry a Muslim. However, if a Christian girl converts to Islam, her 
family loses guardianship, which transfers to a Muslim custodian, who 
is likely to grant approval. The law is silent on the matter of the 
acceptable age of conversion.
    Official relations between Christian and Muslim religious figures 
are amicable, and include reciprocal visits to religious celebrations. 
A committee on dialog was established in 1998 by the Vatican and Al-
Azhar, the country's foremost Islamic institution and a preeminent 
seminary of Sunni Islamic study. Al-Azhar engages in other interfaith 
discussions, both in the country and abroad. The Coptic Evangelical 
Organization for Social Services (CEOSS) supports a Center for 
Intercultural Dialog. In May 2000, Al-Azhar and the CEOSS cosponsored a 
conference on ``Religious Thought and Justice.'' Held in the city of 
Port Said, the conference drew more than 100 participants, including 
the Minister of Awqaf and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar. Other informal 
interfaith discussions take place, as well. Private Christian schools 
admit Muslim students, and religious charities serve both communities.
    Rejecting foreign and some local negative characterizations of 
government treatment of Christians, local Christian and Muslim leaders 
formed a Council of ``Wise Men'' in 1998 to define the problems of the 
Christian community and to propose solutions to the Government and 
society. The council identified the following five priorities: 
Abolishing the Ottoman decree and related regulations governing the 
construction and repair of churches; increasing the number of 
Christians nominated for elected positions by the governing National 
Democratic Party; increasing the number of Christians appointed to 
senior government positions; correcting the imbalance in media 
treatment of Christian subjects and prohibiting the inclusion of 
discriminatory materials; and correcting the deficiencies in the 
educational curriculums, including insufficient treatment of the Coptic 
era of history. The Government is addressing many of these concerns. In 
February 2000, following the new year's sectarian violence in Sohag, 
these leaders issued a second petition renewing their call on the 
Government and society to abolish religious discrimination. In general 
there was a significant increase in press and public discussion of 
religious discrimination during the period covered by this report.
    Anti-Semitism in the press is found in both the government press 
and in the nonofficial press of the opposition parties. The Government 
has advised journalists and cartoonists to avoid anti-Semitism. There 
have been no anti-Semitic incidents in recent years directed at the 
tiny Jewish community.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The subject of religious freedom is an important part of the 
bilateral dialog. The subject has been raised at all levels of 
government, including by the President, Secretary of State, Assistant 
Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs, the U.S. Ambassador, and other 
embassy officials. The Embassy maintains formal contacts with the 
Office of Human Rights at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In addition, 
the Ambassador has discussed religious freedom with senior government 
officials and religious leaders. The Embassy also regularly discusses 
religious freedom issues in contacts with other government officials, 
including governors and Members of Parliament. In May 2000, 
representatives from the State Department's Bureau of Democracy, Human 
Rights and Labor visited and met with official interlocutors and 
community activists. Visiting congressional delegations have raised 
religious freedom issues during visits with government officials.
    The U.S. Embassy maintains an active dialog with the leaders of the 
Christian and Muslim religious communities, human rights groups, and 
other activists. The Embassy investigates every complaint of religious 
discrimination brought to its attention. The Embassy also discusses 
religious freedom with a range of contacts, including academics, 
businessmen, and citizens outside of the capital area, as well as those 
from a lower-income background.
    The U.S. Mission, including the Department of State and the U.S. 
Agency for International Development (USAID), works in concert to 
expand human rights and to ameliorate the conditions that breed 
religious strife by promoting economic, social, and political 
development. U.S. programs and activities support initiatives in 
several areas directly related to religious freedom. During the period 
covered by this report, the Mission provided training to Egyptian 
police in human rights practices and community policing techniques. The 
Mission is working to strengthen civil society, including training for 
nongovernmental groups that promote religious tolerance. In March 2000, 
the Nongovernmental Organization Service Center was funded by USAID to 
provide training and technical assistance to Egyptian NGO's began 
operating. The Embassy has nominated participants interested in 
advocacy for the international visitors program, and invited American 
specialists in this subject as part of the State Department's Speakers 
Program. Another mission initiative is to strengthen the rule of law. 
USAID supports a major effort to improve the administration of justice, 
and State Department exchange activities promote legal reform and 
access to justice. The Mission also promotes civic education. The 
public affairs section of the Embassy is supporting the development of 
materials that encourage tolerance, diversity, and understanding of 
others, in both Arabic-language and English-language curriculums. 
USAID, in collaboration with the Children's Television Workshop, 
developed an Egyptian version of the television program Sesame Street, 
which is designed to reach isolated households and has as one of its 
goals the promotion of tolerance. The show was scheduled to begin in 
the summer of 2000; it had not been aired by the end of the period 
covered by this report. USAID also supports private voluntary 
organizations that are implementing innovative curriculums in private 
schools. The public affairs section of the Embassy is leading an effort 
to increase the professionalism of the press, with an emphasis on 
balanced and responsible coverage. Finally, USAID is working with the 
Supreme Council of Antiquities to promote the conservation of cultural 
antiquities, including Islamic, Christian, and Jewish historical sites.
                               __________

                                  IRAN

    The Government restricts freedom of religion. The Constitution 
declares that the ``official religion of Iran is Islam and the doctrine 
followed is that of Ja'fari (Twelver) Shi'ism.'' Members of Iran's 
religious minorities--including Baha'is, Jews, Christians, and Sufi 
Muslims--reported imprisonment, harassment, and intimidation based on 
their religious beliefs. At least 11 Baha'is were among those still 
imprisoned for reasons related to their faith, while 10 Jews remained 
in prison after being convicted for cooperating with a hostile 
government, belonging to an illegal organization, and recruiting 
members in an illegal organization.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Society is accustomed to the presence of Iran's pre-Islamic, non-
Muslim communities. However, government actions create a threatening 
atmosphere for some religious minorities, especially Baha'is, Jews, and 
evangelical Christians. The Revolutionary Court's conduct in the trial 
of 13 Jews contributed to worsening societal attitudes toward the 
Jewish community.
    The U.S. Government makes clear its objections to the Government's 
treatment of religious minorities in public statements, support for 
relevant U.N. and nongovernmental organization (NGO) efforts, and in 
diplomatic contacts with other countries.
    In September 1999, the Secretary of State designated Iran a country 
of particular concern under the International Religious Freedom Act for 
particularly severe violations of religious freedom.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Government restricts freedom of religion. The Constitution 
declares that the ``official religion of Iran is Islam and the doctrine 
followed is that of Ja'fari (Twelver) Shi'ism.'' It also states that 
``other Islamic denominations are to be accorded full respect,'' and 
designates Zoroastrians, Jews, and Christians as the only ``recognized 
religious minorities,'' which, ``within the limits of the law,'' are 
permitted to perform their religious rites and ceremonies and ``to act 
according to their own canon in matters of personal affairs and 
religious education.'' Although the Constitution states that ``the 
investigation of individuals'' beliefs is forbidden'' and that ``no one 
may be molested or taken to task simply for holding a certain belief,'' 
the adherents of religions not specifically protected under the 
Constitution do not enjoy freedom of activity. This situation most 
directly affects members of the Baha'i Faith.
    The central feature of the country's Islamic republican system is 
rule by a ``religious jurisconsult.'' Its senior leadership, including 
the Supreme Leader of the Revolution, the President, the head of the 
judiciary, and the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly 
(Parliament), is composed principally of Shi'a clergymen.
    Religious activity is monitored closely by the Ministry of Islamic 
Culture and Guidance and by the Ministry of Intelligence and Security 
(MOIS). Adherents of recognized religious minorities are not required 
to register individually with the Government, although their community, 
religious, and cultural events and organizations, as well as schools, 
are monitored closely. Baha'is are not recognized by the Government as 
a legitimate religious group but are considered an outlawed political 
organization. Registration of Baha'i adherents is a police function. 
Evangelical Christian groups have been pressured by government 
authorities to compile and hand over membership lists for their 
congregations. Evangelicals have resisted this demand.
Religious Demography
    The population is approximately 99 percent Muslim, of which 89 
percent are Shi'a and 10 percent are Sunni (mostly Turkomen, Arabs, 
Baluchs, and Kurds living in the southwest, southeast, and northwest). 
Sufi Brotherhoods are popular, but there are no reliable figures 
available to judge their true size.
    Baha'is, Christians, Zoroastrians, and Jews constitute less than 1 
percent of the population. The largest non-Muslim minority is the 
Baha'i Faith, estimated at about 300,000 to 350,000 adherents 
throughout the country. Estimates on the size of the Jewish community 
vary from 25,000 to 30,000. These figures represent a substantial 
reduction from the estimated 75,000 to 80,000 Jews who resided in the 
country prior to the 1979 Revolution. The Christian community is 
estimated at approximately 117,000 persons, according to government 
figures. Of these the majority consists of ethnic Armenians and 
AssyroChaldeans. There are also Protestant denominations, including 
evangelical churches.
    The Government figures reported by the United Nations in 1996 place 
the size of the Zoroastrian community at approximately 35,000 
adherents. Zoroastrian groups cite a larger figure of approximately 
60,000, according to the same United Nations report. Zoroastrians are 
mainly ethnic Persians concentrated in the cities of Tehran, Kerman, 
and Yazd. Zoroastrianism was the official religion of the pre-Islamic 
Sassanid Empire and thus has played a central role in Iranian history.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The U.N. Special Representative for Human Rights in Iran noted in 
his September 1998 report frequent assertions that religious minorities 
are, by law and practice, barred from being elected to a representative 
body (except to the seats in the Majles reserved for minorities, as 
provided for in the Constitution) and from holding senior government or 
military positions. Members of religious minorities are allowed to 
vote, but they may not run for president. All religious minorities 
suffer varying degrees of officially sanctioned discrimination, 
particularly in the areas of employment, education, and housing.
    Members of religious minorities generally are barred from becoming 
school principals. Applicants for public-sector employment are screened 
for their adherence to Islam. The law stipulates penalties for 
government workers who do not observe ``Islam's principles and rules.'' 
Religious minorities may not serve in the army, the judiciary, or the 
security services. The Constitution states that ``the Army of the 
Islamic Republic of Iran must be an Islamic army, i.e., committed to an 
Islamic ideology and the people, and must recruit into its service 
individuals who have faith in the objectives of the Islamic Revolution 
and are devoted to the cause of achieving its goals.'' Baha'is are 
prohibited from government employment.
    University applicants are required to pass an examination in 
Islamic theology, which limits the access of most religious minorities 
to higher education (despite the fact that public-school students 
receive instruction in Islam).
    The Government allows recognized religious minorities to conduct 
the religious education of their adherents. This includes separate and 
privately funded Zoroastrian, Jewish, and Christian schools, but not 
Baha'i schools. The Ministry of Education, which imposes certain 
curriculum requirements, supervises these schools. With few exceptions, 
the directors of these private schools must be Muslim. Attendance at 
these schools is not mandatory for recognized religious minorities. All 
textbooks used in course work must be approved for use by the Ministry 
of Education, including religious texts. Religious texts in non-Persian 
languages require approval by the authorities for use. This requirement 
imposes sometimes significant translation expenses on minority 
communities.
    Recognized religious minorities may provide religious instruction 
in non-Persian languages but often come under pressure from the 
authorities when conducting such instruction in Persian. In particular, 
evangelical Christian and Jewish communities suffer harassment and 
arrest by authorities for the printing of materials or delivery of 
sermons in Persian.
    Recognized religious minorities are allowed by the Government to 
establish community centers and certain cultural, social, sports, or 
charitable associations that they finance themselves. This does not 
apply to the Baha'i community, which since 1983 has been denied the 
right to assemble officially or to maintain administrative 
institutions. Because the Baha'i Faith has no clergy, the denial of the 
right to form such institutions and elect officers has threatened its 
existence.
    Religious minorities suffer discrimination in the legal system, 
receiving lower awards in injury and death lawsuits, and incurring 
heavier punishments, than Muslims. Muslim men are free to marry non-
Muslim women but marriages between Muslim women and non-Muslim men are 
not recognized.
    The Government is highly suspicious of any proselytizing of Muslims 
by non-Muslims and can be harsh in its response, in particular against 
Baha'is and evangelical Christians. The Government regards the Baha'i 
community, whose faith originally derives from a strand of Islam, as a 
``misguided'' or ``wayward'' sect. The Government fuels anti-Baha'i and 
anti-Jewish sentiment in the country for political purposes.
    The Government does not ensure the right of citizens to change or 
renounce their religious faith. Apostasy, specifically conversion from 
Islam, can be punishable by death.
    The Baha'i Faith originated in Iran during the 1840's as a 
reformist movement within Shi'a Islam. Initially it attracted a wide 
following among Shi'a clergy. The political and religious authorities 
of that time joined to suppress the movement, and since then the 
hostility of the Shi'a clergy to the Baha'i Faith has remained intense. 
Baha'is are considered apostates because of their claim to a valid 
religious revelation subsequent to that of Muhammad. The Baha'i Faith 
is defined by the Government as a political ``sect'' historically 
linked to the Shah's regime and, hence, as counterrevolutionary and 
characterized by its espionage activities for the benefit of foreign 
entities, particularly Israel. Historically at risk in the country, 
Baha'is often have suffered increased levels of harassment and abuse 
during times of political unrest.
    Baha'is may not teach or practice their faith or maintain links 
with coreligionists abroad. The fact that the Baha'i world headquarters 
(established by the founder of the Baha'i Faith in the 19th century in 
what was then Ottoman-controlled Palestine) is situated in what is now 
the state of Israel, exposes Baha'is to government charges of 
``espionage on behalf of Zionism,'' in particular when caught 
communicating with or sending monetary contributions to the Baha'i 
Faith headquarters.
    Broad restrictions on Baha'is appear to be geared to destroying 
them as a community. Baha'is repeatedly have been offered relief from 
oppression if they were prepared to recant their faith.
    Baha'i cemeteries, holy places, historical sites, administrative 
centers and other assets were seized shortly after the 1979 revolution. 
None of the properties have been returned, and many have been 
destroyed. Baha'is are not allowed to bury and honor their dead in 
keeping with their religious tradition. They are permitted access only 
to areas of wasteland, designated by the Government for their use, and 
are not allowed to mark the graves. Many historic Baha'i gravesites 
have been desecrated or destroyed. In October 1998, three Bahai's were 
arrested in Damavand, a city north of Tehran, on the grounds that they 
had buried their dead without government authorization.
    Baha'i group meetings and religious education, which often take 
place in private homes and offices, are curtailed severely. Public and 
private universities continue to deny admittance to Baha'i students, a 
particularly demoralizing blow to a community that traditionally has 
placed a high value on education. Denial of access to higher education 
appears aimed at the eventual impoverishment of the Baha'i community.
    Baha'is regularly are denied compensation for injury or criminal 
victimization. Government authorities claim that only Muslim plaintiffs 
are eligible for compensation in these circumstances.
    A 1993 law prohibits government workers from membership in groups 
that deny the ``divine religions,'' terminology that the Government 
uses to label members of the Baha'i Faith. The law also stipulates 
penalties for government workers who do not observe ``Islamic 
principles and rules.''
    In 1993 the U.N. Special Representative reported the existence of a 
government policy directive on the Baha'is. According to the directive, 
the Supreme Revolutionary Council instructed government agencies to 
block the progress and development of the Baha'i community, expel 
Baha'i students from universities, cut the Baha'is' links with groups 
outside the country, restrict the employment of Baha'is, and deny 
Baha'is ``positions of influence,'' including those in education. The 
Government claims that the directive is a forgery. However, it appears 
to be an accurate reflection of current government practice.
    While the Government eased some restrictions thereby enabling 
Baha'is to obtain food-ration booklets and send their children to 
public schools, the prohibition against the admission of Baha'is to 
universities remains. Thousands of Baha'is dismissed from government 
jobs in the early 1980's receive no unemployment benefits and have been 
required to repay the Government for salaries or pensions received from 
the first day of employment. Those unable to do so face prison 
sentences.
    In his 1996 report to the U.N. Commission on Human Rights, the U.N. 
Special Rapporteur on the Question of Religious Intolerance recommended 
``that the ban on the Baha'i organization should be lifted to enable it 
to organize itself freely through its administrative institutions, 
which are vital in the absence of a clergy, so that it can engage fully 
in its religious activities.'' In response to the Special Rapporteur's 
concerns with regard to the lack of official recognition of the Baha'i 
Faith, government officials stated that the Baha'is ``are not a 
religious minority, but a political organization which was associated 
with the Shah's regime, is against the Iranian Revolution and engages 
in espionage activities.'' According to the Special Rapporteur, 
government officials stated nonetheless that, as individuals, all 
Baha'is were entitled to their beliefs and were protected under other 
articles of the Constitution as citizens.
    During the period covered by this report, the Government of Iran 
took some positive steps in recognizing the rights of Baha'is, as well 
as other religious minorities.
    In November 1999, President Khatami publicly stated that no one in 
Iran should be persecuted because of his or her religious beliefs. He 
added that he would defend the civil rights of all citizens, regardless 
of their beliefs or religion. Subsequently, the Expediency Council 
approved the ``Right of Citizenship'' bill, affirming the social and 
political rights of all citizens and their equality before the law. In 
February 2000, following approval of the bill, the head of the 
judiciary issued a circular letter to all registry offices throughout 
the country, which permits any couple to be registered as husband and 
wife without being required to state their religious affiliation. This 
measure effectively permits the registration of Baha'i marriages in 
Iran. Previously, Baha'i marriages were not recognized by the 
Government, leaving Baha'i women open to charges of prostitution. 
Consequently, children of Baha'i marriages were not recognized as 
legitimate and, therefore, were denied inheritance rights. The impact 
of the new registration policy on the status of Baha'i families remains 
unclear.
    Although Sunni Muslims are accorded full respect under the terms of 
the Constitution, some groups claim discrimination on the part of the 
Government. In particular, Sunnis cite the lack of a Sunni mosque in 
Tehran and claim that authorities refuse to authorize construction of a 
Sunni place of worship in the capital.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    The property rights of Baha'is generally are disregarded. Since 
1979, large numbers of private and business properties belonging to 
Baha'is have been confiscated. During the period covered by this 
report, three Baha'i homes in Yazd and one in Arbakan were confiscated 
because their owners were members of the Baha'i community. In September 
and October 1998, government officers plundered more than 500 Baha'i 
homes throughout the country and seized personal household effects, 
such as furniture and appliances. Seizure of personal property, in 
addition to the denial of access to education and employment, is 
eroding the economic base of the Baha'i community.
    Ruhollah Rowhani, a Baha'i, was executed in July 1998 after having 
served 9 months in solitary confinement on a charge of apostasy 
stemming from allegedly having converted a Muslim woman to the Baha'i 
Faith. The woman concerned asserted that her mother was a Baha'i and 
that she herself had been raised a Baha'i. Rowhani was not accorded a 
public trial or sentencing for his alleged crime, and no sentence was 
announced prior to his execution.
    The Government of Iran continued to imprison and detain persons 
based on their religious beliefs. Manuchehr Khulusi was arrested in 
June 1999 while visiting fellow Baha'is in the town of Birjand, and was 
imprisoned until his release in May 2000. During his imprisonment, 
Khulusi was interrogated, beaten, held in solitary confinement, and 
denied access to his lawyer. The charges brought against him are still 
unknown, but they were believed to be related to his faith. The Islamic 
Revolutionary Court in Mashhad held a 2-day trial in September 1999 and 
then sentenced him to death in February 2000. Despite Khulusi's 
release, it is unclear if the conviction and death sentence against him 
still stand.
    Two Baha'is, Sirus Zabihi-Moghaddam and Hadayat KashefiNajafabadi, 
are currently in prison for apostasy. Their death sentences were 
reaffirmed in February 2000. They were tried for apostasy alongside 
Rowhani. Four Baha'is are currently on death row--two for ``Zionist 
Baha'i activities'' and two for apostasy.
    During the period covered by this report, authorities in Khurasan 
intensified their efforts to intimidate and undermine Baha'i education. 
Two teachers in Mashhad were arrested and sentenced to 3 years' 
imprisonment. Their students were given suspended sentences, to be 
carried out if the young persons again participated in religious 
education classes. Three more Baha'is were arrested in Bujnurd in 
northern Khurasan for participating in religious education gatherings. 
After 6 days in prison, they were released with suspended sentences of 
5 years. The use of suspended sentences appears to be a new tactic for 
the Government to discourage Baha'is from taking part in monthly 
religious gatherings.
    In September 1998, authorities launched a nationwide operation to 
disrupt the activities of the Baha'i Institute of Higher Learning, also 
known as the ``Open University,'' which was established by the Baha'i 
community shortly after the revolution to offer higher educational 
opportunities to Baha'i students who had been denied access to the 
country's high schools and universities. The Institute employed Baha'i 
faculty and professors, many of whom had been dismissed from teaching 
positions by the Government as a result of their faith, and conducted 
classes in homes or offices owned or rented by Baha'is. During the 
operation, which took place in at least 14 different cities, 36 faculty 
members were arrested and a variety of personal property, including 
books, papers, and furniture, either were destroyed or confiscated. 
Government interrogators sought to force the detained faculty members 
to sign statements acknowledging that the Open University was now 
defunct and pledging not to associate with it in the future. Baha'is 
outside the country report that none of the 36 detainees would sign the 
document. All but 4 of the 36 persons detained during the September 
1998 raid on the Baha'i Institute were released by November 1998.
    In March 1999, Dr. Sina Hakiman, Farzad Khajeh Sharifabadi, 
Habibullah Ferdosian Najafabadi, and Ziaullah Mirzapanah, the four 
remaining detainees from the September 1998 raid, were convicted under 
Article 498 of the Penal Code and sentenced to prison terms ranging 
from 3 to 10 years. In the court verdict, the four were accused of 
having established a ``secret organization'' engaged in ``attracting 
youth, teaching against Islam, and teaching against the regime of the 
Islamic Republic.'' According to Baha'i groups outside Iran, the four 
taught general science and Persian literature courses. In July 1999, 
Mirzapanah, who had been sentenced to 3 years in prison, became ill and 
was hospitalized. Prison authorities allowed him to return home upon 
his recovery on the understanding that they could find him whenever 
necessary. The other three were released in December 1999.
    The Government appears to adhere to a practice of keeping a small 
number of Baha'is in arbitrary detention, some at risk of execution, at 
any given time. There were 11 Baha'is reported to be under arrest for 
the practice of their faith as of June 1999, 4 under sentence of death.
    The authorities have become particularly vigilant in recent years 
in curbing what is perceived as increasing proselytizing activities by 
evangelical Christians whose services are conducted in Persian. 
Government officials have reacted to this perceived activity by closing 
evangelical churches and arresting converts. Members of evangelical 
congregations have been required to carry membership cards, photocopies 
of which must be provided to the authorities. Worshipers are subject to 
identity checks by authorities posted outside congregation centers. 
Meetings for evangelical services have been restricted by the 
authorities to Sundays, and church officials have been ordered to 
inform the Ministry of Information and Islamic Guidance before 
admitting new members to their congregations.
    As conversion of a Muslim to a non-Muslim religion may be 
considered apostasy under traditional Shari'a practices enforced in the 
country, non-Muslims may not proselytize Muslims without putting their 
own lives at risk. Evangelical church leaders are subject to pressure 
from authorities to sign pledges that they would not evangelize Muslims 
or allow Muslims to attend church services.
    One U.S.-based organization reported 8 deaths of evangelical 
Christians at the hands of authorities in the past 11 years and between 
15 and 23 disappearances in the year between November 1997 and November 
1998.
    Oppression of evangelical Christians continued during the period 
covered by this report. Christian groups recently reported instances of 
government harassment of churchgoers in Tehran, in particular against 
worshipers at the Assembly of God congregation in the capital. 
Instances of harassment cited included conspicuous monitoring outside 
Christian premises by Revolutionary Guards to discourage Muslims or 
converts from entering church premises and demands for presentation of 
identity papers of worshipers inside. Iranian Christians International 
(ICI) detailed the cases of Alireza and Mahboobeh Mahmoudian, converts 
to Christianity and lay leaders of the Saint Simon the Zealot Osgofi 
Church in Shiraz, who were forced to leave the country permanently in 
June 1998 after continued harassment by authorities. ICI reported that 
Alireza Mahmoudian had lost his job because of his conversion and had 
been beaten repeatedly by Basijis (paramilitary forces) and Ansar-e 
Hizbollah (gangs of thugs often aligned with specific members of the 
leadership) on orders of government officials from the Ministry of 
Islamic Guidance. His wife, Mahboobeh, also had been the subject of 
intimidation, principally through frequent and aggressive interrogation 
by government officials.
    While Jews are a recognized religious minority, allegations of 
official discrimination are frequent. The Government's anti-Israel 
policies, coupled with a perception among radicalized Muslim elements 
that Jewish citizens support Zionism and the State of Israel, create a 
threatening atmosphere for the small Jewish community. Jewish leaders 
reportedly are reluctant to draw attention to official mistreatment of 
their community due to fear of government reprisal.
    Some Jewish groups outside Iran cite an increase in anti-Semitic 
propaganda in the official and semiofficial media as adding to the 
pressure felt by the Jewish community. One example cited is the 
periodic publication of the anti-Semitic and fictitious Protocols of 
the Elders of Zion, both by the Government and by periodicals 
associated with hardline elements of the regime. In 1986 the Iranian 
Embassy in London was reported to have published and distributed the 
Protocols in English. The Protocols also were published in serial form 
in the country in 1994 and again in January 1999. On the latter 
occasion they were published in Sobh, a conservative monthly 
publication reportedly aligned with the security services.
    There appears to be little restriction or interference with their 
religious practice or education; however, Jews were eased out of the 
Government after 1979. Jews are permitted to obtain passports and to 
travel outside the country but, with the exception of certain business 
travelers, are required by the authorities to obtain clearance (and pay 
additional fees) before each trip abroad. The Government appears 
concerned about the emigration of Jews and permission generally is not 
granted for all members of a Jewish family to travel outside the 
country at the same time.
    In March 1999, 13 Jews were arrested in the cities of Shiraz and 
Isfahan and purportedly accused of espionage. Neither the defendants 
nor their legal counsel were informed of the formal charges facing the 
group until the trial began in April 2000. Among the group were several 
prominent rabbis, teachers of Hebrew, and their students, including a 
16-year-old boy. Governments and human rights groups around the world 
criticized the arrests and the lack of due process accorded to the 
defendants. They also called for the safe treatment of the detainees, 
who were allowed only limited contact with defense counsel, sporadic 
family visits, and deliveries of kosher food. On July 1, 2000, the 
Revolutionary Court in Shiraz convicted 10 of the accused on charges of 
cooperating with a hostile government, membership in an illegal 
organization, and recruiting members in an illegal organization, and 
sentenced them to between 4 and 13 years in prison. Three of the 
original 13 were acquitted.
    Jewish groups outside Iran noted that the March 1999 arrest of the 
13 Jewish individuals coincided with an increase in anti-Semitic 
propaganda in newspapers and journals associated with hardline elements 
of the Government. Since the trial began in April 2000, Jewish 
businesses in Tehran and Shiraz have been targets of vandalism and 
boycotts, and Jews reportedly suffered personal harassment and 
intimidation.
    Human Rights Watch reported the death in May 1998 of Jewish 
businessman Ruhollah Kakhodah-Zadeh, who was hanged in prison without a 
public charge or legal proceeding. Reports indicate that Kakhodah-Zadeh 
may have been killed for assisting Jews to emigrate. As an accountant, 
Kakhoda-Zadeh provided powerofattorney services for Jews departing the 
country.
    The Government restricts the movement of several senior religious 
leaders, some of whom have been under house arrest for years, and often 
charges members of religious minorities with crimes such as drug 
offenses, ``confronting the regime,'' and apostasy.
    Human Rights Watch reported in 1998 the killing of Sunni prayer 
leader Molavi Imam Bakhsh Narouie in the province of Sistan 
vaBaluchistan in the southeast. This led to protests from the local 
community, which believed that government authorities were involved in 
the murder.
    Majdhub Alishahi, an adherent of the Sufi tradition, reportedly was 
executed on charges of adultery and homosexuality after a coerced 
confession in 1996. Sufi organizations outside the country remain 
concerned about repression by the authorities of Sufi religious 
practices.
    There were no reports of government harassment of the Zoroastrian 
community during the period covered by this report.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States. However, according to the tenets of 
Islam, a child born to a Muslim father is automatically considered a 
Muslim.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    The continuous activity of Iran's pre-Islamic, non-Muslim 
communities, such as Zoroastrians, Jews, and Christians, has accustomed 
the population to the presence of non-Muslims in society. However, 
government actions create a threatening atmosphere for some religious 
minorities.
    The Jewish community has been reduced to more than one-half its 
pre-revolutionary size. Some of this emigration is connected with the 
larger, general waves of departures following the establishment of the 
Islamic Republic, but some also stems from perceived anti-Semitism on 
the part of the Government and within society.
    The Government's anti-Israel policies and the trial of the 13 Jews, 
coupled with the perception among some of the country's radicalized 
elements that Iranian Jews support Zionism and the State of Israel, 
create a threatening atmosphere for the Jewish community (see Section 
I). Many Jews have sought to limit their contact with or support for 
the State of Israel out of fear of reprisal.
    Sunni Muslims encounter religious discrimination at the local 
level, and reports of discrimination against practitioners of the Sufi 
tradition surfaced during the period covered by this report.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The United States has no diplomatic relations with Iran and thus 
cannot raise directly with the Government the restrictions the 
Government places on religious freedom and other abuses that it commits 
against adherents of minority religions. The U.S. Government makes its 
position clear in public statements, support for relevant United 
Nations and NGO efforts, and in diplomatic contacts with other 
countries.
    The President has made a number of statements regarding the 
treatment of religious minorities in Iran, including a June 1998 
statement criticizing the execution of Ruhollah Rowhani, a member of 
the Baha'i Faith, and statements in June 1999 and July 2000 calling on 
the Government to exonerate the imprisoned members of Iran's Jewish 
community. The Secretary of State also called on Iran to release and 
drop charges against the 13 Jews, 10 of whom were convicted and 
remained in prison at the end of the period covered by this report.
    The U.S. Government has cosponsored each year since 1982 a 
resolution regarding the human rights situation in Iran offered by the 
European Union at the annual meeting of the U.N. Commission on Human 
Rights. The United States has supported a similar resolution offered 
each year during the United Nations General Assembly. The U.S. 
Government has supported strongly the work of the U.N. Special 
Representative on Human Rights for Iran and called on the Iranian 
Government to grant him admission and allow him to conduct his research 
(he has been denied entry visas since 1996).
    The U.S. State Department spokesman on numerous occasions has 
addressed the situation of the Baha'i and Jewish communities, notably 
following the Secretary's March 17, 2000 speech on Iran, the execution 
of Ruhollah Rowhani in June 1998, the Government's actions against the 
Baha'i Institute of Higher Education in September 1998, and repeatedly 
after the arrest of 13 members of the Iranian Jewish community in March 
1999. The U.S. Government has encouraged other governments to make 
similar statements and has pressed those governments to raise the issue 
of religious freedom in discussions with the Iranian Government.
    In September 1999 the Secretary of State designated Iran a country 
of particular concern under the International Religious Freedom Act for 
particularly severe violations of religious freedom.
                               __________

                                  IRAQ

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion; however, the 
Government severely limits this right in practice, represses the Shi'a 
religious leadership, and seeks to exploit religious differences for 
political purposes. Islam is the official state religion.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Although Shi'a Arabs are the largest religious group, Sunni Arabs 
traditionally have dominated economic and political life. Sunni Arabs 
are at a distinct advantage in all areas of secular life. The 
Government also severely restricts or bans outright many Shi'a 
religious practices. The Government has for decades conducted a brutal 
campaign of murder, summary execution, arbitrary arrest, and protracted 
detention against the religious leaders and followers of the majority 
Shi'a Muslim population and has sought to undermine the identity of 
minority Christian (Assyrian and Chaldean) and Yazidi groups. The 
regime has systematically killed senior Shi'a clerics, desecrated Shi'a 
mosques and holy sites, interfered with Shi'a religious education, and 
prevented Shi'a adherents from performing their religious rites.
    The United States has no diplomatic relations with Iraq and thus is 
unable to raise directly with the Government the problems of severe 
restrictions on religious freedom and other human rights abuses. 
However, the U.S. Government makes its position clear in public 
statements and in diplomatic contacts with other states.
    In September 1999, the Secretary of State designated Iraq a country 
of particular concern under the International Religious Freedom Act for 
particularly severe violations of religious freedom.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion; however, the 
Government severely restricts this right in practice. Islam is the 
official state religion. The Constitution does not provide for the 
recognition of Assyrians, Chaldeans, or Yazidis.
    The Government's registration requirements for religious 
organizations are unknown. New political parties must be based in 
Baghdad and are prohibited from having any ethnic or religious 
character. The Government does not recognize political organizations 
that have been formed by Shi'a Muslims or Assyrian Christians. These 
groups continued to attract support despite their illegal status. There 
are religious qualifications for government office; candidates for the 
National Assembly, for example, ``must believe in God.''
    There are no Shari'a (Islamic law) courts as such. Civil courts are 
empowered to administer Islamic law in cases involving personal status, 
such as divorce and inheritance.
Religious Demography
    While a precise statistical breakdown is impossible because of 
likely inaccuracies in the latest census (taken in 1997), according to 
conservative estimates, 97 percent of the population of 22 million 
persons are Muslim. The (predominantly Arab) Shi'a Muslims constitute a 
60 to 65 percent majority, while Sunni Muslims make up 32 to 37 percent 
(approximately 18 to 20 percent are Sunni Kurds, 12 to 15 percent are 
Sunni Arabs, and the rest are Sunni Turkomans). The remaining 
approximately 3 percent consist of Christians (Assyrians, Chaldeans, 
Roman Catholics, and Armenians), Yazidis, and a small number of Jews.
    The Shi'a, though predominantly located in the south, also are 
present in large numbers in Baghdad and have communities in most parts 
of the country. Sunnis form the majority in the center of the country 
and in the north.
    Shi'a and Sunni Arabs are not ethnically distinct. Shi'a Arabs have 
supported an independent Iraq alongside their Sunni brethren since the 
1920 Revolt; many Shi'a joined the Ba'ath Party and formed the backbone 
of the Iraqi Army in the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War.
    Assyrians and Chaldeans are considered by many to be distinct 
ethnic groups as well as the descendants of some of the earliest 
Christian communities. These communities speak a distinct language 
(Syriac). Although these groups do not define themselves as Arabs, the 
Government defines Assyrians and Chaldeans as such, evidently to 
encourage them to identify with the Sunni-Arab dominated regime. 
Christians are concentrated in the north and in Baghdad.
    The Yazidis are a syncretistic religious group (or a set of several 
groups). Many Yazidis consider themselves to be ethnically Kurdish, 
though some would define themselves as both religiously and ethnically 
distinct from Muslim Kurds. However, the Government, without any 
historical basis, has defined the Yazidis as Arabs. Yazidis are located 
in the north of the country.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Although Shi'a Arabs are the largest religious group, Sunni Arabs 
traditionally have dominated economic and political life. Sunni Arabs 
are at a distinct advantage in all areas of secular life, be it civil, 
political, military, or economic.
    The following government restrictions on religious rights remained 
in effect throughout the period covered by this report: restrictions 
and outright bans on communal Friday prayer by Shi'a; restrictions on 
Shi'a mosque libraries loaning books; a ban on the broadcast of Shi'a 
programs on government-controlled radio or television; a ban on the 
publication of Shi'a books, including prayer books and guides; a ban on 
funeral processions other than those organized by the Government; a ban 
on other Shi'a funeral observances such as gatherings for Koran 
reading; and the prohibition of certain processions and public meetings 
commemorating Shi'a holy days.
    Shi'a groups report capturing documents from the security services 
during the 1991 uprising that listed thousands of forbidden Shi'a 
religious writings. Since 1991 security forces have been encamped in 
the shrine to Imam Ali in Najaf, one of Shi'a Islam's holiest sites, 
and at the Shi'a theological schools of Najaf. In June 1999, several 
Shi'a opposition groups reported that the Government had instituted a 
new program in the predominantly Shi'a districts of Baghdad that use 
food ration cards to restrict where individuals could pray. The ration 
cards, part of the United Nations oil-for-food program, reportedly are 
checked when the bearer enters a mosque and are printed with a notice 
of severe penalties for those who attempt to pray at an unauthorized 
location. Shi'a expatriates who reported this policy believe that it is 
aimed not only at preventing unauthorized religious gatherings of 
Shi'a, but at stopping Shi'a adherents from attending Friday prayers in 
Sunni mosques, a practice many pious Shi'a have turned to because their 
own mosques remain closed.
    The Government consistently interferes with religious pilgrimages, 
both of Iraqi Muslims who wish to make the Hajj to Mecca and Medina and 
of Iraqi and non-Iraqi Muslim pilgrims who wish to travel to holy sites 
in Iraq.
    In 1998 the U.N. Sanctions Committee offered to disburse vouchers 
for travel and expenses to pilgrims making the Hajj, but the Government 
rejected this offer. In 1999 the Sanctions Committee offered to 
disburse funds to cover Hajj-related expenses via a neutral third 
party; the Government again rejected the offer. Following the December 
1999 passage of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1284 (UNSCR 1284), 
which exempted flights for Hajj pilgrimage travelers from general 
sanctions (overland travel to exit Iraq always had been permitted), the 
Sanctions Committee again sought to devise a protocol to facilitate the 
payment for individuals making the journey. Following passage of UNSCR 
1284, the Sanctions Committee proposed to issue $250 in cash and $1,750 
in travelers checks to each individual pilgrim to be distributed at the 
U.N. office in Baghdad in the presence of both U.N. and Iraqi 
officials. No Iraqi pilgrims were able to take advantage of the 
available funds or, in 2000, the permitted flights, because government 
officials stated that they would accept the funds only in the form of 
cash paid to the central bank, a requirement that would have violated 
U.N. sanctions.
    Twice each year--on the 10th day of the Muslim month of Muharram 
and 40 days later in the month of Safar--Shi'a pilgrims from throughout 
the country and around the world seek to commemorate the death of the 
Imam Hussein in the city of Karbala. The Government for several decades 
has interfered with these Ashura holiday commemorations, preventing 
processions on foot into the city. In 1998, 1999, and 2000, violent 
incidents were reported between Iraqi pilgrims and Ba'ath party members 
and security forces enforcing the ban.
    In May 2000, the Ba'ath Party organization reportedly issued orders 
prohibiting the walking pilgrimage to Karbala. Travelers later reported 
that security troops opened fire on pilgrims who had intended to walk 
from al-Najaf to Karbala as part of the 40th day ritual.
    Some devout Shi'a, wishing to avoid confrontation, have tried to 
select other significant days in the Muslim calendar for their 
pilgrimage. In 1998 Grand Ayatollah Mohammad al-Sadr announced that the 
15th of Sha'baan--the anniversary of the birth of the Twelfth Imam 
(which fell in November that year)--would be an appropriate date for 
pilgrimage to Karbala; however, the Government reportedly prevented 
pilgrims from entering the city. Shi'a expatriates report that groups 
as small as 10 to 20 pilgrims attempting to make their way into the 
city at other times have been arrested. Shi'a sources report that 
Ba'ath Party militia forces clashed with Shi'a pilgrims attempting to 
commemorate Ashura in May 1998. The interference reportedly was 
especially severe at Karbala, Basra, and the al-Thawra district of 
Baghdad.
    In past years, the Government has denied visas to many foreign 
pilgrims for the Ashura. In 1999 the Government reportedly charged 
foreign Shi'a pilgrims $900 for bus passage and food from Damascus to 
Karbala, a trip that normally would cost about $150.
    The Government does not permit education in languages other than 
Arabic and Kurdish. Public instruction in Syriac, which was announced 
under a 1972 decree, has never been implemented. Thus, in areas under 
government control, Assyrian and Chaldean children are not permitted to 
attend classes in Syriac. In northern areas under Iraqi Kurdish 
control, classes in Syriac have been permitted since the 1991 uprising 
against the Government. By October 1998, the first groups of students 
were ready to begin secondary school in Syriac in the north, but some 
Assyrian sources reported that regional Iraqi Kurdish authorities 
refused to allow the classes to begin. Details of this practice (for 
example, the number of students prepared to start secondary courses in 
Syriac and the towns where they were located) were not available, and 
Kurdish regional authorities denied engaging in this practice. There 
were no reports of elementary school instruction in Syriac being 
hindered in northern Iraq.
    Assyrian religious organizations have claimed that the Government 
applies apostasy laws in a discriminatory fashion. Assyrians are 
permitted to convert to Islam, whereas Muslims are forbidden to convert 
to Christianity.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    The Government for decades has conducted a brutal campaign of 
murder, summary execution, and protracted arbitrary arrest against the 
religious leaders and followers of the majority Shi'a Muslim population 
and has sought to undermine the identity of minority Christian 
(Assyrian and Chaldean) and Yazidi groups.
    Despite supposed legal protection of religious equality, the regime 
has repressed severely the Shi'a clergy and those who follow the Shi'a 
faith. Forces from the Intelligence Service (Mukhabarat), General 
Security (Amn al-Amm), the Military Bureau, Saddam's Commandos 
(Fedayeeen Saddam), and the Ba'ath Party have murdered senior Shi'a 
clerics, desecrated Shi'a mosques and holy sites (particularly in the 
aftermath of the 1991 civil uprising), arrested tens of thousands of 
Shi'a, interfered with Shi'a religious education, prevented Shi'a 
adherents from performing their religious rites, and fired upon or 
arrested Shi'a who sought to take part in their religious processions. 
Security agents reportedly are stationed at all the major Shi'a mosques 
and shrines and search, harass, and arbitrarily arrest worshipers.
    Shi'a groups reported numerous instances of religious scholars--
particularly in the internationally renowned Shi'a academic center of 
Najaf--being subjected to arrest, assault, and harassment during the 
period covered by this report. This follows years of government 
manipulation of the Najaf theological schools. As reported by Amnesty 
International in the late 1970's and early 1980's, the Government 
systematically deported tens of thousands of Shi'a (both Arabs and 
Kurds) to Iran, claiming erroneously that they were of Persian descent. 
According to Shi'a sources, religious scholars and Shi'a merchants who 
supported the schools financially were prime targets for deportation. 
In the 1980's, during the Iran-Iraq war, it was reported widely that 
the Government expelled and denied visas to thousands of foreign 
scholars who wished to study at Najaf. After the 1991 popular uprising, 
the Government relaxed some restrictions on Shi'a attending the 
schools; however, this easing of restrictions was followed by an 
increased government crackdown on the Shi'a religious establishment, 
including the requirement that speeches by imams in mosques be based 
upon government-provided material that attacked fundamentalist trends.
    Since the 1980's, the Government reportedly has attempted to 
eliminate the senior Shi'a religious leadership (the Mirjaiyat) through 
murder, disappearances, and summary execution. Since January 1998, the 
killings of three internationally respected Shi'a clerics (and an 
attempt on the life of a fourth) have been widely attributed to 
government agents by international human rights activists, other 
governments, and Shi'a clergy in Iran and Lebanon. Grand Ayatollah 
Sheikh Murtada al-Borojourdi, age 69, was killed in April 1998. Grand 
Ayatollah Sheikh Mirza Ali al-Gharawi, age 68, was killed in July 1998. 
Ayatollah Sheikh Bashir al Hussaini escaped an attempt on his life in 
January 1999. Grand Ayatollah Mohammad al-Sadr, age 66, was killed in 
February 1999.
    Former U.N. Human Rights Commission Special Rapporteur for Iraq, 
Max Van Der Stoel, sent a letter in 1999 to the Government expressing 
his concern that the killings might be part of an organized attack by 
the Government against the independent leadership of the Shi'a 
community. The Government has not responded to Van Der Stoel's 
inquiries.
    In the aftermath of these killings, the Government stepped up 
repressive activities in the south and in other predominantly Shi'a 
areas to prevent mourning observances and popular demonstrations. As 
part of this campaign, two Shi'a scholars in Baghdad, Sheikh Hussain 
Suwai'dawi and Sheikh Ali al-Fraijawi, reportedly were executed in July 
1998.
    In April 1999, the Government executed four Shi'a men for the al-
Sadr slaying after a closed trial. Shi'a religious authorities and 
opposition groups objected to the trial process and contend that the 
four executed men were innocent. At least one of the four, Sheikh Abdul 
Hassan Abbas Kufi, a prayer leader in Najaf, was reportedly in prison 
at the time of the killing. The Shi'a press reported in January 1999 
that he had been arrested on December 24, 1998. The three others 
executed with Kufi were Islamic scholar Ahmad Mustapha Hassan Ardabily, 
Ali Kathim Mahjan, and Haider Ali Hussain. The condition of Ali al-
Musawi, another Shia cleric accused of complicity in al-Sadr's death, 
was unknown. According to a report submitted to the Special Rapporteur 
in September 1999, another of al-Sadr's sons, Sayyid Muqtada al-Sadr, 
was arrested later in the year along with a large number of theological 
students who had studied under the Ayatollah. Nineteen followers of al-
Sadr reportedly were executed toward the end of 1999, including Sheikh 
Muhammad al-Numani, Friday imam Sheikh Abd-al-Razzaq alRabi'i, 
assistant Friday imam Kazim al-Safi, and students from a religious 
seminary in al-Najaf.
    Although a funeral for al-Sadr was prohibited, spontaneous 
gatherings of mourners took place in the days after his death. 
Government security forces used excessive force in breaking up these 
illegal religious gatherings. Throughout the country, security forces 
used automatic weapons and armored vehicles to break up demonstrations, 
killing, injuring, and arresting hundreds of protesters.
    In the aftermath of al-Sadr's killing the Shi'a religious community 
is in a precarious state. Of the three generally acknowledged senior 
Shi'a clerics, Grand Ayatollah Ali as-Seistani is forbidden to lead 
prayers and remains home bound in Najaf as a result of attempts on his 
life; Ayatollah Mohammed Sayeed al-Hakim is forbidden to lead prayers 
at the shrine of Imam Ali in Najaf; and the status of Ayatollah Hussein 
Bahr al-Aloom in Kufa is not known. Many scholars at the Shi'a 
religious schools in Najaf reportedly have been arrested, as have many 
of al-Sadr's religious appointees throughout the country. These 
restrictions and abuses had an adverse affect on the development of a 
new set of Shi'a leaders.
    The al-Sadr killing intensified Shi'a anger at the ruling Sunni 
minority and led to more severe government repression of the Shi'a and 
bolder actions by the Shi'a resistance against the regime--including 
grenade and rocket attacks on security headquarters, Ba'ath Party 
offices, and presidential residences in Baghdad, as well as small arms 
attacks in many parts of the capital. For example, the al Amin, Nuwab 
ad-Dubbat, and al Nafth districts of Baghdad reportedly have remained 
in a heightened state of alert every Friday since al-Sadr's death.
    During the period covered by this report, Shi'a and opposition 
sources with close ties to individuals in the south, such as the 
Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI) and the Dawa 
organization, report that regular armed forces, the Republican Guard, 
Saddam's Commandos, and ad hoc formations of Ba'ath Party members have 
conducted deliberate ground sweeps and artillery attacks against Shi'a 
civilians.
    Reports of military operations against Shi'a civilians also 
increased notably in the summer of 1998, after the killings of 
Ayatollahs Ali al Gharawi and Sheikh al Borojourdi. In numerous 
incidents during 1998, security forces injured and summarily executed 
Shi'a civilians, burned Shi'a homes, confiscated land belonging to 
Shi'a, and arbitrarily arrested and detained scores of Shi'a.
    On January 14, 1999, according to a report from SCIRI, security 
officials reportedly arrested Sheikh Awas, imam of the Nasiriyah city 
mosque. Shortly after the arrest of Sheikh Awas, hundreds of Shi'a 
congregation members reportedly marched on the security directorate to 
demand that Awas be released immediately to them. Security forces 
allegedly opened fire on the unarmed crowd with automatic weapons and 
also threw hand grenades. Five persons were killed, 11 were wounded, 
and 300 were arrested. The security services subsequently banned Friday 
prayer in Nasiriyah.
    The Human Rights Organization in Iraq (HROI) reported that 1,093 
Shi'a were arrested in June 1999 in Basrah alone. The Iraqi National 
Congress reports that tanks from the Hammourabi Republican Guard 
division attacked the towns of Rumaitha and Khudur in June 1999 after 
residents protested the systematic misdistribution of food and medicine 
to the detriment of the Shi'a. Fourteen villagers were killed, over 100 
arrested, and 40 homes were destroyed. On June 29, 1999, SCIRI reported 
that 160 homes in the Abul Khaseeb district near Basra were destroyed.
    In several incidents in 1999, security forces killed and injured 
Shi'a congregants who gathered to protest closures of various Shi'a 
mosques.
    Security forces also have forced Shi'a inhabitants of the southern 
marshes to relocate to major southern cities and to areas along the 
Iranian border. Former Special Rapporteur van Der Stoel described this 
practice in his February 1999 report, adding that many other persons 
have been transferred to detention centers and prisons in central Iraq, 
primarily in Baghdad. The Government reportedly also continued to move 
forcibly Shi'a populations from the south to the north to replace 
Kurds, Turkomen, and Assyrians, who had been expelled forcibly from 
major cities.
    The military also continued its water-diversion and other projects 
in the south. The Government's claim that the drainage is part of a 
land reclamation plan to increase the acreage of arable land and spur 
agricultural production is given little credence. Hundreds of square 
miles have been burned in military operations. The former U.N. Special 
Rapporteur noted the devastating impact that draining the marshes has 
had on the culture of the Shi'a marsh Arabs. SCIRI claims to have 
captured government documents that detail the destructive intent of the 
water diversion program and its connection to ``strategic security 
operations,'' economic blockade, and ``withdrawal of food supply 
agencies.''
    The Government's diversion of supplies in the south limited the 
Shi'a population's access to food, medicine, drinking water, and 
transportation. According to the former U.N. Special Rapporteur and 
opposition sources, thousands of persons in Nasiriyah and Basra 
provinces were denied rations that should have been supplied under the 
U.N. oil-for-food program. In these provinces and in Amarah province, 
access to food allegedly is used to reward regime supporters and 
silence opponents. Shi'a groups report that, due to this policy, the 
humanitarian condition of Shi'a in the south continued to suffer 
despite a significant expansion of the oil-for-food program.
    The Government continued to hold numerous religious detainees and 
prisoners. The Government reportedly continued to target Shi'a Muslim 
clergy and their followers for arbitrary arrest and imprisonment. While 
Shi'a are not the only group targeted in this way (others, including 
Kurds and secular regime opponents, are targeted for ethnic and 
political reasons), the Shi'a are the primary group targeted based on 
their religion. It is likely that Shi'a Muslims constitute the majority 
of the prison population in the country.
    While no firm statistics are available, observers estimate the 
number of security detainees to be in the tens of thousands. Some 
individuals have been held for decades. Others who have remained 
unaccounted for since their arrests may have died or been executed 
secretly years ago. It is difficult to produce an accurate list of 
persons in prison for their religious beliefs. In 1998 and 1999, 
hundreds of prisoners, many of them Shi'a, reportedly were executed.
    The Government to execute summarily its perceived opponents and 
Shi'a leaders. Those few citizens able to protest the arrests and 
executions have persisted in attempts at documentation. Opposition 
groups, including SCIRI, have provided detailed accounts of summary 
executions, including the names of hundreds of persons killed.
    Certain prisons are well known for their routine mistreatment of 
prisoners, including those persons imprisoned for their religious 
beliefs.
    The former Special Rapporteur and others have reported that the 
Government has engaged in various abuses against the country's 350,000 
Assyrian and Chaldean Christians, especially in terms of forced 
movements from northern areas and repression of political rights.
    Most Assyrians live in the northern governorates, and the 
Government often has suspected them of ``collaborating'' with Iraqi 
Kurds. In the north, Kurdish groups often refer to Assyrians as Kurdish 
Christians. Military forces destroyed numerous Assyrian churches during 
the 1988 Anfal Campaign and reportedly executed and tortured many 
Assyrians. Both major Kurdish political parties have indicated that the 
Government occasionally targets Assyrians as well as ethnic Kurds and 
Turkomen for expulsion from Kirkuk, where it is seeking to Arabize the 
city.
    There is evidence that the Government in the past compelled Yazidis 
to join in domestic military action against Muslim Kurds. Captured 
government documents included in a 1998 Human Rights Watch report 
describe special all-Yazidi military detachments formed during the 
1988-89 Anfal campaign to ``pursue and attack'' Muslim Kurds. The 
Government also has targeted the Yazidis in the past. For example, 33 
members of the Yazidi community of Mosul, arrested in July 1996, still 
are unaccounted for.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    The country's cultural, religious, and linguistic diversity is not 
reflected in its political and economic structure. Various segments of 
the Sunni Arab community, which itself constitutes a minority of the 
population, effectively have controlled the Government since 
independence in 1932.
    Shi'a Arabs, the religious majority of the population, have long 
been economically, politically, and socially disadvantaged. Like the 
Sunni Kurds and other ethnic and religious groups in the north, the 
Shi'a Arabs of the south have been targeted for particular 
discrimination and abuse by the Government, ostensibly because of their 
opposition to the Government.
    Assyrian groups reported several instances of mob violence by 
Muslims against Christians in the north in recent years. Assyrians 
continue to fear attacks by the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), a 
Turkish-based terrorist organization operating against indigenous Kurds 
in northern Iraq. Christians in the country report feeling caught in 
the middle of intra-Kurdish fighting. In December 1997, six Assyrians 
died in an attack near Dohuk by the PKK. Some Assyrian villagers have 
reported being pressured to leave the countryside for the cities as 
part of a campaign by indigenous Kurdish forces to deny the PKK access 
to possible food supplies.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The United States has no diplomatic relations with Iraq and thus is 
not able to raise directly with the Government the problems of severe 
restrictions on religious freedom and other human rights abuses. 
However, the U.S. Government makes its position clear in public 
statements and in diplomatic contacts with other states.
    The President regularly discusses the problems experienced by 
Shi'a, Christian, and other religious groups in his periodic reports to 
Congress on Iraq. The Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern 
Affairs, in testimony before Congress on Iraq, has highlighted the 
situation of persons in the south. The State Department spokesperson 
has issued statements criticizing the deaths of Ayatollahs al-Gharawi, 
al-Borojourdi, al-Sadr, and the attempt on the life of Ayatollah al-
Hussaini. The Voice of America has broadcast several editorials dealing 
with the human rights abuses committed against religious groups by the 
Iraqi Government.
    It is the policy of the United States to encourage a change of 
regime in Iraq. Through the State Department's Office of the Special 
Coordinator for the Transition of Iraq, the United States is in 
frequent contact with Iraqi democratic opposition groups, including 
religiously oriented Shi'a, Sunni, and Christian groups. All of the 
groups designated as eligible for assistance under the Iraq Liberation 
Act have indicated their strong support for religious freedom and 
tolerance.
    In March 2000, for the eighth consecutive year, the United States 
joined other members of the U.N. Human Rights Commission (UNHRC), to 
call on the U.N. Secretary General to send human rights monitors to 
``help in the independent verification of reports on the human rights 
situation in Iraq.'' However, the Iraqi Government continued to ignore 
these calls. As in the past, it did not allow the U.N. Special 
Rapporteur to visit, nor did it respond to his requests for 
information. It continued to defy calls from various U.N. bodies to 
allow the Special Rapporteur to visit the southern marshes and other 
regions. Denied entry to Iraq, the Special Rapporteur has based his 
reports on the Government's human rights abuses on interviews with 
recent emigres from Iraq, interviews with opposition groups with 
contacts in Iraq, and other interviews, as well as on published 
reports.
    In September 1999, the Secretary of State designated Iraq a country 
of particular concern under the International Religious Freedom Act for 
particularly severe violations of religious freedom.
                               __________

                                 ISRAEL

    (The religious freedom situation in the occupied territories is 
discussed in the annex appended to this report.)

    Israel has no constitution; however, the law provides for freedom 
of worship, and the Government generally respects this right in 
practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    The Declaration of Independence describes the country as a ``Jewish 
and democratic state.'' The overwhelming majority of non-Jewish 
citizens are Arabs and they are subject to various forms of 
discrimination. It is not clear that whatever discrepancies exist in 
the treatment of various communities in Israeli society are based on 
religion per se.
    In June 2000, the Government proposed a plan to help redress some 
of the gaps in government spending for Arab communities. In March 2000, 
the High Court of Justice ruled that the Government's use of the Jewish 
National Fund (JNF) to develop public land was discriminatory, as the 
JNF's by-laws prohibit sale or lease of land to non-Jews.
    Evangelical Christians, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Reform and 
Conservative Jews suffered some incidents of harassment, threats, and 
vandalism during the period covered by the report; members of these 
religious groups complained that the police were slow to investigate 
these incidents. Relations between different religious groups often are 
strained, both between Jews and non-Jews, as well as among the 
different branches of Judaism.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom with the Government 
in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting human 
rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    Israel has no constitution; however, the law provides for freedom 
of worship, and the Government generally respects this right in 
practice. The Declaration of Independence describes the country as a 
``Jewish and democratic state.''
    The Government recognizes religious groups that were in the country 
before 1948. The Government recognizes 5 religious groups, including 10 
Christian groups.
Religious Demography
    Approximately 80 percent of citizens are Jewish (a significant 
majority are non-Orthodox), approximately 16 percent are Muslims, 2 
percent are Christians, and 1.5 percent are Druze. The non-Jewish 
population is concentrated in the north, east-central, and southern 
parts of the country. The population includes small but growing numbers 
of adherents of nonrecognized evangelical Christian groups and members 
of other faiths, such as Jehovah's Witnesses.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The overwhelming majority of non-Jewish citizens are Arabs and they 
are subject to various forms of discrimination. It is not clear that 
whatever discrepancies exist in the treatment of various communities in 
Israeli society are based on religion per se. Israeli Arabs and other 
non-Jewish Israelis are, in fact, free to practice their religions.
    The Government does not provide Israeli Arabs, who constitute 20 
percent of the population, with the same quality of education, housing, 
employment opportunities, and social services as Jews. In addition, 
government spending and financial support are proportionally far lower 
in predominantly non-Jewish areas than in Jewish areas. According to 
the press, an Interior Ministry report released during 1998 noted that 
non-Jewish communities receive significantly less government financial 
support than their Jewish counterparts. According to several Arab 
nongovernmental organizations (NGO's), recent government budget cuts 
fell disproportionately on Arab communities. In June 2000, the 
Government proposed a plan to narrow some of these gaps; however, this 
plan was not implemented by mid-2000.
    Israeli-Arab organizations have challenged the Government's 
``Master Plan for the Northern Areas of Israel,'' which listed as 
priority goals increasing the Galilee's Jewish population and blocking 
the territorial contiguity of Arab villages and towns, on the grounds 
that it discriminates against Arab citizens.
    The Government provides proportionally greater financial support to 
religious and civic institutions in the Jewish sector compared with 
those in the non-Jewish sector, i.e., Muslim, Christian, and Druze. For 
example, only 2 percent of the Ministry of Religious Affairs budget 
goes to the non-Jewish sector. The High Court of Justice heard a case 
in 1997 alleging that this budgetary allocation constitutes 
discrimination. In 1998 the Court ruled that the budget allocation 
constituted ``prima facie discrimination'' but that the plaintiff's 
petition did not provide adequate information about the religious needs 
of the various communities. The Court refused to intervene in the 
budgetary process on the grounds that such action would invade the 
proper sphere of the legislature.
    Each recognized religious community has legal authority over its 
members in matters of marriage and divorce. Secular courts have primacy 
over questions of inheritance, but parties, by mutual agreement, may 
bring cases to religious courts. Jewish and Druze families may ask that 
some family status matters, such as alimony and child custody in 
divorces, be adjudicated in civil courts as an alternative to religious 
courts. Christians may only ask that child custody and child support be 
adjudicated in civil courts as an alternative to religious courts. 
Muslims have no recourse to civil courts in family-status matters. 
Legislation passed in 1996 allows the rabbinical courts to sanction 
either party who is not willing to grant a divorce.
    In civic areas where religion is a determining criterion, such as 
the religious courts and centers of education, non-Jewish institutions 
routinely receive less state support than their Jewish counterparts. 
The status of a number of Christian organizations with representation 
in Israel heretofore has been defined by a collection of ad hoc 
arrangements with various government agencies. Several of these 
organizations seek to negotiate with the Government in an attempt to 
formalize their status.
    Other examples of discrimination against non-Jewish citizens are 
not directly related to freedom to worship. There were some areas of 
improvement. For example, in March 2000, the High Court of Justice 
ruled that the Government could neither allocate land on the basis of 
religion or nationality, nor allocate land to the quasi-governmental 
Jewish National Fund, since the by-laws of the organization prohibit 
sale or lease of land to non-Jews. The effect of this ruling, and other 
decisions made by the current Government to lessen discrimination 
against non-Jews, remains unclear.
    The Government has recognized Jewish holy places under the 1967 
Protection of Holy Sites Law. The Government states that it also 
protects the holy sites of other faiths. The Government also states 
that it has provided funds for some holy sites of other faiths.
    Missionaries are allowed to proselytize, although the Church of 
Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints voluntarily refrains from 
proselytizing under an agreement with the Government. A 1977 anti-
proselytizing law prohibits anyone from offering or receiving material 
benefits as an inducement to conversion; there have been no reports of 
its enforcement. Bills that would have restricted proselytizing further 
were introduced and passed their preliminary readings in 1997 and 1998 
with the support of some government ministers; however, no further 
action was taken before the dissolution of the Knesset following the 
May 1999 elections. They are not expected to be enacted if reintroduced 
in the Knesset. Christian and other evangelical groups asserted that 
the draft bills were discriminatory and served to intimidate Christian 
groups.
    The Government confers automatic citizenship and residence rights 
to Jewish immigrants, their families, and Jewish refugees under the Law 
of Return. This law does not apply to non-Jews or to persons of Jewish 
descent who have converted to another faith.
    The Government designates religion on national identity documents, 
but not on passports.
    Orthodox Jewish religious authorities have exclusive control of 
Jewish marriages, divorces, and burials. They do not recognize 
marriages or conversions to Judaism performed in Israel by non-Orthodox 
rabbis. Many Jews object to this exclusive control, and it has been at 
times a source of serious controversy in society, particularly in 
recent years, as thousands of Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet 
Union have brought with them family members not recognized as Jewish by 
Orthodox authorities. Many Jews who wish to marry in secular or non-
Orthodox religious ceremonies do so abroad, and the Ministry of 
Interior recognizes such marriages.
    Under the Government's current interpretation and implementation of 
Jewish personal status law, a Jewish woman is not allowed to initiate 
divorce proceedings without her husband's consent; consequently there 
are hundreds of so-called ``agunot'' in the country who cannot remarry 
or have legitimate children because their husbands either have 
disappeared or refused to grant a divorce. This issue does not affect 
citizens' right to worship.
    Some rabbis are actively seeking a solution that is consistent with 
Jewish law. Legislation passed in 1995 broadened the civil sanctions 
made available to rabbinical courts in cases where a wife has ample 
grounds for divorce--such as abuse--but the husband refuses to agree. 
However, in some cases rabbinical courts have failed to invoke these 
sanctions.
    Members of nonrecognized religions (particularly evangelical 
Christians) suffer difficulties conducting marriages and funerals, 
although informal arrangements provide some relief.
    A group of more than 100 Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform women 
continued a long legal battle to hold women's prayer services at the 
Western Wall during the period covered by this report; in May 2000, the 
High Court ruled that women may pray aloud and wear prayer shawls at 
the Western Wall. Both legislators and the State Prosecutor's office 
sought to overturn the ruling; however, they were not successful as of 
mid-2000.
    The Government generally continued to permit Muslim citizens to 
make the Hajj during the period covered by this report. However, for 
security reasons, the Government imposes some restrictions on its 
Muslim citizens who perform the Hajj, including requiring that they be 
over the age of 30. The Government does not allow them to return if 
they leave the country without formal permission. The Government 
justifies these restrictions on the grounds that Saudi Arabia remains 
officially at war with Israel and that travel to Saudi Arabia therefore 
is considered subject to security considerations.
    Evangelical Christians, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Reform and 
Conservative Jews complained of inadequate or slow police response to 
incidents of harassment, assaults, theft, and vandalism during the 
period covered by this report (also see Section II).
    There were no prosecutions of the over 120 cases filed by Jehovah's 
Witnesses in 1998 and 1999. Police arrested several members of 
Jehovah's Witnesses for questioning on the basis of complaints by 
members of ultra-orthodox groups during the period covered by the 
report.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between different religious groups often are strained, 
both between Jews and non-Jews, as well as among the different branches 
of Judaism. Tensions between Jews and non-Jews exist primarily as a 
result of the Arab-Israeli conflict, as well as Israel's control of 
access to sites holy to Christians and Muslims. Friction between 
Christians and Muslims in the Arab community increased during the 
period covered by this report, primarily as a result of a dispute about 
a plot of land alleged to belong to the Waqf (Islamic religious trust) 
in Nazareth. The Government took steps to resolve this dispute with 
only partial success. Animosity between secular and religious Jews 
continued to grow during the period covered by this report. Non-
Orthodox Jews have complained of discrimination and intolerance.
    There are numerous nongovernmental organizations working on dialog 
between different religions. Interfaith dialog often is linked to the 
peace process between Israel and its Arab neighbors.
    Societal attitudes towards conversion are particularly negative. 
Religious and lay leaders of most religions largely are hostile to 
missionary activity. Muslims consider any conversion from Islam to be 
apostasy.
    Harassment of Jehovah's Witnesses declined; however, members of 
this group continued to complain of inadequate police efforts to 
investigate outstanding complaints of harassment, assault, theft, and 
vandalism, reportedly by two ultra-Orthodox Jewish groups, Yad L'achim 
and Lev L'achim. Ultra-Orthodox groups sought unsuccessfully to 
convince a company to fire an employee who is a member of Jehovah's 
Witnesses during the period covered by this report.
    Evangelical Christian and other religious groups suffered some 
incidents of often-violent harassment (also see Section I). In June 
2000, a meeting hall used by evangelical Christians (who describe 
themselves as ``Messianic Jews'') reportedly was vandalized by members 
of an ultra-Orthodox group. Such incidents are not limited to non-Jews. 
Instances of ultra-Orthodox Jewish groups verbally or physically 
harassing Jewish citizens for ``immodest dress'' or other violations of 
their interpretation of religious law are not uncommon and increased 
during the period covered by this report.
    In July 1999, the Baptist House Center in Jerusalem was vandalized 
by unknown assailants who spread tar on the front and along the sides 
of the building, as well as defacing the entrance to the sanctuary.
    In September 1999, Kol Israel, a state radio station, agreed for 
the first time to broadcast advertisements paid for by the Reform and 
Conservative branches of Judaism in response to a Supreme Court 
petition.
    Relative to their numbers, Israeli Arabs are underrepresented in 
the student bodies and faculties of most universities, and in higher-
level professional and business ranks. Well-educated Arabs often are 
unable to find jobs commensurate with their level of education. Arab 
Ph.D.'s suffer the greatest problems in this regard. A small number of 
Israeli Arabs have risen to responsible positions in the civil service, 
generally in the Arab departments of government ministries. In 1994 a 
civil service commission began a 3-year affirmative action program to 
expand that number, but it had only modest results. The Government has 
allocated only very limited resources to enforce landmark 1995 
legislation prohibiting discrimination in employment.
    In practice Israeli Arab citizens who do not serve in the military 
and therefore cannot obtain security clearances are not allowed to work 
in companies with defense contracts or in security-related fields. The 
Israeli Druze and Circassian communities are subject to the military 
draft, and although some have refused to serve, the overwhelming 
majority accept service willingly. Some Bedouin and other Arab citizens 
who are not subject to the draft serve voluntarily. Those not subject 
to the draft have less access than other citizens to those social and 
economic benefits for which military service is a prerequisite or an 
advantage, such as housing, new-household subsidies, and government or 
security-related industrial employment. Under a 1994 government policy 
decision, the social security child allowance for parents who did not 
serve in the military and did not attend a yeshiva (including Arabs) 
was increased to equal the allowance of those who had done so.
    Israeli Arab groups allege that many employers use the prerequisite 
of military service to avoid hiring non-Jews. For example, in 1997 a 
Haifa employment agency advertised for Arabic-speaking telephone 
operators and listed military service as a prerequisite. An Israeli 
Arab group noted that there was no clear justification for this 
requirement and threatened to file a civil suit under a law prohibiting 
employment discrimination and defining requirements unrelated to actual 
work as discriminatory. The employment agency eventually agreed to 
change the advertisement and run it again.
    Arab children make up about one-quarter of the public school 
population, but government resources for them are not proportionate to 
those for Jewish children. Many schools in Arab communities are 
dilapidated and overcrowded, lack special education services and 
counselors, have poor libraries, and have no sports facilities. Arab 
groups also note that the public school curriculum stresses the 
country's Jewish culture and heritage.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy consistently raised issues of religious freedom 
with the Government at working levels with the Foreign Ministry, the 
police, and the Prime Minister's office. These contacts focused 
particularly on complaints from Jehovah's Witnesses about poor police 
response to incidents of violent harassment and dealt with specific 
incidents as well as the general problem of insufficient police 
response. In December 1999, Robert Seiple, Ambassador-at-Large for 
International Religious Freedom, met with government officials, 
religious leaders, and NGO representatives to discuss a number of 
religious freedom issues.
    Embassy representatives, including the Ambassador, routinely meet 
with religious officials. These contacts included meetings with Jewish, 
Christian, Muslim, and Baha'i leaders at a variety of levels.
    Embassy officials maintain a dialog with nongovernmental 
organizations that follow human and civil rights issues, including 
religious freedom. These included the Association for Civil Rights in 
Israel, the Israel Religious Action Center, Adalah, and many others.
    Embassy representatives attended meetings of groups seeking to 
promote interfaith dialog, including the Interreligious Coordinating 
Council in Israel, the Anti-Defamation League, and others.
 the occupied territories (including areas subject to the jurisdiction 
                     of the palestinian authority)
    The Palestinian Authority (PA) \1\ has no constitution, and no 
single law in force protects religious freedom; however, it generally 
respects religious freedom in practice. Although there is no official 
religion in the occupied territories, Islam is treated de facto as the 
official religion.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\ The May 1994 Gaza-Jericho agreement and the September 1995 
interim agreement transferred authority over portions of the West Bank 
and Gaza Strip from Israel to the Palestinian Authority (PA). Israel 
continues to control certain civil functions and is responsible for all 
security in portions of the Occupied Territories categorized as Area C, 
which includes the Israeli settlements. In areas known as Area B, the 
PA has jurisdiction over civil affairs and shares security 
responsibilities with Israel. The PA has control over civil affairs and 
security in Area A. The PA also has jurisdiction over some civil 
affairs in Area C.
    The West Bank and the Gaza Strip are governed by a combination of 
Ottoman law, British Mandate law, Jordanian law (in the West Bank), 
Egyptian law (in the Gaza Strip), Israeli law, Palestinian law, and, in 
matters of personal status like marriage, divorce, and inheritance, 
various sets of religious law.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Israel has no constitution; however, the law provides for freedom 
of worship, and the Government generally respects this right in 
practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion. 
There were unconfirmed reports that Muslim converts to Christianity 
were subjected to mistreatment by individual PA officials and in 
Palestinian society.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the PA 
in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting human 
rights. The U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem investigated 
allegations of harassment and discrimination against Christians in the 
occupied territories.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Palestinian Authority (PA) has no constitution, and no single 
law in force protects religious freedom; however, the PA respects 
religious freedom in practice. Although there is no official religion 
in the occupied territories, Islam is treated de facto as the official 
religion.
    Israel has no constitution; however, the law provides for freedom 
of worship, and the Government generally respects this right in 
practice.
    The draft Palestinian Basic Law proposes that Islam be recognized 
as the official religion; however, under the draft law, freedom of 
worship is to be provided to adherents of other faiths. The draft law 
also stipulates that ``the principles of Islamic Shari'a are a main 
source of legislation.''
    Churches in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza can be subdivided 
into three general categories: (1) churches recognized by the status 
quo agreements reached under Ottoman rule in the late 19th century; (2) 
Protestant and evangelical churches that arrived between the late 19th 
century and 1967, which are fully tolerated by the PA, although not 
officially recognized; and (3) a small number of churches that became 
active within the last decade whose legal status is more tenuous.
    The first group of churches is governed by the 19th century status 
quo agreements, which the PA respects and which specifically 
established the presence and rights of the Greek Orthodox, Roman 
Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Assyrian, Greek Catholic, Coptic, and 
Ethiopian Orthodox Churches. The Episcopal and Lutheran Churches were 
added later to the list. These churches and their rights were accepted 
immediately by the PA just as the British, Jordanians, and Israelis had 
done before. Like Islam with Shari'a courts, these religious groups are 
permitted to have ecclesiastical courts whose rulings are considered 
legally binding on personal status issues and some land issues. Civil 
courts do not adjudicate on such matters.
    The second group of churches, including the Assembly of God, 
Nazarene Church, and some Baptist churches, has unwritten 
understandings with the PA based on the principles of the status quo 
agreements. They are permitted to operate freely and are able to 
perform certain personal status legal functions, such as issuing 
marriage certificates. These churches thus far have been unsuccessful 
in securing de jure recognition. However, they operate with de facto 
recognition and maintain cooperation from the PA.
    The third group of churches consists of a small number of 
proselytizing churches, including Jehovah's Witnesses and some 
evangelical Christian groups. These groups have encountered opposition 
in their efforts to obtain recognition, both from Muslims, who oppose 
their proselytizing, and Christians, who fear that the new arrivals may 
disrupt the status quo. These churches generally operate unhindered by 
the PA.
    The Palestinian Authority does not make overt attempts at 
encouraging interfaith dialog. However, it supported the Bethlehem 2000 
project, which attracted several hundred thousand visitors of many 
faiths to the city. The project was a symbol of Muslim-Christian 
cooperation. In March 2000, several thousand persons, including 
Chairman Arafat and senior PA officials attended a public mass in 
Bethlehem conducted by Pope John Paul II.
    The PA makes an effort to maintain good relations with the 
Christian community. Within the Ministry of Religious Affairs, there is 
a portfolio covering Christian Affairs, and Chairman Arafat has a 
Christian Affairs advisor. The established churches also have formed a 
legal committee to address issues of religious freedom in the draft 
Basic Law, and the PA has been willing to consider suggestions made by 
this committee. Christian leaders participated in the design of a 
religious studies curriculum for Christian students in the public 
schools.
Religious Demography
    The great majority of the Palestinian residents of the occupied 
territories are Sunni Muslims. A majority of Christians are Greek 
Orthodox, with a significant number of Roman Catholics and smaller 
groups of Greek Catholics, Protestants, Syriacs, Armenians, Copts, 
Maronites, and Ethiopian Orthodox. Christians are concentrated in 
Jerusalem, Ramallah, and the Bethlehem area. In addition, there is a 
Samaritan community of approximately 550 persons located on Mount 
Gerazim near Nablus, and two small communities of Jehovah's Witnesses 
in Bethlehem and Ramallah. Jewish Israelis reside in Jerusalem, the 
West Bank, and Gaza.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The PA generally does not restrict freedom of religion, and there 
is no pattern of PA discrimination against or harassment of Christians. 
However, since the establishment of the PA, there have been periodic 
allegations that a small number of Muslim converts to Christianity 
sometimes are subject to societal discrimination and harassment by PA 
officials, including detention and questioning by security forces. 
During the period covered by this report, there were several 
unconfirmed allegations that converts to Christianity were subjected to 
societal discrimination and harassment by PA officials, including 
detention and questioning by security forces. In some cases, conversion 
may have been only one of several factors influencing the mistreatment. 
In previous years, the PA stated that it investigated similar 
allegations, but it did not share or publicize the results of these 
investigations with any outside party.
    The PA generally does not prohibit or punish individuals for 
speaking about their religious beliefs. In September 1999, PA officials 
issued an order arrogating the establishment of religious radio and 
television stations to the PA alone. The PA limited speech on religious 
subjects in some instances. For example, in December 1999, the Ministry 
of the Interior ordered a Christian television station in Bethlehem to 
limit its broadcast of Christmas music. The radio station disobeyed the 
directive, and Ministry officials ordered the station to close. The PA 
subsequently agreed to drop the issue and allowed the radio station to 
operate freely.
    In practice, the PA requires that individuals be affiliated at 
least nominally with some religion. Religion must be declared on 
identification papers, and all personal status legal matters must be 
handled in either Shari'a (Islamic law) or Christian ecclesiastical 
courts.
    Foreign missionaries operate in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza. 
These include a handful of evangelical Christian pastors who seek to 
convert Muslims to Christianity. While they maintain a generally low 
profile, the PA is aware of their activities and generally does not 
restrict them.
    Christians participate in Palestinian official life. A number of 
PLO Chairman Yasir Arafat's senior advisors are Christians. Six 
Christians and one Samaritan sit on the 88-member Palestinian 
Legislative Council in seats set aside for representatives of these 
religions. Occasionally, the PA takes steps to protect Christians.
    The PA requires that religion be taught in PA schools. Until 
recently, only courses on Islam were offered and Christian students 
were excused from them. In 1998 the PA asked representatives of the 
Christian community to develop a Christian studies curriculum in order 
to implement a compulsory religious curriculum for Christian students. 
According to PA officials, the curriculum for grades one through six 
are complete and are scheduled to be implemented in 2001. The PA also 
is formulating its first indigenous school curriculum that will include 
a civic education component, which will cover issues of religious 
tolerance. According to PA officials, the curriculum for grades one 
through six are complete and will be implemented in academic year 2000-
2001.
    PA officials are not required to swear a religious oath upon taking 
office. Witnesses in PA courtrooms are required to swear on a religious 
book, such as the Koran or the Bible.
    In July 1999, the PA prevented Jewish settlers from entering 
Joseph's Tomb in PA-controlled Nablus due to the fact that the settlers 
brought a cabinet onto the site without coordinating with the PA. The 
Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) responded by preventing PA officials from 
entering Nablus. The issue was resolved when the IDF agreed to remove 
the cabinet and the checkpoint into Nablus.
    Palestinians residing outside of the Jerusalem municipal boundary 
are required to obtain a permit to enter the city, even to visit a holy 
site; the permits often are denied and Israeli security personnel also 
sometimes deny permit holders access to Jerusalem. Israel has 
instituted these permit requirements in order to address its security 
concerns.
    The Israeli Government permits all faiths to operate schools and 
institutions. Religious publications are subject to the Publications 
Laws. In accordance with Orthodox Jewish practice, men and women pray 
separately at the Western Wall, Judaism's most sacred site. Reform and 
Conservative Jews have challenged this practice and seek to pray at the 
Western Wall in mixed-gender groups. A group of women from all branches 
of Judaism continued a long legal battle to pray aloud and to wear 
prayer shawls at the Western Wall; in May 2000, the Israeli High Court 
ruled that they may do so. Israeli legislators and the State 
Prosecutor's office sought to overturn the ruling; however, they were 
not successful as of mid-2000.
    A 1995 ruling by the Israeli High Court of Justice allows small 
numbers of Jews under police escort to pray on the Temple Mount, which 
is the location of two Muslim holy places and also the former site of 
the First and Second Jewish Temples. Other organized Jewish religious 
activity on the Temple Mount is prohibited on public safety grounds.
    In May 2000, officials in the Israeli Ministry for Religious 
Affairs reportedly threatened to reevaluate relations with the 
Jerusalem Greek Orthodox Patriarchate if it did not discipline a 
Christian cleric for expressing his political views to a group of 
Christian pilgrims. As of mid-2000, the Patriarchate had not 
disciplined the cleric.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    In January 2000, members of the Preventive Security Organization 
(PSO) seized a Jericho church compound, which was under the auspices of 
the American-based Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR). The 
PSO handed control of the church to members of the Moscow Patriarchate 
(MP) of the Russian Orthodox Church. Although the church compound had 
been under the control of the ROCOR for decades, members of the MP 
disputed the ROCOR's property claim, maintaining that the MP is the 
true owner of this compound. The PSO security forces seized the church 
without first conducting legal proceedings to determine the question of 
ownership. Two nuns affiliated with the ROCOR held a vigil inside the 
compound to protest the PSO seizure of the property; PSO personnel 
allegedly harassed the nuns. Following negotiations, the PSO allowed 
the MP and ROCOR temporarily to divide the compound between them until 
legal ownership can be determined in the courts.
    There were no reports of religious prisoners or detainees in the 
occupied territories.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the refusal by any authorities to allow such 
citizens to be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Generally, there are amicable relations between Christians and 
Muslims. Both Christians and Muslims state that when tensions do 
surface, it is because of provocative actions by one side or the other 
aimed at undermining current social arrangements. Palestinians say that 
if Christians try to demand a change in status quo arrangements, 
tensions may result. Likewise, Muslims who disregard Christian 
sensitivities may trigger social tension. Relations between Jews and 
non-Jews, as well as among the different branches of Judaism, often are 
strained. Tensions between Jews and non-Jews exist primarily as a 
result of the Arab-Israeli conflict, as well as Israel's control of 
access to sites holy to Christians and Muslims. Animosity between 
secular and religious Jews increased during the period covered by this 
report.
    Non-Orthodox Jews have complained of discrimination and 
intolerance. On June 24, 2000, unidentified persons set fire to a 
conservative synagogue in Jerusalem; eyewitnesses reportedly stated 
that the perpetrators were Orthodox Jews. On June 25, 2000, 
unidentified persons attempted arson and looted Torah scrolls at the 
Messianic Shepherd of Israel congregation in Jerusalem; police 
personnel arrested two Orthodox Jewish youth for this incident.
    Periodically, there are incidents of Christian-Muslim tension in 
the occupied territories. Tensions have arisen over Christian-Muslim 
romantic relationships or when Christians have erected large crosses in 
the public domain. Christians in the Bethlehem area also have 
complained about Muslims settling there and constructing homes 
illegally on land not zoned for building.
    During the period covered by this report, there were periodic 
reports that some Christian converts from Islam who publicize their 
religious beliefs have been harassed. Converts complained that they 
were mistreated and threatened. The draft Palestinian Basic Law 
specifically forbids discrimination against individuals based on their 
religion; however, the PA did not take any action against persons 
accused of harassment.
    Instances of ultra-Orthodox Jewish groups verbally or physically 
harassing Jewish citizens for ``immodest dress'' or other violations of 
their interpretation of religious law occurred during the period 
covered by this report.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem maintains an ongoing, high-level 
dialog with PA officials, including Chairman Arafat, on human rights 
issues, including issues of religious freedom and the circumstances of 
Christians in the West Bank and Gaza. PA officials worked cooperatively 
with the U.S. Consulate on a number of issues, including PA treatment 
of Christian converts from Islam; how religious minorities are to be 
represented in the new school curriculums; and how the draft Basic Law 
addresses Shari'a and the issue of a national religion.
    The U.S. Consulate plays a reinforcing role in the PA's dialog with 
local Christian groups on minority religion representation in the new 
curriculums.
    The Consulate also maintains contacts with the representatives of 
both the Islamic Waqf--an Islamic trust and charitable organization 
that owns and manages large amounts of Muslim land including the Al-
Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem--and the various Christian churches in 
Jerusalem. In January 2000, the Consulate intervened in a dispute 
involving the ROCOR, the MP, and the Palestinian Security Organization. 
U.S. Consulate officials stated numerous times to PA officials that 
competent legal authorities should resolve the issue of ownership of 
the Jericho church compound seized by the PSO.
    The Consulate continues to investigate allegations of unequal 
treatment of religious minorities. It made inquiries to try to 
ascertain the facts of a land dispute case in which the PA allegedly 
acquiesced to the confiscation of Christian-owned land by Muslims; 
there was no basis found for these allegations during the period 
covered by this report.
                               __________

                                 JORDAN

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, provided that 
religious practices are consistent with ``public order and morality;'' 
however, the Government imposes some restrictions on freedom of 
religion, and citizens may not always be allowed to practice the 
religion of their choice. According to the Constitution, Islam is the 
state religion.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Relations between Muslims and Christians in the country generally 
are amicable. Bahai's face some societal and official discrimination.
    U.S. Embassy officials discussed religious freedom issues with 
government authorities on a number of occasions.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for the safeguarding of ``all forms of 
worship and religious rites in accordance with the customs observed in 
the Kingdom, unless such is inconsistent with public order or 
morality;'' however, the Government imposes some restrictions on 
freedom of religion. Citizens may not always be allowed to practice the 
religion of their choice. According to the Constitution, Islam is the 
state religion.
    Islamic institutions are managed by the Ministry of Religious 
Affairs and Trusts, which appoints imams and subsidizes certain 
activities sponsored by mosques. Religious institutions, such as 
churches that wish to receive official government recognition, must 
apply to the Prime Ministry for registration. The Protestant 
denominations registered as ``societies'' come under the jurisdiction 
of one of the recognized Protestant churches for purposes of family 
law, such as divorce and child custody. The Government does not 
recognize a number of religions.
Religious Demography
    Over 90 percent of the population are Sunni Muslim. Official 
government figures estimate that Christians make up 4 percent of the 
population; however, government and Christian officials privately 
estimate the true figure to be closer to 2 percent. Neither Islam nor 
the Government recognizes religious faiths other than the three main 
monotheistic religions: Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. In addition, 
not all Christian denominations have been accorded official government 
recognition. Officially recognized denominations include the Greek 
Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Greek Catholic (Melkite), Armenian Orthodox, 
Maronite Catholic, Assyrian, Anglican, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist, 
United Pentecostal, and Presbyterian Churches. Other churches, 
including the Baptist Church, the Free Evangelical Church, the Church 
of the Nazarene, the Assembly of God, and the Christian Missionary 
Alliance, are registered with the Ministry of Justice as ``societies'' 
but not as churches. There are also small numbers of Shi'a and Druze, 
as well as adherents of the Baha'i Faith. There are no statistics 
available on citizens who do not adhere to any particular religious 
faith.
    With few exceptions, there are no major geographic concentrations 
of particular religious groups. The city of Husn, in the north, is 
mostly Christian, and Fuheis, near Amman, is also predominantly 
Christian. Madaba and Karak, both south of Amman, have significant 
Christian populations.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Government does not interfere with public worship by the 
country's Christian minority. However, although the majority of 
Christians are allowed to practice freely, some activities, such as 
proselytizing or encouraging conversion to the Christian faith--both 
considered legally incompatible with Islam--are prohibited. Christians 
are subject to aspects of Shari'a (Islamic law) that designate how 
inheritances are distributed.
    The Government does not recognize Jehovah's Witnesses, the Church 
of Christ, or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, but each 
denomination is allowed to conduct religious services and activities 
without interference.
    The Government does not recognize the Baha'i Faith as a religion 
but does not prohibit the practice of the faith. However, Baha'is face 
both official and societal discrimination. The Government does not 
record the bearer's religion on national identity cards issued to 
Baha'is, nor does it register property belonging to the Baha'i 
community; Bahai's are not permitted to establish schools, places of 
worship, or cemetaries. Adherents of the Baha'i Faith are considered as 
Muslims for purposes of family and inheritance law. Unlike Christian 
denominations, the Baha'i community does not have its own court to 
adjudicate personal status and family matters. Baha'i personal status 
matters are heard in Shari'a courts.
    Non-Jordanian Christian missionaries operate in the country but are 
subject to restrictions. Christian missionaries may not proselytize 
Muslims. In late 1999 and early 2000, U.S.-affiliated Christian mission 
groups in the country complained of increased bureaucratic 
difficulties, including refusal by the Government to renew residence 
permits.
    The Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary (JETS), a Christian 
training school for pastors and missionaries, applied in August 1998 
for a permit to purchase land on which to construct a seminary and 
campus. In April 1999, permission was granted to purchase the land on 
the condition that the JETS register and receive accreditation from the 
Ministry of Education. Pending such registration, authorities suspended 
renewal of the residence permits of all of the seminary's 36 foreign 
students (who come from 10 foreign countries), and 2 members of the 
faculty. In 1998 and early 1999, some noncitizen Arab Muslim students 
were deported or asked to leave the country as a result of their 
association with the JETS. For several months in late 1999, the 
Ministry of Interior relented and issued visas and residence permits to 
the students and staff of the JETS. However, in December 1999, the 
Ministry again began refusing to issue or to renew visas or resident 
permits for students and staff of the school until it received 
registration from the Ministry of Education. To date, the school has 
not been registered and the Ministry's refusal to issue visas has 
affected 14 of 140 students and 4 staff members at the school.
    In April and September 1999, an employee of a small language school 
in Amman applied for a residence permit from the Ministry of Interior. 
His application was denied on both occasions, reportedly because 
government officials believed that he had been trying to convert 
Muslims to Christianity. He reapplied in April 2000 and is awaiting a 
response from the Government.
    In September 1999, the authorities threatened to revoke the license 
of a businessman who conducts radio listener surveys and follows up 
with those respondents who report an interest in Christianity.
    In January 2000, General Intelligence Directorate (GID) officials 
contacted an official of Life Agape--an organization associated with 
the Baptist Church, which distributes Bibles and conducts Bible 
studies--and asked him to sign a letter stating that he would not 
``deal with Muslims.'' The official was told that if he did not sign 
the letter his office would be closed. In February 2000, police brought 
the letter to the Life Agape office, escorted the official to the 
police station, and then brought him to meet with the governor of the 
Amman municipality. The following day, the governor closed the Life 
Agape office; no reason for the closure was specified on the governor's 
order.
    The Government notes individuals' religions (except for Baha'is) on 
the national identity card and ``family book'' (a national registration 
record issued to the head of every family that serves as proof of 
citizenship) of all citizens.
    The Constitution provides that congregations have the right to 
establish schools for the education of their own members ``provided 
that they comply with the general provision of the law and be subject 
to the control of government in matters relating to their curricula and 
orientation.''
    In December 1999, the municipality of Amman closed the Roy and Dora 
Whitman Academy--a small, nonprofit school founded by U.S.-affiliated 
missionaries in Amman to provide affordable English-language education 
for foreign student--on the basis that it was not registered with the 
Ministry of Education. The board of the academy had been in the process 
of registering the school since 1997 and had been led to believe that 
registration would be forthcoming in the spring of 2000. After being 
contacted by embassies representing a number of countries, the Ministry 
of Education assisted the school in properly fulfilling registration 
requirements. In April 2000, the school was officially registered and 
once again began teaching students.
    Shari'a is applied in all matters relating to family law involving 
Muslims or the children of a Muslim father, and all citizens, including 
non-Muslims, are subject to Islamic legal provisions regarding 
inheritance.
    In February 2000, criticism of a poem entitled ``Yusef,'' which was 
included in a book of poems published in May 1999 by Muslim poet Musa 
Hawamdeh, began to circulate in mosques in Amman. Radical Islamists 
escalated the criticism of the poem and the poet, calling for the poet 
to be killed if he refused to recant the poem and for him to be 
divorced forcibly from his Muslim wife. Criticism of the poem from the 
Ministers of Religious Affairs and Information followed, and by the end 
of March 2000 the Government banned the book in which the offending 
poem was published. In June 2000, Hawamdeh was summoned to a Shari'a 
court to face allegations of apostasy; he was charged by the head of 
court clerks with denying Koranic facts and defaming a prophet. The 
complainant requested that Hawamdeh publicly retract the controversial 
statements in his poem and requested that the Shari'a judge order that 
he divorce his wife and lose his rights to inherit property or manage 
his own wealth. The Shari'a court referred the case to a civil court, 
which had not ruled on the case as of June 30, 2000. Apostasy is not 
punishable under the civil code; however, other charges, such as 
blasphemy, could be filed in civil court. In July 2000, Hawamdeh, 
without retracting any portion of his poem, was acquitted on all 
charges in both the Shari'a and criminal courts.
    According to local press reports, a second book of poetry by Ziyad 
al-Anani was banned in April 2000; the book contained a poem that 
reportedly was offensive to Islam. The authorities did not bring 
charges against al-Anani and the book was published and distributed in 
Lebanon instead.
    In June 2000, due to a dispute stemming from an intrachurch rivalry 
between the Jerusalem Patriarchate and the Antioch Orthodox 
Patriarchate, the Government closed an Arab Orthodox church in Amman 
that was aligned with the Antioch Patriarch in Damascus, Syria. The 
Government closed the church following a request from the local 
Orthodox hierarchy to enforce a 1958 law that grants the Jerusalem 
Patriarchate authority over all Orthodox churches in the country (also 
see Section II).
    The law prohibits non-Muslims from proselytizing Muslims. 
Conversion to the Muslim faith by Christians is allowed; however, a 
Muslim may not convert to another religion. Muslims who convert to 
other faiths complain of social and government discrimination. The 
Government does not fully recognize the legality of such conversions. 
Under Shari'a converts are regarded as apostates and legally may be 
denied their property and other rights. However, this principle is not 
applied in practice. Converts from Islam do not fall under the 
jurisdiction of their new religion's laws in matters of personal status 
and still are considered Muslims under Shari'a, although the reverse is 
not true. Shari'a prescribes a punishment of death for conversion; 
however, there is no equivalent statute under national law.
    The Political Parties Law prohibits houses of worship from being 
used for political party activity. The law was designed primarily to 
prevent Islamist parliamentarians from preaching in mosques.
    Two major government-sponsored institutions have been established 
to promote interfaith understanding: the Royal Institute for Interfaith 
Studies and the Royal Academy for Islamic Civilization Research (Al 
Bayt Foundation). Both institutions sponsor research, international 
conferences, and discussions on a wide range of religious, social, and 
historical questions from the perspective of both Muslims and 
Christians.
    All minor children of a male citizen who converts to Islam are 
automatically considered to be Muslim. Adult children of a male 
Christian who has converted to Islam become ineligible to inherit from 
their father if they do not themselves convert to Islam. In cases where 
a Muslim converts to Christianity, the act is not legally recognized by 
the authorities, and the subject continues to be treated as a Muslim in 
matters of family and property law. Moreover, the minor children of a 
male Muslim who converts to Christianity continue to be treated as 
Muslims under the law.
    Religious instruction is mandatory for all Muslim students in 
public schools. Christian and Baha'i students are not required to 
attend courses in Islam.
    During the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, all citizens, including 
non-Muslims, are discouraged from eating, drinking, or smoking in 
public or in vehicles and are discouraged strongly from dressing in a 
manner that is considered inconsistent with Islamic standards. 
Restaurants are closed during daylight hours unless specifically 
exempted by the Government and alcohol is not served except in those 
facilities catering specifically to tourists.
    The security services detained approximately 100 persons, described 
in the press as ``Islamists,'' during the period covered by this 
report. These detentions appear related to allegations of involvement 
in terrorist or strictly political activities rather than religious 
affiliation or belief.
    The country's parliamentary election law--which grants 
disproportionate representation to rural and tribal districts--was 
enacted to limit the number of Islamists elected to Parliament. Many 
Islamists boycotted the 1997 parliamentary elections and have stated 
that in order for them to participate in the next parliamentary 
elections, the election law must be amended.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States. However, according to Jordanian law 
the father of a child may restrict the child's travel. There reportedly 
are at least 35 cases of U.S. citizen children residing in Jordan 
against the will of their U.S. mothers, and perhaps many more. Under 
the law, these children automatically are considered Muslim because 
their fathers are Muslim.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between Muslims and Christians in the country are 
generally amicable. Relations within the Christian community sometimes 
are difficult, especially in regard to the evangelical Christian 
community. In September 1999, several evangelical organizations 
received anonymous facsimile transmissions that purported to be copies 
of a letter from a group of older, more established churches to the 
Prime Minister. The letter called for the Government to limit the 
rights of what it called ``nonestablished'' churches, referring to the 
country's small but cohesive evangelical community. In June 2000, due 
to a dispute stemming from an intrachurch rivalry between the Jerusalem 
Patriarchate and the Antioch Orthodox Patriarchate, the Government 
closed an Arab Orthodox church in Amman, which was aligned with the 
Antioch Patriarch in Damascus, Syria. The Government closed the church 
following a request from the local Orthodox hierarchy to enforce a 1958 
law that grants the Jerusalem Patriarchate authority over all Orthodox 
churches in the country (also see Section I).
    In general Christians do not suffer discrimination. Christians hold 
government positions and are represented in the media and academia 
approximately in proportion to their presence in the general 
population. Baha'is face some societal and official discrimination. 
Their faith is not recognized officially, and Baha'is are classified as 
Muslims on official documents, such as the national identity card (see 
Section I). Christian and Baha'i children in public schools are not 
required to participate in Islamic religious instruction.
    Muslims who convert to other religions often face social ostracism, 
threats, and abuse from their families and Muslim religious leaders.
    Employment applications occasionally contain questions about an 
applicant's religion.
    In March 2000, Jordan University amended the student council 
election law, granting the university president the authority to 
appoint half of the university's 80-member student council, including 
the chair. This decision reportedly was made in order to curb the 
influence of Islamists on campus. In April 2000, many students--
Islamists and non-Islamists--protested this decision. Islamist groups 
also called for a boycott of the elections on April 25, 2000 and some 
persons associated with these groups physically attempted to prevent 
students from voting.
    During the period covered by this report, several newspaper 
articles were published that were critical of evangelical 
organizations.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    U.S. Embassy officials have raised religious freedom and other 
human rights issues with government authorities on a number of 
occasions. The Embassy's human rights officer has met frequently with 
members of the various religious and missionary communities in the 
country, as well as with private religious organizations. The Embassy's 
American Citizens' Services officer is in regular contact with members 
of the American missionary community in the country, many of whom serve 
as emergency wardens. In addition, the Ambassador was in contact with 
senior government officials throughout January, February, March, and 
April 2000. In February 2000, Congressman Charles Canady of Florida 
forwarded a letter signed by 63 members of Congress to King Abdullah, 
encouraging the Government to grant the JETS' request for registration 
with the Ministry of Education.
                               __________

                                 KUWAIT

    Islam is the state religion; although the Constitution provides for 
freedom of religion, the Government places some limits on this right.
    There was no significant change in the status of respect for 
religious freedom during the period covered by this report.
    There are generally amicable relations among the different 
religions in society. There were no new reports of vandalism or other 
actions against the country's Christian churches. One violent incident 
in April 2000 against a Muslim citizen was attributed to Sunni Muslim 
extremists and was criticized harshly by the Government and society at 
large. Complaints by the Shi'a community about continued difficulties 
in obtaining approval for the construction of new mosques attracted 
national attention when approval for the construction of a mosque in 
the Al-Qurain area was denied by the municipality of Kuwait after it 
had been pending for 9 years. In May 2000, there were indications that 
the national Government would reverse this decision.
    The U. S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    Islam is the state religion; although the Constitution provides for 
freedom of religion, the Government places some limits on this right. 
The Constitution also provides that the State protect the freedom to 
practice religion in accordance with established customs, ``provided 
that it does not conflict with public policy or morals.'' The 
Constitution states that Shari'a (Islamic law) is ``a main source of 
legislation.''
    The procedures for registration and licensing of religious groups 
are unclear. The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs has official 
responsibility for overseeing religious groups. Nevertheless, in 
reality officially recognized churches must deal with a variety of 
government entities, including the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor 
(for visas and residence permits for pastors and other staff) and the 
Kuwaiti Municipality (for building permits). While there reportedly is 
no official government ``list'' of recognized churches, seven Christian 
churches have at least some sort of official recognition that enables 
them to operate openly. These seven churches have open ``files'' at the 
Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, allowing them to bring in the 
pastors and staff necessary to run their churches. Further, by 
tradition three of the country's churches are widely recognized as 
enjoying ``full recognition'' by the Government and are allowed to 
operate compounds officially designated as churches: the Catholic 
Church (which includes two separate churches), the Anglican Church, and 
the National Evangelical Church of Kuwait (Protestant). The other four 
churches reportedly are allowed to operate openly, hire employees, 
invite religious speakers, etc., all without interference from the 
Government, but their compounds are, according to government records, 
registered only as private homes. The churches themselves appear 
uncertain about the guidelines or procedures for recognition. Some have 
argued that these procedures are purposely kept vague by the Government 
so as to maintain the status quo. All other churches and religions have 
no legal status but are allowed to operate in private homes.
    The procedures for registration and licensing of religious groups 
also appear to be connected with government restrictions on 
nongovernmental organizations (NGO's), religious or otherwise. In 1993 
all unlicensed organizations were ordered by the Council of Ministers 
to cease their activities. This order has never been enforced; however, 
since that time all but three applications by NGO's have been frozen. 
There were reports that in the last few years at least two groups have 
applied for permission to build their own churches, but the Government 
has not yet responded to their requests.
Religious Demography
    Among a total population of 2.2 million, approximately 1.5 million 
persons are Muslim, including the vast majority of the 750,000 
citizens. The remainder of the overall population consists of the large 
foreign labor force and over 100,000 stateless persons, most of whom 
are Muslim. The ruling family and many prominent families belong to the 
Sunni branch of Islam. The total Sunni Muslim population is 
approximately 1 million, 500,000 of whom are citizens. The remaining 30 
to 40 percent of Muslim residents (approximately 500,000) are Shi'a, 
250,000 of whom are citizens. Estimates of the nominal Christian 
population range from 250,000 to 500,000 (including approximately 200 
citizens, most of whom belong to 12 large families).
    The Christian community consists of the Roman Catholic Diocese, 
with 2 churches and an estimated 75,000 members (Maronite Christians 
also worship at the Catholic cathedral in Kuwait city); the Anglican 
(Episcopalian) Church, with 115 members (several thousand other 
Christians use the Anglican Church for worship services); the National 
Evangelical Church (Protestant), with 3 main congregations (Arabic, 
English, and ``Malayalee'')
    and 15,000 members (several other Christian denominations also 
worship at the National Evangelical Church Compound); the Greek 
Orthodox Church (referred to locally as the ``Roman Orthodox'' Church), 
with 3,500 members; the Armenian Orthodox Church, with 4,000 members; 
the Coptic Orthodox Church, with 60,000 members; and the Greek Catholic 
(Eastern Rite) Church, whose membership totals are unavailable.
    There are many other unrecognized Christian denominations in the 
country, with tens of thousands of members. These denominations include 
Seventh-Day Adventists, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 
(Mormons), Marthoma, and the Indian Orthodox Syrian Church.
    There are also members of religions not sanctioned in the Koran, 
such as Hindus (100,000 members), Sikhs (10,000), Baha'is (400), and 
Buddhists (no statistics available).
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Shi'a are free to conduct their traditional forms of worship 
without government interference; however, members of the Shi'a 
community have complained about the scarcity of Shi'a mosques due to 
the Government's slowness or failure to grant approval for the 
construction of new Shi'a mosques as well as the repair of existing 
mosques. The community was particularly critical in May 2000 when the 
municipality rejected a 9-year-old petition for construction of a Shi'a 
mosque in the Al-Qurain area. Although the municipality apparently 
relented due to direct government intervention, there are still 
complaints about the lack of sufficient Shi'a mosques. There are 
approximately 30 Shi'a mosques compared with the 1,300 Sunni mosques in 
the country. However, Shi'a have noted some improvement in recent years 
in that a small number of approvals have been granted for the 
construction of Shi'a mosques.
    Shi'a leaders also have complained that Shi'a who aspire to serve 
as imams are forced to seek appropriate training and education abroad 
due to the lack of Shi'a jurisprudence courses at Kuwait University's 
College of Islamic Law. They also have expressed concern that certain 
pending proposed legislation within the National Assembly does not take 
beliefs specific to the Shi'a into account.
    The Roman Catholic, Anglican, National Evangelical, Greek Orthodox, 
Armenian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, and Greek Catholic Churches are 
able to operate freely on their compounds, holding worship services 
without government interference. These leaders also state that the 
Government generally has been supportive of their presence, even 
providing police security and traffic direction as needed. Other 
Christian denominations (including Mormons, Seventh-Day Adventists, 
Marthoma, and Indian Orthodox), while not recognized legally, are 
allowed to operate in private homes or in the facilities of recognized 
churches. Members of these congregations have reported that they are 
able to worship without government interference, provided that they do 
not disturb their neighbors and do not violate laws regarding assembly 
and proselytizing.
    Members of religions not sanctioned in the Koran, such as Hindus 
and Buddhists, may not build places of worship, but are allowed to 
worship privately in their homes without interference from the 
Government.
    The Government prohibits missionaries from proselytizing to 
Muslims; however, they may serve non-Muslim congregations. The law 
prohibits organized religious education for religions other than Islam, 
although this law is not enforced rigidly. Informal religious 
instruction occurs inside private homes and on church compounds without 
government interference. However, there were reports that government 
``inspectors'' periodically visit public and private schools outside of 
church compounds to ensure that no religious teaching other than Islam 
takes place.
    The Government does not permit the establishment of non-Islamic 
publishing companies or training institutions for clergy. Nevertheless, 
several churches do publish religious materials for use solely by their 
congregations. Further, some churches, in the privacy of their 
compounds, provide informal instruction to individuals interested in 
joining the clergy.
    A private company, the Book House Company Ltd., is permitted to 
import significant amounts of Bibles and other Christian religious 
material--including, as of early 2000, videotapes and compact discs--
for use solely among the congregations of the country's recognized 
churches. The Book House Company is the only bookstore that has an 
import license to bring in such materials, which also must be approved 
by government censors. There have been reports of private citizens 
having non-Islamic religious materials confiscated by customs officials 
upon arrival at the airport.
    Although there is a small community of Christian citizens, a law 
passed in 1980 prohibits the naturalization of non-Muslims. However, 
citizens who were Christians before 1980 (and children born to families 
of such citizens since that date), are allowed to transmit their 
citizenship to their children.
    According to the law, a non-Muslim male must convert to Islam when 
he marries a Muslim woman if the wedding is to be legal in Kuwait. A 
non-Muslim female does not have to convert to Islam to marry a Muslim 
male, but it is to her advantage to do so. Failure to convert may mean 
that, should the couple later divorce, the Muslim father would be 
granted custody of any children.
    In April 2000, the Government formed a joint interministerial 
committee to study ways to control extremist groups (see Section II).
    The law requires jail terms for journalists who ridicule religion. 
In the period covered by this report, Islamists used this law to 
threaten writers with prosecution for publishing opinions deemed 
insufficiently observant of Islamic norms. In January 2000, the Kuwaiti 
Court of Misdemeanors found two female Kuwaiti authors, Alia Shuaib and 
Leila Al-Othman, guilty of writing books that were blasphemous and 
obscene. Shuaib and Al-Othman were sentenced to 2 months in prison 
which could be suspended upon payment of a $160 (50 Kuwaiti dinars) 
fine. On March 26, a Kuwaiti appeals court acquitted Shuaib of the 
charges of blasphemy and publishing works that ridicule religion. Al-
Othman's conviction of using indecent language was upheld. The court's 
judgments represented the latest in a series of cases brought by 
Islamists against secular authors. The court did not provide 
explanations for its rulings.
    In early 2000, a Vatican representative arrived in the country to 
establish a permanent mission. The mission, which currently is headed 
by a charge d'affaires who temporarily resides at the Roman Catholic 
Church, also is to represent Vatican interests in the smaller Gulf 
States and Yemen. The Church views the Government's acquiescence to 
establish relations with the Vatican as significant in terms of 
government tolerance of Christianity.
    There was no significant change in the status of respect for 
religious freedom during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversions of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States. There have been cases in which U.S. 
citizen children have been abducted from the United States and not 
allowed to return (under the law, the father receives custody in such 
cases, and his permission is required for the children to leave the 
country); however, there were no reports that such children were forced 
to convert to Islam, or that forced conversion was the reason that they 
were not allowed to return.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    In general, there are amicable relations among the different 
religions, and citizens generally are open and tolerant of other 
religions. While there is a small minority of ultraconservatives 
opposed to the presence of non-Muslim groups, there were no new reports 
of vandalism or other actions against the country's Christian churches 
during the period covered by this report. There was one reported 
incident in April 2000 of vigilante justice by extremists against a 
female Muslim university student, who allegedly was beaten by three men 
for un-Islamic behavior. Subsequent reports claimed that up to seven 
members of the extremist group Takfir Wa Hijra (Brand Infidels and 
Expel Them) were involved in the assault and had been involved in 
similar incidents in recent years. The accused were arrested within 
days and the Government formed a joint ministerial committee to study 
ways to control such groups. However, the evidence supporting the 
student's charges did not hold up in court and on June 12, Kuwait's 
criminal court acquitted the accused suspects. While reactions to this 
incident varied, in general, most citizens were critical of the 
extremists' actions.
    During the same month, unidentified gunmen fired shots at a 
``husseiniya'' (religious meeting place for Shi'a). Although the 
identities of the assailants were never determined, the incident 
contributed to a perception by some that extremists (the presumed 
attackers) are becoming increasingly disruptive to society.
    While some discrimination based on religion reportedly occurs on a 
personal level, most observers agree that it is not widespread. There 
is a perception among some domestic employees and other members of the 
unskilled labor force, particularly nationals from Southeast Asian 
countries, that they would receive better treatment from employers as 
well as society as a whole if they converted to Islam. However, others 
do not see conversion to Islam as a factor in this regard.
    The conversion of Muslims to other religions is a very sensitive 
matter. While it is reported that such conversions have occurred, they 
have been done quietly and discreetly. Muslim conversions that become 
public are likely to trigger hostility within society, as demonstrated 
by a 1996 case in which the convert received death threats.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the Government 
in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.
    U.S. Embassy officials frequently meet with representatives from 
Sunni, Shi'a, and various Christian groups. Intensive monitoring of 
religious issues has long been an embassy priority. Embassy officers 
have met with most of the leaders of the country's recognized Christian 
churches, along with representatives of various unrecognized faiths. 
Such meetings have afforded embassy officials the opportunity to learn 
the status and concerns of these groups.
                               __________

                                LEBANON

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, there 
are some restrictions.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Discrimination based on religion is built into the system of 
government. There are no legal barriers to proselytizing; however, 
traditional attitudes and edicts of the clerical establishment 
discourage such activity.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice. The State is 
required to ensure the free exercise of all religious rites with the 
caveat that public order not be disturbed. The Constitution also 
provides that the personal status and religious interests of the 
population be respected. The Government permits recognized religions to 
exercise authority over matters pertaining to personal status such as 
marriage, divorce, and inheritance. There is no state religion; 
however, politics are based on the principle of religious 
representation, which has been applied to every conceivable aspect of 
public life.
    A group that seeks official recognition must submit its dogma and 
moral principles for government review to ensure that such principles 
do not contradict popular values and the Constitution. The group must 
ensure that the number of its adherents is sufficient to maintain its 
continuity. Alternatively, religious groups may apply to obtain 
recognition through existing religious groups. Official recognition 
conveys certain benefits, such as tax-exempt status and the right to 
apply the religion's codes to personal status matters.
Religious Demography
    Because the matter of religious balance is such a sensitive 
political issue, a national census has not been conducted since the 
founding of the modern Lebanese State. Consequently, there is an 
absence of accurate data on the relative percentages of the population 
of the major religions and groups. Most observers believe that Muslims 
make up the majority, but they do not represent a homogenous group. 
There also is a variety of other religious groups, primarily from the 
Christian and Jewish religions.
    There are 18 officially recognized religious groups. Their 
ecclesiastical and demographic patterns are extremely complex. 
Divisions and rivalries between groups date back as far as 15 
centuries, and are still a factor today. The pattern of settlement has 
changed little since the 7th century, although there has been a steady 
numerical decline in the number of Christians compared to Muslims. The 
main branches of Islam are Shi'a and Sunni. Since the llth century 
there has been a sizable Druze presence, concentrated in rural, 
mountainous areas east and south of Beirut. The smallest Muslim 
minorities are the Alawites, and the Ismaili (``Sevener'') Shi'a order. 
The ``Twelver'' Shi'a, Sunni, and Druze each have state-appointed 
clerical bodies to administer family and personal status law through 
their own religious courts, which are subsidized by the State. The 
Maronites are the largest of the Christian groups. They have had a long 
and continuous association with the Roman Catholic Church, but have 
their own patriarch, liturgy, and customs. The second largest group is 
the Greek Orthodox Church (composed of ethnic Arabs who maintained a 
Greek-language liturgy). The remainder of the Christians are divided 
among Greek Catholics, Armenian Orthodox (Gregorians), Armenian 
Catholics, Syrian Orthodox (Jacobites), Syrian Catholics, Assyrians 
(Nestorians), Chaldeans, Copts, evangelicals (including Protestant 
groups such as the Baptists, Seventh-Day Adventists, and Friends), and 
Latins (Roman Catholic). Most Christian groups also administer their 
own family and personal status law. State recognition is not a legal 
requirement for religious practice. For example, although Baha'is, 
Buddhists, and Hindus are not officially recognized, they are allowed 
to practice their faith without government interference; however, they 
legally may not marry, divorce, or inherit in the country.
    The Government allows private religious education. There is a 
vigorous debate on the issue of public religious education, but no 
final curriculum has been adopted. Publishing of religious materials in 
different languages is permitted. The country's religious pluralism and 
climate of religious freedom have attracted many refugees fleeing 
religious persecution in neighboring states. They include Kurds, Shi'a, 
and Chaldeans from Iraq and Coptic Christians from Egypt and Sudan.
    The Government promotes interfaith understanding by supporting a 
committee on Islamic-Christian dialog, which is cochaired by a Muslim 
and a Christian, and includes representatives of the major religious 
groups. Leading religious figures who promote Islamic-Christian dialog 
and ecumenicism are encouraged to visit and are received by government 
officials at the highest levels.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The unwritten ``National Pact'' of 1943 stipulates that the 
President, the Prime Minister, and the Speaker of Parliament be a 
Maronite Christian, a Sunni Muslim, and a Shi'a Muslim, respectively. 
The Taif Accord, which ended Lebanon's 15-year civil war in 1990, 
reaffirmed this arrangement but resulted in increased Muslim 
representation in Parliament and reduced the power of the Maronite 
President. The Accord called for the ultimate abolition of political 
sectarianism in favor of ``expertise and competence.'' However, little 
substantive progress has been made in this regard. A ``Committee for 
Abolishing Confessionalism,'' called for in the Taif Accord, has not 
yet been formed. Christians and Muslims are represented equally in the 
Parliament. Seats in the Parliament and Cabinet, and posts in the civil 
service, are distributed proportionally among the 18 recognized groups.
    Each religious group has its own courts for family law matters, 
such as marriage, divorce, child custody, and inheritance. State 
recognition is not a legal requirement for religious practice. For 
example, although Baha'is, Buddhists, and Hindus are not officially 
recognized, they are allowed to practice their faith without government 
interference; however, they legally may not marry, divorce, or inherit 
in the country.
    The Government does not require citizens' religious affiliations to 
be indicated on their passports; however, the Government requires that 
religious affiliation be encoded on national identity cards.
    An individual may change his religion if the head of the religious 
group he wishes to join approves of this change. There are different 
personal status codes for each of the 18 officially recognized 
religious groups. Administered by representatives of the groups, these 
codes govern many areas of civil law, including marriage, divorce, 
inheritance, and child custody. Many families have relatives who belong 
to different religious communities, and intermarriage is not uncommon; 
however, intermarriage may be difficult to arrange in practice between 
members of some groups because there are no procedures for civil 
marriage. An attempt in 1998 by then-President Elias Hrawi to forward 
legislation permitting civil marriage failed in the face of opposition 
from the religious leadership of all confessions.
    Article 473 of the Penal Code stipulates that one who ``blasphemes 
God publicly'' will face imprisonment for up to a year.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    In September 1999, Marcel Khalife, a leading singer and songwriter, 
was accused of insulting Islam for incorporating lines from a poem 
based on verses from the Koran into a song he recorded in 1995. An 
indictment was issued charging the singer with blasphemy. Most 
political and religious leaders, with the exception of the Sunni Grand 
Mufti of the Republic, criticized this action. Khalife was acquitted of 
the charges on December 15, 1999.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Discrimination based on religion is built into the system of 
government. The amended Constitution of 1990 embraces the principle of 
abolishing religious affiliation as a criterion for filling government 
positions, but few practical steps have been taken to accomplish this. 
One notable exception is the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), which, 
through universal conscription and an emphasis on professionalism, has 
significantly reduced the role of confessionalism (or religious 
sectarianism) in that organization.
    Citizens still are struggling with the legacy of a 15-year civil 
war fought along religious lines. Some of the harshest fighting of the 
war occurred within religious groups.
    There are no legal barriers to proselytizing; however, traditional 
attitudes and edicts of the clerical establishment discourage such 
activity.
    The Committee of Islamic-Christian Dialog remains the most 
significant institution for fostering amicable relations between 
religious communities. It has received the Archbishop of Canterbury and 
leading representatives of other groups on ecumenical missions to 
promote understanding between Muslims and Christians. Clerics play a 
leading role in many ecumenical movements worldwide. For example, the 
Armenian Orthodox Patriarch, Aram I, is the moderator for the World 
Council of Churches. The Imam Musa Sadr Foundation has also played a 
role in fostering the ecumenical message of Musa Sadr, a Shi'a cleric 
who disappeared in Libya in 1978.
    On October 3, 1999, one person was killed when a bomb exploded in a 
Maronite church in an eastern Beirut suburb. There were no arrests made 
in this case during the period covered by this report.
    Throughout the fall of 1999, approximately 6 random bombings were 
carried out against Orthodox churches and shops that sold liquor; the 
bombings took place in the northern city of Tripoli and in surrounding 
areas. The Government suspected that radical Sunni extremists carried 
out the bombings in retaliation for Russian military operations in 
Chechnya. Police officials detained and allegedly tortured a number of 
Sunni youths for suspected involvement in these bombings; however, the 
youths later were released due to a lack of evidence.
    In December 1999, Sunni extremists killed four LAF soldiers in an 
ambush in the northern region of Dinniyeh after these soldiers 
attempted to arrest two Sunni Muslims allegedly involved in a series of 
church bombings. On December 31, 1999, the LAF retaliated by launching 
a massive military operation against Sunni insurgents in north Lebanon. 
Five civilians, 7 LAF soldiers, and 15 insurgents were killed in this 
operation.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    U.S. policy supports the preservation of pluralism and religious 
freedom, and the U.S. Embassy advances that goal through contacts at 
all levels of society, public remarks, embassy public affairs programs, 
and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) programming. The 
issue of political sectarianism remains a delicate one. The United 
States supports the principles of the Taif Accord and embassy staff 
regularly discuss the issue of sectarianism with political, religious, 
and civic leaders. Embassy staff members meet periodically with the 
leadership--both national and regional--of officially recognized 
groups, all of whom have a long tradition of meeting with foreign 
diplomats and discussing issues of general public interest. The Embassy 
regularly attends events sponsored by the Committee on Islamic-
Christian Dialog. The U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International 
Religious Freedom visited the country in April 2000 to discuss this 
issue with the religious leadership and with local lawyers and 
activists. The Embassy sponsored the visit to Beirut of the founder of 
the American Muslim Council to speak before the interfaith committee 
about Islam in America. USAID programs in rural areas of the country 
also require civic participation, often involving villages of different 
religious backgrounds, with the aim of promoting cooperation between 
religions.
                               __________

                                 LIBYA

    The Government restricts freedom of religion.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Information regarding relations among the country's different 
religious groups is limited. According to recent reports, persons 
rarely are harassed because of their religious practices unless such 
practices are perceived as having a political dimension or motivation.
    The U.S. Government has no official presence in the country and 
maintains no dialog with the Government.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Government restricts freedom of religion.
    The country's leadership has been known to state publicly its 
preference for Islam. In an apparent effort to eliminate all 
alternative power bases, the regime has banned the once powerful 
Sanusiyya Islamic order. In its place, Libyan leader Colonel Mu'ammar 
Al-Qadhafi established the Islamic Call Society (ICS), which is the 
Islamic arm of the Government's foreign policy and is active throughout 
the world. The ICS also is responsible for relations with other 
religions, including the Christian churches in the country. The ICS's 
main purpose is to promote a moderate form of Islam that reflects the 
religious views of the Government, and there are reports that Islamic 
groups whose beliefs and practices are at variance with the state-
approved teaching of Islam are banned. Although most Islamic 
institutions are under government control, prominent families endow 
some mosques; however, they generally remain within the government-
approved interpretation of Islam.
Religious Demography
    The country is overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim (97 to 98 percent). 
There are small Christian communities, composed almost exclusively of 
foreigners. There is a small Anglican community, made up mostly of 
African immigrant workers in Tripoli, which is part of the Egyptian 
Diocese; the Anglican Bishop of Libya is resident in Cairo. There are 
Union churches in Tripoli and Benghazi. There are an estimated 40,000 
Roman Catholics who are served by two Bishops--1 in Tripoli (serving 
the Italian community) and 1 in Benghazi (serving the Maltese 
community). Catholic priests and nuns serve in all the main coastal 
cities, and there is one priest in the southern city of Sebha. Most of 
them work in hospitals and with the handicapped; they enjoy good 
relations with the Government. There are also Coptic and Greek Orthodox 
priests in both Tripoli and Benghazi.
    In March 1997, the Vatican established diplomatic relations with 
Libya, stating that Libya had taken steps to protect freedom of 
religion. The Vatican hoped to be able to address more adequately the 
needs of the estimated 50,000 Christians in the country.
    There still may be a very small number of Jews. Most of the Jewish 
community, which numbered around 35,000 in 1948, left for Italy at 
various stages between 1948 and 1967. The Government has been 
rehabilitating the ``medina'' (old city) in Tripoli and has renovated 
the large synagogue there; however, the synagogue has not reopened.
    There are no known places of worship for other non-Muslim religions 
such as Hinduism, the Baha'i Faith, and Buddhism, although adherents 
are allowed to practice within the privacy of their home. Foreign 
adherents of these religions are allowed to display and sell religious 
items at bazaars and other gatherings.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Government controls most mosques and Islamic institutions, and 
even mosques endowed by prominent families generally remain within the 
government-approved interpretation of Islam. According to recent 
reports, individuals rarely are harassed because of their religious 
practices, unless such practices are perceived as having a political 
dimension or motivation. However, Christians are restricted by the lack 
of churches; there is a government limit of one church per denomination 
per city. Members of some minority religions are allowed to conduct 
services. Christian churches operate openly and are tolerated by the 
authorities. The authorities reportedly have failed to honor a promise 
made in 1970 to provide the Anglican Church with alternative facilities 
when they took the property used by the Church. Since 1988 the 
Anglicans have shared a villa with other Protestant denominations. 
There continue to be reports of armed clashes between security forces 
and Islamic groups that oppose the current regime and advocate the 
establishment of a more traditional form of Islamic government.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Information on religious freedom is limited, although members of 
minority religions report that they do not face harassment by 
authorities or the Muslim majority on the basis of their religious 
practices.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The United States has no official presence in Libya, and 
consequently maintains no dialog with the Government on religious 
freedom issues.
                               __________

                                MOROCCO

    Islam is the official religion and, although the Constitution 
provides for freedom of religion, in practice only Islam, Christianity, 
and Judaism are tolerated officially. Baha'is face restrictions on the 
practice of their faith. The Government monitors the activities of 
mosques and places some restrictions on Christian religious materials.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Relations between majority and minority religions are amicable. 
Since July 23, 1999, when King Mohammed VI succeeded his father, the 
late King Hassan II, who ruled for 38 years, the new King has continued 
to uphold a tradition of respect for interfaith dialog. Converts to 
Christianity sometimes face social ostracism.
    The U. S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides that Islam is the official religion, and 
designates the King as ``Commander of the Faithful'' with the 
responsibility of ensuring ``respect for Islam.'' Although the 
Constitution provides for freedom of religion, only Islam, 
Christianity, and Judaism are tolerated in practice; however, in 1996 a 
small foreign Hindu community received the right to perform cremations 
and to hold services. Other foreign communities enjoy similar religious 
privileges. However, Baha'is face restrictions on the practice of their 
faith. The Government monitors the activities of mosques.
    The Government does not license or approve religions or religious 
organizations. The Government provides tax benefits, land and building 
grants, subsidies, and customs exemptions for imports necessary for the 
observance of the major religions.
Religious Demography
    Ninety-nine percent of citizens are Sunni Muslims. The Jewish 
community numbers approximately 5,000 persons and predominantly resides 
in the Casablanca and Rabat urban areas, as well as some smaller cities 
throughout the country. The foreign Christian community (Roman Catholic 
and Protestant) consists of a little more than 5,000 members. Most 
reside in the Casablanca and Rabat urban areas. Also located in Rabat 
and Casablanca, the Baha'i community numbers 350 to 400 persons. There 
are few practicing atheists in the country; most atheists reportedly 
are university students.
    The teaching of Islam in public schools benefits from discretionary 
funding in the Government's annual education budget, as do other 
curriculum subjects. The annual budget also provides funds for 
religious instruction to the parallel system of Jewish public schools. 
The Government has funded several efforts to study the cultural, 
artistic, literary, and scientific heritage of Moroccan Jews. In 1998 
the Government created a chair for the study of comparative religions 
at the University of Rabat.
    The Government regularly organizes events to encourage tolerance 
and respect among religions. In April and May 2000, the Government 
hosted the first meeting of the ``Traveling Faculty of the Religions of 
the Book'' at Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane. Royal counselor Andre 
Azoulay, a leading Jewish citizen, spoke of the importance of 
interfaith respect and dialog in front of major Islamic, Jewish, and 
Christian figures from around the world.
    The Government annually organizes in May the ``Fez Festival of 
Sacred Music,'' which includes musicians from many religions. The 
Government has organized in the past numerous symposiums among local 
and international clergy, priests, rabbis, imams and other spiritual 
leaders to examine ways to reduce religious intolerance and to promote 
interfaith dialog. Each year during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, 
the King hosts colloquiums of Islamic religious scholars to examine 
ways to promote tolerance and mutual respect within Islam and between 
Islam and other religions.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The small Baha'i community has been forbidden to meet or 
participate in communal activities since 1983. However, during the 
period covered by this report, no members of the Baha'i community were 
summoned to the Ministry of the Interior for questioning concerning 
their faith and meetings, as had occurred in past years. For the second 
year in a row, there were no reports of Baha'is being denied passports 
because of their religion.
    Islamic law and tradition call for strict punishment of any Muslim 
who converts to another faith. Citizens who convert to Christianity and 
other religions sometimes face social ostracism, and in the past a 
small number have faced short periods of questioning or detention by 
the authorities. Voluntary conversion is not a crime under the Criminal 
or Civil Codes; however, the authorities have jailed some converts on 
the basis of references to Koranic law.
    Any attempt to induce a Muslim to convert is illegal. (According to 
Article 220 of the Penal Code, any attempt to stop one or more persons 
from the exercise of their religious beliefs, or attendance at 
religious services, is unlawful and may be punished by 3 to 6 months of 
imprisonment and a fine of $10 (103 dirhams) to $50 (515 dirhams). The 
Article applies the same penalty to ``anyone who employs incitements in 
order to shake the faith of a Muslim or to convert him to another 
religion.'') Foreign missionaries either limit their proselytizing to 
non-Muslims or conduct their work quietly. The Government cited the 
prohibition in the Penal Code on conversion in most cases in which 
courts expelled foreign missionaries.
    During the period covered by this report, there were no known cases 
of foreigners being denied entry into the country because they were 
carrying Christian materials, as had occurred in 1998 and the first 
half of 1999.
    The Ministry of Islamic Affairs monitors Friday mosque sermons and 
the Koranic schools to ensure the teaching of approved doctrine. The 
authorities sometimes suppress the activities of Islamists but 
generally tolerate activities limited to the propagation of Islam, 
education, and charity. Security forces commonly close mosques to the 
public shortly after Friday services to prevent use of the premises for 
unauthorized political activity. The Government strictly controls 
authorization to construct new mosques. Most mosques are constructed 
using private funds.
    Since the time of the French Protectorate (1912-1956), a small 
foreign Christian community has opened churches, orphanages, hospitals, 
and schools without any restriction or licensing requirement being 
imposed. Missionaries who conduct themselves in accordance with 
societal expectations largely are left unhindered. Those whose 
activities become public face expulsion.
    The Government permits the display and sale of Bibles in French, 
English, and Spanish, but confiscates Arabic language Bibles and 
refuses licenses for their importation and sale, despite the absence of 
any law banning such books. Nevertheless, Arabic Bibles reportedly have 
been sold in local bookstores.
    There are two sets of laws and courts--one for Jews and one for 
Muslims--pertaining to marriage, inheritance, and family matters. The 
family law courts are run, depending on the law that applies, by 
rabbinical and Islamic authorities who are court officials. Parliament 
authorizes any changes to those laws. Non-Koranic sections of Muslim 
law on personal status are applied to non-Muslim and non-Jewish 
persons. Alternatively, non-Muslim and non-Jewish foreigners in Morocco 
may refer to their embassies or consulates for marriage, divorce, 
inheritance, and other personal issues if they choose not to adhere to 
Moroccan law.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    After 11 years of house arrest for refusing to acknowledge the 
religious authority of King Hassan II, Islamist dissident Sheikh 
Abdessalam Yassine was allowed to leave his Sale home on May 16, 2000. 
Yassine's release came after a May 10 statement by the Minister of 
Interior before Parliament that the Sheikh ``leaves and returns to his 
residence as he likes. He receives visitors and holds meetings.'' The 
Minister also said that Sheikh Yassine was free to take his case to 
court if he believed that his rights were being abused. Subsequent to 
the lifting of his house arrest, Sheikh Yassine received at his home 
leading council members of his Justice and Charity Organization (JCO) 
on May 17, attended a Sale mosque prayer service on May 19, and gave a 
May 20 press conference widely attended by domestic and foreign media 
representatives.
    During the period covered by this report, books, articles, and 
audio cassettes published and produced by Yassine were sold at some 
bookstores. Editorials calling for the Sheikh's release prior to his 
liberation were published without impediment. The JCO maintains an 
active presence on university campuses and occasionally organized, 
prior to Yassine's release, protests of his lengthy house arrest. 
However, prominent members of the JCO are subject to constant 
surveillance and sometimes encounter problems obtaining passports and 
other necessary documents. In addition, after Yassine's release, the 
Government banned the JCO's popular summer camps, which were used to 
garner and increase support for the organization.
    During the period covered by this report, officials of the 
Gendarmerie Royale summoned several members of the foreign Christian 
community for questioning concerning the practice of their faith. After 
8 years of residence in the country, one U.S. citizen in the community 
failed to receive annual renewal of his resident's visa after 
Gendarmerie Royale officials began an investigation into his religious 
activities. The investigation reportedly is still underway. Currently 
the U.S. citizen faces no problem residing in, or exiting and returning 
to, the country.
    Fewer than 50 Islamists are serving sentences for offenses that 
range from arms smuggling to participating in a bomb attack on a hotel 
in Marrakech. However, a small number of these prisoners remain in 
prison for having called for an Islamic state in 1983.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Tolerance is widespread, and relations between majority and 
minority religions are amicable. Foreigners attend religious services 
without any restrictions or fear of reprisals, and Jews live throughout 
the Kingdom in safety. While free expression of Islamic faith and even 
the free academic and theological discussion of non-Islamic religions 
are accepted on television and radio, public efforts to proselytize are 
frowned upon by society. Most citizens view such public acts as 
provocative threats to law and order in an overwhelmingly observant 
Muslim country. In addition, society expects public respect for the 
institutions and mores of Islam, although private behavior and beliefs 
are unregulated and unmonitored. Because many Muslims view the Baha'i 
Faith as a heretical offshoot of Islam, most members of the tiny Baha'i 
community maintain a low religious profile. However, Baha'is live 
freely and without fear for their persons or property, and some even 
hold government jobs, albeit discreetly.
    Because the populace is overwhelmingly Muslim, because Islam is the 
religion of the State, and because the King enjoys temporal and 
spiritual authority through his role as ``Commander of the Faithful,'' 
there is widespread consensus among Muslims about religious practices 
and interpretation. Other sources of popular consensus are the councils 
of ulemas, unofficial religious scholars who serve as monitors of the 
monarchy and the actions of the Government. Because the ulemas 
traditionally hold the power to legitimize or delegitimize kings 
through their moral authority, government policies closely adhere to 
popular and religious expectations. While dissenters such as Yassine 
and his followers challenge the religious authority of the King and 
call for the establishment of a government more deeply rooted in their 
vision of Islam, the majority of citizens do not appear to share their 
views.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    During the period covered by this report, embassy officers 
continued to raise religious freedom issues in an effort to help 
resolve the few outstanding cases of restrictions on religious freedom. 
Prior to the release of Sheikh Yassine, the Embassy discussed his house 
arrest with government interlocutors, Sheikh Yassine's lawyer, his 
family, and some of his associates. Similarly, embassy officers sought 
openly to meet directly with Sheikh Yassine prior to his release and 
were informed by credible sources that ``as a matter of principle'' he 
would not meet with either journalists or diplomats. Prior to and after 
Yassine's release, embassy officers who sought to meet with Sheikh 
Yassine, members of his family, and his close associates encountered no 
interference from the Government in seeking these contacts.
    The U.S. Consulate in Casablanca investigated the case of the U.S. 
citizen who has not yet had his residence permit renewed. The Consulate 
ascertained from the police that no formal charges exist against the 
U.S. citizen. The Embassy currently remains in contact with the 
citizen.
    The Ambassador and embassy officials also meet regularly with 
religious officials, including the Minister of Islamic Affairs, Islamic 
religious scholars, the leader of the Jewish community, and local 
Christian leaders and missionaries. The Embassy maintains contacts with 
the small Baha'i community as well.
                               __________

                             WESTERN SAHARA

    Although the Moroccan Constitution provides for freedom of 
religion, only Islam, Christianity, and Judaism are tolerated in 
practice; however, several foreign communities enjoy some religious 
privileges.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Relations among religious believers were generally amicable.
    The U. S. Embassy in Morocco discusses religious freedom issues in 
the overall context of the promotion of human rights in the Western 
Sahara.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    Due to continuing Moroccan administrative control of the territory 
of the Western Sahara, conditions for religious freedom in that 
territory are similar to those found in the Kingdom of Morocco. 
Although the Moroccan Constitution provides for freedom of religion, 
only Islam, Christianity and Judaism are tolerated in practice; 
however, several foreign communities enjoy some religious privileges.
Religious Demography
    Apart from a tiny foreign community working for the United Nations 
Interposition Force in the territory (known by its French acronym, 
MINURSO), the overwhelming majority of the population are Sunni Muslim.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the authorities' refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations among religious believers were generally amicable.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy in Morocco discusses religious freedom issues in 
the overall context of the promotion of human rights in the Western 
Sahara.
                               __________

                                  OMAN

    Islam is the state religion, and the Basic Charter preserves the 
freedom to practice religious rites, in accordance with tradition, 
provided that it does not breach public order. The Government permits 
freedom of worship for non-Muslim residents.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Christian and Hindu worship is permitted, and Sultan Qaboos has 
given land for the construction of centers of worship for these 
religions. However, it is illegal to proselytize Muslims to abandon 
Islam. Islam is an integral part of the scholastic curriculum; however, 
non-Muslim students attending private schools are not required to study 
Islam.
    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    Islam is the state religion, which is affirmed by the 1996 Basic 
Charter. The 1996 Basic Charter provides that Shari'a (Islamic law) is 
the basis for legislation and preserves the freedom to practice 
religious rites, in accordance with tradition, provided that it does 
not breach public order. The Government permits freedom of worship for 
non-Muslims as well.
    Non-Muslim religious organizations must be registered with the 
Government, and the Government restricts some of their activities.
Religious Demography
    Most citizens are Ibadhi or Sunni Muslims, but there is also a 
minority of Shi'a Muslims. There is a small community of ethnically 
Indian Hindu citizens, and there is reportedly a very small number of 
Christians, who were originally from India or the Levant, and who have 
been naturalized.
    Non-Muslims, the majority of whom are noncitizen immigrant workers 
from South Asia, are free to worship at churches and temples, some of 
which are built on land donated by the Sultan. There are many Christian 
denominations in Muscat, which use two plots of donated land. Two 
Catholic and two Protestant churches have been built on this land. 
Hindu temples also have been built on government-provided land. The 
Government also provided land for Catholic and Protestant missions in 
Sohar and Salalah.
Governmental Restrictions on Freedom of Religion
    Citizen children must attend a school that provides instruction in 
Islam; noncitizen children may attend schools that do not offer 
instruction in Islam.
    Citizens and noncitizen residents are free to discuss their 
religious beliefs; however, the Government prohibits non-Muslims from 
proselytizing Muslims. Under Islamic law, a Muslim who recants belief 
in Islam would be considered an apostate and dealt with under 
applicable Islamic legal procedure. NonMuslims are permitted to change 
their religious affiliation to Islam.
    In June 2000, the departure from the country of a foreign Baha'i 
due to termination of his employment may have been hastened by the 
proselytizing activities of his wife. The authorities asked members of 
the Baha'i community not to proselytize, in accordance with the 
country's law and custom.
    The Government prohibits non-Muslim groups from publishing 
religious material, although material printed abroad may be brought 
into the country. Members of all religions and religious groups are 
free to maintain links with coreligionists abroad and undertake foreign 
travel for religious purposes. Ministers and priests from abroad also 
are permitted to visit the country for the purpose of carrying out 
duties related to registered religious organizations.
    The police monitor mosque sermons to ensure that the preachers do 
not discuss political topics and stay within the stateapproved 
orthodoxy of Islam. The Government expects all imams to preach sermons 
within the parameters of standardized texts distributed monthly by the 
Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs.
    The Government has sponsored forums at which differing 
interpretations of Islam have been examined; there are no known 
instances during the period covered by this report where the Government 
has publicly promoted interfaith dialog.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    There are amicable relations between the various religious 
communities. Christian theologians have met with local Islamic 
authorities and with members of the faculty at the country's major 
university. Private groups that promote interfaith dialog are permitted 
to exist as long as discussions do not constitute an attempt to cause 
Muslims to recant their Islamic beliefs.
    The Basic Charter provides that discrimination against individuals 
on the basis of religion or religious group is prohibited; however, 
decrees implementing the prohibition against religious discrimination 
have not yet been established.
    Religious discrimination is largely absent; however, some members 
of the Shi'a minority claim that they face discrimination in employment 
and educational opportunities. Nonetheless, some Shi'a occupy prominent 
positions in both the private and public sectors.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. 
Members of the staff at the U.S. Embassy routinely participate in local 
religious ceremonies, and have contact with non-Muslim practitioners.
                               __________

                                 QATAR

    There is no constitutional protection for freedom of religion. The 
Official State religion follows the conservative Wahhabi tradition of 
the Hanbali school of Islam. The Government officially prohibits public 
worship by non-Muslims; however, it tolerates private worship for 
``peoples of the book,'' (i.e., Christians and Jews).
    During the past year, the Government took substantive steps that 
somewhat improved respect for religious freedom by recognizing 
Christian clergy and proceeding with plans to construct Christian 
churches in the capital, Doha.
    There are generally amicable relations among persons of differing 
religious beliefs. However, much of the population opposes the 
construction of Christian churches. Discrimination in some areas 
occurs, at times along religious lines. In general Muslims hold all 
positions of authority in the Government, with citizens holding higher 
level positions and foreign Muslims holding lower positions. Shi'a 
Muslims experience discrimination in employment in sensitive areas. 
Non-Muslims may not proselytize, and the Government formally prohibits 
the publication, importation, and distribution of Bibles and other non-
Islamic religious literature. However, in practice individuals 
generally are not prevented from importing Bibles and other religious 
items for personal use.
    The U.S. Ambassador and embassy staff meet regularly with 
government officials to discuss issues of religious freedom. Other 
embassy officers have taken the lead in bringing government officials 
and lay church leaders together to discuss the modalities of expanding 
toleration and understanding of non-Islamic worship. The Government has 
been receptive to quiet dialog and has offered to donate land for and 
assist in the construction of Christian churches.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    There is no constitutional protection for freedom of religion. The 
state religion is Islam, as interpreted by the conservative Wahhabi 
order of the Sunni branch. The Government officially prohibits public 
worship by non-Muslims; however, it tolerates and protects services 
conducted privately with prior notification to the authorities. The 
Government allows Shi'a Muslims to practice their faith freely; 
however, community leaders have agreed to refrain from certain public 
practices, such as self-flagellation.
    The Government and ruling family are inextricably linked to the 
practice of Islam. The Ministry of Islamic Affairs controls the 
construction of mosques, the administration of clerical affairs, and 
instruction in the Koran. The Minister of Islamic Affairs is a member 
of the Emir's cabinet and participates in policymaking at the highest 
level. The only official government holidays aside from the 
independence day are the Eid Al-Fitr, following the holy month of 
Ramadan, and the Eid Al-Adha, which commemorates the end of the Hajj. 
The Emir participates in widely publicized ``Eid prayers'' and each 
year personally finances the Hajj pilgrimages of many who cannot afford 
to travel to Mecca.
    During the period covered by this report, the Catholic, Anglican, 
and Orthodox churches in effect received de facto official recognition. 
However, formal recognition apparently has not yet been granted. There 
reportedly is a verbal commitment by the Government to allow the 
churches to operate openly in a manner that apparently reflects de 
facto government recognition.
Religious Demography
    There are no reliable population figures available; however, the 
population is estimated to be about 650,000. Of that number, about 
170,000 are believed to be citizens. It is estimated that the majority 
of the remaining 480,000 persons are Sunni Muslim foreigners, and that 
the rest are Shi'a Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, and Baha'is.
    A large foreign population practices other faiths, albeit privately 
and quietly. Most foreigners are concentrated in and around the capital 
city of Doha. In addition to Muslim foreigners, there are a significant 
number of Christians (Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, and other 
Protestant denominations), as well as smaller numbers of Hindus, 
Buddhists, and Baha'is living and working in the country. The Christian 
community consists of a diverse mix of Americans, Europeans, Arabs, 
Indians, and Filipinos. The Hindu community is almost exclusively 
Indian. Buddhists are found among the East Asian community, and a small 
number of ethnic Persians make up the Baha'i community. The Shi'a 
community has a small number of mosques.
    Police provide traffic control for authorized Catholic masses, 
which may be attended by 1,000 or more persons at Easter and Christmas. 
In December 1999, Christmas cards and decorations were readily 
available in several shops in the capital, even though the holiday 
coincided with the holy month of Ramadan. During March and April, 
Easter merchandise was widely available.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Non-Muslims may not proselytize, and conversion from Islam is 
theoretically a capital offense. However, there is no record of an 
execution for such a conversion since independence in 1971.
    The Government formally prohibits the publication, importation, and 
distribution of Bibles and other non-Islamic religious literature. 
However, in practice individuals generally are not prevented from 
importing Bibles and other religious items for personal use. In 
previous years, there were sporadic reports of confiscation of such 
materials by customs officials. During the period covered by this 
report, some Christian worship groups reported having no trouble 
importing instructional materials (i.e., Sunday school materials and 
devotionals) for use by the groups.
    There are no restrictions on non-Muslims providing religious 
instruction to their children; however, the public schools provide 
compulsory instruction in Islam. The public schools generally are 
closed to foreigners, most of whose children attend any of a number of 
private schools.
    Practice of Islam confers advantage in civil life. For example, 
non-Muslims do not have the right to bring suit in the Shari'a (Islamic 
law) courts. These courts are utilized to settle the majority of civil 
claims; thus, non-Muslims are at a distinct disadvantage.
Improvements in Respect for Religious Freedom
    The overall trend during the period covered by this report has been 
toward somewhat more religious freedom for Christian worship. Private 
discussions between the Government and the ambassadors of the United 
States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Romania, and South 
Korea have yielded progress in the area of religious freedom. The 
Government apparently has recognized the Catholic, Anglican, and 
Orthodox churches on a de facto basis and allowed them to operate more 
openly. For example, priests of the three churches have been asked to 
wear their clerical garb and can apply to be sponsors for visitor visas 
for other church representatives. In addition, church representatives 
can import reasonable amounts of Bibles and other religious literature 
for use by their congregations. In February 2000, the Government 
identified a parcel of land on which it plans to allow the construction 
of three churches, one each for the Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox 
communities. Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the 
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Agriculture met with diplomats and 
representatives of the churches to discuss initial design plans.
    Such progress for Christians is due, in large part, to their status 
as ``people of the book;'' the Koran accords special status to 
Christians and Jews. The Government intends neither to permit Hindus 
and Buddhists to worship openly nor to establish temples because it 
claims that there is no Koranic justification for tolerance of 
polytheistic religions.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
    There were no reports that the Government forcibly converted any 
individuals. However, a criminal may have his or her sentence reduced 
by memorizing the Koran. For non-Muslim prisoners, this may create an 
incentive to convert to Islam.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between persons of differing religious beliefs generally 
are amicable and tolerant. However, a sizable percentage of the citizen 
population opposes the construction of Christian churches.
    Discrimination in the areas of employment, education, housing, and 
health services occurs, at times along religious lines. Non-Muslims 
hold jobs in the Government and military; however, they are generally 
technical positions. In general Muslims hold all positions of authority 
in the Government, with citizens holding higher level positions and 
foreign Muslims holding lower positions. Shi'a Muslims experience 
discrimination in employment in sensitive areas, such as security. 
However, the critical factor in most cases of discrimination is 
citizenship. Muslim and non-Muslim foreigners face the same challenges. 
Health care, electricity, water, and education are provided free-of-
charge to citizens, while foreigners must pay for these services. 
Citizens also may receive low- or no-interest home loans from the 
Government. Foreigners must rent housing because they are not permitted 
to own property.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Ambassador, Deputy Chief of Mission, and the Embassy's 
political officer meet regularly with government officials at many 
levels to address the issue of religious freedom, both in public and in 
private. The issue has been raised with the Emir, the Foreign Minister, 
and several other government officials. Efforts to emphasize religious 
freedom are also being coordinated with the Embassies of the United 
Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Romania, and South Korea.
    The Government has been receptive to the pleas from foreign 
governments to allow the construction of Christian churches, as 
evidenced by recent progress (see Section I). Its main concern is that 
the process should proceed slowly so as not to create undue opposition 
among more conservative elements of the population in the hope that, by 
taking the time to lay the groundwork, opposition will be minimal.
                               __________

                              SAUDI ARABIA

    Saudi Arabia is an Islamic monarchy without constitutional 
protection for freedom of religion, and such protection does not exist 
in practice. Islam is the official religion, and all citizens must be 
Muslims. The Government prohibits the public practice of other 
religions. Private worship by non-Muslims, as defined by the 
Government, is recognized officially.
    Through published interviews with government officials and press 
articles that addressed the subject in the context of human rights, 
non-Islamic freedom to worship privately received more attention and 
greater respect than in the previous year.
    The overwhelming majority of citizens support an Islamic state and 
oppose public non-Muslim worship. There is a greater degree of 
tolerance of foreigners and non-Muslims in both the eastern and western 
provinces than in the isolated central Nejd region. There is 
institutionalized discrimination against adherents of the Shi'a branch 
of Islam.
    The U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for International 
Organizations, the U.S. Ambassador, and other U.S. government officials 
have raised the issue of religious freedom with the Government on 
numerous occasions during the period covered by this report.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    Freedom of religion does not exist. Islam is the official religion 
and all citizens must be Muslims. The Government prohibits the public 
practice of other religions. Private worship by non-Muslims is 
permitted.
    Saudi Arabia is an Islamic monarchy and the Government has declared 
the Islamic holy book, the Koran, and the Sunna (tradition) of the 
Prophet Muhammad, to be the country's Constitution. The Government 
bases its legitimacy on governance according to the precepts of the 
rigorously conservative and strict interpretation of the Hanbali school 
of the Sunni branch of Islam and discriminates against other branches 
of Islam. Neither the Government nor society in general accepts the 
concepts of separation of religion and state, and such separation does 
not exist.
    Islamic practice generally is limited to that of the Wahabi order, 
which adheres to the Hanbali school of the Sunni branch of Islam as 
interpreted by Muhammad Ibn Abd Al-Wahab, an 18th century Saudi 
religious reformer. Practices contrary to this interpretation, such as 
visits to the tombs of renowned Muslims, are discouraged. The practice 
of other schools of Sunni Islam is discouraged, and there is 
institutionalized discrimination against adherents of the Shi'a branch 
of Islam. The Government supervises almost all mosques in the country 
and funds their construction, maintenance, and operations.
Religious Demography
    Sunni Muslims make up approximately 12.1 million of the country's 
nearly 14 million citizens.
    Seven million foreigners reside in the country, including about 1.2 
million Indians, 1.2 million Egyptians, nearly 800,000 Pakistanis, 
600,000 Filipinos, 130,000 Sri Lankans, and 30,000 Americans. These 
foreigners include Muslims of different denominations, Christians, 
Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, and, presumably, non-believers and atheists.
    Comprehensive statistics for the denominations of foreigners are 
not available. However, the Filipino Embassy reports that over 90 
percent of the Filipino community (or over half a million persons) is 
non-Muslim, including Catholics and Protestants.
    The Shi'a Muslim minority (roughly 900,000 persons) lives mostly in 
the eastern province, where Shi'a constitute about one-third of the 
population.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Ministry of Islamic affairs directly supervises, and is a major 
source of funds for, the construction and maintenance of almost all 
mosques in the country. The Ministry pays the salaries of imams (prayer 
leaders) and others who work in the mosques. A governmental committee 
is responsible for defining the qualifications of imams. The Mutawwa'in 
(religious police, who make up the Committee to Promote Virtue and 
Prevent Vice) are government employees, and the president of the 
Mutawwa'in holds the rank of cabinet minister. The spreading of Muslim 
teachings not in conformance with the officially accepted 
interpretation of Islam is prohibited. Writers and other individuals 
who publicly criticize this interpretation, including both those who 
advocate a stricter interpretation and those who favor a more moderate 
interpretation than the Government's, reportedly have been imprisoned 
and faced other reprisals.
    During the period covered by this report, foreign imams were barred 
from leading worship during the most heavily attended prayer times and 
prohibited from delivering sermons during Friday congregational 
prayers. The Government claims that its actions were part of its 
``Saudiization'' plan to replace foreign workers with citizens.
    Under Shari'a (Islamic law), upon which the Government bases its 
jurisprudence, conversion by a Muslim to another religion is considered 
apostasy. Public apostasy is a crime punishable by death if the accused 
does not recant.
    The Government prohibits public non-Muslim religious activities. 
Non-Muslim worshippers risk arrest, lashing, and deportation for 
engaging in overt religious activity that attracts official attention. 
During the period covered by this report, two group arrests were made 
after religious police raided large Christian congregations during 
services that were held on Friday, the Muslim day of rest.
    Proselytizing by non-Muslims is illegal, including the distribution 
of non-Muslim religious materials such as Bibles. No foreign 
missionaries operate legally in the country. During the period covered 
by this report, two Filipino men were arrested, charged with 
proselytizing, and forced to serve approximately 2 months in prison.
    Members of the Shi'a minority are the objects of officially 
sanctioned political and economic discrimination. Prior to 1990, the 
Government prohibited Shi'a public processions during the Islamic month 
of Muharram and restricted other processions and congregations to 
designated areas in the major Shi'a cities. Since 1990, the authorities 
have permitted the celebration of the Shi'a holiday of Ashura in the 
eastern province city of Qatif, provided that the celebrants do not 
undertake large, public marches or engage in self-flagellation (a 
traditional Shi'a practice). No other Ashura celebrations are permitted 
in the Kingdom, and many Shi'a travel to Qatif or to Bahrain to 
participate in Ashura celebrations.
    The Government seldom permits private construction of Shi'a 
mosques. Shi'a have declined government offers to build state-supported 
mosques because the Government would prohibit the incorporation and 
display of Shi'a motifs in any such mosques.
    The Government actively discourages Shi'a travel to Iran to visit 
pilgrimage sites, although Shi'a citizens are permitted to visit holy 
sites in Iraq.
    Persons wearing religious symbols of any kind in public risk 
confrontation with the Mutawwa'in. This general prohibition against 
religious symbols also applies to Muslims. A Christian wearing a 
crucifix or a Muslim wearing a Koranic necklace in public might be 
admonished. A very strict conservative Islamic dress code requiring 
extreme modesty is enforced for Muslim and non-Muslim women alike. 
Particularly in the more conservative Nejd region, virtually all women 
wear an abaya (a long black cloak), and many wear a headscarf while in 
public. Failure to do so can lead to admonishment by Mutawwa'in, and in 
the past occasionally has led to arrest. Male modesty also is required. 
Males going shirtless or in short pants while in public also risk 
admonishment.
    Islamic religious education is mandatory in public schools at all 
levels. All children receive religious instruction, which generally is 
limited to that of the Hanbali school of Islam.
    In accordance with Shari'a, Saudi women are prohibited from 
marrying non-Muslims, but Saudi men may marry Christians and Jews, as 
well as Muslims.
    The Government requires noncitizens to carry Iqamas, or legal 
resident identity cards, which contain a religious designation for 
``Muslim'' or ``non-Muslim.''
Governmental Abuses of Freedom of Religion
    A Filipino man was arrested in June 1999 and another Filipino man 
was arrested in July 1999. Both men were charged with proselytizing, 
served approximately 2 months in prison, and subsequently were 
deported.
    There were two group arrests of Filipino Christians made during the 
period covered by the report, one of 13 persons in October 1999 and 
another of 16 persons in January 2000. Both arrests occurred after 
religious police raided large Christian congregations during services 
held on Friday, the local day of rest. In both instances, government 
officials maintained that the religious services were attended by such 
a large number of persons that they could not be considered private. 
Some of those arrested were charged with illegal assembly and all 
detainees subsequently were deported to the Philippines.
    There were reports that the authorities arrested a Christian man in 
June 2000 for possession of a videotape of a religious event. There 
were no formal charges brought against him and he remained in custody 
at the end of the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports that government security forces arrested or 
detained Shi'a on the suspicion of subversion and pro-Iranian 
activities, as had been reported in the past.
    In April 2000, in the city of Najran, in the southwest region 
bordering Yemen, riots took place in which members of the Makarama 
Ismaili Shi'a community reportedly engaged in gun battles with security 
forces. Some press reports indicated that the rioting followed the 
arrest of a Makarama Ismaili Shi'a imam and some of his followers on 
charges of ``sorcery.'' Various other reports attributed the unrest to 
the closure of two Ismaili Shi'a mosques and the provincial governor's 
refusal to permit Ismailis to hold public observances of the Shi'a 
holiday of Ashura. Still other reports attributed the unrest to a local 
crackdown on smuggling and resultant tribal discontent. Officials at 
the highest level of the Government stated that the unrest in Najran 
was not the result of Shi'a-Sunni tension or religious discrimination. 
After the unrest ended the Government stated that 5 members of the 
security forces were killed and Ismaili leaders claimed that as many as 
40 Ismaili tribesmen were killed. There was no independent confirmation 
of these claims.
    Since the 1979 Iranian revolution, some Shi'a suspected of 
subversion have been subjected periodically to surveillance and 
limitations on travel abroad. Since beginning the investigation of the 
1996 bombing of the U.S. military installation at AlKhobar, in which a 
number of eastern-province Shi'a were arrested, authorities have 
detained, interrogated, and confiscated the passports of a number of 
Shi'a Muslims. Shi'a who travel to Iran without government permission, 
or who are suspected of such travel, normally have their passports 
confiscated upon their return to Saudi Arabia for periods of up to 2 
years.
    As of June 30, 2000, the Government reportedly still held in jail 
an unknown number of Shi'a who were arrested in the aftermath of the 
Al-Khobar bombing.
    Magic is widely believed in and sometimes practiced, often in the 
form of fortune-telling and swindles. However, under Shari'a the 
practice of magic is regarded as the worst form of polytheism, an 
offense for which no repentance is accepted, and which is punishable by 
death. There are an unknown number of detainees held in prison on the 
charge of ``sorcery,'' or the practice of ``black magic'' or 
``witchcraft.'' In a few cases, self-proclaimed ``miracle workers' have 
been executed for sorcery involving physical harm or apostasy. In 1999 
the Al-Bilad newspaper reported that the Interior Ministry ordered the 
execution of a Sudanese man convicted of practicing magic in Jeddah for 
3.5 years. The man claimed to be an herbal medicine expert and had 
treated a number of women with tonics and potions; he reportedly 
possessed 16 spell books and related paraphernalia. The man reportedly 
confessed to conspiring with Jinns (beings made of fire who coexist 
with humans) in ``efforts to separate wives from their husbands.''
    Mutawwa'in practices and incidents of abuse varied widely in 
different regions of the country, but were most numerous in the central 
Nejd region, which includes the capital Riyadh. In certain areas, both 
the Mutawwa'in and religious vigilantes acting on their own harassed, 
assaulted, battered, arrested, and detained citizens and foreigners. 
The Government requires the Mutawwa'in to follow established procedures 
and to offer instruction in a polite manner; however, Mutawwa'in did 
not always comply with the requirements. The Government has not 
criticized abuses by Mutawwa'in and religious vigilantes publicly but 
has sought to curtail these abuses.
    Mutawwa'n enforcement of strict standards of social behavior 
included closing commercial establishments during the five daily prayer 
observances, insisting upon compliance with strict norms of public 
dress, and dispersing gatherings in public places. Mutawwa'in 
frequently reproached Saudi and foreign women for failure to observe 
strict dress codes, and arrested men and women found together who were 
not married or closely related.
    The Mutawwa'in have the authority to detain persons for no more 
than 24 hours for violation of strict standards of proper dress and 
behavior. However, they sometimes exceeded this limit before delivering 
detainees to the police. Current procedures require a police officer to 
accompany the Mutawwa'in at the time of an arrest. Mutawwa'in generally 
complied with this requirement. During 1999 and through mid-2000, in 
the more conservative Riyadh district, the frequency of reports of 
Mutawwa'in accosting, abusing, arresting, and detaining persons alleged 
to have violated dress and behavior standards was about the same as in 
1998. The Jeddah district also received a similar number of reports as 
in 1998.
    In November 1998, several Mutawwa'in attacked and killed an elderly 
Shi'a prayer leader in Hofuf for repeating the call to prayer twice (a 
traditional Shi'a practice). Mutawwa'in attempts to cover up the 
killing were unsuccessful. The Government reportedly was investigating 
the incident, but there has been no further information on the case.
    Criticism of the Mutawwa'in has appeared in the largely government-
controlled press. Also, according to reports, the Mutawwa'in are no 
longer permitted to detain citizens for more than a few hours, may not 
conduct investigations, and may no longer allow unpaid volunteers to 
accompany official patrols.
    Customs officials routinely open mail and shipments to search for 
contraband, including material that is deemed pornographic, and non-
Muslim religious material. Customs officials confiscated or censored 
materials considered offensive, including Bibles and religious 
videotapes.
Improvements in Respect for Religious Freedom
    Through published interviews with government officials and press 
articles that addressed the subject in the context of human rights, 
non-Islamic freedom to worship privately received more attention and 
greater respect than in the previous year.
    Senior officials in the Government publicly reaffirmed the right of 
non-Muslims to engage in private religious worship. In an address to 
the 56th session of the U.N. Committee on Human Rights in April 2000, 
Prince Turki bin Muhammad bin Saud AlKabir, King Fahd's son-in-law and 
the Director of the International Organizations Department of the 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that ``non-Muslims enjoy full 
freedom to engage in their religious observances in private.'' The 
media widely disseminated Prince Turki's speech and the media 
increasingly acknowledges the right to private non-Muslim worship. Such 
private non-Muslim worship occurs on a wide scale throughout the 
country, including on the premises of several foreign embassies.
    Other high-level Saudi officials repeatedly confirmed during the 
period covered by this report that the Government's policy allows for 
private non-Muslim worship and that the Government does not sanction 
investigation or harassment of such private worship services. These 
officials ascribed any residual harassment of private worship services 
or seizure of personal religious materials such as Bibles or icons to 
individuals and organizations acting on their own authority and in 
contradiction of government policy. Representatives of Christian 
denominations present in the country report that the Government is not 
interfering with private worship services as long as those services 
remain discreet.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    Under Saudi law, children of Saudi fathers are considered Muslim, 
regardless of the country or the religious tradition in which they may 
have been raised. In some cases, children raised in other countries and 
in other religious traditions who came to Saudi Arabia or who were 
taken by their Saudi fathers to Saudi Arabia reportedly were coerced to 
conform to Islamic norms and practices. There were no reports of the 
forced religious conversion of minor U.S. citizens who had been 
abducted or illegally removed from the United States during the period 
covered by this report or of the Government's refusal to allow such 
citizens to be returned to the United States. However, there was a 
report that prior to the period covered by this report, at least one 
U.S. citizen child in Saudi Arabia was subjected to pressure--and at 
times force--by her Saudi relatives to renounce Christianity and 
conform to Islamic norms and practices.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Members of the Shi'a minority constitute nearly 8 percent of the 
citizenry and are discriminated against in government employment, 
especially with respect to positions that relate to national security, 
such as the military or the Ministry of the Interior. The Government 
also restricts employment of Shi'a in the oil industry. Shi'a are the 
objects of government discrimination in higher education in the form of 
unofficial restrictions on the number of Shi'a admitted to 
universities.
    Improved relations between Iran (a predominately Shi'a nation) and 
Saudi Arabia (a majority Sunni nation) during the period covered by 
this report have affected positively the overall climate of Sunni-Shi'a 
relations in general.
    Relations between Saudi Muslims and foreign Muslims are generally 
good. Foreign Muslims of all denominations pray freely in mosques as 
long as they follow Saudi Sunni prayer practices, although foreign 
imams have a more difficult time obtaining employment in mosques. All 
sermons are monitored. There are no separate mosques for foreigners.
    Relations between Saudis and non-Muslim foreigners reflect the 
general relationship between 14 million Saudi citizens and 7 million 
foreigners residing in the Kingdom. Saudis from the historically 
isolated central Nejd region have had less exposure to foreigners and 
tend to be more reserved and insular. There is a greater degree of 
tolerance toward foreigners in both the eastern and western provinces, 
where trade and pilgrimage have exposed citizens living in coastal 
areas to foreigners and their customs for many centuries.
    Non-Muslims who undertook religious observances privately and 
discreetly were not disturbed during the period covered by this report. 
However, several problems resulted after Saudi citizens complained to 
the authorities about services being held on rooftops, in full view and 
within hearing range of Muslims living nearby.
    In certain areas, religious vigilantes acting on their own 
harassed, assaulted, battered, arrested, and detained citizens and 
foreigners.
    The overwhelming majority of citizens support an Islamic state and 
oppose public non-Muslim worship. Citizens often ask foreigners about 
religious matters to determine a person's religion, attitudes, and 
knowledge of Islam. Under the auspices of the Ministry of Islamic 
Affairs, about 50 so-called ``Call and Guidance'' centers employing 
about 500 persons work to convert foreigners to Islam. Some non-Muslim 
foreigners convert to Islam during their stay in the country, including 
more than 200 persons in Jeddah each year. The press often carries 
articles about such conversions, including personal testimonials.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Ambassador, the U.S. Embassy's Deputy Chief of Mission, 
the U.S. Consuls General in Jeddah and Dhahran, the Embassy's Political 
Counselor, and other political officers have raised the issue of 
religious freedom on numerous occasions during the period covered by 
this report. The Embassy's human rights officer met several times with 
Filipino Christian group members and Philippine embassy staff during 
the period of detention and deportation of persons suspected of 
involvement with Christian proselytizing groups.
    Several meetings were held during the period covered by this report 
in which the issue of religious freedom was raised. The Embassy's 
Political Counselor delivered a demarche on religious freedom to the 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs official in charge of human rights. The 
Assistant Deputy Foreign Minister met with David Welch, the U.S. 
Assistant Secretary of State for International Organizations, the 
Embassy's Deputy Chief of Mission, and the Political Counselor 
regarding religious freedom and human rights issues. Foreign Minister 
Saud Al-Faisal met with Welch and the Political Counselor regarding 
religious freedom and human rights issues. The Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs official in charge of human rights, including freedom of 
religion, met with the Embassy's political human rights officer.
                               __________

                                 SYRIA

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, it 
imposes restrictions in some areas.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to the generally free practice of 
religion. However, there are periodic reports of friction between 
religious faiths. The Government monitors the activities of all groups, 
including religious groups, discourages aggressive proselytizing, and 
has banned the Jehovah's Witnesses as a politically-motivated Zionist 
organization.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall policy of promoting human 
rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, it 
imposes restrictions in some areas. The only advantage given to a 
particular religion by the Constitution is the requirement that the 
President be a Muslim. There is no state religion, although the 
majority of the population is Sunni Muslim.
    All religions and orders must register with the Government, which 
monitors fund raising and requires permits for all meetings by 
religious (and non-religious) groups, except for worship. Recognized 
religious groups receive free utilities and are exempt from real estate 
taxes and personal property taxes on official vehicles. There is a 
strict de facto separation of church and state. Religious groups tend 
to avoid any involvement in internal political affairs. The Government, 
in turn, generally refrains from becoming involved in strictly 
religious issues. However, the Government banned Jehovah's Witnesses as 
a politically-motivated Zionist organization in 1964.
Religious Demography
    While there is no official state religion, Sunni Muslims represent 
about 74 percent of the population. Other orders, including Druze, 
Alawi, Ismailis, Shi'a, and Yazidis, constitute an estimated 16 percent 
of the population. A variety of Christian denominations make up the 
remaining 10 percent of the population. The great majority of 
Christians belong to the Eastern groups that have existed in the 
country since the earliest days of Christianity. The main Eastern 
groups belong to autonomous Orthodox churches, the Uniate churches 
which recognize the Roman Catholic Pope, and the independent Nestorian 
Church. There also are believed to be less than 100 Jews and a small 
number of Yazidis.
    The largest Christian denomination is the Greek Orthodox Church, 
known in Syria as the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All 
the East. The Syrian Orthodox Church is notable for its use of a Syriac 
liturgy. Most Syrians of Armenian origin belong to the Armenian 
Apostolic Church, which uses an Armenian liturgy. The largest Uniate 
church in the country is the Greek Catholic Church. Other Uniate 
denominations include the Maronite Church, the Syrian Catholic Church, 
and the Chaldean Catholic Church, which derives from the Nestorian 
Church. The Government also permits the presence, both officially and 
unofficially, of other Christian denominations, including Baptist, 
Mennonite, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 
(Mormon).
    Sunni Muslims are found throughout the country. Christians tend to 
be urbanized and most live in Damascus and Aleppo, although significant 
numbers live in the Hasaka governorate in the northeast. A majority of 
the Alawis live in the Latakia governorate. A significant majority of 
the Druze population resides in the rugged Jabal Al-Arab region in the 
southeast. The few remaining Jews are concentrated in Damascus and 
Aleppo. Yazidis are found primarily in the northeast.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Government considers militant Islam a threat to the regime and 
follows closely the practice of its adherents. The Government has 
allowed many mosques to be built; however, sermons are monitored and 
controlled and mosques are closed between prayers.
    Although the law does not prohibit proselytizing, the Government 
discourages such activity in practice, particularly when such activity 
is deemed a threat to the generally good relations among religious 
groups (see Section II). Foreign missionary groups are present but 
operate discreetly.
    Officially, all schools are government run and nonsectarian, 
although some schools are run in practice by Christian and Jewish 
minorities. There is mandatory religious instruction in schools, with 
government-approved teachers and curricula. Religion courses are 
divided into separate classes for Muslim and Christian students. Jews 
have a separate primary school, which offers religious instruction on 
Judaism, in addition to traditional subjects. Although Arabic is the 
official language in public schools, the Government permits the 
teaching of Armenian, Hebrew, Syriac (Aramaic) and Chaldean in some 
schools on the basis that these are ``liturgical languages.''
    Religious groups are subject to their respective religious laws on 
marriage, divorce, child custody, and inheritance.
    The Government generally avoids intervention in religious affairs, 
including direct support for programs promoting interfaith 
understanding. Nevertheless, government policies tend to support the 
study and practice of moderate forms of Islam.
    Government policy officially disavows sectarianism of any kind. 
However, in the case of Alawis, religion can be a contributing factor 
in determining career opportunities. For example, members of the 
President's Alawi sect hold a predominant position in the security 
services and military, well out of proportion to their percentage of 
the population, which is estimated to be 12 percent.
    For primarily political rather than religious reasons, Jews 
generally are barred from government employment and do not have 
military service obligations. Jews also are the only religious minority 
group whose passports and identity cards note their religion.
    The security services constantly are alert to any possible 
political threat to the State and all groups, religious and non-
religious, are subject to surveillance and monitoring by government 
security services.
    Although Jehovah's Witnesses have continued to practice their faith 
privately despite the official ban, the Government arrested several 
members of Jehovah's Witnesses as they gathered for religious meetings 
in 1997.
    There were credible reports of large-scale arrests of Syrian and 
Palestinian Islamists affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood and the 
Liberation Party in late 1999 and early 2000. Some of the Islamist 
prisoners reportedly were tortured in detention. A number of Islamist 
prisoners also were reportedly released during the period covered by 
this report, but some remain in custody. These arrests were motivated 
primarily by political reasons as the Government continues to view 
militant Islamists as potential threats to the stability of the regime.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
United States citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from 
the United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such 
citizens to be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations among the various religious communities generally are 
amicable, and there is little evidence of societal discrimination or 
violence against religious minorities. However, there are periodic 
reports of friction between religious faiths, which may be related to 
deteriorating economic conditions and internal political issues. To 
date, these reports appear isolated.
    Although no law prohibits religious denominations from 
proselytizing, the Government is sensitive to complaints by religious 
groups of aggressive proselytizing by other groups and has intervened 
when such activities threatened the relations among religions. Societal 
conventions make conversions relatively rare, especially in the case of 
Muslim-to-Christian conversions. In many cases, societal pressure 
forces those who undertake such conversions to relocate within the 
country or to depart Syria in order to practice their new religion 
openly.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Ambassador and other embassy officials meet routinely with 
religious leaders and adherents of almost all denominations at the 
national, regional, and local levels. Embassy officials remain 
sensitive to any change in the degree of religious freedom in the 
country.
                               __________

                                TUNISIA

    Islam is the state religion. The Constitution provides for the free 
exercise of other religions that do not disturb the public order, and 
the Government generally observes and enforces this right; however, it 
does not permit proselytizing and partially limits the religious 
freedom of Baha'is.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Amicable relations exist among all religious communities. The 
Government prohibits proselytizing as an act against the public order 
for which foreign missionaries may be expelled.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    Islam is the state religion. The Constitution provides for the free 
exercise of other religions that do not disturb the public order, and 
the Government generally observes and enforces this right; however, it 
does not permit proselytizing and partially limits the religious 
freedom of Baha'is.
    The Government recognizes all Christian and Jewish religious 
organizations that were established before independence in 1956. 
Although the Government permits Christian churches to operate freely, 
only the Catholic Church has formal recognition from the 
postindependence Government. The other churches operate under land 
grants signed by the Bey of Tunis in the 18th and 19th centuries, which 
are respected by the postindependence Government.
Religious Demography
    The vast majority of the population of 9.2 million is nominally 
Muslim. There is no reliable data on the number of practicing Muslims. 
There is a small indigenous Sufi community but no statistics regarding 
its size. Reliable sources report that many Sufis left the country 
shortly after independence when their religious buildings and land 
reverted to the Government (as did those of Orthodox Islamic 
foundations), leaving them no place to worship. Although the Sufi 
community is small, the its tradition of mysticism permeates the 
practice of Islam throughout the country. During annual Ramadan 
festivals, Sufis provide public cultural entertainment with whirling 
dervish dances.
    The nominal Christian community--composed of foreign temporary and 
permanent residents and a small group of native-born citizens of both 
European and Arab origin--numbers approximately 20,000 and is dispersed 
throughout the country. According to church leaders, the practicing 
Christian population numbers approximately 2,000 and includes an 
estimated 200 native-born ethnic Arab citizens who have converted to 
Christianity. The Catholic Church operates 5 churches, 14 private 
schools, and 7 cultural centers throughout the country, as well as 1 
hospital in Tunis, the capital. It has approximately 1,400 practicing 
members, composed of temporary and permanent foreign residents and a 
small number of native-born citizens of European and Arab origin. In 
addition to holding religious services, the Catholic Church also freely 
organizes cultural activities and performs charitable work throughout 
the country. The Russian Orthodox Church has 100 practicing members and 
operates two churches--one in Tunis and one in Bizerte. The French 
Reform Church operates one church in Tunis, with a congregation of 140 
primarily foreign members. The Anglican Church has approximately 50 
foreign members who worship in a church in Tunis. The 30-member Greek 
Orthodox Church maintains one church each in Tunis, Sousse, and Jerba. 
A community of 43 Jehovah's Witnesses, of which about half are foreign 
residents and half are native-born citizens, also exists.
    With 1,800 adherents split nearly equally between the capital and 
the island of Jerba, the Jewish community is the country's largest 
indigenous religious minority. There are also 150 members of the Baha'i 
Faith.
Governmental Restrictions on Freedom of Religion
    The Government controls and subsidizes mosques and pays the 
salaries of prayer leaders. The President appoints the Grand Mufti of 
the Republic. The 1988 Law on Mosques provides that only personnel 
appointed by the Government may lead activities in mosques, and 
stipulates that mosques must remain closed except during prayer times 
and other authorized religious ceremonies, such as marriages or 
funerals. New mosques may be built in accordance with national urban 
planning regulations but become the property of the State. The 
Constitution stipulates that the President of the Republic must be a 
Muslim. The Government also partially subsidizes the Jewish community.
    The Government allows the Jewish community freedom of worship and 
pays the salary of the Grand Rabbi. It also partially subsidizes 
restoration and maintenance costs for some synagogues. In October 1999, 
the provisional Jewish community elected a new board of directors, its 
first since independence in 1956, which is awaiting approval from the 
governor of Tunis. Once approval is obtained from the governor, which 
is expected to be only a formality, the committee is expected to 
receive permanent status. The acting board has changed its name to the 
Jewish Committee of Tunisia. The Government permits the Jewish 
community to operate private religious schools and allows Jewish 
children on the island of Jerba to split their academic day between 
secular public schools and private religious schools. The Government 
also encourages Jewish emigres to return for the annual Jewish 
pilgrimage to the historic El-Ghriba Synagogue on the island of Jerba.
    The Government regards the Baha'i Faith as a heretical sect of 
Islam and permits its adherents to practice their faith only in 
private. Although the Government permits Baha'is to hold meetings of 
their National Council in private homes, it reportedly has prohibited 
them from organizing local councils. The Government reportedly 
pressures Baha'is to eschew organized religious activities. The 
Government also does not permit Baha'is to accept a declaration of 
faith from persons who wish to convert to the Baha'i Faith. There were 
credible reports that four members of the Baha'i Faith were 
interrogated by Ministry of Interior officials in 1999 and pressed to 
sign a statement that they would not practice their religion and would 
not hold meetings in their homes.
    In general the Government does not permit Christian groups to 
establish new churches, and proselytizing is viewed as an act against 
the public order. Foreign missionary organizations and groups do not 
operate in the country. Authorities ask foreigners suspected of 
proselytizing to depart the country and do not permit them to return. 
There were no reported cases of official action against persons 
suspected of proselytizing during the period covered by this report.
    Islamic religious education is mandatory in public schools, but the 
religious curriculum for secondary school students also includes the 
history of Judaism and Christianity. The Zeitouna Koranic School is 
part of the Government's national university system.
    Both religious and secular nongovernmental organizations (NGO's) 
are governed by the same law and administrative regulations on 
association that impose some restrictions on freedom of assembly. For 
example, all NGO's are required to notify the Government of meetings to 
be held in public spaces at least 3 days in advance and to submit lists 
of all meeting participants to the Ministry of Interior. There were 
credible reports that two Christian religious organizations did not 
attempt to register because they believed that their applications would 
be rejected, although they were able to function freely under the 
auspices of their respective churches. Neither group believed that it 
was a victim of religious discrimination. A third group, composed of 
foreign Christians mostly from Sweden and the United Kingdom, is active 
in providing medical and social services in the city of Kasserine in 
the west. Despite its ambiguous legal status, this group (with 15 to 20 
members) reports that it has been free to pursue its social and medical 
work without interference and states that it does not believe that it 
has been subject to religious discrimination.
    Religious groups are subjected to the same restrictions on freedom 
of speech and the press as secular groups. Primary among these 
restrictions is ``depot legal,'' the requirement that printers and 
publishers provide copies of all publications to the Chief Prosecutor, 
the Ministry of Interior, and the Ministry of Culture prior to 
publication. Similarly, distributors must deposit copies of 
publications printed abroad with the Chief Prosecutor and various 
ministries prior to their public release. Although Christian groups 
reported that they were able to distribute previously-approved 
religious publications in European languages without difficulty, they 
claimed that the Government generally did not approve either 
publication or distribution of Arabic-language Christian material. 
Moreover, authorized distribution of religious publications was limited 
to existing religious communities, because the Government views public 
distribution of both religious and secular documents as a threat to the 
public order and hence an illegal act.
    The Government promotes interfaith understanding by sponsoring 
regular conferences and seminars on religious tolerance and by 
facilitating and promoting the annual Jewish pilgrimage to the El-
Ghriba Synagogue.
    There was a credible report of a Muslim couple in Bizerte who had 
converted to Christianity and were not permitted to renew their 
passports as a result of their conversion. Muslim women are not 
permitted to marry outside their religion. Marriages of Muslim women to 
non-Muslim men abroad are considered common-law, which are prohibited 
and thus void when the couple returns to Tunisia. Non-Muslim women who 
marry Muslim men are not permitted to inherit from their husbands, nor 
may the husbands and any children (who are considered to be Muslim) 
from the marriage inherit from the non-Muslim wife.
    Although civil law is codified, judges are known to override 
codified law with Shari'a (Islamic law) if codified law contradicts it. 
For example, codified laws provide women with the legal right to have 
custody over minor children; however, judges have refused to grant 
women permission to leave the country with minor children, holding that 
Shari'a appoints the father as the head of the family who must grant 
children permission to travel. In 1999 one human rights activist 
reported that Ministry of Interior officials refused to issue her minor 
son a passport because the child's father, who was then jailed, was not 
present to give permission.
Governmental Abuses of Freedom of Religion
    During the period covered by this report, credible sources estimate 
as many as 1,000 persons were serving prison sentences because of their 
membership in the illegal Islamist group AnNadha or for their alleged 
Islamist sympathies; however, there were no reports of cases in which 
it was clear that persons were arrested or detained based solely on 
their religious beliefs.
    According to human rights lawyers, the Government regularly 
questioned Muslims who were observed praying frequently in mosques.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who have been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Amicable relations exist among all religious communities.
    There were no incidents of religiously motivated violence. However, 
there is great societal pressure for Muslims not to convert to other 
religions, and conversion from Islam is relatively rare. Muslims who do 
convert may face social ostracism for converting. There is some 
conversion among individuals in the Christian and Jewish communities.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy maintains good relations with leaders of majority 
and minority religious groups throughout the country, and the 
Ambassador and other embassy officials met regularly with Muslim, 
Christian, Jewish, and Baha'i religious leaders throughout the period 
covered by this report.
    Embassy officials discussed religious freedom issues with 
government officials on various occasions during the year. In November 
1999, the Ambassador hosted a meeting of a crosssection of Islamic 
scholars, religious leaders, and lay persons to discuss Islam in 
Tunisia. An Embassy political officer attended the May 22-23, 2000 
Jewish El Ghriba pilgrimage in Jerba in commemoration of the Jewish 
festival of Lag B'Omer.
                               __________

                          UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

    The federal Constitution designates Islam as the official religion, 
and Islam is also the official religion of all seven of the constituent 
emirates of the federal union. The federal Constitution also provides 
for the freedom to exercise religious worship in accordance with 
established customs provided that it does not conflict with public 
policy or violate public morals, and the Government generally respects 
this right in practice and does not interfere with the private practice 
of religion; however, it limits the number of officially recognized 
religions, controls virtually all Sunni mosques, grants only a small 
number of Christian denominations recognition, prohibits proselytizing, 
and restricts the ability of nonrecognized religions to conduct 
business as organized groups.
    There was no change in the status of religious freedom during the 
period covered by this report.
    Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship 
among religions in society contribute to a relatively tolerant 
atmosphere for the practice of a wide variety of faiths, albeit within 
the context of a predominantly Muslim society in which Islam has a 
privileged status, and not all non-Islamic religions have equal legal 
standing.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The federal Constitution designates Islam as the official religion, 
and Islam is also the official religion of all seven of the individual 
emirates in the federal union. The federal Constitution also provides 
for the freedom to exercise religious worship in accordance with 
established customs, provided that it does not conflict with public 
policy or violate public morals, and the Government generally respects 
this right in practice. The Government controls virtually all Sunni 
mosques. The Government funds or subsidizes virtually all Sunni mosques 
and employs all Sunni imams. The Government also distributes guidance 
on religious sermons and monitors for political content sermons 
delivered in all mosques, whether Sunni or Shi'a. The Government does 
not appoint the imams in the country's Shi'a mosques. The Government 
prohibits proselytizing by non-Muslims.
    The Government does not recognize all non-Muslim religions. In 
those emirates that officially recognize and thereby grant a legal 
identity to non-Muslim religious groups, only a limited number of 
Christian groups are granted this recognition. While recognizing the 
difference between Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestant 
Christianity, the authorities make no legal distinction between 
Christian groups, particularly Protestants. Several often unrelated 
Christian congregations are required to share common facilities because 
of official limitations on the number of Christian denominations that 
are recognized officially. Non-Muslim and non-Christian religions have 
no legal identity in any of the emirates. Partly as a result of emirate 
policies regarding recognition of non-Muslim denominations, facilities 
for Christian congregations are far greater in number and size than 
those for non-Christian and non-Muslim groups, despite the fact that 
Christians are a small minority of non-Muslim foreigners.
Religious Demography
    All of the country's citizens are Muslims, with approximately 85 
percent followers of Sunni Islam and the remaining 15 percent followers 
of Shi'a Islam. Naturalization of new citizens is limited to Sunni 
Muslims. Approximately 80 percent of the population are foreigners, 
predominantly South and Southeast Asian. A substantial number of 
foreign professionals are citizens of countries in the Middle East, 
Europe, and North America. Although no official figures are available, 
local observers estimate that approximately 55 percent of the foreign 
population are Muslim, 25 percent are Hindu, 10 percent are Christian, 
5 percent are Buddhist, and 5 percent are a mixture of other faiths, 
including Ismailis, Parsis, Baha'is, and Sikhs (most of whom reside in 
the Dubai and Abu Dhabi).
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Virtually all Sunni mosques are government funded or subsidized; 
about 5 percent of Sunni mosques are entirely private, and several 
large mosques have large private endowments. The Shi'a minority, which 
is concentrated in the northern emirates, is free to worship and 
maintain its own mosques. All Shi'a mosques are considered private and 
receive no funds from the Government. The Government does not appoint 
sheikhs for Shi'a mosques. The Federal Ministry of Awqaf and Religious 
Affairs distributes weekly guidance to both Sunni and Shi'a sheikhs 
regarding religious sermons and ensures that clergy do not deviate 
frequently or significantly from approved topics in their sermons. All 
Sunni imams are employees of either the federal Ministry of Awqaf and 
Religious Affairs or individual emirate ministries. In 1993 the Emirate 
of Dubai placed private mosques under the control of its Department of 
Islamic Affairs and Endowments. This change gave the Government control 
over the appointment of preachers and the conduct of their work.
    Major cities have Christian churches, some built on land donated by 
the ruling families of the emirates in which they are located. In 
Sharjah a new Catholic church was opened in 1997 and a new Armenian 
Orthodox church in 1998, both with public ceremonies. The Government of 
Dubai Emirate donated a parcel of land in Jebel Ali in 1998 for the 
construction of a facility to be shared by four Protestant 
congregations and a Catholic congregation. Also in 1998, land was 
designated in Jebel Ali for the construction of a second Christian 
cemetery, and Abu Dhabi Emirate donated land for the expansion of 
existing Christian burial facilities. In 1999 land was designated in 
Ras Al-Khaymah Emirate for the construction of a new Catholic church.
    Dubai permits one Hindu temple and two Sikh temples to operate. 
There are no such temples elsewhere in the country. There are no 
Buddhist temples; however, Buddhists, along with Hindus and Sikhs in 
cities without temples, conduct religious ceremonies in private homes 
without interference. In 1998 Abu Dhabi Emirate donated land for the 
establishment of the country's first Baha'i cemetery. There are only 
two operating cremation facilities and associated cemeteries for the 
large Hindu community, one in Dubai and one in Sharjah. Official 
permission must be obtained for their use in every instance, posing a 
hardship for the large Hindu community, and neither accepts Hindus who 
have died in other parts of the country for cremation or burial. The 
remains of Hindus who die outside Dubai and Sharjah in all cases must 
be repatriated to their home country at considerable expense.
    Non-Muslims in the country are free to practice their religion but 
may not proselytize publicly or distribute religious literature. The 
Government follows a policy of tolerance towards non-Muslim religions 
and, in practice, interferes very little in the religious activities of 
non-Muslims. Apparent differences in the treatment of Muslim and non-
Muslim groups often have their origin in the dichotomy between citizens 
and noncitizens rather than religious difference.
    The Government permits foreign clergy to minister to foreign 
populations, and non-Muslim religious groups are permitted to engage in 
private charitable activities and to send their children to private 
schools. Apart from donated land for the construction of churches and 
other religious facilities, including cemeteries, non-Muslim groups are 
not supported financially or subsidized by the Government. However, 
they are permitted to raise money from among their congregants and to 
receive financial support from abroad. Christian churches are permitted 
to openly advertise certain church functions, such as memorial 
services, in the press.
    The conversion of Muslims to other religions is regarded with 
extreme antipathy. While there is no law against missionary activities, 
authorities have threatened to revoke the residence permits of persons 
suspected of such activities, and customs authorities have questioned 
the entry of large quantities of religious materials (Bibles, hymnals, 
etc.) that they deemed in excess of the normal requirements of existing 
congregations, although in most instances the questions have been 
resolved and the items have been admitted.
    There have been reports that customs authorities are less likely to 
question the importation of Christian religious items than non-Muslim, 
non-Christian religious items, although in virtually all instances 
importation of the material in question eventually has been permitted.
    Although emirate immigration authorities routinely ask foreigners 
to declare their religious affiliation, the Government does not collect 
or analyze this information, and religious affiliation is not a factor 
in the issuance or renewal of visas or residence permits.
    In November 1999, the Government sponsored the country's first 
ecumenical meeting, officially designated a seminar on ``Islam and the 
West,'' in Abu Dhabi, in honor of the visit to the country of the 
United Kingdom's Prince Charles. The half-day seminar included 
statements by Islamic and Christian clerics and a brief discussion. In 
addition, the principal advisor to the ruler of the Emirate of Abu 
Dhabi on relations with Christian denominations regularly represents 
the country at ecumenical conferences and events in other countries. In 
1999 Dubai emirate established a center for the promotion of cultural 
understanding aimed at expanding contact and interchange between the 
citizen and foreign populations. One of the center's goals is to expose 
foreigners to aspects of the indigenous culture, including Islam.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    While citizens regard the United Arab Emirates as a Muslim country 
that should respect Muslim religious sensibilities on matters such as 
public consumption of alcohol, proper dress, and proper public 
comportment, society also places a high value on respect for privacy 
and on Islamic traditions of tolerance, particularly with respect to 
forms of Christianity. Casual attire for men and women is tolerated in 
areas and facilities frequented by foreigners, while hotels, stores, 
and other businesses patronized by both citizens and foreigners are 
permitted to sell alcohol and pork to non-Muslims, and to acknowledge, 
in modest displays, non-Muslim holidays such as Christmas, Easter, and 
Diwali (although such displays are not permitted during the month of 
Ramadan). Citizens occasionally express concern regarding the influence 
on society of the cultures of the country's foreign majority. However, 
in general citizens are familiar with foreign societies and believe 
that they can best limit unwanted foreign influence by supporting and 
strengthening indigenous cultural traditions. Slightly less tolerant 
attitudes by citizens toward non-Muslim and nonChristian faiths reflect 
both traditional Islamic views of these religions and the fact that 
Hindus and Buddhists in the country are overwhelmingly less-educated, 
less-affluent, and work in undesirable occupations.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U. S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.
    In early 1998, the U.S. Ambassador sent a letter to the Government 
of Dubai emirate in support of the request of three Protestant 
congregations for expanded facilities in Dubai, and later raised the 
issue in official meetings with Dubai emirate leaders. In response to 
these requests--and with the support of the U.S. and UK Embassies--
Dubai emirate donated land for these facilities and granted permission 
for their construction. While originally three churches were 
envisioned, the Dubai municipality has instructed that the number of 
churches to be built on the site increase from 3 to 7. Financing of the 
construction projects is reportedly nearing completion, with 
construction expected to begin in fall 2000. The Ambassador and other 
embassy personnel also have participated regularly in ceremonies 
marking the opening or expansion of religious facilities, and embassy 
officers meet on occasion with Muslims, Christians, and representatives 
of other religious faiths.
                               __________

                                 YEMEN

    The Constitution declares that Islam is the state religion and also 
provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects 
this right in practice. Followers of other religions are free to 
worship according to their beliefs; however, the Government forbids 
conversions and prohibits non-Muslims from proselytizing. The 
Constitution states that Shari'a (Islamic law) is the source of all 
legislation.
    There was no change in the status of respect of religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There are very small numbers of religious minorities, and relations 
among religious groups generally are amicable.
    The U. S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution declares that Islam is the state religion and also 
provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects 
this right in practice. Followers of other religions are free to 
worship according to their beliefs and to wear religiously distinctive 
ornaments or dress; however, the Government forbids conversions, 
requires permission for the construction of new places of worship, and 
prohibits non-Muslims from proselytizing. The Constitution states that 
Shari'a is the source of all legislation.
Religious Demography
    Virtually all citizens are Muslims, either of the Zaydi order of 
Shi'a Islam or the Shafa'i order of Sunni Islam, representing 
approximately 35 percent and 65 percent of the total population, 
respectively. There are also a few thousand Ismailis, mostly in the 
north.
    Almost all Christians are temporary foreign residents, except for a 
few families living in Aden that trace their origins to India. There 
are a few Hindus in Aden who also trace their origins to India. There 
are several churches and Hindu places of worship in Aden, but no non-
Muslim public places of worship exist in the former North Yemen, 
largely because northern Yemen does not have a history of a large, 
resident foreign community as in the south. However, Christian church 
services are held regularly without harassment in private homes or 
facilities such as schools, and these facilities appear adequate to 
accommodate the small numbers involved.
    Christian missionaries operate in Yemen and most are dedicated to 
the provision of medical services; others are employed in teaching and 
social services. Invited by the Government, the Sisters of Charity run 
homes for the poor and disabled in Sana'a, Taiz, Hodeida, and Aden. The 
Government has asked the Vatican to open additional Sisters of Charity 
facilities. The Government issues residence visas to priests so that 
they may provide for the community's religious needs. There is also a 
German Christian charitable mission in Hodeida and a Dutch Christian 
medical mission in Saada. An American Baptist congregation has run a 
hospital in Jibla for over 30 years. The Anglican Church also runs a 
charitable clinic. An American nongovernmental organization (NGO), run 
by the Seventh-Day Adventists, works in the governorate of Hodeida.
    Nearly all of the country's once sizable Jewish population has 
emigrated. There are no legal restrictions on the few hundred Jews who 
remain, although there are traditional restrictions on places of 
residence and choice of employment (see Section II). Approximately 500 
Jews are scattered in a handful of villages between Sana'a and Saada in 
northern Yemen.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Under Islam the conversion of a Muslim to another religion is 
considered apostasy, a crime punishable by death. There were no reports 
of cases in which the crime has been charged or prosecuted by 
government authorities. In January 2000, the director of the Aden 
office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) received a 
report that a Somali refugee, who allegedly had converted from Islam to 
Christianity after his arrival in Yemen, had been arrested for 
apostasy. The UNHCR's investigation found that the refugee had been 
detained previously by police in Aden and at the UNHCR's Al-Jahin camp. 
The refugee is registered with the UNHCR under a Christian name but 
maintains an address in Sana'a under a Muslim name. He is married to a 
Muslim woman and has an Islamic marriage certificate. The UNHCR 
believed that authorities detained the refugee on criminal rather than 
religious grounds. At the end of the period covered by this report, the 
refugee was out of police custody and living in Aden while the UNHCR 
explored resettlement possibilities.
    There are unconfirmed reports that some police, without the 
authorization or knowledge of their superiors, on occasion have 
harassed and detained persons suspected of apostasy in order to compel 
them to renounce their conversions.
    The Government does not allow the building of new non-Muslim public 
places of worship without permission; however, in 1998 the country 
established diplomatic relations with the Vatican and agreed to the 
construction and operation of a ``Christian center'' in Sana'a. The 
Papal Nuncio, resident in Kuwait, presented his credentials to the 
Yemeni Government in March 2000. Yemen's ambassador to Italy was 
accredited to the Vatican in July 1999. President Ali Abdullah Saleh 
paid an official visit to the Vatican at the time of his state visit to 
Italy in April.
    Public schools provide instruction in Islam but not in other 
religions. However, almost all non-Muslims are foreigners who attend 
private schools.
    In February the Government revised its travel regulations to allow 
Yemeni-origin Jews on third-country passports to travel to Yemen, as 
well as Yemeni-origin Israelis with laissez-passer travel documents. 
The first such visitors arrived in March.
    Private Islamic organizations may maintain ties to pan-Islamic 
organizations and operate schools, but the Government monitors their 
activities.
    Following unification of North and South Yemen in 1990, owners of 
property previously expropriated by the Communist government of the 
former People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, including religious 
organizations, were invited to seek restitution of their property. 
However, implementation of the process, including for religious 
institutions, has been extremely limited, and very few properties have 
been returned to any previous owner.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    Official government policy does not prohibit or provide punishment 
for the possession of non-Islamic religious literature. However, there 
are unconfirmed reports that foreigners, on occasion, have been 
harassed by police for possessing such literature. In addition, some 
members of the security forces occasionally censor the mail of 
Christian clergy who minister to the foreign community, ostensibly to 
prevent proselytizing.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    The country is overwhelmingly Muslim. There are very small numbers 
of religious minorities, and relations among religious groups generally 
are amicable. There were no reported incidents of violence or 
discrimination between the adherents of the two main orders, Zaydi and 
Shafa'i Islam. Religiously motivated violence is neither incited nor 
tolerated by the Islamic clergy, except for a small politically 
motivated clerical minority, often with ties to foreign extremist 
elements.
    The tiny number of religious minorities generally live in harmony 
with their Muslim neighbors. Apart from a small but undetermined number 
of Christians and Hindus of South Asian origin in Aden, Jews are the 
only indigenous religious minority. Their numbers have diminished 
significantly--from several tens of thousands to a few hundred--due to 
voluntary emigration over the last 50 years. Although the law makes no 
distinction, Jews traditionally are restricted to living in one section 
of a city or village and often are confined to a limited choice of 
employment, usually farming or handicrafts (primarily silver working). 
They are respected for their craftsmanship and their silver work is 
highly prized. Jews may, and do, own land. Traditionally the tribal 
leaders of the regions in which the Jews have resided are responsible 
for protecting the Jews in their areas. A failure to provide this 
protection is considered a serious personal dishonor.
    Christian clergy who minister to the foreign community are employed 
in teaching, social services, and health care.
    In July 1998, a gunman killed three nuns belonging to the Sisters 
of Charity order in Hodeidah. The Government took swift action and 
immediately arrested the individual. The Government determined that he 
was deranged and committed him to a psychiatric institution.
    A hospital in Jibla operated by the Baptist Church experienced 
occasional threats and harassment from local extremists who feared that 
the hospital might be used to spread Christianity. There have been no 
reports of threats by extremists in several years, and the hospital 
enjoys widespread community support.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy maintains an active dialog on human rights issues 
with the Government, NGO's, and others, and discusses religious freedom 
issues in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. Embassy 
officers, including the Ambassador, meet periodically with 
representatives of the Jewish and Christian communities.
                               SOUTH ASIA

                              ----------                              


                              AFGHANISTAN

    The U.S. Embassy in Kabul has been closed for security reasons 
since January 1989. Information on the religious freedom situation 
therefore is limited.

    Freedom of religion is restricted severely. Due to the absence of a 
constitution and the ongoing civil war, freedom of religion is 
determined primarily by the unofficial, unwritten, and evolving 
policies of the warring factions. In 1999 the Taliban, the 
ultraconservative Islamic movement that controls 90 percent of the 
country, claimed that it was drafting a new constitution based on 
Islamic law. Although a spokesperson for the Taliban claimed that the 
new constitution would ensure the rights of all Muslims and religious 
minorities, custom and law require affiliation with some religion, and 
atheism is punishable by death. There was no announcement during the 
period covered by this report that a constitution was promulgated.
    The status of respect for religious freedom continued to 
deteriorate during the period covered by this report due to the civil 
war, the policies of the Taliban, and the policies of the Taliban's 
opponents. In particular, persecution by the Taliban of the Hazara 
ethnic group, which is predominantly Shi'a Muslim, reflected great 
religious intolerance. Although the conflict between the Hazaras and 
the Taliban is political and military as well as religious, and it is 
not possible to state with certainty that the Taliban engaged in its 
campaign against the Shi'a solely because of their religious beliefs, 
the religion of the Hazaras apparently was a significant factor leading 
to their persecution.
    The Taliban sought to impose its extreme interpretation of Islamic 
observance in areas that it controlled and has declared that all 
Muslims in areas under Taliban control must abide by the Taliban's 
interpretation of Islamic law. The Taliban relies on a religious police 
force under the control of the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and 
the Suppression of Vice to enforce rules regarding appearance, dress, 
employment, access to medical care, behavior, religious practice, and 
freedom of expression. Persons found to be in violation of the edicts 
are subject to punishment meted out on the spot, which may include 
beatings and/or detention. In practice, the rigid policies adopted both 
by the Taliban and by certain opposition groups has a chilling effect 
on adherents of other forms of Islam and on those who practice other 
faiths.
    The U.S. Embassy in Kabul has been closed since 1989 for security 
reasons. Although the United States does not recognize any of the 
warring factions as the Government of Afghanistan, U.S. officials have 
raised religious freedom issues with representatives of the factions on 
several occasions. U.S. officials have made similar approaches to other 
governments, including countries with influence in Afghanistan.
    In September 1999, the Secretary of State identified the Taliban as 
a particularly severe violator of religious freedom.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    Freedom of religion is restricted severely. Due to the absence of a 
constitution and the ongoing civil war, religious freedom is determined 
primarily by the unofficial, unwritten, and evolving policies of the 
warring factions. In most parts of the country, the Pashtun-dominated 
ultraconservative Islamic movement known as the Taliban vigorously 
enforced its interpretation of Islamic law. The Taliban movement, which 
controls approximately 90 percent of the country, claimed in mid-1999 
that it was drafting a new constitution, based upon the sources of 
Islamic religious law (Shari'a): the Koran, the Sunna, and Hanafi 
jurisprudence. A Taliban spokesman has stated that the new constitution 
would ensure the rights of all Muslims and of religious minorities. 
However, custom and law require affiliation with some religion, and 
atheism is considered apostasy and is punishable by death. The small 
number of non-Muslim residents who remain in the country may practice 
their faith but may not proselytize.
    Afghanistan's official name, according to the Taliban, is the 
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan; according to the umbrella organization 
of various smaller anti-Taliban groups, the Northern Alliance, it is 
the Islamic State of Afghanistan. These names reflect the desire of 
both factions to promote Islam as the state religion. Taliban leader 
Mullah Omar carries the title of Commander of the Faithful.
    Licensing and registration of religious groups do not appear to be 
required by the authorities in any part of the country.
Religious Demography
    Reliable data on the country's population is not available. 
However, informed sources estimate that 85 percent of the population 
are Sunni Muslim; most of the remaining 15 percent are Shi'a. The 
Hazara ethnic group is predominantly Shi'a; Shi'a are among the most 
economically disadvantaged persons in the country. The Shi'a minority 
want a national government that would give them equal rights as 
citizens. There are also small numbers of Ismailis living in the 
central and northern parts of the country. Ismailis are Shi'a, but 
consider the Aga Khan their spiritual leader.
    Traditionally, Sunni Islam of the Hanafi school of jurisprudence 
has been the dominant religion. The Taliban also adheres to the Hanafi 
school of Sunni Islam, making it the current dominant religion in the 
country. For the last 200 years, Sunnis often have looked to the 
example of the Deoband madrassa (religious school) near Delhi, India. 
Most of the Taliban leadership attended Deobandi-influenced seminaries 
in Pakistan. The Deoband school has long sought to purify Islam by 
discarding supposedly un-Islamic accretions to the faith and 
reemphasizing the models established in the Koran and the customary 
practices of the Prophet Mohammed. Additionally, Deobandi scholars 
often have opposed what they perceive as Western influences. Much of 
the population adheres to Deobandi-influenced Hanafi Sunnism, but a 
sizable minority adheres to a more mystical version of Hanafi Sunnism 
generally known as Sufism. Sufism centers on orders or brotherhoods 
that follow charismatic religious leaders.
    In the past, small communities of Hindus, Sikhs, Jews, and 
Christians lived in the country, but most members of these communities 
have left. Even at their peak, these non-Muslim minorities constituted 
only 1 percent of the population. Almost all members of the country's 
small Hindu and Sikh population, which once numbered about 50,000 
persons, have emigrated or taken refuge abroad. Non-Muslims such as 
Hindus and Sikhs are found only in extremely small numbers. They are 
almost all foreigners, often working as traders, and generally are not 
disturbed as long as they do not attempt to proselytize. The very few 
Christians and Jews who live in the country are apparently almost all 
foreigners who are assigned temporarily to relief work by foreign 
nongovernmental organizations (NGO's).
    Several areas of the country are religiously homogeneous. Sunni 
Muslim Pashtuns, centered around the city of Kandahar, dominate the 
south, west, and east of the country. The homeland of the Shi'a Hazaras 
is in the Hazarajat or the mountainous central highlands around 
Bamiyan. Badakshan province, in the extreme northeast of the country, 
traditionally has been an Ismaili region. Other areas, including Kabul, 
the capital, are more heterogeneous. For example, in and around the 
northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, there is a mix of Sunnis (including 
Pashtuns, Turkmen, Uzbeks, and Tajiks) and Shi'a (including Hazaras, 
Qizilbash, and Ismailis).
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    In Taliban-controlled areas authorities have decreed that all 
Muslims must take part in five daily prayers. Friday noon prayers at 
mosques are said to be compulsory. Women and girls reportedly are 
forbidden to enter mosques and therefore must pray at home.
    According to Human Rights Watch, in September 1999, the Taliban 
issued decrees that forbade non-Muslims from building places of worship 
but allowed them to worship at existing holy sites, forbade non-Muslims 
from criticizing Muslims, ordered non-Muslims to identify their houses 
by placing a yellow cloth on their rooftops, forbade non-Muslims from 
living in the same residence as Muslims, and required that non-Muslim 
women wear a yellow dress with a special mark so that Muslims could 
keep their distance. These decrees followed earlier reports that Hindus 
were required to wear a piece of yellow cloth attached to their 
clothing to identify their religious identity, and that Sikhs were 
required to wear some form of identification as well. This system of 
identification allegedly was imposed to spare non-Muslims from the 
enforcement of rules that are mandatory for Muslims and from harassment 
by agents of the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and the 
Suppression of Vice (PVSV), but reportedly no longer is enforced.
    No information is available about any activities by Muslim 
missionaries in the country. Proselytizing by non-Muslims is 
prohibited. A small number of foreign Christian groups are present in 
the country, but they focus on relief work since they are forbidden to 
proselytize. Conversion from Islam is considered apostasy and is 
punishable by death. There was no information available about converts, 
and no information available concerning restrictions on the training of 
clergy.
    The Taliban does not encourage free speech about religious issues 
or frank discussions that challenge orthodox Sunni views. Publishing 
and distribution of literature of any kind, including religious 
material, is rare. The Taliban continues to prohibit music, movies, and 
television on religious grounds in Taliban-controlled areas. In 1998 
television sets, videocassette recorders, videocassettes, 
audiocassettes, and satellite dishes were outlawed in order to enforce 
the prohibition. However, subsequent reports indicate that many persons 
in urban areas around the country own such electronic devices despite 
the ban.
    The sections of the country's educational system that have survived 
over 20 years of war put considerable emphasis on religion.
    When the Taliban took Kabul in September 1996, it immediately 
issued pronouncements forbidding girls to go to school. According to a 
United Nations survey, at that time, more than 100,000 girls reportedly 
attended public school in Kabul from grades kindergarten to 12. Since 
1996 the Taliban has eliminated most of the opportunities for girls' 
education that existed in areas that the Taliban has taken over; 
however, some girls' schools still operate in rural areas and small 
towns. The Taliban has decreed that women are not allowed to attend the 
country's formerly coeducational universities, and one women's 
university, the Kabul branch of the Peshawar-based Afghan University, 
was closed by the Taliban after its takeover of Kabul. More than 100 
NGO-funded girls' schools and home-based women's vocational projects 
were closed in Kabul in June 1998. The Taliban stated that schools 
would not be allowed to teach girls over the age of 8, and that the 
schools that were closed had violated this rule. In the future, the 
Taliban stated that girls' schools would be licensed, and that teaching 
in such schools would be limited to the Koran. Some girls reportedly 
are receiving an education in informal home schools, which are 
tolerated by the Taliban authorities in various parts of the country. 
It also was reported that several girls' schools remain open in 
Kandahar, although in Herat, which was captured by the Taliban in 1995, 
girls' schools have remained closed except in the refugee camps 
maintained by international NGO's. Some families sent girls abroad for 
education in order to evade the Taliban's prohibitions on education for 
females in most urban areas. It also has been reported that the ban on 
women working outside of the home has hampered the education of boys, 
since 70 percent of the country's teachers were women prior to the 
advent of Taliban rule.
    The Taliban announced in 1998 that foreign Muslim women, including 
U.N. workers, would be allowed to perform their jobs only if 
accompanied by a male relative, a move that was not vigorously enforced 
during the period covered by this report.
    At various times, the Taliban has banned certain traditional 
recreational activities, such as kite flying and playing chess. Dolls, 
stuffed animals, and photographs are prohibited under the Taliban's 
interpretation of religious injunctions against representations of 
living beings; in search of these objects, Taliban soldiers or persons 
masquerading as Taliban members reportedly have entered private homes 
without prior notification or informed consent. Health care for both 
men and women was hampered by the ban on images of humans, which caused 
the destruction of public education posters and hampered the provision 
and dissemination of health information in a society with massive 
illiteracy. However, the Taliban allowed the visual depiction of 
persons in demining education materials.
    The Taliban reportedly has required parents to give their children 
``Islamic'' names.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    In the recent past, the mass killings of the mainly Shi'a Hazaras 
by the Taliban in recently occupied territories in the north in 
particular, constituted a serious abuse. Although the conflict between 
the Hazaras and the Taliban is political and military as well as 
religious, and it is not possible to state with certainty that the 
Taliban engaged in its campaign of persecution against the Shi'a solely 
because of their religious beliefs, the religion of the Hazaras 
apparently was a significant factor leading to their persecution.
    Since they took control of Kabul in 1996, the Taliban reportedly 
has committed numerous human rights violations, particularly against 
the Hazaras. In September 1997, the Taliban reportedly massacred 70 
ethnic Hazara civilians in Qezelabad. There were reports of mass 
arrests by the Taliban in Hazara neighborhoods of Kabul in January 
1998. There also were credible reports of the massacre of thousands of 
civilians and prisoners by the Taliban during and after the capture of 
Mazar-i-Sharif in August 1998; this massacre reportedly was aimed at 
ethnic Hazaras. In September 1998, approximately 500 persons were 
killed as the Taliban gained control of the city of Bamiyan. The 
Hazaras regained control of Bamiyan in April 1999 following prolonged 
guerilla-style warfare; however, the Taliban recaptured Bamiyan in May 
1999 and reportedly killed a number of Shi'a residents.
    There were reports during 1999 and 2000 that there were forced 
expulsions of ethnic Hazaras and Tajiks from areas controlled or 
conquered by the Taliban, as well as harassment of these minorities 
throughout Taliban controlled areas.
    The Taliban ruled strictly in areas that it controlled, 
establishing ad hoc and rudimentary judicial systems. The Taliban 
established Islamic courts in areas under its control to judge criminal 
cases and resolve disputes. The courts reportedly dealt with all 
complaints, relying on the Taliban's interpretation of Islamic law and 
punishments as well as tribal customs. In cases involving murder and 
rape, convicted prisoners generally were ordered executed, although 
relatives of the victim could instead choose to accept other 
restitution. Decisions of the courts reportedly were final. Taliban 
courts imposed their extreme interpretation of Islamic law and 
punishments following swift summary trials. Murderers were subjected to 
public executions, which sometimes took place before crowds of up to 
30,000 persons at Kabul Stadium. Executions sometimes were carried out 
by throat slitting, a punishment that, at times, was inflicted by the 
victims' families. Thieves were subjected to public amputations of 
either one hand or one foot, or both. The U.N. Special Rapporteur for 
Torture noted particular concern about the use of amputation as a form 
of punishment by Taliban authorities. Adulterers were stoned to death 
or publicly whipped with 100 lashes. According to Human Rights Watch, 
several men who were found guilty of homosexual acts were crushed by 
having walls toppled over them by a tank; one man who survived the 
ordeal after being left under the rubble for two hours reportedly was 
allowed to go free.
    The Taliban seeks to impose its extreme interpretation of Islamic 
observance in areas that it controlled and has declared that all 
Muslims in areas under Taliban control must abide by the Taliban's 
interpretation of Islamic law. The Taliban announces its proclamations 
and edicts through broadcasts on the Taliban's ``Radio Shariat,'' and 
relies on a religious police force under the control of the Ministry 
for the Promotion of Virtue and the Suppression of Vice to enforce 
rules regarding appearance, dress, employment, access to medical care, 
behavior, religious practice, and freedom of expression. Members of the 
PVSV, which was raised to the status of a Ministry in May 1998, 
regularly check persons on the street in order to ascertain that 
individuals are conforming to such Taliban edicts. Persons found to be 
in violation of the edicts are subject to punishment meted out on the 
spot, which may include beatings and/or detention. In practice, the 
rigid policies adopted both by the Taliban and by certain opposition 
groups has a chilling effect on adherents of other forms of Islam and 
on those who practice other faiths. Enforcement of Taliban social 
strictures is much stricter in the cities, especially in Kabul, and 
looser in rural areas, where more is left to local custom.
    Prayer is mandatory for all, and those who are observed not praying 
at appointed times or who are late attending prayer are subject to 
punishment, including severe beatings. There were reports in 1998 that 
PVSV members in Kabul stopped persons on the street and quizzed them to 
determine if they knew how to recite various Koranic prayers.
    According to Taliban regulations, men's beards must protrude 
farther than would a fist clamped at the base of the chin. Men also 
must wear head coverings and must not have long hair. A man who has 
shaved or cut his beard may be imprisoned for 10 days and be required 
to undergo Islamic instruction. Several civil service employees 
reportedly were fired in 1997 for cutting their beards. All students at 
Kabul University reportedly are required to have beards in order to 
study there (no female students are allowed). There also are credible 
reports that Taliban members gave forced haircuts to males in Kabul.
    Women and girls suffered the brunt of the Taliban's extreme 
interpretation and implementation of Shari'a (Islamic law). Women were 
required to don a head-to-toe garment known as the burqa, which has 
only a mesh screen for vision, when in public. While in some rural 
areas this was the normal garment for women, the requirement to wear 
the burqa represented a significant change in practice when imposed in 
urban areas. According to a decree announced by the religious police in 
1997, women found outside the home who were not covered properly would 
be punished severely, along with their family elders. In Kabul and 
elsewhere, women found in public who were not wearing the burqa, or 
whose burqas did not cover their ankles properly, were beaten by 
Taliban militiamen. Some poor women cannot afford the cost of a burqa, 
and thus are forced to remain at home or risk beatings if they go out 
without one. There are reports that disabled women, who need a 
prosthesis or other aid to walk, are virtually homebound because they 
cannot wear the burqa properly over the prosthesis or other aid. The 
absence of a burqa has resulted in the inability of some women to get 
necessary medical care; at least one woman reportedly died because she 
did not have a burqa and thus could not leave her home. In a 1998 
survey, Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) found that 22 percent of the 
female respondents surveyed reported being detained and abused by the 
Taliban; of these incidents, 72 percent were related to alleged 
infractions of the Taliban's dress code for women. Most of these 
incidents reportedly resulted in detentions that lasted 1 hour or less, 
but 84 percent also resulted in public beatings, and 2 percent resulted 
in torture. Sixty-eight percent of those surveyed reported that they 
had reduced their public activities drastically during 1998 in Kabul. A 
few reports in 1997 indicated that some women in Herat had covered 
their heads with large scarves that leave the face uncovered and had 
not faced reprisals, and many women in rural areas also have been 
observed without burqas but with scarves covering their heads. Women 
are not allowed to wear white burqas, white socks, or white shoes. 
Women reportedly were beaten if their shoe heels clicked when they 
walked. All of these restrictions apparently are not enforced strictly 
upon the nomad population of several hundred thousand or upon the few 
female foreigners, who nonetheless must cover their hair, arms, and 
legs. Women in their homes also must not be visible from the street; 
the Taliban requires that houses with female occupants have their 
windows painted over. However, in early 1999 there were reports that 
the Taliban may be easing some of the restrictions on women's dress.
    Women were expected to leave their homes only while escorted by a 
male relative, further curtailing the appearance and movement of women 
in public even when wearing approved clothing. Women appearing in 
public without a male relative ran the risk of beatings by the Taliban. 
Women are not allowed to drive, and taxi drivers reportedly are beaten 
if they take unescorted women as passengers. Women only may ride on 
buses designated as women's buses; there are reportedly not enough of 
these buses to meet the demand, and the wait for women's buses can be 
long. In 1998 the Taliban ordered that bus drivers who take female 
passengers must encase the bus in curtains, and put up a curtain so 
that the female passengers cannot see or be seen by the driver. Bus 
drivers also were told that they must employ boys under the age of 15 
to collect fares from female passengers, and that neither the drivers 
nor the fare collectors were to mingle with the passengers.
    When the Taliban took Kabul in 1996, it immediately issued 
pronouncements forbidding women to work, including female doctors and 
nurses in hospitals. In a few cases, the Taliban relented and allowed 
women to work in health care occupations under restricted 
circumstances. The prohibition on women working outside of the home has 
been especially difficult for the large numbers of widows left by 20 
years of civil war; there are an estimated 30,000 widows in Kabul 
alone. Many women reportedly have been reduced to selling all of their 
possessions and to begging to feed their families. Taliban gender 
restrictions continued to interfere with the delivery of humanitarian 
assistance to women and girls, as well. In 1997 the Taliban asked that 
international assistance be provided to women through their close male 
relatives rather than directly. Male relatives also must obtain the 
permission of the PVSV for female home-based employment.
    While most citizens lack any access to adequate medical facilities, 
such access was made even more restrictive for women under Taliban 
rule. In 1997 the Taliban announced a policy of segregating men and 
women in hospitals and directed most hospitals in Kabul to cease 
services to women and to discharge female staff. Services for women 
were to be provided by a single hospital still partially under 
construction--a drastic reduction in access to, and the quality of, 
health care for women. Several orders concerning the provision of 
emergency and nonemergency medical aid for women were given and 
reversed in 1997. Women were permitted to seek treatment from female 
medical personnel working in designated women's wards or clinics; they 
were permitted to see male doctors if accompanied by a male relative. 
Erratic reversals in policy continued throughout 1998, with the effect 
that women often were prevented from obtaining adequate medical care. 
In June 1998, the Taliban prohibited all doctors from treating female 
patients in the absence of a patient's husband, father, or brother. 
This decree, while not universally enforced, made treatment extremely 
difficult for Kabul's widows, many of whom have lost all such male 
family members. Furthermore, even when a woman is allowed to be treated 
by a male doctor, he may not see or touch her, which drastically limits 
the possibility of any meaningful treatment.
    The Taliban's restrictions on medical treatment by male health 
professionals have had a detrimental effect on children. According to 
PHR, children sometimes are denied medical care when the authorities do 
not let male doctors visit children's wards, which may be located 
within the women's ward of a hospital, or do not allow male doctors to 
see children accompanied only by their mothers.
    While some Taliban leaders have claimed tolerance of religious 
minorities, there reportedly have been restrictions imposed upon Shi'a 
Muslims in Talibancontrolled territory, although not necessarily on a 
uniform basis. However, the Taliban allegedly has ordered Shi'a to 
confine their Ashura commemorations during the month of Muharram to 
their mosques and to avoid the public processions that are an integral 
part of Ashura in other countries with Shi'a populations.
    There also are unconfirmed reports that the Taliban has occupied 
and ``cleaned'' Shi'a mosques for the use of Sunnis, including a Shi'a 
mosque in Mazar-i-Sharif in 1998.
    No information is available on the numbers of religious detainees 
or prisoners. There is no indication that religious detainees or 
prisoners are charged formally as part of their incarceration. However, 
the Taliban is reported to hold many Hazara Shi'a prisoners, who were 
detained as a result of the country's civil war and not solely on the 
basis of their religion.
    The Ismaili community also fought for the Northern Alliance against 
the Taliban and suffered when the Taliban occupied territories once 
held by Ismaili forces. There have been reports of the mistreatment of 
Ismailis at the hands of the Taliban.
    The status of respect for religious freedom continued to 
deteriorate during the period covered by this report due to the civil 
war, the policies of the Taliban, and the policies of the Taliban's 
opponents.
    Very little information is available about territory held by the 
Northern Alliance, which controls much less territory than the Taliban 
and therefore affects a smaller percentage of the population. However, 
some groups within the Northern Alliance also are dedicated to 
enforcing strict adherence to Islamic law. In past years, some members 
of the Northern Alliance were responsible for atrocities against 
Taliban forces during the war for control of the country.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of any faction's refusal to allow such citizens to be 
returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the different branches of Islam in the country 
are problematic. Historically, the minority Shi'a faced discrimination 
from the majority Sunni population. Most Shi'a Muslims are members of 
the Hazara ethnic group, which traditionally has been segregated from 
the rest of society. The country's history contains many instances of 
conflict between the Hazaras and other Afghans. These conflicts often 
have had economic and political roots but regularly have acquired 
sectarian dimensions. The Hazaras fear that Taliban rule would deprive 
their community of its religious, political, and economic rights. 
However, many Shi'a, including a sizable community in Kabul, enjoy 
limited religious freedom.
    For the most part, the current factions in the country are divided 
along religious and ethnic lines. The Taliban is made up mainly of 
Sunni Muslim Pashtuns; the Taliban's chief opposition is the Northern 
Alliance, which, under the nominal leadership of Burhanuddin Rabbani, 
is made up of various smaller anti-Taliban groups. Rabbani and his 
Defense Minister, Commander Ahmad Shah Masood, are both Tajiks and 
control a largely Tajik-inhabited territory in the northeast. Other 
members of the Northern Alliance include ethnic Hazara, Uzbeks, Turkmen 
and other smaller groups. The Hazara and some other smaller ethnic 
groups are Shi'a Muslims. Within the respective factions, there are 
economic, political, and military advantages to belonging to the 
dominant faith or ethnic group in a given faction. Conversely, members 
of a different faith may encounter disadvantages if they seek full 
membership in a particular faction. The Taliban has brought several 
prominent Shi'a commanders into its organization in an effort to 
counter the perception that it is an exclusively Sunni Pashtun 
movement. The Northern Alliance includes several Pashtuns in prominent 
roles, although its supporters largely come from the non-Pashtun 
minorities.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy in Kabul has been closed since 1989 for security 
reasons. The United States maintains contact with all factions but does 
not recognize any as the Government of Afghanistan. U.S. officials have 
raised religious freedom issues with representatives of the factions, 
including the Taliban, on several occasions and particularly have 
called for the protection of the rights of religious minorities. U.S. 
officials have made similar approaches to other governments regarding 
the behavior of the Taliban, including countries with influence in 
Afghanistan.
    The Department of State has raised the issue of Taliban abuses 
committed against religious minorities in international forums and has 
voted in favor of U.N. Security Council and General Assembly 
resolutions criticizing abuses committed against Shi'a by the Taliban. 
In August 2000, the Department of State announced that it was doubling 
its refugee resettlement ceiling for the Near East and South Asian 
regions for the year 2000, in part to allow more Afghan women and their 
families into the United States.
    In September 1999, the Secretary of State identified the Taliban as 
a particularly severe violator of religious freedom.
                               __________

                               BANGLADESH

    The Constitution establishes Islam as the state religion but also 
stipulates the right to practice the religion of one's choice, and the 
Government respects this provision in practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Citizens generally are free to practice the religion of their 
choice; however, members of the majority Muslim population sometimes 
commit acts of violence against members of religious minorities. 
Violence against Ahmadiyas increased during the period covered by this 
report. Police, who generally are ineffective in upholding law and 
order, often are slow to assist in such cases.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution establishes Islam as the state religion but also 
stipulates the right--subject to law, public order, and morality--to 
practice the religion of one's choice, and the Government respects this 
provision in practice.
    Religious organizations are not required to register with the 
Government; however, all nongovernmental organizations (NGO's), 
including religious organizations, are required to register with the 
NGO Affairs Bureau if they receive foreign money for social development 
projects. The Government has the legal ability to cancel the 
registration of an NGO or to take other action against it; such powers 
rarely are used and have not affected NGO's with religious 
affiliations.
Religious Demography
    Sunni Muslims constitute 88 percent of the population. About 10 
percent of the population are Hindu. The rest are Christian (mostly 
Catholic) and Buddhist; these faiths are found predominantly in the 
tribal (non-Bengali) populations of the Chittagong Hill Tracts. There 
are small populations of Shi'a Muslims, Sikhs, Baha'is, and Ahmadiyas. 
Estimates of these populations vary widely, from a few hundred up to 
100,000 adherents for each faith.
    Family laws concerning marriage, divorce, and adoption differ 
depending on the religion of the person involved.
    Religion exerts a powerful influence on politics, and the 
Government is sensitive to the Muslim consciousness of the majority of 
its citizens. Religion is taught in schools, and children have the 
right to be taught their own religion. In practice, schools with very 
small numbers of religious minority students often work out 
arrangements with local churches or temples, which then direct 
religious studies outside school hours. The country celebrates holy 
days from the Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian faiths as national 
holidays.
    The Government allows various religions to establish places of 
worship, to train clergy, to travel for religious purposes, and to 
maintain links with coreligionists abroad.
    The law permits citizens to proselytize. However, strong social 
resistance to conversion from Islam means that most missionary efforts 
by non-Muslims are aimed at Hindus and tribal groups.
    Foreign missionaries may work in the country, but their right to 
proselytize is not protected in the Constitution, and some foreign 
missionaries face problems obtaining visas. There are no financial 
penalties imposed on the basis of religious beliefs. However, many 
Hindus complain that they have been unable to recover landholdings lost 
because of discrimination in the application of the law, especially the 
Vested Property Act. Property ownership, particularly among Hindus, has 
been a contentious issue since independence in 1971, when many Hindus 
lost land because of anti-Hindu discrimination in the application of 
the law. The Vested Property Act is a vestige of Pakistani law, which 
allowed ``enemy'' (in practice, Hindu) lands to be expropriated by the 
State. The law was suspended in 1984, but some claims allegedly have 
been backdated. Prior to its 1996 election victory, the Awami League 
promised to repeal the Vested Property Act, but to date the Awami 
League Government has not done so.
    Violence against Ahmadiyas increased during the period covered by 
this report, and police have not always intervened promptly to prevent 
harassment of Ahmadiyas (see Section II). In the past, the Government 
sometimes failed to take action against Islamic extremists who have 
attacked women, members of religious minorities, and development 
workers (see Section II).
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversions of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Relations between the religious communities generally are amicable. 
Persons who practice different religions often join each others' 
festivals and celebrations. Shi'a Muslims practice their faith without 
interference from Sunnis. Hindu-Buddhist-Christian unity councils exist 
at the local and national levels. Nevertheless, clashes between 
religious groups occasionally occur. There have been, in recent years, 
cases of violence directed against the religious minority communities 
that have resulted in the loss of lives and property. Police, who 
generally are ineffective in upholding law and order, often are slow to 
assist in such cases. Such intercommunal violence has caused some 
members of religious minorities to depart the country, primarily Hindus 
emigrating to India where many have relatives; however this phenomenon 
is rare.
    The Ahmadiyas, whom many mainstream Muslims consider heretical, 
have been the target of increased attacks and harassment. In 1999 
several mosques belonging to the Ahmadiya sect were attacked. On 
October 8, 1999, a bomb killed six Ahmadiyas who were attending Friday 
prayers at their mosque in Khulna. The only suspect questioned by 
police was a fellow Ahmadiya who later was released. No other suspects 
have been questioned, and the case remains unresolved. In November 
1999, Sunni Muslims ransacked an Ahmadiya mosque near Natore, in 
western Bangladesh. In subsequent clashes between Ahmadiyas and Sunnis, 
35 persons were injured. Ahamdiyas regained control of their mosque and 
filed a criminal case against 30 persons allegedly responsible for the 
conflict. That case remains pending. After a January 1999 attack on an 
Ahmadiya mosque in Kushtia, two police officials were disciplined for 
failing to discharge their duties in controlling the incident. Ahmadiya 
leaders report that their mosque remains under the control of local 
police and Ahmadiyas are unable to worship there 15 months after the 
original attack.
    Islamic extremists occasionally have attacked women, members of 
religious minorities, and development workers. The Government sometimes 
has failed to criticize, investigate, and prosecute the perpetrators of 
these attacks. The Government responded quickly, but ineffectively, 
after an April 1998 attack on a Catholic school in Dhaka.
    Some members of the Hindu, Christian, and Buddhist minorities 
continue to perceive and experience discrimination from the Muslim 
majority.
    Religious minorities are disadvantaged in practice in such areas as 
access to government jobs and political office. Selection boards in the 
government services do not have minority group representation. The 
current Government has appointed a few Hindus to senior civil service 
positions. However, religious minorities remain underrepresented in 
government jobs, especially at the higher levels of the civil and 
foreign services. Very few members of the armed forces are non-Muslims.
    Feminist author Taslima Nasreen, whose writings and statements 
provoked death threats from some Islamic groups in 1993 and 1994, 
returned to the country in September 1998, after having lived abroad 
since 1994. Nasreen immediately went into hiding. The Government has 
taken no action against those who issued death threats against her in 
1993 and 1994, even though such threats may violate the law. Following 
Nasreen's return, there were a number of small demonstrations by 
Islamic groups calling for her arrest and punishment by death. The 
Government provided Nasreen protection from possible threats. Despite 
such protection, in early November 1998, the leader of the Chittagong 
branch of the Jamaat-e-Islami, the largest Islamic party, personally 
offered a reward for information as to her whereabouts. The central 
Jamaat office in Dhaka stated that the Jamaat did not approve of the 
reward offer. The Government did not attempt to prosecute Nasreen for 
charges filed by authorities in 1994 under a section of the Penal Code 
that stipulates punishment for anyone convicted of intentionally 
insulting religious beliefs. However, a private citizen filed similar 
charges in 1994, and a judge issued an arrest warrant in that case 
after Nasreen's September 1998 return. The warrant never was executed, 
and Nasreen later requested and received anticipatory bail from the 
High Court. She was allowed to leave the country freely in January 
1999. She lives abroad in self-imposed exile. On August 12, 1999, the 
Bangladesh government banned the import, sale, and distribution of ``My 
Childhood,'' Nasreen's latest book. The government ban cited the 
likelihood that the book would inflame passions and offend religious 
sentiments in the Muslim community.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy maintains a dialog with government, religious, and 
minority community representatives to promote religious freedom and to 
discuss problems therewith. On an informal basis, the Embassy also has 
assisted some U.S. Christian-affiliated relief organizations in guiding 
paperwork for schools and other projects through government channels. 
The Government has been receptive to discussion of such subjects and 
generally helpful in resolving problems.
                               __________

                                 BHUTAN

    The law provides for religious freedom, and the Government 
generally respects this right in practice; however, the Drukpa sect of 
the Kagyupa School, a branch of Mahayana Buddhism, is the state 
religion, and the law prohibits religious conversions.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    In Bhutan, the Drukpa sect of the Kagyupa School, a branch of 
Mahayana Buddhism, is the state religion, and the law prohibits 
religious conversions. Citizens of other faiths may not proselytize.
    There are no formal diplomatic relations between the United States 
and Bhutan, but the U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues 
with the Government informally in the context of its overall dialog and 
policy of promoting human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The law provides for religious freedom, and the Government 
generally respects this right in practice; however, the Drukpa sect of 
the Kagyupa School, a branch of Mahayana Buddhism, is the state 
religion, and the law prohibits religious conversions. Citizens of 
other faiths may not proselytize.
    Religious communities must secure government licenses before 
constructing new places of worship, but there were no reports to 
suggest that this process was not impartial. The Government provides 
financial assistance for the construction of Drukpa Kagyupa and 
Ningmapa Buddhist temples and shrines. In the early 1990's, the 
Government provided funds for the construction of new Hindu temples and 
centers of Sanskrit and Hindu learning and for the renovation of 
existing temples and places of learning.
    The Government subsidizes monasteries and shrines of the Drukpa 
sect and provides aid to about one-third of the Kingdom's 12,000 monks. 
By statute, 10 seats in the 150-seat National Assembly and 2 seats on 
the 11-member Royal Advisory Council are reserved for monks of the 
Drukpa sect.
    All government civil servants, regardless of religion, are required 
to take an oath of allegiance to the King, the country, and the people. 
The oath is without religionspecific content, but a Buddhist lama 
administers it.
Religious Demography
    About two-thirds of the declared population of 600,000 practice 
either Drukpa Kagyupa or Ningmapa Buddhism. The Drukpa sect is 
practiced predominantly in the western and central parts of the 
country, although there are adherents in other parts of the country. 
The inhabitants of the western and central parts of the country are 
mainly, but not exclusively, ethnic Ngalops--the descendants of Tibetan 
immigrants who predominate in government and the civil service and 
whose cultural norms and dress have been declared by the monarchy to be 
the standard for all Bhutanese.
    The Ningmapa school of Mahayana Buddhism is practiced predominantly 
in the eastern part of the country, although there are adherents in 
other parts of the country, including the royal family. Monks and 
monasteries of this school also receive some state funding. Most of 
those living in the east are ethnic Sharchops--the descendants of those 
thought to be the country's original inhabitants. Several Sharchops 
hold high rank in the Government, the National Assembly, and the court 
system.
    There is a tradition of respect among many citizens for the 
teachings of an animist and shamanistic faith called Bon; the arrival 
of this faith to the country predates that of Buddhism. Bon priests 
still can be found in the country, but it is unclear how many citizens 
adhere to this faith. Bon rituals sometimes are included in the 
observance of Buddhist festivals.
    Christians, both Catholics and Protestants, are present in small 
numbers throughout the country. There is only one Christian church 
building in the country, in the south, where the only concentration of 
Christians sufficiently large to sustain a church building is located. 
Elsewhere, families and individuals practice their religion at home.
    About one-third of the population, ethnic Nepalese who live mainly 
in the south, practice Hinduism. The Shaivite, Vaishnavite, Shakta, 
Ghanapath, Paurinic, and Vedic schools are represented among Hindus.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Foreign missionaries are not permitted to proselytize. However, 
international Christian relief organizations and Jesuit priests are 
active in education and humanitarian activities.
    Buddhist religious teaching, of both the Drukpa Kagyupa and the 
Ningmapa sects, is permitted in schools; the teaching of other 
religious traditions is not, according to dissidents living outside of 
the country. These same sources claim that the import into the country 
of printed religious matter is restricted and that the Government bars 
all but Buddhist religious texts from entering.
    The passports of members of minority religions cite the holder's 
religion, and applicants for government services sometimes are asked 
their religion before services are rendered.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    There have been reports in the past that police have used 
unwarranted lethal force on peaceful demonstrations, resulting in the 
death of at least one monk. Monks also reportedly have been tortured 
while in prison.
    Dissidents living outside of the country contend that the 
Government underreports the number of ethnic Nepalese in the country, 
and that the country's actual population is between 650,000 and 
700,000. The ethnic Nepalese were subject to discrimination by the 
authorities in the late 1980's and early 1990's when many were driven 
from their homes and forcibly expelled from the country. The root 
causes of this official discrimination and the expulsions were 
cultural, economic, and political; however, to the degree that their 
Hinduism identified them as members of the ethnic Nepalese minority, 
religion was also a factor. The Government contends that many of those 
expelled in 1991 were illegal immigrants who had no right to 
citizenship or residency in the country. Some 90,000 ethnic Nepalese 
continue to live in refugee camps in eastern Nepal and are seeking to 
return to their homes in Bhutan. Although the refugees have not been 
permitted to return to the country, ethnic Nepalese Hindus remaining in 
the country are free to practice their religion. The King has declared 
major Hindu festivals to be national holidays and the royal family 
participates in them. The Government also provides some scholarships 
for Sanskrit studies in Hindu universities in India.
    The Government also began a program of resettling Buddhist citizens 
from other parts of the country on land in the south vacated by the 
expelled ethnic Nepalese now living in refugee camps in Nepal. Human 
rights groups maintain that this action prejudices any eventual 
negotiated return of the refugees to Bhutan. The Government maintains 
that this is not its first resettlement program and that citizens who 
are ethnic Nepalese from the south sometimes are resettled on land in 
other parts of the country. The motivation for this official 
discrimination appears to be economic and political; however, to the 
degree that the Hinduism of the ethnic Nepalese identifies them, 
religion is also a factor.
    A resolution adopted by the National Assembly in July 1997 
prohibits family members of ethnic Nepalese refugees from Bhutan 
residing in camps in eastern Nepal, who are still resident in the 
country, from holding jobs with the Government or in the armed forces. 
According to the Government, the resolution was not intended to apply 
to any specific ethnic group, but was aimed at those whose views 
reflected antigovernment sentiment. Under the resolution, those 
relatives of ethnic Nepali refugees holding government jobs were 
retired involuntarily. For the purposes of this resolution, the 
Government defined a family member as a parent, child, sibling, or a 
member of the same household. The Government states that 429 civil 
servants, many of them ethnic Nepalis, were retired compulsorily in 
accordance with the National Assembly resolution and that the program 
was terminated in November 1998. While the ethnic Nepalis retired in 
this fashion were mainly Hindu, and the Government and the majority of 
the society are generally Buddhist, the motivation for this official 
discrimination appears to be mainly economic and political in nature 
and does not appear to be related to the practice of religion.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Governmental discrimination against ethnic Nepalese in the late 
1980's and early 1990's arose in part from a desire to preserve the 
country's Buddhist culture from the growth of the ethnic Nepalese 
population, with its different cultural and religious traditions. That 
preoccupation on the part of the Government and many Buddhists is still 
present today. It is reflected in official and societal efforts to 
impose the dress and cultural norms of the Ngalop ethnic group on all 
citizens. While there are no known reports of the repetition of the 
excesses of the late 1980's and early 1990's, societal and governmental 
pressure for conformity with Drukpa Kagyupa norms is prevalent. The 
failure of the Government to permit the return of ethnic Nepalese 
refugees has tended to reinforce societal prejudices against this 
group, as has the Government's policy on forced retirement of refugee 
family members in government service and the resettlement of Buddhists 
on land vacated by expelled ethnic Nepalese in the south.
    There have been some efforts at promoting interfaith understanding. 
There are regular exchanges between monks of the two schools of 
Buddhism represented in the country. The King's example of making Hindu 
festivals official holidays and observing them also has had a positive 
impact on citizens' attitudes.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    There are no formal diplomatic relations between the United States 
and Bhutan. There are informal contacts between the two governments 
ranging from the level of cabinet secretary to that of embassy officer. 
During many of these exchanges, governmental discrimination against the 
ethnic Nepalese minority has been discussed. The issue of religious 
freedom has not been raised explicitly.
                               __________

                                 INDIA

    The Constitution provides for secular government and the protection 
of religious freedom, and the central Government generally respects 
these provisions in practice; however, it sometimes does not act 
effectively to counter societal attacks against religious minorities 
and attempts by state and local governments to limit that freedom. This 
failure results in part from the legal constraints inherent in the 
country's federal structure, and in part from the demands placed on the 
at times ineffective law enforcement and justice systems. Ineffective 
investigation and prosecution of attacks on religious minorities is 
interpreted by some extremist elements as a signal that such violence 
is likely to go unpunished.
    There was no change in the status of religious freedom during the 
period covered by this report.
    India is a secular state in which all faiths generally enjoy 
freedom of worship; government policy does not favor any religious 
group. However, tensions between Muslims and Hindus, and increasingly, 
between Hindus and Christians, continue to pose a challenge to the 
concepts of secularism, tolerance, and diversity on which the State was 
founded.
    The Government is led by a coalition called the National Democratic 
Alliance (NDA), which has pledged to respect India's traditions of 
secular government and religious tolerance. However, the leading party 
in the coalition is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a Hindu 
nationalist political party with links to Hindu extremist groups that 
have been implicated in violent acts against Christians and Muslims. 
The BJP also leads state governments in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, and 
Uttar Pradesh. Human rights groups and others have suggested that the 
response by authorities in these states to acts of violence against 
religious minorities by Hindu extremist groups has been ineffective, at 
least in part because of the links between these groups and the BJP, 
and have noted that the ineffective investigation and prosecution of 
such incidents may encourage violent actions by extremist groups. 
Governments at state and local levels only partially respect religious 
freedom. A number of such governments considered legislation during the 
period covered by this report that would limit religious freedom.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice. There are no 
registration requirements for religions. Legally mandated benefits are 
assigned to certain groups, including some groups defined by their 
religion.
    There are many religions and a large variety of denominations, 
groups, and subgroups in the country, but Hinduism is the dominant 
religion. Under the Constitution, the Buddhist, Jain, and Sikh faiths 
are considered different from the Hindu religion, but the Constitution 
often is interpreted as defining Hinduism to include the Buddhist, 
Jain, and Sikh faiths. This interpretation has been a contentious 
issue, particularly among the Sikh community.
Religious Demography
    According to 1999 government statistics (based on the 1991 national 
census), Hindus constitute 82.4 percent of the population, Muslims 12.7 
percent, Christians 2.3 percent, Sikhs 2 percent, Buddhists 0.7 
percent, Jains 0.4 percent, and others, including Parsis, Jews, and 
Baha'is, 0.4 percent. Hinduism has a large number of branches, 
including the Sanatan and Arya Samaj groups. Slightly over 90 percent 
of the Muslims are Sunni; the rest are Shi'a. Buddhists include 
followers of the Mahayana and Hinayana schools, and there are both 
Catholic and Protestant Christians. Tribal groups, which for the sake 
of government statistics generally are included among Hindus, often 
practice traditional indigenous religions. Hindus and Muslims are 
spread throughout the country, although large Muslim populations are 
found in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, West Bengal, 
Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala, and Muslims are a majority in Jammu and 
Kashmir. Christian concentrations are found in the northeastern states, 
as well as in the southern states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Goa. Three 
small northeastern states have large Christian majorities--Nagaland, 
Mizoram, and Meghalaya. Sikhs are a majority in the state of Punjab. In 
January 1999, the previous National Commission for Minorities (NCM) 
chairman Tahir Mahmoud announced that the NCM had recommended that 
Hindus be declared minorities in six states--Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, 
Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Nagaland; this would help 
the NCM to take cognizance of the problems of Hindus in those states. 
As of mid-2000 the Government still was considering the proposal; 
however, it had not gone into effect.
    Over the years, lower castes and Dalits (formerly called 
``untouchables'') (see Section II) frequently have converted to other 
faiths because they viewed conversion as a means to achieve higher 
social status. Dalit leaders frequently have encouraged their followers 
to convert to Buddhism, Christianity, and other faiths without a caste 
tradition. Yet lower caste and Dalit converts continue to be viewed by 
both their coreligionists and Hindus through the prism of caste. 
Converts are widely regarded as belonging to the caste of their 
ancestors.
    Animosities within and between religious communities in India have 
roots that are centuries old, and these tensions--at times exacerbated 
by poverty, class, and ethnic differences--have erupted into periodic 
violence throughout the country's 53-year history. The Government makes 
some effort to prevent these incidents and to restore communal harmony 
when such incidents occur, but these efforts are not entirely 
successful. The Government has taken steps to promote interfaith 
understanding, which include the creation of the National Integration 
Council (in 1962 as a non-statutory body with an objective of 
maintaining social tranquility and communal harmony), the National 
Commission for Minorities (as a non-statutory body in 1978 and 
statutorily by Parliament act in 1992), and the National Human Rights 
Commission (founded by an act of Parliament in 1993).
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Religious Institutions (Prevention of Misuse) Act makes it an 
offense to use any religious site for political purposes or to use 
temples for harboring persons accused or convicted of crimes. While 
specifically designed to deal with Sikh places of worship in Punjab, 
the law applies to all religious sites. In addition the state of Uttar 
Pradesh passed the ``Religious Buildings and Places Bill'' during the 
State Assembly Budget Session of March-May 2000. The bill requires a 
state government-endorsed permit before construction of any religious 
building could begin in the state. The bill's supporters say that its 
aim is to curb the use of Muslim institutions by Islamic fundamentalist 
terrorist groups, but the measure has become a controversial political 
issue among all religious groups in northern India. Also during the 
period covered by this report, West Bengal's government decided to 
implement 15-year-old legislation that required any person desiring to 
construct a place of worship to seek permission from the district 
magistrate; anyone intending to convert a personal place of worship to 
one for the community also requires the district magistrate's 
permission.
    The current legal system accommodates minority religions' personal 
status laws; there are different personal laws for different religious 
communities. Religion-specific laws pertain in matters of marriage, 
divorce, adoption, and inheritance. For example, Muslim personal status 
law governs many noncriminal matters involving Muslims, including 
family law, inheritance, and divorce.
    The personal status laws of the religious communities sometimes 
discriminate against women. Under Islamic law, a Muslim husband may 
divorce his wife spontaneously and unilaterally; there is no such 
provision for women. Islamic law also allows a man to have up to four 
wives but prohibits polyandry. Under the Indian Divorce Act of 1869 a 
Christian woman may demand divorce only in the case of spousal abuse 
and certain categories of adultery; for a Christian man, a wife's 
adultery alone is sufficient.
    The Government currently is reviewing the legislation on marriage 
and drafted the ``Christian Marriage Bill'' in early 2000. The bill 
would replace the Indian Divorce Act of 1869 (sic), which is widely 
criticized as biased against women. If enacted it would place 
limitations on interfaith marriages and specify penalties, such as 10 
years imprisonment, for clergymen who contravene its provisions. The 
current form of the bill states that no marriage in which one party is 
a non-Christian may be celebrated in a church. The bill was not 
introduced during the most recent Parliament session in March-May 2000 
due to the strong objections and reservations of the Christian 
community.
    There is no national law that bars proselytizing by Christian 
citizens. Foreign missionaries generally can renew their visas, but 
since the mid-1960's the Government has refused to admit new resident 
foreign missionaries. New arrivals currently enter as tourists on 
short-term visas. As of January 1993 (more current figures are not 
available), there were 1,923 registered foreign Christian missionaries. 
During the period covered by this report, as in the past, state 
officials refused to issue permits for foreign Christian missionaries 
to enter some northeastern states. This restriction is not specifically 
levied against Christians--many foreigners, including diplomats, are 
refused permits to the country's northeast on the grounds of political 
instability in the region. In September 1999, the Government's Ministry 
of Home Affairs ordered a 57-year-old American priest to leave the 
country. This individual, Father Anthony Raymond Ceresko, a teacher at 
a seminary in Bangalore, entered the country in 1991 and had been able 
to renew his residence permit every year until 1999. Ceresko left the 
country on September 17, 1999. In addition to foreign missionaries, 
several Christian relief organizations have been hampered by 
bureaucratic obstacles in getting visas renewed for foreign relief 
work.
    Missionaries and religious organizations must comply with the 
Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), which restricts funding 
from abroad and, therefore, the ability of certain nongovernmental 
organizations (NGO's) to finance their activities. The Government is 
empowered to ban a religious organization if it has violated the FCRA, 
has provoked intercommunity friction, or has been involved in terrorism 
or sedition. There is no ban on professing or propagating religious 
beliefs, but speaking publicly against other beliefs is considered 
dangerous to public order, and is prohibited.
    The BJP, which has led two coalition national governments since 
March 1998, is one of a number of offshoots of the Rashtriya 
Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), an organization that espouses a return to 
Hindu values and cultural norms. Members of the BJP, the RSS, and other 
affiliated organizations have been implicated in incidents of violence 
and discrimination against Christians and Muslims. The BJP and RSS 
express respect and tolerance for other religions; however, the RSS in 
particular opposes conversions from Hinduism and believes that all 
citizens should adhere to Hindu cultural values. The BJP officially 
agrees that the caste system should be eradicated, but many of its 
members are ambivalent about this. Most BJP leaders, including Prime 
Minister A.B. Vajpayee and Home Minister L.K. Advani, also are RSS 
members, as are the chief ministers of the state governments in Uttar 
Pradesh, Gujarat, and Himachal Pradesh. The BJP's traditional cultural 
agenda has included calls for construction of a new Hindu temple to 
replace an ancient Hindu temple that was believed to have stood on the 
site of a mosque in Ayodhya that was destroyed by a Hindu mob in 1992; 
for the repeal of Article 370 of the Constitution, which grants special 
rights to the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India's only Muslim majority 
state; and for the enactment of a uniform civil code that would apply 
to members of all religions. All of these proposals are opposed 
strongly by some minority religious groups.
    While the BJP at the national level has not included its 
traditional agenda items in the program of government of the coalition 
Government it leads, some Christian groups have noted the coincidence 
of its coming to power and an increase in complaints of discrimination 
against minority religious communities. These groups also claim that 
BJP officials at state and local levels have become increasingly 
unresponsive in investigating charges of religious discrimination and 
in prosecuting those persons responsible.
    The degree to which the BJP's nationalist Hindu agenda is felt 
throughout the country with respect to religious minorities varies 
depending on the region. State governments continue to attach a high 
priority to maintaining law and order and monitoring intercommunity 
relations at the district level. The four southern states are ruled by 
political parties with strong secular and prominority views. Each of 
these parties--the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu, the 
Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh, the Communist Party in 
Kerala, and the Congress Party in Karnataka--has a history of support 
for religious minorities and has attempted to assuage religious 
minority fears about religious tension in the rest of the country. Such 
fears were aroused when the DMK and TDP entered the National Democratic 
Alliance (NDA) with the BJP during the 1999 Lok Sabha elections. 
However, both parties subsequently took pains to reaffirm their 
commitment to secularism and to allay apprehensions from their 
religious minority supporters.
    The southern branches of the BJP generally take a more moderate 
position on minority issues, but religious groups in the region still 
allege that since the BJP's rise to power in the national Government, 
some government bureaucrats have begun to enforce laws selectively to 
the detriment of religious minorities. The groups cite numerous 
examples of discrimination, such as biased interpretations of postal 
regulations, including removal of postal subsidies; refusals to 
allocate land for the building of churches; and heightened scrutiny of 
NGO's to ensure that foreign contributions are made according to the 
law. In August 1999, the Union Home Ministry banned the biennial 
meeting of the International Anglican Liturgical Consultation in 
Kottayam, Kerala, after organizers neglected to seek Home Ministry 
permission to hold the conference. Also, Muslim leaders in Hyderabad 
allege that Hindu extremists in the Andhra Pradesh police force have 
harassed Muslim youth and students at religious schools under the 
pretext of investigating plots by the ISI, Pakistan's Inter-Services 
Intelligence (intelligence service).
    The eastern part of the country presented a varied picture with 
regard to religious freedom during the period covered by this report, 
and the political leanings of the state governments in the eastern 
region did not appear to correlate with the level of protection for 
religious freedom. In Orissa, which has acquired notoriety for violence 
against religious minorities (particularly after the murder of 
Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two young children there 
in January 1999), the communal situation remained relatively unchanged 
during the period covered by this report, despite the installation of a 
BJP-Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government in February 2000. The Orissa 
government in November 2000 notified churches that religious 
conversions could not take place without notifying the local police and 
district magistrate. The Orissa Freedom of Religion Act of 1967 
contains a provision requiring a monthly government report on the 
number of conversions, but this provision previously had not been 
enforced. (After a conversion has been reported to the District 
Magistrate, the report is forwarded to the authorities and a local 
police officer conducts an inquiry. The police officer can recommend in 
favor of or against such intended conversion, often as the sole 
arbitrator on the individual's right to freedom of religion; if 
conversion is judged to have taken place without permission or with 
coercion, the authorities may take penal action.) In West Bengal, 
Marxist rulers could not prevent reconversions of religious minorities 
by Hindus in some districts. Bihar was peaceful with regard to 
religious minorities with the exception of two seemingly unrelated 
events in September 1999. The assault of a nun by 2 young men because 
of her religion was followed on September 24, 1999 by a silent protest 
staged by nuns in Patna against the deletion of the names of 150 nuns 
and 5 priests from voters' lists. In Tripura there were several cases 
of reverse persecution of non-Christians by Christian members of the 
National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT), a militant tribal group 
that often is evangelical. For example, NLFT tribal insurgents have 
banned Hindu and Muslim festivals in areas that they control, cautioned 
women not to wear traditional Hindu tribal attire, and banned 
indigenous forms of worship. In Assam, where the number of Muslims is 
increasing rapidly, the issue of Bangladeshi migrants (who generally 
are Muslim) has become exceedingly sensitive among the Assamese 
(predominantly Hindu) population, which feels increasingly outnumbered.
    In the west, mostly in Gujarat, incidents of intercommunity strife 
continued; however, there were fewer incidents than occurred in 
December 1998 and January 1999. There were no major outbreaks of 
violence and no instances where the state government was perceived as 
supporting or tolerating actions aimed against religious minorities. On 
May 14, 2000, the Gujarat and national governments pledged to protect 
religious minorities; Union Home Minister L.K. Advani said that if any 
``untoward incidents'' occurred, the Government would not spare those 
responsible. However, there were few arrests or convictions in 
connection with violent incidents against religious minorities. Leaders 
of several Hindu nationalist organizations in Gujarat alleged that the 
state's government was, in fact, being very harsh on Hindus and was 
placating Muslims whenever Hindu-Muslim skirmishes broke out.
    A January 2000 decision by the Gujarat state government to revoke 
the ban on the participation of government employees in RSS activities 
was widely criticized, as was the well-publicized participation of the 
state's chief minister at an RSS rally that month. In May 2000, the 
government of Gujarat withdrew permission for state government workers 
to engage in RSS activities. In March 2000, the government of Gujarat 
convinced a BJP legislator to withdraw a bill that sought to regulate 
Christian missionary activity within the state; the bill was written to 
prohibit ``forced'' or ``induced'' conversions--a crime that would have 
been punishable by a fine and up to 3 years in prison. Despite these 
steps by the state and national governments to address communal 
concerns, many in the minority communities continued to express unease 
about BJP rule.
    In the north, there were several incidents in April 2000 in which 
Hindu groups attacked Christian institutions (see Section II). These 
incidents were the first signs of Hindu-Christian clashes in Uttar 
Pradesh in over 6 years. The Government dispatched the NCM to 
investigate the attacks in the north, but the NCM's findings that the 
attacks were not ``communal in nature'' sparked widespread criticism in 
the minority community (see Section II). There is strong evidence that 
the NCM report misrepresented the victims in its claims that they 
themselves are entirely satisfied that there was no religious 
motivation behind the violence. Victims of the incidents claim that the 
local police were not responsive either before or during the attacks. 
No arrests were made as of mid-2000. Christian groups in the north 
believe that these incidents were religiously motivated. Religious 
minorities in the north claim that they have seen a deterioration in 
the Government's attitude toward the minority community since the BJP 
assumed power in 1998, and they are concerned that attacks on religious 
minorities no longer appear to be confined to Gujarat and Orissa.
    On June 26, 2000 the National Human Rights Commission ordered 
affected states to provide written reports detailing the violence 
against Christians and the actions taken by state governments.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    Jammu and Kashmir, the country's only Muslim majority state, has 
been the focus of repeated armed conflict between India and Pakistan, 
and internally between security forces and Muslim militants who demand 
that the state be given independence or be ceded to Pakistan. 
Particularly since an organized insurgency erupted in Jammu and Kashmir 
in 1989, there have been numerous reports of human rights abuses 
carried out by the security forces and local officials against the 
Muslim population, including execution-style killings, beatings, and 
other forms of physical abuse. Many of the charges of government 
responsibility for massacres of civilians lack credibility; however, 
significant evidence emerged in August 1999 about the Government's 
earlier role in the killing of 19 Muslims in Saalan village of Poonch 
district on August 4, 1998. An investigation by the chief minister 
revealed that the state and federal governments had created an overall 
infrastructure that specifically included individuals with the 
demonstrated capacity and attitude to commit such acts of violence. It 
is not clear to what extent the actions of the Government and security 
forces were based on religion.
    In Uttar Pradesh on June 10, 2000, Vijay Ekka, a witness to the 
killing of Catholic priest Brother George Kuzhikandum, died in police 
custody. Ekka initially was placed under police protection because it 
was believed that there was a risk of reprisals against him by members 
of the Hindu community. His death drew serious criticism from human 
rights organizations and minority communities nationwide. Archbishop 
Vincent Concessao of Agra said Ekka's body showed signs of torture, and 
said police had told church authorities that Ekka had committed 
suicide. While in detention, Ekka told visitors that he was being 
tortured constantly in police custody, and said he was afraid police 
would kill him. The state government initiated an investigation into 
Ekka's death on June 17, 2000, and a few days later announced plans to 
establish a judicial inquiry. The Mathura superintendant of police was 
transferred and two policemen were arrested in connection with the 
incident.
    Nationwide there was no change in the status of respect for 
religious freedom during the period covered by this report. Although 
the law provides for religious freedom, enforcement of the law has been 
poor, particularly at the state and local levels, where the failure to 
deal adequately with intragroup and intergroup conflict and with local 
disturbances has abridged the right to religious freedom. Some Hindu 
groups continued to attack Christians during the period covered by this 
report. In many cases, the Government's response consisted largely of 
statements criticizing the violence against Christians, with few 
efforts to hold accountable those persons responsible or to prevent 
such incidents from occurring (see Section--II). A federal political 
system in which state governments hold jurisdiction over law and order 
problems contributed to the Government's ineffectiveness in dealing 
with the problem. India's only national law enforcement agency, the 
Central Bureau of Investigation, is required to ask state government 
permission before investigating a crime in the affected state. Without 
such jurisdiction, the Government generally has described the violence 
and attacks as a series of isolated local phenonmena, in some states 
calling for a national debate on conversions, which Hindus had 
advocated being banned.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    During the period covered by this report, attacks on religious 
minorities occurred in several states.
    India's caste system generates severe tensions due to disparities 
in social status, economic opportunity, and, occasionally, labor 
rights. These tensions frequently have led to, or exacerbated, violent 
confrontations and human rights abuses. However, for the most part 
intercaste violence does not have a significant religious component.
    The country's caste system historically has strong ties to 
Hinduism. It delineates clear social strata, assigning highly 
structured religious, cultural, social roles, privileges, and 
restrictions to each caste and subcaste. Members of each casteand 
frequently each subcaste--are expected to fulfill a specific set of 
duties (known as dharma) in order to secure elevation to a higher caste 
through rebirth. Dalits are viewed by many Hindus as separate from or 
``below'' the caste system; nonetheless, they too are expected to 
follow their dharma if they hope to achieve caste in a future life. 
Despite efforts by modern leaders from Mahatma Gandhi's time forward to 
eliminate the discriminatory aspects of caste, societal, political, and 
economic pressures continue to ensure its widespread practice (see 
Section I). Caste today therefore is as much a cultural and social 
phenomenon as a religious one.
    The Constitution gives the President the authority to specify 
historically disadvantaged castes, Dalits, and ``tribals'' (members of 
indigenous groups historically outside the caste system). These 
``scheduled'' castes, Dalits, and tribes are entitled to affirmative 
action and hiring quotas in employment, benefits from special 
development funds, and special training programs. The impact of 
reservations and quotas on society and on the groups they are designed 
to benefit is a subject of active debate within the country. Some 
contend that they have achieved the desired effect and should be 
modified, while others strongly argue that they should be continued, as 
the system has not addressed adequately the long-term discriminatory 
impact of caste. According to the 1991 census, scheduled castes, 
including Dalits, made up 16 percent and scheduled tribes 8 percent of 
the country's 1991 population of 846 million.
    Christians historically have rejected the concept of caste, despite 
the fact that Christians descended from low caste Hindu families 
continue to suffer the same social and economic limitations that low 
caste Hindus do. Low caste Hindus who convert to Christianity lose 
their eligibility for affirmative action programs. Those who become 
Buddhists, Jains, or Sikhs do not, as the Constitution groups members 
of those faiths with Hindus and specifies that the Constitution shall 
not affect ``the operation of any existing law or prevent the state 
from making any law providing for social welfare and reform'' of these 
groups. In some states, there are government jobs reserved for Muslims 
of low caste descent.
    In the past, Hindu-Muslim violence has led to killings and a cycle 
of retaliation. In some instances, local police and government 
officials abetted the violence, and at times security forces were 
responsible for abuses. Excluding incidents in Kashmir, there was a 
decline in the number of incidents of Hindu-Muslim violence during the 
period covered by this report. On August 26, 1999, a mob of 
approximately 15 persons mutilated and burned to death a Muslim cattle 
trader in Padiabeda village, Orissa. According to press reports, men 
with bows and arrows and axes attacked the cattle trader. He was thrown 
into his shop, which had been set ablaze. On January 30, 2000, Muslim 
and Hindu crowds clashed and threw stones at each other in Bangalore 
after an idol was desecrated in a Hindu temple. No one was killed, but 
the police quickly banned public assemblies of more than three persons 
(the ban since has been lifted).
    Hindus and Muslims continue to feud over the existence of mosques 
constructed several centuries ago on three sites where Hindus believe 
that temples stood previously. The potential for renewed Hindu-Muslim 
violence remains considerable. On July 20, 1999, violence erupted 
between Hindus and Muslims in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, and one person died. 
The violence began when a band of Hindu youths set fire to Muslim shops 
and vehicles after encountering some Muslim youths teasing a mentally 
disabled woman in the Muslim-dominated old city. Police responded by 
declaring an area-wide curfew, thereby bringing the rioting under 
control; however, there was renewed communal violence on July 22, 1999, 
when the curfew was lifted.
    Attacks by Muslim separatists seeking to end Indian rule in Jammu 
and Kashmir, and continued political violence, drove most Hindus in the 
Kashmir Valley (Pandits) to seek refuge in camps in Jammu, with 
relatives in New Delhi, or elsewhere. Throughout the period covered by 
this report, militants carried out several execution-style mass 
killings of Hindu villagers and violently targeted Pandits for violence 
in Jammu and Kashmir. For example, it is believed that on July 1, 1999, 
a group of Muslims killed nine members of two Hindu families, including 
three women and a child, in Poonch district, Jammu and Kashmir. The 
Pandit community fears that a negotiated solution giving greater 
autonomy to the Muslim majority might threaten its own survival in 
Jammu and Kashmir as a culturally and historically distinctive group.
    On March 20, 2000, 17 unidentified gunmen in army uniforms killed 
35 Sikh men in the village of Chatti Singhpora (near Anantnag in south 
Kashmir). The incident was the largest single massacre of civilians 
during the past 11 years of militancy and the only mass killing in 
Kashmir to have involved the Sikh community. The evidence suggests that 
Muslim separatists dressed in army uniforms carried out the killings. 
No arrests have been reported. The massacre of Sikhs was preceded by 
several massacres of Hindus in the area. During the early morning hours 
of July 20, 1999, approximately 20 persons entered two houses in the 
Doda district of Jammu region and used automatic weapons to kill 15 
persons, including 3 women and 7 children. The group, identified by a 
survivor as belonging to Hizbul-Mujahideen, were targeting specifically 
five men in the house who were members of their local village defense 
committee. Also on July 20, 1999, in the Poonch district of Jammu 
region, militants killed four members of a government road engineering 
group. The four victims were all non-Muslims from outside Jammu and 
Kashmir. The July 20, 1999, massacres were the fourth in a series of 
incidents during the summer of 1999.
    The period covered by this report was preceded in 1998 and early 
1999 by a serious outbreak of societal violence against Christians, 
apparently sparked by rumors of ``forced conversions'' of Hindus to 
Christianity. In Orissa, Dara Singh (a member of the Hindu extremist 
Bajrang Dal) was arrested on January 31, 2000 for murdering Graham 
Staines and his two young sons in January 1999. He also was charged 
with the killings of another Christian and a Muslim. Singh remains a 
popular figure among Hindu extremists, many of whom apparently helped 
him evade arrest for over a year. Several of Singh's associates also 
have been arrested and charged. The Wadhwa Commission established to 
probe into the Staines murder presented its findings in August 1999, 
confirming that Dara Singh masterminded the killing but it effectively 
exonerating Hindu organizations and political parties that had been 
accused of complicity. Some Christian groups criticized the 
Commission's findings as a coverup.
    Between March and November 1999, in the wake of the Staines murder, 
five families in Orissa's tribal belt that previously had embraced 
Christianity reportedly reconverted to Hinduism. On June 2, 2000, a 
Hindu priest reportedly reconverted 72 tribal Christians in the same 
village where Graham Staines and his sons were killed. In West Bengal 
in February 2000, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) reportedly 
reconverted 245 tribals, mostly Christians, in Birbhum district to 
Hinduism. According to the VHP's chief organizer in West Bengal, Asit 
Bhattacharya, 42 tribal Christians were reconverted in 1999 in Malda 
district and 280 Muslims in Murshidabad. He said that the state 
government would not stop reconversions of non-Hindus who were willing 
to return to the Hindu fold. In Arunachal Pradesh, alleged pressure 
from Hindus to reconvert tribals back to Hinduism has led to increased 
tension between Hindus and Christians. Members of Hindu organizations 
(including members of the Hindu Jagran Manch, the Vishwa Hindu 
Parishad, and the Bajrang Dal) are concerned about Christians' efforts 
to convert Hindus. They claimed that Hindus, including economically 
disadvantaged Dalits and tribals, were being forced or induced to 
convert by Christian missionaries; in some cases, Hindus allegedly have 
reconverted, at times by force or threat of force, tribals and Dalits 
belonging to other religions. However, many tribals follow traditional 
religious practices, and many Christian tribals were not Hindu prior to 
becoming Christian, even though they often are counted by the 
Government and others as Hindu. On September 6, 1999, Vishwa Hindu 
Parishad working president Ashok Singhal called for enactment of a law 
banning forced conversions.
    Christian missionaries have been operating schools and medical 
clinics for many years in tribal areas. Tribals and Dalits are outside 
of the caste system and occupy the very lowest position in the social 
hierarchy. However, they have made socioeconomic gains as a result of 
the missionary schools and other institutions, which, among other 
things, have increased literacy among the lowest castes. Some higher 
caste Hindus tend to resent these gains. Some fault the missionaries 
for the resulting disturbance in the traditional Hindu social order as 
better educated Dalits, tribals, and members of the lower castes no 
longer accept their disadvantaged status as readily as they once did.
    During the period covered by this report, there were fewer but more 
geographically widespread incidents of anti-Christian violence. There 
were attacks against Christian communities and Christian missionaries 
by Hindu groups in many areas, including some that previously had not 
seen such violence. These attacks, primarily in the form of mob 
violence, included the destruction of churches and religious property, 
as well as violent attacks on Christian pilgrims and leaders. From July 
1, 1999 to June 30, 2000, incidents of violence against Christians were 
reported in Tamil Nadu, Goa, Punjab, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, 
Haryana, Orissa, West Bengal, Bihar, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and 
Uttar Pradesh. For example, on September 2, 1999, Father Arul Doss, a 
35-year-old Roman Catholic priest, was killed in a night raid by Dara 
Singh-led Hindu groups on a church in Jambani village in Orissa's 
Mayurbhanj district. Doss was pulled from the church, shot with arrows, 
and beaten to death by his assailants. The mob also severely beat 
Doss's associate and vandalized the one-room church, before setting it 
on fire. In a public statement the same day, Prime Minister Vajpayee 
strongly criticized Father Doss's murder and called for its 
perpetrators to be brought to justice. On September 20, 1999, in 
Chapra, Bihar, two young men attacked a Roman Catholic nun; they 
reportedly questioned her about the number of conversions she and other 
nuns had made at Jalalpur convent. The men reportedly stripped the nun, 
forced her to drink urine, and attempted to rape her. Bihar Police 
Chief K.A. Jacob visited the scene of the crime 3 days later, and the 
state government established a three-member committee to investigate 
the crime. There were no reports of progress in the investigation of 
this case.
    On November 11, 1999, a group of about 40 persons attacked a 
Christian gathering outside a church in the Khyala area of Delhi, in 
the first such incident in the capital. At least 12 persons were 
injured in the attack, when the group descended on an open-air Bible 
reading session, allegedly tearing pamphlets and damaging two Bibles. A 
police spokesman said the group ``may have had some BJP activists'' and 
four persons that are suspected of instigating the attacks were being 
sought.
    There was a series of incidents in Uttar Pradesh in April 2000. On 
April 6, 2000, an angry group, demanding a decrease in school fees and 
an increase in the number of passing students, harassed the principal 
of Sacred Heart School in Mathura. The principal disputed an allegation 
that the harassment was because of school fees, saying she was harassed 
and chased by a group of young men (not parents of students) who also 
asked her questions relating to what religious texts were read at the 
school. On April 10, 2000, Father Joseph Dabre, principal of St. 
Dominic's School in Mathura, was beaten by six young men who went to 
the school on the pretext of a question about admissions. On April 11, 
2000, in Kosi Kalan near Mathura, 8 to 10 assailants attacked Father K. 
K. Thomas at St. Theresa's school when he rushed to the assistance of a 
servant girl and 3 nuns whom the assailants were attacking. The 
culprits also stole equipment and cash. Thomas was beaten unconscious 
and left for dead by his attackers, who were not found.
    Indian Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee asked for a detailed report on 
the incidents in the Mathura area from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ram 
Prakash Gupta. State officials also ordered police to keep watch over 
churches, missionary centers, and other places of worship after the 
attacks near Mathura. On April 26, 2000, the NCM visited the sites of 
these attacks at Sacred Heart School, St. Dominic's School, and St. 
Theresa's School, and issued a report on April 27, 2000. The report, 
which claimed that the Sacred Heart case had ``no communal tinge,'' and 
that the Kosi Kalan case was a ``case of robbery and nothing else,'' 
was criticized widely by the minority community. The validity of the 
report was questioned openly by several members of the Lok Sabha (Lower 
House of Parliament), and victims of the attacks claimed that they were 
misquoted in the report. These attacks on Christians in Uttar Pradesh 
were the first in the state in 6 years.
    Following the violence in April 2000 in the vicinity of Mathura, on 
June 7, 2000, a Catholic priest, Brother George Kuzhikandum, was killed 
on the campus of Brother Polus Memorial School near Mathura. On June 
10, 2000, Vijay Ekka, a witness to the killing of Brother George, died 
in police custody (see Section I).
    In northern Punjab state, in June 2000, the Rev. Ashish Prabash 
Masih, age 23, reportedly was murdered and his body burned. While 
police ruled out any communal undertones, the Punjab Christian 
Association stated that the murder was part of a concerted campaign 
against its community by Hindu nationalists.
    In April 2000, three nuns said that they were run down deliberately 
by a motor scooter in the northern Indian state of Haryana on their way 
to a midnight Easter Mass. One of the nuns was injured seriously. The 
Christian Forum stated that the attack was the fifth on nuns and 
priests in Haryana in the year, but both the National Commission for 
Minorities and the Catholic Bishop's Conference stated that the 
incident could have been an accident.
    On May 9, 2000, in Maharashtra, approximately 150 suspected 
activists of the Bajrang Dal and the VHP attacked the 45th annual 
convention of the Evangelical Alliance Christian Church and the Nashik 
District Church Council, set fire to three vehicles, and ransacked a 
bus carrying religious literature. Four persons were hospitalized. 
Rural police said that they arrested 33 persons, all of whom belonged 
to Bajrang Dal or VHP. Although political leaders from Maharashtra's 
ruling party denounced the attack, the minister of state for dairy 
development created a stir when he joined a group of BJP, RSS, and VHP 
activists who went to meet and congratulate the accused when they were 
released from jail on bail.
    On May 12, 2000 in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, assailants threw stones 
and tried to set fire to one church, while vandalizing two other 
churches.
    In November 1999, in Anekal, a small village in Karnataka, a group 
of Hindus allegedly attacked Selva Kumar, a Catholic seminary student, 
and stabbed him in the neck. The attackers accused him of trying to 
convert Dalits to Christianity. In November 1999, a group of Hindu and 
Muslim students from St. Joseph's Evening College in Bangalore, 
Karnataka, was attacked by suspected Hindu members who accused them of 
converting villagers in Anekal.
    Tamil Nadu was the scene of multiple church burnings between 
September 30 and November 12, 1999. During this 6-week period, nine 
thatched-roof buildings used for worship services by the Church of 
South India (a member of the Anglican Communion), the Syrian Catholic 
Church, the Methodist Church, the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, the 
International Evangelist Church, and various Pentecostal denominations 
were burned down; no one was killed. Police arrested a few individuals 
in connection with the fires, but the disposition of these cases is not 
known.
    The burning of churches continued in the first half of 2000. For 
example, on May 12, 2000, a hut used as a prayer cottage by Christians 
in Katiguda village was burned by what the local police referred to as 
``anti-socials.'' On May 16, 2000, a cottage in Dharakote village used 
as a place of congregation for local Christians was set on fire. Armed 
police officers were deployed in the area, but no arrests thus far have 
been made.
    On June 8, 2000, bombs exploded in four churches in Andrha Pradesh, 
Karnataka, and Goa. The blasts occurred in a Baptist church in Ongole, 
Andrha Pradesh; a Catholic church in Tadepalligudem, Andrha Pradesh; a 
Catholic church in Wadi, Karnataka; and a church in Vasco, Goa. The 
bombs reportedly blew out windows and damaged pews; three persons in 
Ongole and two in Wadi received minor injuries. During the last week of 
June 2000, a mosque in Gunter, Andrha Pradesh was bombed. None of the 
localities had a history of serious communal tensions before the 
blasts. In Karnataka police patrols reportedly were increased at all 
places of worship, and a special investigative unit was formed to 
investigate the bombings. By June 20, 2000, nine persons reportedly 
were arrested in connection with the blasts in Andrha Pradesh, 
including a leading member of a Shi'a Muslim organization. On May 5, 
2000, six missionaries who were distributing Bibles and other 
literature in Vivekanandnagar, Ahmedabad, suffered a severe beating. 
Some evangelists and some Bajrang Dal activists came to blows in this 
locality when the Bajrang Dal activists forbade distribution of 
Christian literature. Both the groups filed complaints against each 
other in the police station about being beaten up. A Hindu bystander 
who tried to intervene had his finger chopped off, according to 
newspaper reports. On May 22, 2000, 30 persons were injured when a 
powerful bomb exploded during a Christian meeting at Machlipatnam in 
the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.
    Referring to the rash of attacks against Christians over the first 
6 months of 2000, the National Human Rights Commission expressed its 
concern at the upsurge of violence faced by Christians, and demanded 
that the Government announce the steps that it was taking to protect 
the Christian community.
    Other incidents affecting religious minorities during the period 
covered by this report occurred in Tripura, where Christian militants 
have imposed bans on Hindu and Muslim festivals, and in Assam, where 
Hindu concern over the continued influx of illegal Muslim immigrants 
from Bangladesh has grown over the past year.
    The practice of dedicating or marrying young, prepubescent girls to 
a Hindu deity or temple as ``servants of god'' or ``Devadasis,'' is 
reported by Human Rights Watch to continue in several southern states, 
including Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Devadasis, who generally are 
Dalits, may not marry. They are taken from their families and are 
required to provide sexual services to priests and high caste Hindus. 
Reportedly, many eventually are sold to urban brothels. In 1992 the 
state of Karnataka passed the Karnataka Devadasi (Prohibition) Act and 
called for the rehabilitation of Devadasis, but this law reportedly is 
not enforced effectively and criminalizes the actions of Devadasis. 
Since Devadasis are by custom required to be sexually available to 
higher caste men, it reportedly is difficult for them to obtain justice 
from the legal system if they are raped by anyone.
    Despite the incidents of violence and discrimination during the 
period covered by this report, relations between various religious 
groups generally are amicable among the substantial majority of 
citizens. There are efforts at ecumenical understanding that bring 
religious leaders together to defuse religious tensions. The annual 
Sarva Dharma Sammelan (All Religious Convention) and Mushairas (Hindu-
Urdu poetry sessions) held on many occasions are some events that help 
bring the various communities together. The holidays of Eid Milan, Holi 
Mila, and Iftar are occasions for Hindus and Muslims to celebrate at 
parties together, and are important social events that promote communal 
harmony. After episodes of violence against Christians, Muslim groups 
have protested against the treatment of Christians by Hindu extremists. 
Hundreds of nonChristians joined Christians in the streets of New Delhi 
in June 2000 to mourn the sudden loss of Archbishop Alan de Lastic 
after his death in a car accident in Europe.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Mission continued to promote religious freedom through 
contact with the country's senior leadership, as well as with state and 
local officials. The U.S. Embassy and Consulates regularly report on 
events and trends that affect religious freedom.
    During his state visit to India, President Clinton spoke about the 
massacre of Sikhs in Kashmir on March 20, 2000, and called for an end 
to the violence. In August and September 1999, the U.S. Consul in 
Chennai expressed concern about the status of Father Ceresko's visa 
application to the chief secretary of Karnataka and regarding the 
cancellation of the conference of the Anglican Church (see Section I) 
to Kerala state government officials. In January 2000, Senator Tom 
Daschle's delegation raised the issue of religious minorities with Home 
Minister L.K. Advani during a visit to New Delhi. In February 2000, a 
representative of the State Department discussed minorities issues with 
the National Human Rights Commission in New Delhi. On June 23, 2000 the 
U.S. Ambassador noted to the press that attacks against Christians are 
a serious concern.
    Embassy officials meet with religious officials to monitor 
religious freedom on a regular basis. U.S. Mission officers traveled to 
Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh during the period covered by this report to 
assess the situation of religious minorities in those states. Embassy 
and consulate officials also engaged with important leaders of all 
minority communities. The U.S. mission maintains contacts with U.S. 
residents, including those in the NGO and missionary communities. The 
NGO community in the country is extremely active with regard to 
religious freedom, and mission officers meet with local NGO's to keep 
apprised of developments concerning religious freedom.
                               __________

                                MALDIVES

    Freedom of religion is restricted significantly. The 1997 
Constitution designates Islam as the official state religion and the 
practice of other religions is prohibited by law.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    The President is the ``supreme authority to propagate the tenets of 
Islam.'' The Government observes Shari'a (Islamic law), and in 1998 
expelled 24 foreigners suspected of proselytizing non-Islamic faiths. 
Citizens regard Islam as one of their society's most distinctive 
characteristics and believe that it promotes harmony and national 
identity.
    The U.S. Government does not maintain a resident Embassy in the 
Maldives; the U.S. Ambassador in Colombo, Sri Lanka is also accredited 
to the Government in Male. The U.S. Government discusses religious 
freedom issues with the Government in the context of its overall dialog 
and policy of promoting human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    Freedom of religion is restricted significantly. The 1997 
Constitution designates Islam as the official state religion, and the 
Government interprets this provision to impose a requirement that 
citizens be Muslims. The practice of any religion other than Islam is 
prohibited by law. However, foreign residents are allowed to practice 
their religion if they do so privately.
Religious Demography
    It is believed that the entire indigenous population is Muslim and 
is overwhelmingly Sunni. Foreigners in the Maldives--more than 300,000 
tourists annually (predominantly Europeans and Japanese) and about 
20,000 foreign workers (predominantly Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Indian, 
and Bangladeshi)--are allowed to practice their religion if they do so 
in private and do not encourage citizens to participate.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    The Government has established a Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs 
to provide guidance on religious matters. The Government also has set 
standards for individuals who conduct Friday services at mosques to 
ensure adequate theological qualifications.
    The President must be a Sunni Muslim and under the Constitution is 
the ``supreme authority to propagate the tenets of Islam.'' Cabinet 
ministers also are required to be Sunni Muslims. Members of the 
People's Majlis (Parliament) must be Muslim. The Government observes 
Shari'a (Islamic law).
    There are no places of worship for adherents of other religions. 
The Government prohibits the importation of icons and religious statues 
but generally permits the importation of religious tracts, such as 
Bibles, for personal use.
    The Government prohibits non-Muslim clergy and missionaries from 
proselytizing and conducting public worship services. Conversion of a 
Muslim to another faith is a violation of Shari'a and may result in a 
loss of the convert's citizenship.
    Islamic instruction is a mandatory part of the school curriculum, 
and the Government funds the salaries of instructors of Islam.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    The law can limit a citizen's right to freedom of expression in 
order to protect ``the basic tenets of Islam.''
    In April 1998, the Government asked the Seychelles Government to 
stop the radio broadcast of Christian programming in the local 
language, Dhivehi. However, the broadcasts continue, albeit 
irregularly.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners during 
the period covered by this report.
    Government officials appear to be as concerned about extremes in 
Muslim religious beliefs as they are about other religions; the law 
used to expel 24 foreign nationals accused of proselytizing during June 
1998 originally was enacted to restrict the influence of Islamic 
fundamentalists.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
Forced Religious Conversions of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Most citizens regard Islam as one of their society's most 
distinctive characteristics and believe that it promotes harmony and 
national identity.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Government does not maintain a resident Embassy in the 
Maldives; the U.S. Ambassador in Colombo, Sri Lanka is also accredited 
to the Government in Male. The U.S. Government discusses religious 
freedom issues with the Government in the context of its overall dialog 
and policy of promoting human rights.
                               __________

                                 NEPAL

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion and permits the 
practice of all religions; however, although the Government generally 
has not interfered with the practice of other religions, conversion and 
proselytizing are prohibited, and members of minority religions 
occasionally complain of police harassment. The Constitution describes 
Nepal as a ``Hindu Kingdom,'' although it does not establish Hinduism 
as the state religion.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Adherents of the country's many religions generally coexist 
peacefully and respect all places of worship. Those who convert to 
other religions may face isolated incidents of violence and sometimes 
are ostracized socially, but generally do not fear to admit in public 
their affiliations.
    The U.S. Embassy maintains regular contact with Hindu, Christian, 
Buddhist, Jewish, Ba'hai and other religious groups. It closely 
monitors religious freedoms and raises these issues with the Government 
when appropriate.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion and permits the 
practice of all religions; however, although the Government generally 
has not interfered with the practice of other religions, conversion and 
proselytizing are prohibited and punishable with fines or imprisonment, 
and members of minority religions occasionally complain of police 
harassment. Some Christian groups are concerned that the ban on 
proselytizing limits the expression of nonHindu religious belief. The 
Constitution describes Nepal as a ``Hindu Kingdom,'' although it does 
not establish Hinduism as the state religion.
Religious Demography
    Hindus constitute 85 to 90 percent of the population; Buddhists, 5 
to 10 percent; Muslims, 2 to 5 percent; and Christians, approximately 
1.7 percent. Christian denominations are few but growing. Recent 
estimates put the number of Christians in Nepal at about 400,000, and 
press reports indicate that 170 Christian churches operate in Kathmandu 
alone.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    A conviction for conversion or proselytizing can result in fines or 
imprisonment or, in the case of foreigners, expulsion from the country. 
However, arrests or detentions for proselytizing are rare, and there 
have been few incidents of punishment or investigation in connection 
with conversion or proselytization during the last few years.
    April 2000 public observances of Easter in a Kathmandu park and 
Passover seder in a major hotel in Kathmandu were uneventful. However, 
a year earlier, Christian groups in Kathmandu were prevented from 
observing Good Friday in a public park when they failed to obtain the 
proper permit; 3 members of a group of 400 persons reportedly were 
injured when police attempted to disperse the group's subsequent 
protest at a local government office. Easter services that year, which 
did have the proper permit, took place in a public park without 
incident.
    The Government investigates reports of proselytizing. It 
investigated a 1997 accusation against the Adventist Development and 
Relief Agency (ADRA), and cleared ADRA in 1997. Nongovernmental groups 
or individuals are free to file charges of proselytizing against 
individuals or organizations. Such a case was filed with the Supreme 
Court against ADRA and the United Missions to Nepal, an umbrella 
Protestant group, on December 31, 1999. The case still is pending. In 
1999 a U.S. medical doctor was deported; he believed that it was 
because of an allegation that he had proselytized Christianity.
    For decades dozens of Christian missionary hospitals, welfare 
organizations, and schools have operated in the country. These 
organizations have not proselytized and have operated freely. 
Missionary schools are among the most respected institutions of 
secondary education in the country; most of the country's governing and 
business elite graduated from Jesuit high schools. Many foreign 
Christian organizations have direct ties to Nepali churches and sponsor 
Nepali priests for religious training abroad.
    The Constitution prohibits discrimination on the basis of caste, 
except for traditional religious practices at Hindu temples, where, for 
example, members of the lowest caste are not permitted.
    The Press and Publications Act prohibits the publication of 
materials that create animosity among persons of different castes or 
religions.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversions of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    The adherents of the country's many religions generally coexist 
peacefully and respect all places of worship. Most Hindus respect the 
many Buddhist shrines located throughout the country; Buddhists accord 
Hindu shrines the same respect. Buddha's birthplace is an important 
pilgrimage site and Buddha's birthday is a national holiday. The 
country's Muslim minority is not well integrated with the larger Hindu 
majority, and does not have the same level of common religious feeling 
that the Hindu and Buddhist communities share.
    Some Christian groups report that Hindu extremism has increased in 
recent years. In January 1999, the Indiabased Hindu political party 
Shiv Sena, locally known as Pashupati Sena, opened an office in 
Kathmandu; a few Shiv Sena candidates unsuccessfully ran for office in 
the 1999 general elections. Government policy does not support Hindu 
extremism, although some political figures have made public statements 
critical of Christian missionary activities. Some citizens are wary of 
proselytizing and conversion by Christians and therefore, view the 
growth of Christianity with alarm.
    Those who chose to convert to other religions--in particular Hindu 
citizens who convert to Islam or Christianity--sometimes are ostracized 
socially. Some reportedly have been forced to leave their villages. 
While this prejudice is not systematic, it can be vehement and 
occasionally violent. Hindus who convert to another religion may face 
isolated incidents of hostility or discrimination from Hindu extremist 
groups. Nevertheless, converts generally do not fear to admit in public 
their new religious affiliations.
    The caste system strongly influences society, even though it is 
prohibited by the Constitution. However, traditional religious 
practices at Hindu temples are an exception to this prohibition. The 
Government allows caste discrimination at Hindu temples where, for 
example, members of the lowest caste are not permitted (see Section I). 
Otherwise, the Government makes an effort to protect the rights of the 
disadvantaged castes.
    In August 1999, a mentally deranged man desecrated a Hindu temple 
in southern Nepal, declaring that he was a Christian and that ``God 
told me to do it.'' Local Christians released a statement indicating 
that the man was not a member of any known church. However, in apparent 
retaliation and after reports of agitation for revenge, a nearby 
Christian church was desecrated and set afire the following week. The 
senior local government official said that, although some Hindu-
oriented groups had formed a committee to retaliate against Christians, 
it was not clear whether any particular institution or group was 
involved in the church burning.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy maintains regular contact with Hindu, Christian, 
Buddhist, Jewish, Ba'hai and other religious groups. The Embassy 
closely monitors religious freedoms and raises these issues with the 
Government when appropriate.
                               __________

                                PAKISTAN

    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and states that 
adequate provisions shall be made for minorities to profess and 
practice their religions freely; however, the Government imposes a 
range of limits on freedom of religion. Pakistan is an Islamic 
republic; Islam is the state religion. Islam also is a core element of 
Pakistan's national ideology; the country was created to be a homeland 
for Muslims. Religious freedom is ``subject to law, public order, and 
morality;'' accordingly, actions or speech deemed derogatory to Islam 
or to its Prophet, for example, are not protected. Further, the 
Constitution requires that laws be consistent with Islam and imposes 
some elements of Koranic law on both Muslims and religious minorities.
    There were some slight improvements in the Government's treatment 
of religious minorities during the period covered by this report. For 
example, the Government of Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf, 
which took power in a military coup on October 12, 1999, abandoned his 
predecessor's proposal to impose Shari'a law through a constitutional 
amendment. Many religious minorities feared that the implementation of 
Shari'a law through a constitutional amendment would increase their 
vulnerability. According to persons in religious minority communities, 
Musharraf made efforts to seek minority input into decision-making and 
offered cabinet positions to individuals from minority communities.
    The Government fails in many respects to protect the rights of 
minorities. This is due both to public policy and to government 
unwillingness to take action against societal forces hostile to those 
who practice a different faith. Specific government policies that 
discriminate against religious minorities include: the use of 
``Hudood'' Ordinances, which apply different standards of evidence to 
Muslims and non-Muslims and to men and women in alleged violations of 
Islamic law; certain legal prohibitions against Ahmadis freely 
practicing their faith; ``blasphemy'' laws, which often are misused to 
target minorities; and separate political electorates for minorities 
under the (currently suspended) Constitution. In April 2000, Musharraf 
announced a proposal to make an administrative change to the blasphemy 
laws, which was aimed at reducing the number of persons who are accused 
wrongly under the laws; however, Musharraf failed to implement these 
proposed changes due to significant opposition and pressure from some 
religious groups.
    Missionaries are allowed to operate in the country and 
proselytizing (except by Ahmadis) is allowed; however, proselytizing is 
considered socially inappropriate among Muslims and missionaries face 
some problems due to this perception.
    Discriminatory religious legislation adds to an atmosphere of 
religious intolerance, which contributes to acts of violence directed 
against Muslim groups, as well as against Christians, Hindus, and 
members of Muslim offshoot sects such as Ahmadis and Zikris. The 
Government does not encourage sectarian violence; however, there were 
instances in which the Government failed to intervene in cases of 
societal violence directed at minority religious groups. The lack of an 
adequate government response contributed to an atmosphere of impunity 
for acts of violence and intimidation committed against religious 
minorities. Parties and groups with religious affiliations target 
minority groups.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom with the Government 
in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting human 
rights. U.S. Embassy officials and visitors have raised issues such as 
the blasphemy laws with Government of Pakistan interlocutors on a 
number of occasions. The U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Religious Freedom 
visited the country in February 2000.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and states that 
adequate provisions shall be made for minorities to profess and 
practice their religions freely; however, the Government imposes limits 
on freedom of religion. Pakistan is an Islamic republic, and Islam is 
the state religion, as established in the Constitution. Islam also is a 
core element of the country's national ideology; the country was 
created to be a homeland for Muslims. Under the Constitution (which was 
suspended following the October 12, 1999 coup), both the President and 
the Prime Minister must be Muslims, and all senior officials must swear 
an oath to preserve the country's ``Islamic ideology.'' A number of 
other provisions of the Constitution also limit certain fundamental 
rights based on Islamic principles. For example, freedom of speech is 
provided for; however, this right is subject to ``reasonable 
restrictions'' that can be imposed ``in the interest of the glory of 
Islam.'' Actions or speech deemed derogatory to Islam or to its Prophet 
are not protected. Further, the Constitution requires that laws be 
consistent with Islam and imposes some elements of Koranic law on both 
Muslims and religious minorities. The Government does not ban formally 
the practice of the Ahmadi religion, but the practice of the Ahmadi 
faith is restricted severely by law. For example, Ahmadis, who consider 
themselves Muslims, face persecution under the blasphemy laws if they 
refer to themselves as such.
    The judicial system encompasses several different court systems 
with overlapping and sometimes competing jurisdictions, which reflect 
differences in civil, criminal, and Islamic jurisprudence. The federal 
Shari'at court and the Shari'a bench of the Supreme Court serve as 
appellate courts for certain convictions in criminal court under the 
Hudood Ordinances, and judges and attorneys in these courts must be 
Muslims. The federal Shari'at court also may overturn any legislation 
judged to be inconsistent with the tenets of Islam.
Religious Demography
    According to the 1981 census (latest available figures), an 
estimated 95 percent of the population are Muslim; 1.56 percent are 
Christian; 1.51 percent are Hindu; and 0.26 percent are ``other'' 
(Ahmadis are included in the latter category). The majority of Muslims 
in the country are Sunni. An estimated 10 to 15 percent of the Muslim 
population are Shi'a, and it is estimated that there are 550,000 to 
600,000 Ismailis (a recognized Shi'a Muslim group). Most or all 
Ismailis in the country are followers of the Aga Khan. The Government 
conducted a census in 1998; however, the updated information is not yet 
available.
    Religious minority groups believe that they are underrepresented in 
government census counts. Official and private estimates of their 
numbers can differ significantly. Current population estimates place 
the number of Christians at 3 million and the number of Ahmadis at 3 to 
4 million. Current estimates for the remaining communities are less 
contested and place the total number of Hindus at 2.8 million; Parsis 
(Zoroastrians), Buddhists, and Sikhs at as high as 20,000 each; and 
Baha'is at 12,000. The ``other'' category also includes a few tribes 
whose members practice traditional indigenous religions and who 
normally do not declare themselves, and those who do not wish to 
practice any religion but remain silent about the fact. Social pressure 
is such that few persons would admit to being unaffiliated with any 
religion.
    While Christianity frequently is seen as a foreign ``Westernized'' 
religion, it has a long history in the country. Some Christian 
communities trace their roots to the time of St. Thomas the Apostle. 
Most trace their origin to mid-19th century missionary movements in 
both the Roman Catholic and Protestant churches. Many Christians, in 
particular the recent converts, generally are in the poorest 
socioeconomic groups. There are several long-established Baptist 
churches and, in Karachi, perhaps a dozen storefront Pentacostal and 
other evangelical churches. The largest Christian mission group 
operating in Sindh and Baluchistan does Bible translation for the 
Church of Pakistan, mostly in tribal areas. An Anglican missionary 
group fields several missionaries to assist the Church of Pakistan (a 
united church of Anglicans, Methodists, Presbyterians, and Lutherans) 
in administrative and educational work. Roman Catholic missionaries, 
mostly Franciscan, work with the disabled.
    Punjab is the largest province in the country in terms of 
population. The Muslims are the largest religious group in Punjab, as 
is true for the country as a whole. Although Christians can be found 
throughout the country, approximately 98 percent of Christians reside 
in Punjab, making them the largest religious minority in the province. 
Approximately 60 percent of Punjab's Christians live in villages. The 
largest group of Christians belongs to the Church of Pakistan; the 
second largest group belongs to the Roman Catholic Church. The rest are 
from different evangelical and church organizations.
    Sindh and Baluchistan provinces also are overwhelmingly Muslim, 
with a population that is approximately 97 percent Muslim. Slightly 
over 1 percent of the population in these provinces are estimated to be 
Christian, and slightly over 1 percent are estimated to be Hindu. The 
two provinces also have a few tribes that practice traditional 
indigenous religions and a small population of Parsis (approximately 
7,000 persons). The Ismailis are concentrated in Karachi and the 
northern areas. The tiny but influential Parsi community is 
concentrated in Karachi, although some live in Islamabad and Peshawar. 
According to local Christian sources, between 70,000 and 100,000 
Christians and a few thousand Hindus live in the Northwest Frontier 
Province (NWFP). Christians constitute about 2 percent of Karachi's 
population. The Roman Catholic diocese of Karachi estimates that there 
are 120,000 Catholics in Karachi, 40,000 in the rest of Sindh, and 
5,000 in Quetta, Baluchistan. Evangelical Christians have converted a 
few tribal Hindus of the lower castes from interior Sindh. Hindus are 
concentrated in Sindh and constitute 1 to 2 percent of the province's 
population. An estimated 100,000 Hindus live in Karachi. Ahmadis are 
concentrated in Punjab and in Sindh.
    No data are available on active participation in formal religious 
services or rituals (as opposed to mere membership). However, because 
religion is tied closely to a person's ethnic, social, and economic 
identity, there is less room for nominal, secular passivity with regard 
to religion. Most Muslim men offer prayers at least once a week at 
Friday prayers, and the vast majority of Muslim men and women pray at 
home or at the workplace during one or more of the five daily times of 
prayer. During the month of Ramadan, even many of the otherwise less 
observant Muslims fast and attend mosque services more faithfully. 
About 70 percent of English-speaking Roman Catholics worship regularly; 
a much lower percentage of Urdu speakers do so.
    Many Muslims consult Pirs (hereditary saints) or saints' shrines, 
where pre-Islamic practices are common. As many as 25 percent of 
Muslims regularly consult such Pirs, and up to 50 percent may seek 
their help in times of crisis.
    The Shikaris (a hunting caste now mostly employed as trash 
collectors in urban Sindh) are converts to Islam, but eat foods 
forbidden by Islam. Other Muslims generally ostracize the Shikaris, 
primarily because of their eating habits.
    Many varieties of Hinduism are practiced; the type practiced 
usually depends upon location and caste. Hindus have retained or 
absorbed many ancient traditional practices of Sindh. Hindu shrines are 
scattered throughout the country. Approximately 1,500 Hindu temples and 
shrines exist in Sindh and about 500 in Baluchistan. Most of the 
shrines and temples are tiny, no more than wayside shrines. During 
Hindu festivals, such as Divali and Holi, congregational attendance is 
much greater.
    The Sikh community regularly holds ceremonial gatherings at sacred 
places in the Punjab. Prominent places of Sikh pilgrimage include 
Nanakana Sahib (where the founder of the Sikh religion Guru Nanak was 
born), Hasan Abdal (a shrine where an imprint of his hand is kept), and 
Andkartar Poora or Daira Baba Nanak Sahib in Sialkot District (where 
Guru Nanak is buried).
    Parsis, who practice the Zoroastrian religion, have no regularly 
scheduled congregational services, except for a 10-day festival in 
August during which they celebrate the New Year and pray for the dead. 
All Parsis are expected to attend these services; most reportedly do. 
During the rest of the year, individuals offer prayers at Parsi 
temples. Parsis maintain a conscious creedal and ceremonial separation 
from other religions, preserving ancient rites and forbidding marriage 
to members of other religions. The Parsi community is self-sufficient 
in religious leaders, and there are no known Parsi missionaries 
operating in the country.
    Only one group described by the authorities as a ``foreign cult'' 
reportedly has been established in the country. In Karachi members of 
the U.S.-based ``Children of God'' are rumored to be operating a 
commune where they practice polygamy.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Government policies do not afford equal protection to members of 
majority and minority faiths. For example, all citizens, regardless of 
their religious affiliation, are subject to certain provisions of 
Islamic law. In the Malakand division and the Kohistan district of the 
NWFP, ordinances require that ``all cases, suits, inquiries, matters, 
and proceedings in the courts shall be decided in accordance with 
Shari'a.'' These ordinances define Shari'a as the injunctions found in 
both the Koran and the Sunna. Islamic law judges with the assistance of 
the Ulema (Islamic scholars), under the general supervision of the 
Peshawar High Court, try all court cases in the Malakand Division and 
the Kohistan District. Elsewhere in the country, partial provisions of 
Shari'a apply. In 1998 then-Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, proposed an 
amendment to the Constitution (the 15th Amendment) that would have 
imposed Shari'a throughout the country; minority religious groups 
feared that the implementation of this amendment would have restricted 
further the freedom to practice religions other than Islam. However, 
the Musharraf Government did not enact the proposed 15th Amendment.
    The Government does not ban formally the public practice of the 
Ahmadi religion, but the practice of the Ahmadi faith is restricted 
severely by law. A 1974 Constitutional amendment declared Ahmadis to be 
a non-Muslim minority because, according to the Government, they do not 
accept Mohammed as the last Prophet of Islam. However, Ahmadis consider 
themselves to be Muslims and observe Islamic practices. In 1984 the 
Government inserted Section 298(c) into the Penal Code, prohibiting 
Ahmadis from calling themselves Muslim or posing as Muslims; from 
referring to their faith as Islam; from preaching or propagating their 
faith; from inviting others to accept the Ahmadi faith; and from 
insulting the religious feelings of Muslims. This section of the Penal 
Code has caused problems for Ahmadis, particularly the provision that 
forbids them from ``directly or indirectly'' posing as Muslims. Armed 
with this vague wording, mainstream Muslim religious leaders have 
brought charges against Ahmadis for using the standard Muslim greeting 
form and for naming their children Mohammed. The constitutionality of 
Section 286 (c) was upheld in a split-decision Supreme Court case in 
1996. The punishment for violation of this section is imprisonment for 
up to 3 years and a fine. This provision has been used extensively by 
the Government and anti-Ahmadi religious groups to harass and to 
persecute Ahmadis. Ahmadis also are prohibited from holding any 
conferences or gatherings.
    There are a variety of other legal restrictions on the right to 
freedom of religion, and religious minorities are afforded fewer legal 
protections than Muslim citizens. The judicial system encompasses 
several different court systems with overlapping and sometimes 
competing jurisdiction, which reflect differences in civil, criminal, 
and Islamic jurisprudence. The federal Shari'at court and the Shari'a 
bench of the Supreme Court serve as appellate courts for certain 
convictions in criminal court under the Hudood Ordinances, and judges 
and attorneys in these courts must be Muslims. The federal Shari'at 
court also may overturn any legislation judged to be inconsistent with 
the tenets of Islam.
    The martial law era Hudood Ordinances criminalize nonmarital rape, 
extramarital sex, and various gambling, alcohol, and property offenses. 
The Hudood Ordinances reportedly are based on Islamic principles and 
are applied to Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Some Hudood Ordinance 
cases are subject to Hadd, or Koranic, punishment; others are subject 
to Tazir, or secular punishment. Although both types of cases are tried 
in ordinary criminal courts, special rules of evidence apply in Hadd 
cases. For example, a non-Muslim may testify only if the victim also is 
non-Muslim. Likewise, the testimony of women, Muslim or non-Muslim, is 
not admissible in cases involving Hadd punishments. Thus, if a Muslim 
man rapes a Muslim woman in the presence of women or non-Muslim men, he 
cannot be convicted under the Hudood Ordinances.
    For both Muslims and non-Muslims, all consensual extramarital 
sexual relations are considered a violation of the Hudood Ordinances; 
thus, if a woman cannot prove the absence of consent in a rape case, 
there is a risk that she may be charged with a violation of the Hudood 
Ordinances for fornication or adultery. The maximum punishment for this 
offense is public flogging or stoning. According to a police official, 
in a majority of rape cases, the victims are pressured to drop rape 
charges because of the threat of Hudood adultery charges being brought 
against them. A parliamentary commission of inquiry for women has 
criticized the Hudood Ordinances and recommended their repeal. It also 
has been charged that the laws on adultery and rape have been subject 
to widespread misuse, with 95 percent of the women accused of adultery 
being found innocent in the court of first instance or on appeal. This 
commission found that the main victims of the Hudood Ordinances are 
poor women who are unable to defend themselves against slanderous 
charges. According to the commission, the laws also have been used by 
husbands and other male family members to punish their wives and female 
family members for reasons that have nothing to do with sexual 
propriety. Approximately one-third or more of the women in jails in 
Lahore, Peshawar, and Mardan in 1998 were awaiting trial for adultery 
under the Hudood Ordinances. However, no Hadd punishment has been 
imposed since the Hudood Ordinances went into effect. Human rights 
monitors and women's groups believe that a narrow interpretation of 
Shari'a has had a harmful effect on the rights of women and minorities, 
as it reinforces popular attitudes and perceptions and contributes to 
an atmosphere in which discriminatory treatment of women and non-
Muslims is accepted more readily.
    Under the Anti-Terrorist Act, any act, including speech, intended 
to stir up religious hatred, is punishable by up to 7 years of rigorous 
imprisonment. In the antiterrorist courts, which virtually were shut 
down by the Supreme Court in 1998, cases were to be decided within 7 
working days, and trials in absentia were permitted. Appeals to an 
appellate court also were required to occur within 7 days, but 
appellate authority since has been restored to the high courts and the 
Supreme Court. Under the act, bail is not to be granted if the judge 
has reasonable grounds to believe that the accused is guilty.
    The Penal Code incorporates the doctrines of Diyat (blood money) 
and Qisas (roughly, an eye for an eye). Qisas is not known to have been 
invoked, but Diyat occasionally is used, especially in the NWFP, with 
the result that compensation sometimes is paid to the family of a 
murder victim in place of punishment of the murderer. Under these 
ordinances only the family of the victim, not the state, may pardon the 
defendant. Like the Hudood Ordinances, Qisas and Diyat apply to both 
ordinary criminal courts and Shari'at courts.
    Section 295(a), the colonial-era blasphemy provision of the Penal 
Code, originally stipulated a maximum 2-year sentence for insulting the 
religion of any class of citizens. In 1991 this sentence was increased 
to 10 years. In 1982 Section 295(b) was added, which stipulated a 
sentence of life imprisonment for ``whoever willfully defiles, damages, 
or desecrates a copy of the holy Koran.'' In 1986 during the martial 
law period, another amendment, Section 295(c), established the death 
penalty or life imprisonment for directly or indirectly defiling ``the 
sacred name of the Holy Prophet Mohammed.'' For example, persons who 
overtly deny that Mohammad was the final prophet can be prosecuted for 
indirectly defiling the Prophet's name under Section 295(c). In 1991 a 
court struck down the option of life imprisonment for this offense. In 
1997 cases filed under Penal Code Section 295(a) were transferred to 
antiterrorist courts. Personal rivals and the authorities have used 
these blasphemy laws, especially Section 295(c), to threaten, punish, 
or intimidate Ahmadis, Christians, and even Orthodox Muslims. No one 
has been executed by the State under any of these provisions; however, 
some persons have been sentenced to death, and religious extremists 
have killed persons accused under the provisions. The blasphemy laws 
also have been used to ``settle scores'' unrelated to religious 
activity, such as intrafamily or property disputes. In 1998 the 
previous Government instituted a policy that required magistrates to 
investigate the credibility of blasphemy allegations before filing 
formal charges; however, the Musharraf Government ended this policy due 
to opposition from some religious political parties.
    Due to increasing local and international pressure to repeal or 
modify the blasphemy laws, Musharraf announced a proposal in April 2000 
to modify the administration of the laws so that complainants would 
have to register new blasphemy cases with the local deputy 
commissioners instead of with police officials. The goal of this 
proposed change was to reduce the number of persons who are accused 
wrongly under the laws; however, many religious minority 
representatives stated that this suggested administrative change would 
have done little to protect their communities from being charged under 
the blasphemy laws. Religious and sectarian groups mounted large-scale 
protests against the proposed change and some religious leaders stated 
that if the laws were changed, even just procedurally, persons would be 
justified in killing blasphemers themselves. In May 2000, in response 
to increasing pressure and threats, Musharraf abandoned his proposed 
reforms to the blasphemy laws.
    When blasphemy and other religious cases are brought to court, 
extremists often pack the courtroom and make public threats about the 
consequences of an acquittal. As a result, low level judges and 
magistrates, seeking to avoid a confrontation with, or violence from, 
the extremists, often continue trials indefinitely, and those accused 
of blasphemy often are burdened with further legal costs and repeated 
court appearances.
    According to the Constitution, both the President and the Prime 
Minister must be Muslims, and all senior officials must swear an oath 
to preserve the country's ``Islamic ideology.''
    The Constitution states that ``the state shall safeguard the 
legitimate rights and interest of minorities, including their due 
representation in the federal and provincial bodies,'' and the National 
Assembly and provincial assemblies have seats reserved for non-Muslims. 
However, following the October 1999 coup, the National and provincial 
assemblies were suspended.
    The Government designates religion on citizens' passports. In order 
to obtain a passport, citizens must declare whether they are Muslim or 
non-Muslim; Muslims also must affirm that they accept the unqualified 
finality of the Prophethood of Mohammed, declare that Ahmadis are non-
Muslims, and specifically denounce the founder of the Ahmadi movement.
    On September 4, 1999, Lahore High Court Justice Nazir Akhtar 
reportedly stated that those accused of blasphemy ``must be punished or 
killed on the spot without any trial and there is not need of the 
law.'' Christian leaders publicly criticized this statement and Justice 
Akhtar subsequently rescinded his remarks.
    Although there are reserved seats in the National Assembly (NA) and 
the provincial assemblies for non-Muslims, the Government distinguishes 
between Muslims and non-Muslims with regard to political rights. In 
national and local elections, Muslims cast their votes for Muslim 
candidates by geographic locality, while non-Muslims can cast their 
votes only for at-large non-Muslim candidates. Since separate 
electorates exist for Muslims and non-Muslims, there is little 
participation by non-Muslims in the mainstream Muslim parties, and 
local mainstream parliamentary representatives have little incentive to 
promote their minority constituents' interests. Many Christian 
activists state that these ``separate electorates'' are the greatest 
obstacle to the attainment of Christian religious and civil liberties. 
Ahmadi leaders encourage the Ahmadis not to register as ``non-Muslims'' 
(since Ahmadis consider themselves to be Muslims, so most Ahmadis are 
completely unrepresented.
    Until the suspension of the National Assembly (NA) after the 
October 1999 coup, Christians held four reserved seats, Hindus and 
members of scheduled castes another four; Ahmadis one; and Sikhs, 
Buddhists, Parsis, and other non-Muslims one. The 1997 general election 
report states that each Christian NA member represented 327,606 
persons; each Hindu and scheduled castes member, 319,029; the Sikh, 
Buddhist, Parsi, and other non-Muslim NA member, 112,801; and the 
Ahmadi member, 104,244. These figures significantly understate the 
population of the religious minorities because they are based on 1981 
census figures. However, legal provisions for minority reserved seats 
do not extend to the Senate and the federal Cabinet, which were 
composed entirely of Muslim members until the coup. The Prime Minister, 
federal ministers and ministers of state, as well as elected members of 
the Senate and National Assembly (including non-Muslims), must take a 
religious oath to ``strive to preserve the Islamic ideology, which is 
the basis for the creation of Pakistan.''
    On June 28, 1999, the one-member election tribunal of the Peshawar 
high court disqualified Walter Siraj, the Christian seat member of the 
NWFP provincial assembly for alleged vote rigging.
    The Ministry of Religious and Minority Affairs, the government 
ministry that is entrusted with safeguarding religious freedom, has on 
its masthead a Koranic verse: ``Islam is the only religion acceptable 
to God.'' The Ministry claims that it spends 30 percent of its annual 
budget to assist indigent minorities, to repair minority places of 
worship, to set up minority-run small development schemes, and to 
celebrate minority festivals. However, the Bishops' Conference of the 
National Commission for Justice and Peace questioned its expenditures, 
observing that localities and villages housing minority citizens go 
without basic civic amenities. The Bishops' Conference, using official 
budget figures for expenditures in 1998, calculated that the Government 
actually spent $17 (PRs 850) on each Muslim and only $3.20 (PRs 16) on 
each minority citizen per month.
    Missionaries are allowed to operate in the country, and 
proselytizing (except by Ahmadis) is allowed so long as there is no 
preaching against Islam and the missionaries acknowledge that they are 
not Muslim. However, all missionaries are required to have specific 
missionary visas, which have a validity of 2 to 5 years and allow only 
one entry into the country per year. These visas carry the annotation 
``missionary.'' Only ``replacement'' visas for those taking the place 
of departing missionaries are available, and long delays and 
bureaucratic problems are frequent. Proselytizing generally is 
considered socially inappropriate among Muslims; missionaries face some 
difficulties due to this perception. For example, some Sunni Muslim 
groups oppose missionary activities and have at times issued verbal 
threats against missionaries in order to discourage them from working.
    While there is no law establishing the Koranic death penalty for 
apostates (those who convert from Islam), social pressure against such 
an action is so powerful that most such conversions reportedly take 
place in secret. According to missionaries, police and other local 
officials harass villagers and members of the poorer classes who 
convert. Reprisals and threats of reprisals against suspected converts 
are common.
    In a highly publicized case in 1998, a district court in Rawalpindi 
removed three sisters from the custody of their Christian parents after 
the sisters allegedly had converted from Christianity to Islam. 
However, it is not clear to what extent the decision was based upon the 
parents' religion. A subsequent decision in March 1999 awarded custody 
of the two youngest girls to their older sister and her new Muslim 
husband; the eldest of the three sisters reportedly had married her 
attorney. The girls' parents attribute the loss of their children to 
the influence of religious extremists who packed the courtroom, and 
claim to have suffered harassment because of the case. The girls' 
family since has moved, and has relinquished contact with the girls out 
of fear of further persecution.
    Upon conversion to Islam, the marriages of Jewish or Christian men 
remain legal; however, upon conversion to Islam, the marriages of 
Jewish or Christian women, or of other non-Muslims, which were 
performed under the rites of the previous religion, are considered 
dissolved.
    Links with coreligionists in other countries are relatively trouble 
free. The Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Pakistan report no 
difficulties. Ismailis are in regular contact with their headquarters, 
and their officials, including Prince Karim Aga Khan, visit Pakistan 
regularly. Under reciprocal visa arrangements, Indian Hindu and Sikh 
leaders and groups travel regularly to Pakistan. However, the 
Government prohibits Ahmadis from participating in the Hajj (the Muslim 
pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia).
    The Constitution safeguards ``education institutions with respect 
to religion.'' For example, no student can be forced to receive 
religious instruction or to participate in religious worship other than 
his or her own. It also prohibits the denial of religious instruction 
for students of any religious community or denomination.
    ``Islamiyyat'' (Islamic studies) is compulsory for all Muslim 
students in state-run schools. In March 1998, the Government announced 
a new education policy that increased mandatory Islamic instruction in 
public schools. While students of other faiths are not required to 
study Islam, they are not provided with parallel studies in their own 
religions. In practice teachers compel many non-Muslim students to 
complete Islamic studies.
    The Government nationalized all church schools and colleges in 
Punjab and Sindh in 1972. The Government of Sindh gradually 
denationalized church schools without compensation from 1985 to 1995. 
The Government of Punjab devised a scheme to denationalize schools and 
return them to their original owners in 1996. In Punjab, several 
schools belonging to the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A. were 
denationalized and returned to the former owners in 1998. Other church-
affiliated institutions, including the prestigious Kinnaird College, 
received or were granted administrative autonomy. Discussions currently 
are underway between the government of Punjab and the Presbyterian 
Church, U.S.A. on the denationalization of Forman Christian College. 
Throughout 1999, religion-based political parties in Punjab opposed 
denationalization of schools.
    The Constitution specifically prohibits discriminatory admission to 
any governmental educational institution solely on the basis of 
religion; however, students must declare their religion on their 
application forms. Muslim students must declare in writing that they 
believe in the unqualified finality of the Prophethood of Mohammed; 
non-Muslims must have their religion verified by the head of their 
local religious community. Many Ahmadis and Christians report that they 
face discrimination in applying to government educational institutions 
due to their religious affiliation.
    The Constitution provides for the ``freedom to manage religious 
institutions.'' In principle, the Government does not restrict 
organized religions from establishing places of worship and training 
members of the clergy. However, in practice, Ahmadis suffer from 
restrictions on this right. Several Ahmadi mosques have reportedly been 
closed; others have reportedly been violated. Ahmadis also are 
prohibited from being buried in Muslim graveyards.
    In 1998 the Punjab Assembly unanimously passed a resolution to 
change the name of the Punjab town that serves as the administrative 
religious center of the Ahmadi community. In March 1999, the son of a 
prominent Muslim fundamentalist filed charges with the police against 
two Ahmadi leaders, Mirza Masroor Ahmad and Colonel Ayyaz Mahmud (ret.) 
for allegedly instructing Ahmadi activists to write in the former 
Ahmadi name of the town (Rabwah) on a newly installed plaque. In April 
1999, four Ahmadi leaders were arrested on blasphemy charges for 
allegedly inciting desecration of the plaque. The charges eventually 
were dropped and the four were released; however, they still face 
criminal charges under the Maintenance of Public Order Act.
    Separate categories exist for different religions in the 
administration of specific religious sites. Hindus and Sikhs, because 
of population shifts that occurred between India and Pakistan after 
partition, come under the auspices of the Evacuee Property Board, which 
is located in Lahore and is empowered to settle disputes regarding 
Hindu and Sikh property. However, Hindus and Sikhs may settle such 
disputes in civil courts. Christian churches are free to take their 
disputes over religious property and management to the courts. Some 
minorities have expressed displeasure over government management of 
religious property. Both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of 
Pakistan operate regular seminary programs.
    In Sindh Muslim mosques and shrines come under the purview of the 
Auqaf Administration Department, a branch of the provincial government 
devoted to the upkeep of shrines and mosques, facilities for pilgrims, 
and the resolution of disputes over possession of a religious site. In 
both Sindh and Baluchistan, the Government has provided funds for the 
upkeep and repair of the Hindu Gurumander temple in Karachi, and funded 
the repair of Hindu temples damaged by Muslim rioters protesting the 
destruction of the Babri mosque by Hindu mobs in Ayodhya, India in 
1992.
    Permission to buy land comes from one municipal bureaucracy, and 
permission to build a house of worship from another. With all religious 
groups, the process appears to be subject to bureaucratic delays and 
requests for bribes. In May 1999, the International Church of Karachi, 
an evangelical congregation serving missionaries, foreigners, and 
English-speaking Pakistanis, were denied permission to build after 
refusing to pay a large bribe. The congregation continues to meet in 
rented quarters.
    The Constitution protects religious minorities against being taxed 
to support the majority religion; no one may be forced to pay taxes for 
the support of any religion other than his or her own. The majority 
Sunni Muslims are subject to the ``zakat,'' a religious tax of 2.5 
percent of their income, which is taken once a year from their bank 
accounts. Shi'a Muslims are exempted from the tax. Non-Muslims do not 
have a special tax.
    The Government does not restrict religious publishing per se; 
however, the Government restricts the right to freedom of speech with 
regard to religion. Speaking in opposition to Islam and publishing an 
attack on Islam or its Prophet are prohibited. The Penal Code mandates 
the death sentence for anyone defiling the name of the Prophet 
Mohammed, life imprisonment for desecrating the Koran, and up to 10 
years' imprisonment for insulting another's religious beliefs with 
intent to outrage religious feelings. Although prosecutions appear to 
be few, the threat of the blasphemy law is ever present. The 
effectively suspended Anti-Terrorist Act stipulates imprisonment with 
rigorous labor for up to 7 years for using abusive or insulting words, 
or possessing or distributing written or recorded material, with intent 
to stir up sectarian hatred. No warrant is required to seize such 
material.
    Ahmadis say that they suffer from restrictions on their press. 
Christian scriptures and books are available in Karachi and in 
traveling bookmobiles. However, the owner of a Christian bookshop in 
Karachi has reported frequent questioning by local Muslim religious 
leaders and occasional questioning by the police. Such questioning may 
lead to self-censorship among Christians. Hindu and Parsi scriptures 
are freely available. Foreign books and magazines may be imported 
freely, but are subject to censorship for objectionable religious 
content.
    In December 1999, the Supreme Court ruled that charging interest is 
un-Islamic and directed the Government to implement an interest-free 
financial system by June 2001.
Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom
    No estimate of the number of religious detainees exists; however, 
the Government has arrested and detained numerous Muslims and non-
Muslims for their religious beliefs and practices under the blasphemy 
and anti-Ahmadi laws. The blasphemy laws were meant to protect both 
majority and minority faiths from discrimination or abuse; however, in 
practice these laws frequently are used by rivals and the authorities 
to threaten, punish, or intimidate religious minorities. Credible 
sources estimate that several hundred persons have been arrested since 
the laws were implemented; however, significantly fewer persons have 
been tried. Most of the several hundred persons arrested since 1989 
have been released due to a lack of sufficient evidence. According to 
the Bishops' Conference of the National Commission for Justice and 
Peace (NCJP), religious minorities constitute a greater than expected 
proportion of the prison population. Prison conditions, except for the 
``class A'' facilities provided to wealthy and politically high profile 
prisoners, are extremely poor and constitute a threat to the life and 
health of prisoners. According to the NCJP, non-Muslim prisoners do not 
enjoy the same facilities as Muslim inmates.
    According to Ahmadi sources, 80 Ahmadis were implicated in criminal 
cases on a ``religious basis'' (including blasphemy) in 22 cases in 
1999. Seven Ahmadis were charged in Bakhoo Bhatti, Punjab, with 
blasphemy on July 3, 1999. On July 19, 1999 two Ahmadis were charged in 
Muzaffargarh for preaching and distributing religious literature; the 
case later was transferred to an antiterrorist court at Dera Ghazi 
Khan. Ahmadi sources report that bail was denied; the two Ahmadis 
remained in prison as of mid-2000. On July 21, 1999, authorities 
reportedly arrested a man from District Sialkot, Punjab for issuing a 
call to prayer. On September 6, 1999, police officials arrested Dr. 
Abdul Ghani for preaching; he was denied bail by the antiterrorist 
court and remained in prison as of mid-2000. In September 1999, Azharur 
Rehman was arrested for preaching; his trial was underway as of mid-
2000. On April 27, 2000 four Ahmadis were arrested for preaching in 
District Sialkot Punjab. According to Ahmadi sources, on July 30, 1999, 
a subdivisional magistrate ordered an Ahmadi mosque sealed in 
Naseerabad, Sindh; it remained sealed as of mid-2000. Ahmadi sources 
report that on September 8, 1999, police personnel arrested an Ahmadi 
in Bahawalnagar, Punjab for building a place of worship. Officials 
reportedly closed the mosque and confiscated Ahmadi books and a copy of 
the Koran. On August 10, 1999, an Ahmadi from Mirpur Khas, Sindh was 
arrested for wearing a shirt with an inscription of the Kalima (Islamic 
creed) after he was attacked by extremists who tore the shirt off of 
him; the man remained in prison as of mid-2000. On September 8, 1999, 
police officials arrested an Ahmadi from Sialkot district for preaching 
his faith; he currently is serving a 10-year term in prison. On 
September 16, 1999, police arrested one Ahmadi in Daska, Sialkot 
district, Punjab, for preaching; his plea for bail was rejected and he 
remains in jail. On September 22, 1999 an Ahmadi from Jahanian Shah was 
arrested; he later was sentenced to 3 years' imprisonment. Three 
Ahmadis were convicted of blasphemy in December 1997; they were found 
guilty and were sentenced to life imprisonment and $1,250 (PRs 50,000) 
fines. Lawyers for the men appealed the decision to the Lahore high 
court, whose ruling had not been issued as of mid-2000. According to 
Ahmadi sources, 16 Ahmadis have been charged under the blasphemy laws 
since the October 12, 1999 coup.
    In December 1999, several hundred persons looted and burned 
property in Haveli Lakha, Okara district, Punjab, which belonged to 
Mohammad Nawaz, a local Ahmadi leader accused of planning to build an 
Ahmadi house of worship. A neighbor reportedly incited the incident by 
accusing Nawaz of building the house of worship after the two were 
involved in a property dispute. Nawaz, a doctor, reportedly intended to 
build a free clinic next to his home. The mob destroyed the clinic and 
looted and burned Nawaz's home. According to Ahmadi sources, police 
personnel arrived at the scene, but did nothing to stop the crowd. As 
of mid-2000, neither the neighbor nor anyone in the crowd had been 
arrested or questioned in connection with the incident, and police took 
no steps to find or return any of Nawaz's property. However, Nawaz and 
his two sons were arrested and charged with blasphemy. Several days 
later, they were released on bail; however, the blasphemy case against 
them was pending as of mid-2000. Three other Ahmadis in Haveli Lakha 
also were charged with blasphemy in connection with the incident, even 
though they were not in town at the time.
    Christian minorities also are frequent targets of the blasphemy 
laws. According to the NCJP, police arrested two Christians in 1998 for 
allegedly throwing pages of the Koran onto their neighbor's lawn; they 
were released on bail during the period covered by this report. In 
October 1999, Shafiq Masih was acquitted of a blasphemy charge, but was 
sentenced to 8 years' imprisonment for having uttered derogatory 
comments against the Prophet Mohammed; he is appealing the decision. In 
May 2000, a lower court in Sialkot district, Punjab, sentenced two 
Christian brothers to 35 years' imprisonment each and fined both of 
them $1,500 (75,000 RS). The brothers were convicted of desecrating the 
Koran and blaspheming against the Prophet Mohammed; both cases were 
registered by an ice cream vendor who allegedly fought with the 
brothers after he asked them to use their own dishes, stating that his 
were reserved for Muslim customers. Lawyers for the brothers filed an 
appeal in the Lahore high court. On May 2, 2000, Augustine Ashiq Masih 
was charged with blaspheming against the Prophet in Faiselbad. 
According to press reports, Masih converted to Islam, married a Muslim 
woman, and then converted back to Christianity, which angered local 
Muslims who brought the charges against him. Ayub Masih (detained since 
1996) was convicted of blasphemy for making favorable comments about 
Salman Rushdie, the author of the controversial book, ``The Satanic 
Verses,'' and was sentenced to death in April 1998. Ayub's family and 
13 other landless Christian families were forced from their village in 
1996 following the charges, and he survived an attempt on his life in 
1997, when he was shot at outside of the courtroom while in trial. The 
case was pending appeal before the Lahore high court at the end of June 
2000. In May 1998, police arrested a Christian in Sahiwal, Punjab for 
stoning a billboard that bore Islamic scripture; he remained in prison 
at the end of June 2000. Another Christian, Ranjha Masih, was arrested 
and charged with blasphemy for allegedly throwing stones at an Islamic 
sign in 1998; he remained in prison as of mid-2000.
    Police also arrest Muslims under the blasphemy laws; government 
officials maintain that about two-thirds of the total blasphemy cases 
that have been brought to trial have affected Muslims. In September 
1998, a Shi'a Muslim, Ghulam Akbar, was convicted of blasphemy in 
Rahimyar Khan, Punjab, for allegedly making derogatory remarks about 
the Prophet Mohammed in 1995. He was sentenced to death, the first time 
that a Muslim had been sentenced to death for a violation of the 
blasphemy law. The case was pending as of mid-2000.
    In June 1999, two Muslim faith healers from Lahore were arrested 
for allegedly burning a copy of the Koran; the healers claimed to be 
burning evil spirits. Police officials later stated that they were 
suffering from mental illness. According to the NCJP, in October 1999, 
police officials arrested two Muslims from Bhati Gate Lahore, Punjab 
for allegedly burning a copy of the Koran; they were released on bail 
in early 2000.
    In November 1999, an antiterrorist court in Sindh convicted two 
Muslim journalists of blaspheming the Prophet Mohammed; both 
journalists were sentenced to seven years' imprisonment and a large 
monetary fine. In March 2000, an antiterrorist court in Sindh convicted 
Muslim author, Gohar Shahi in absentia under the blasphemy laws.
    There are scattered reports that authorities interrogate persons 
due to their religious beliefs or practices.
    The law regulates arrest and detention procedures; however, the 
authorities do not always comply with the law, and police arbitrarily 
arrest and detain citizens. Violence in Punjab has prompted the 
Government on several occasions to round up hundreds of members of 
religious extremist groups and students at religious schools 
(madrassahs) believed to be terrorist recruiting centers and training 
grounds. The police also arrested demonstrators, including members of 
religious minorities.
    The Punjab government ordered a crackdown on extremists in early 
October 1999; as a result several hundred persons were arrested, 
including the leader of the Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), Maulana 
Mohammad Azam Tariq, and SSP branch president Maulana Mohammad Ahmad 
Ludhianvi. Tariq was released after a year of imprisonment.
    In July 1999, police personnel arrested four Hindus who had 
traveled to Islamabad from around the country to request visas for 
travel to India. According to credible sources, police interrogated the 
Hindus at length and subsequently released them.
    The authorities sometimes prevent leaders of politico- religious 
parties from traveling to certain areas if they believe that the 
presence of such leaders would increase sectarian tensions or cause 
public violence.
    There have been press reports that the authorities are conducting 
surveillance on the Ahmadis and their institutions.
    There have been instances in which police have used excessive force 
against individuals because of their religious beliefs and practices. 
The police also have failed to act against persons who use force 
against other individuals due to their religious beliefs. Both the 
Christian and Ahmadi communities have documented instances of the use 
of excessive force by the police and police inaction to prevent 
violent, and often lethal, attacks on members of their communities. For 
example, both the Christian and Ahmadi communities claim that persons 
have been murdered because of their religious beliefs.
    Police torture and other forms of mistreatment of persons in 
custody are common. However, there were no confirmed reports of torture 
of prisoners or detainees based on their religious beliefs during the 
period covered by this report. There were a number of deaths in police 
custody during the period covered by this report. Two of the persons 
who died in police custody were Christians; however, they were not 
arrested in connection with their religious beliefs. According to the 
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Asif Masih was tortured and killed 
by police personnel in Gujranwala in early 2000; officials have not 
disclosed the reason for his arrest. The district magistrate ordered an 
inquiry; however, the inquiry results were not known by mid-2000. In 
September 1999, police personnel arrested Ilyas Masih, a Christian, on 
suspicion of possessing illegal firearms. According to the NCJP, Masih 
died as a result of being tortured in police custody. It is unclear if 
Masih's religion played any role in his death.
    Ahmadis, Christians, and other minority groups also report that 
they experience harassment and discrimination in public sector 
employment. Religious minorities very rarely are promoted to senior 
ranks in civil service or the military.
Improvements in Respect for Religious Freedom
    The Musharraf Government took several specific steps that slightly 
improved the situation of religious minorities. For example, Musharraf 
abandoned his predecessor's proposal to implement Shari'a law through a 
constitutional amendment. In February 2000, Musharraf created a 
minority affairs portfolio and appointed a Christian to fill the 
position. According to persons in religious minority communities, the 
Musharraf Government made efforts to seek minority input into decision-
making and offered cabinet positions to individuals from religious 
minority communities. The tenor of government-minority relations 
changed somewhat since the October 1999 coup. Hostile comments from 
government officials regarding minorities are less prevalent since the 
change in Government, and some officials in the Musharraf Government 
took steps to reach out to some minority communities.
    In April 2000, the Government convened a human rights convention, 
which included representatives from most of the religious minority 
groups, stating that it was ``imperative'' that the country ``build a 
culture'' that was conducive to human rights. At the convention, 
Musharraf announced a proposed change in the implementation of the 
blasphemy laws. The proposed change was for local administrators, as 
presumably neutral parties, to review all accusations of blasphemy 
before a case is filed with police officials; however, the Musharraf 
Government did not implement this change due to strong opposition from 
some Muslim groups.
    Government officials have discussed the possibility of eliminating 
the separate electorate system as a part of electoral reforms currently 
being considered; however, no specific steps were taken to implement 
this reform as of mid-2000.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. Citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Discriminatory religious legislation has encouraged an atmosphere 
of religious intolerance, which has led to acts of violence directed 
against Ahmadis, Christians, Hindus, and Zikris. Members of religious 
minorities are subject to violence and harassment, and police at times 
refuse to prevent such actions or to charge persons who commit them.
    There are many sectarian divisions in the country, growing 
intolerance for religious minorities within society, and violence 
between religious groups, particularly between rival Sunni and Shi'a 
organizations, frequently occurred during the period covered by this 
report. There were instances when the Government failed to intervene in 
cases of societal violence (also see Section I). One newspaper 
estimated that 300 persons were killed in sectarian attacks during the 
last 2 years. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan reported that 
nearly 1,000 persons were killed in religious or ethnic violence each 
year since 1990.
    A wave of violence occurred just prior to the October 1999 coup, 
which claimed dozens of lives. Following the coup, there was a period 
of relative quiet until the traditionally tense Muharram period in 
April 2000, when a number of persons were killed in incidents of 
sectarian violence. Shi'a activists report that approximately 40 Shi'as 
have been killed since the coup.
    On August 19, 1999, members of an extremist Shi'a organization, 
Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Fiqh-Jafria (TJP), fired on a rally held by members of 
the rival Sunni militant group, Sipah-e-Sahabah Pakistan, killing 
Mohammed Khalid Rajput. On the following day, a Shi'a mourning 
procession was fired upon, although there were no casualties. Five 
persons were charged in connection with the killing of Rajput; three 
had been arrested by June 30, 2000. On September 6, 1999, an explosion 
in a madrassah in Karachi injured more than 20 persons; no arrests have 
been made in connection with this attack. On September 24, 1999, three 
members of the SSP killed Khurshid Anwar, the Secretary General of the 
TJP, his daughter, and his bodyguard, setting off a wave of sectarian 
violence. All three of the SSP leaders were arrested soon after the 
killing and later were released; no one has been charged with the 
murder. After Anwar's murder, Shi'a and Sunni extremist groups 
perpetrated numerous attacks in which more than 30 persons were killed. 
Among those killed were the president of the Gujranwala division of the 
TJP, Ijaz Hussain Rasool Nagri, on September 30, 1999; 9 worshipers in 
a Shi'a mosque in Karachi on October 1, 1999; the assistant inspector 
general of police in the NWFP, Farooq Haider, a Shi'a, on October 2, 
1999; 5 students in a Sunni madrassah in Karachi on October 2, 1999; 
and Dr. Quaiser Abbas Sayyal, a relative of an advisor to the Prime 
Minister, along with several others, in a clinic in Lahore in early 
October 1999. On October 6, 1999, Nisa Ali Hazara, a Shi'a member of 
the Baluch assembly and the Baluchistan Education Minister, was shot 
and injured in Quetta by masked gunmen as his car left the Baluch 
assemly; his driver was killed. Also on October 6, 1999, two Shi'a 
homeopathic doctors, Al-e Hassan and Muttasim Hassan, were shot and 
killed at their home in Karachi by motorcycle gunmen; another doctor, 
Mohammad Nisar, an influential member of the Sunni Jamaat-i-Islam, was 
killed in Karachi earlier on the same day. Aun Mohammed Rizvi, a senior 
Shi'a official from the state-run television station, was shot and 
killed by motorcycle gunmen in Rawalpindi on October 7, 1999. On 
October 8, 1999, unknown assailants killed Syed Abbas Shah, president 
of the TJP, near Bhalwal.
    On November 4, 1999, 3 explosions occurred in Murdike, where the 
Sunni militant group Lashkar-e-Taibe was holding its annual conference; 
1 person was killed and more than 30 others were injured. On December 
27, 1999, 13 Sunnis were killed and 6 were injured in Sikanderpur 
village, Haripur district, NWFP. The victims reportedly belonged to the 
SSP and were returning from the funeral of another SSP member and were 
killed by three Shi'as. On December 28, 1999, thousands of SSP members 
destroyed homes and shops belonging to local Shi'as after attending the 
funerals of those killed the previous day. As of mid-2000, no suspects 
were detained in connection with these events.
    In August 1999, the leader of the Sunni religious party Jamiat 
Ulema-i-Islami (JUI) Fazlur Rehman, accused the Aga Khan Foundation of 
the killing of a Sunni religious leader and his nephew in Chitral and 
called for the closure of Aga Khan activities. The Sunni leader was 
killed by an Ismaili in a property dispute on August 19, 1999. (The Aga 
Khan Foundation is a community service organization sponsored by 
Ismaili Shi'as.)
    On January 17, 2000, a bomb exploded in front of a Karachi mosque, 
killing 9 persons and injuring 25. No one claimed responsibility for 
the attack.
    Several incidents of sectarian violence between rival Sunni and 
Shi'a groups occurred during Muharram, during which Shi'a Muslims mourn 
the deaths of the Prophet Mohammed's nephew, Ali and his son Hussain; 
this period highlights the major division between Sunni and Shi'a 
Muslims over whether Islam should be ruled by the codified Sunnah or by 
the lineal successors of the Prophet. On April 7, 2000, a Shi'a lawyer 
and the secretary general of TJP, Syed Waqar Hussain, his son, and his 
driver were killed by unknown gunmen in Karachi; the assailants may 
have been members of the extremist SSP. On April 12, 2000, in the worst 
incident of sectarian violence since the coup, unknown assailants 
attacked a Shi'a religious congregation in Mullowali, Rawalpindi, with 
grenades and bullets, killing 19 persons and injuring 37. Police 
personnel arrested several Sunni Muslims following the attack.
    On April 19, 2000, unknown gunmen killed TJP activist, Iqubal 
Hussain in Multan. On April 26, 2000, unknown assailants killed TJP 
activist, Syed Farrukh Birjis Haider and his personal aide in Khanewal. 
On April 28, 2000, unknown gunmen killed local Shi'a leader Hakeem Syed 
Shahbaz Hussain Sherazi in Chishtian. On May 2, 2000, unidentified 
assailants killed a Shi'a doctor, his pharmaceutical dispenser, and a 
patient in the doctor's Karachi office. The next day, unknown 
assailants killed Shi'a lawyer, Malik Ibrar Hussain in Toba Tek Singh, 
Punjab. On May 15, 2000, unknown assailants killed Shi'a lawyer Syed 
Sardar Hussain Jafri. Unknown assailants also killed Qudratullah 
Cheema, the chief of the Ahmadi community of Khanpur, Punjab during the 
period covered by this report. On May 19, 2000, unknown assailants 
killed eminent Sunni cleric Maulana Yousuf Ludhianvi, and Abdur Rehman, 
a teacher at the Sunni Banuri Town religious school in Karachi; 
following these murders, hundreds of Sunni Muslims rioted in Karachi.
    In March 2000, 12 men broke into the Lourdes Convent and attacked 
Sister Christine, a 78-year old nun; she died in a nearby hospital a 
few days later. According to the Christian Liberation Front (CLF), a 
nongovernmental organization (NGO), the perpetrators of the attack were 
Muslims who previously had accused Sister Christine of proselytizing. 
Police officials did not arrest anyone in connection with this attack. 
In May 2000, five masked men stopped a factory bus of female factory 
employees in Ferozewala and raped six to eight Christian girls who were 
passengers; the assailants reportedly spared the two Muslim passengers 
on the bus. Initially, police officials urged the girls to report that 
were robbed, not raped; however, when the CLF complained to government 
officials, the officials immediately registered the cases as rape 
cases, arrested two suspects, and promised to investigate police 
behavior. Three of the suspects were charged under the Hudood 
Ordinances and are scheduled to stand trial in September 2000.
    In July 1999, the Government released Sunni extremist leader 
Mohammad Azam Tariq, chief of the SSP, who had been arrested in May 
1997 and charged with the murder of a former PPP Member of Parliament 
and in 58 other cases of murder, terrorism, and incitement to sectarian 
violence. The SSP and its militant offshoot, Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, 
frequently are involved in anti-Shi'a sectarian violence.
    Sectarian violence among members of different religious groups 
continued to be a serious problem throughout the period covered by this 
report; Ahmadis, Christians and other religious minorities often were 
the targets of this violence. In September 1999, a mob raided a church 
in Sangla Hill, Punjab, allegedly attacking members of the congregation 
as they fled the church. In October 1999, a Sunni Muslim youth set fire 
to St. Peter's Catholic Church in Lahore. Police arrested the 
individual and charged him under the blasphemy laws; his case was 
pending as of mid-2000. In December 1999, a mob vandalized the home of 
an Ahmadi in Okara district, Punjab, in the presence of some members of 
the local administration; police officials reportedly charged the 
Ahmadi and his two sons under the blasphemy laws. According to the 
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, in January 2000, persons broke 
into a church in Sialkot and desecrated religious literature.
    In 1997 mobs looted and burned the Christian village of Shantinagar 
in Punjab. Local police participated in the attack and are suspected of 
having instigated the riot by inventing spurious charges that a 
Christian man had desecrated a copy of the Koran. Hundreds of homes and 
a dozen churches were destroyed, and 20,000 persons were left homeless. 
The Government has rebuilt damaged and destroyed homes, but has not 
provided compensation for personal property lost in the incident. The 
police officers accused in the incident were suspended temporarily; 
however, after their suspension they either were transferred or granted 
early retirement. The results of the official investigation of the 
incident were never made public; all of the 86 persons who were charged 
with offenses related to the attack remain free on bail and there was 
no indication that authorities planned to bring them to trial.
    Most Ahmadis are home-schooled or go to private Ahmadi-run schools. 
Those Ahmadi students in public schools often are subject to abuse by 
their non-Ahmadi classmates. The quality of teachers assigned to 
predominately Ahmadi schools by the Government reportedly is poor. 
Christian students reportedly sometimes are forced to eat at separate 
tables in public schools that are predominately Muslim.
    On some university campuses, well-armed groups of students, 
primarily from radical religious organizations, clash with and 
intimidate other students, instructors, and administrators on matter of 
language, syllabus, examination policies, grades, doctrines, and dress. 
These groups facilitate cheating on examinations, interfere in the 
hiring of staff at the campuses, control new admissions, and sometimes 
control the funds of their institutions. At Punjab University, the 
largest university in the province, Islami Jamiat-e-Tulaba (IJT--the 
student wing of the religious political party Jaamat-i-Islami) imposes 
its self-defined code of conduct on teachers and students.
    Discrimination in employment is believed to be widespread (also see 
Section I). Christians in particular have difficulty finding jobs other 
than those of menial labor, although Christian activists say that the 
employment situation has improved somewhat in the private sector. There 
is a problem of bonded labor in Pakistan and, according to the Bishops' 
Conference of Pakistan's National Commission for Justice and Peace, the 
vast majority of bonded labor in certain sectors is non-Muslim. All are 
subject to the same conditions, whether they are Muslim, Christian, or 
Hindu. In September 1999, the Government removed colonial-era entries 
for ``sect'' from government job application forms to prevent 
discrimination in hiring. However, the faith of some, particularly of 
Christians, often can be ascertained from their names.
    While many Christians are in the poorest socioeconomic groups, this 
may be due more to ethnic and social factors than to religion, per se. 
These factors also may account for a substantial measure of the 
discrimination that poor Christians face. In Karachi, the majority of 
Roman Catholics are Goan Christians, or descendants of Eurasian 
marriages. They often are light-skinned and are relatively well-
educated and prosperous, in sharp contrast to their coreligionists 
(mostly members of evangelical denominations), who are often dark-
skinned and poorly educated. Many poor Christians remain in the 
profession bequeathed by their low caste Hindu ancestors (most of whom 
were ``untouchables''). Their lot, though somewhat better today than in 
the past, does not reflect any major progress in spite of over 100 
years of consistent missionary aid and development.
    Ahmadis also have limited chances for advancement into management 
levels in government service. Even the rumor that someone may be an 
Ahmadi or have Ahmadi relatives can stifle opportunities for employment 
or promotion.
    Although there are few if any citizens who are Jewish, anti-Semitic 
sentiments appear to be widespread, and anti-Semitic articles in the 
press are relatively common.
    On May 8, 2000, 19 religious parties and politico-religious groups 
announced their decision to launch a strike on May 19 to pressure the 
Government not to amend the blasphemy laws, as well as to reinstate 
Friday as the country's official weekly holiday, ban NGO's funded by 
Christian and Jewish groups, and abandon the idea of reforming the 
country's madrassahs. The religious parties cancelled the strike after 
they received assurances from the Government that the proposed 
amendments to the blasphemy laws would not be enacted. However, on May 
11, 2000, approximately 750 religious activists gathered to protest the 
proposed amendment to the blasphemy laws; some speakers at the protest 
said that if the blasphemy laws were amended, persons would be 
justified in killing blasphemers themselves (also see Section I.).

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    Advocacy, programming, and reporting on issues of religious freedom 
and persecution form a significant part of the work of the U.S. Embassy 
and the consulates in Pakistan. U.S. representatives maintain regular 
contacts with major Muslim and minority religious groups. U.S. 
representatives also maintain a dialog with government, religious, and 
minority community representatives to encourage religious freedom and 
to discuss problems. U.S. representatives closely monitor the situation 
and act when appropriate. For example, embassy officials and the 
Ambassador-at-Large for Religious Freedom met with high-level 
government officials in February 2000 to discuss the blasphemy laws, 
separate electorates for religious minorities, and the issue of 
impunity for violent sectarian groups. On an informal basis, the 
Embassy has assisted some Christian-affiliated relief organizations in 
guiding paperwork through government channels. The Embassy also has 
assisted local and international human rights organizations to follow 
up on specific cases involving religious minorities.
                               __________

                               SRI LANKA

    Although the Constitution gives Buddhism a foremost position, it 
also provides for the right of members of other faiths to practice 
their religion freely, and the Government respects this right in 
practice.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    Despite generally amicable relations among persons of different 
faiths, there has been occasional resistance by Buddhists to Christian 
church activity, and in particular to the growth of evangelical 
Christian denominations. The courts generally have upheld the right of 
these groups to worship and to construct facilities to house their 
congregations. However, the State limits the number of foreign 
religious workers granted temporary residence permits.
    The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights.

         Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework
    The Constitution gives Buddhism a foremost position, but it also 
provides for the right of members of other faiths to practice their 
religions freely, and the Government respects this right in practice.
    There is a Ministry of Cultural and Religious Affairs and a 
Ministry of Buddha ``Sasana'' or Buddhist Affairs; the same person 
currently leads both ministries. Within the Ministry of Cultural and 
Religious Affairs, there is a Department of Hindu Religious and 
Cultural Affairs and a Department of Muslim Cultural and Religious 
Affairs. A Senior Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Cultural and 
Religious Affairs monitors government relations with the Christian 
denominations, which effectively have resisted greater government 
involvement in their affairs. Instead they are registered individually 
through acts of Parliament or as corporations under domestic law.
Religious Demography
    Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity all are practiced in 
the country. Approximately 70 percent of the population are Buddhist, 
15 percent are Hindu, 7 percent are Muslim, and 8 percent are 
Christian. There also are small numbers of Baha'is. Christians tend to 
be concentrated in the western part of the country, with much of the 
north almost exclusively Hindu. The other parts of the country have a 
mixture of religions, with Buddhism overwhelmingly present in the 
south.
    The majority of Sinhalese are Theravada Buddhists. Almost all of 
the Muslims are Sunnis, with a small minority of Shi'as, including 
members of the Borah community. Roman Catholics account for almost 90 
percent of the Christians, with Anglicans and other mainstream 
Protestant churches also present in the cities. The Seventh-Day 
Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, and the Assemblies of God are present 
as well. Evangelical Christian groups have made gains in membership in 
recent years, although the overall number of members in these groups 
still is small.
Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom
    Foreign clergy may work in the country, but for the last 30 years, 
the Government has taken steps to limit the number of foreign Christian 
religious workers given temporary work permits. Permission usually is 
restricted to denominations that are registered formally with the 
Government. Most religious workers in the country, including most 
Christian clergy, are Sri Lankan in origin.
    Some evangelical Christians, who constitute less than 1 percent of 
the population, have expressed concern that their efforts at 
proselytization often are met with hostility and harassment by the 
local Buddhist clergy and others opposed to their work. They sometimes 
complain that the Government tacitly condones such harassment. However, 
there is no evidence to support this claim. The Assemblies of God filed 
a fundamental rights case with the Supreme Court in 1997, after the 
local village council in Gampaha tried to block the construction of a 
church on the grounds that it would interfere with Buddhism. The Church 
reached agreement with the local council before the Supreme Court heard 
the case, and the building project was allowed to proceed. The 
denomination complains that it continues to face opposition at the 
local level in many places but states that legal action or the threat 
of legal action generally has resulted in the Church being allowed to 
construct facilities for its congregations and conduct worship 
services.
    Religion is a mandatory subject in the school curriculum. Parents 
and children can choose which religion a child studies: Buddhism, 
Islam, Hinduism, or Christianity. Religion is taught in schools from an 
academic point of view.
    Despite the constitutional preference for Buddhism, major religious 
festivals of all faiths are celebrated as national holidays.
    The Government has established councils for interfaith 
understanding.
    Issues related to family law, including divorce, child custody, and 
inheritance are adjudicated by the customary law of each ethnic or 
religious group. In 1995 the Government raised the minimum age of 
marriage for women from 12 to 18 years, except in the case of Muslims, 
who continue to follow their customary religious practices. The 
application of different legal practices based on membership in a 
religious or ethnic group can result in discrimination against women.
    There is no tax exemption for religious organizations as such. 
However, churches and temples are allowed to register as charitable 
organizations and therefore are entitled to some tax relief.
    For the past 17 years the Government (controlled by the Sinhalese, 
and predominantly Buddhist, majority) has fought the Liberation Tigers 
of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), an insurgent organization fighting for a 
separate state for the country's Tamil (and predominantly Hindu) 
minority. Religion does not play a significant role in the conflict, 
which essentially is rooted in linguistic, ethnic, and political 
differences. Buddhists, Hindus, and Christians all have been affected 
by the conflict, which has claimed more than 60,000 lives. The military 
has issued warnings via public radio before commencing major 
operations, instructing civilians to congregate at safe zones around 
churches and temples; however, in the conflict areas in the north, the 
Government occasionally has been accused of bombing and shelling Hindu 
temples and Christian churches. In March 1999, government forces 
recaptured the town of Madhu in the northwestern area of the country 
from the LTTE, the site of a famous Catholic shrine. Because Madhu was 
controlled by the LTTE, for several years Catholics from the south had 
not been able to make the pilgrimage to Madhu. After the town was 
recaptured by government forces, Catholics were able to resume the 
pilgrimage, but recapture of the shrine by the LTTE in November 1999 
once again limited access.
    Security force personnel probably were responsible for the 1997 
death of Reverend Innasi Arulpalan, a priest from the Jaffna diocese of 
the Church of South India. Although there were reports that witnesses 
claimed that the army took away Reverend Arulpalan and two other 
individuals, these reports could not be confirmed. The military 
initially formally denied responsibility for the incident and placed 
the blame on the LTTE. Senior military officials later suggested that 
the Reverend may have been killed accidentally, because his death 
occurred near the army's forward defense lines, an area where 
confrontations with the LTTE were common. Despite a promise of further 
investigation into the matter, the Government has not produced 
additional information regarding the case. There is no evidence to 
indicate that his religious beliefs or affiliation were a factor in his 
killing.
    There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom 
during the period covered by this report.
    There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
    The LTTE has targeted Buddhist sites, most notably the historic 
Dalada Maligawa or ``Temple of the Tooth,'' the holiest Buddhist shrine 
in the country, in the town of Kandy on January 25, 1998. Thirteen 
worshipers, including several children, were killed by the bombing. 
Following a bombing in Colombo in October 1997, an LTTE suicide bomber 
threw a grenade into a temple compound and killed a Buddhist monk. In 
1985 the LTTE massacred 150 persons worshiping at a holy Buddhist site 
in Anuradhapura. In 1987 the LTTE killed 31 Buddhist monks.
    The LTTE has discriminated against Muslims, and in 1990 expelled 
some 46,000 Muslim inhabitants--virtually the entire Muslim 
population--from their homes in areas under LTTE control in the 
northern part of the island. Most of these persons remain displaced and 
currently live in or near welfare centers. Although some Muslims 
returned to Jaffna in 1997, they did not remain there due to the 
continuing threat posed by the LTTE. There are credible reports that 
the LTTE has warned thousands of Muslims displaced from the Mannar area 
not to return to their homes until the conflict is over. In the past, 
the LTTE has expropriated Muslim homes, lands, and businesses and 
threatened Muslim families with death if they attempt to return. 
However, it appears that these attacks by the LTTE are not targeted 
against persons due to their religious beliefs, but that they are 
targeted as part of an overall strategy to clear the north and east of 
persons not sympathetic to the cause of an independent Tamil state.
    The LTTE has been accused in the past of using church and temple 
compounds, where civilians are instructed by the Government to 
congregate in the event of hostilities, as shields for the storage of 
munitions.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
    There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor 
U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the 
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to 
be returned to the United States.

                     Section II. Societal Attitudes

    Discrimination based on religious differences is much less common 
than discrimination based on ethnic group or caste. In general, the 
members of the various faiths tend to be tolerant of each other's 
religious beliefs. However, on occasion, evangelical Christians have 
been harassed by Buddhist monks for their attempts to convert Buddhists 
to Christianity, and sometimes complain that the Government tacitly 
condones such harassment, although there is no evidence to support this 
claim (see Section I).
    On April 2, 1999, two bombs were planted in an Assemblies of God 
prayer hall under construction in the mainly Buddhist town of 
Tissamaharama (in the south). One of the bombs exploded that night, 
causing a small amount of structural damage to the building. The other 
bomb was found on the morning of April 3 and defused. No one was 
injured in these incidents. According to his widow, Lionel Jayasinghe, 
the founder of the congregation, was killed on March 25, 1988, because 
his ambition to convert Buddhists to Christianity met with violent 
opposition from his neighbors. His death was investigated by the 
authorities, but no arrests were made in connection with the killing. 
Jayasinghe's widow now leads the congregation founded by her husband.
    There are reports that members of various religious groups give 
preference in hiring in the private sector to members of their own 
group or denomination. This practice likely is linked to the country's 
ongoing ethnic problems and does not appear to be based principally on 
religion. There is no indication of preference in employment in the 
public sector on the basis of religion.
    The Borah Muslim World Congress held in April 1999 attracted more 
than 3,000 participants from a number of countries to hear remarks by 
the group's spiritual leader, Dr. Syenda Mohammed Burhamuddin.
    In December 1997, a mob led by Buddhist clerics attacked an 
Assemblies of God church in Matara, damaging it severely in the 
process. The mob also reportedly assaulted several members of the 
congregation. Police were stationed in the area due to the size of the 
crowd, and intervened to help some of the congregation to leave the 
area. Police also have investigated the incident, but no one has been 
charged. However, relations between the Assemblies of God and the 
Buddhist communities in Matara have since returned to normal.
    In mid-February 1999, a group of religious leaders from the 
Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, and Christian communities made a 3-day visit 
to the north central part of the country, which is controlled by the 
LTTE. The purpose of the visit was to assess the humanitarian situation 
in the region and to talk with senior LTTE leaders to discuss the 
conflict and the prospects for peace. The group later met with the 
President, but there were few concrete results from the meeting. 
Follow-up meetings with the LTTE, which were scheduled for mid-1999, 
were cancelled after government forces captured additional LTTE-held 
territory north of the town of Madhu. Religious leaders have continued 
to serve as unofficial envoys between the two warring sides.

                  Section III. U.S. Government Policy

    The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the 
Government in the overall context of its promotion of human rights. 
Representatives of the Embassy regularly meet with representatives of 
all of the country's religious groups to review a wide range of human 
rights, ethnic, and religious freedom issues. The U.S. Ambassador has 
met with many religious figures, both in Colombo and in his travels 
around the country. Christian bishops and prominent Buddhist monks, as 
well as prominent members of the Hindu and Muslim communities, are in 
regular contact with the Embassy. The Embassy has been supportive of 
efforts by interfaith religious leaders to promote a peaceful 
resolution of the conflict in Sri Lanka.


















                          A P P E N D I X E S











                               APPENDIX A

                              ----------                              


                 UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

                                Preamble

            Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the 
        equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family 
        is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world;

            Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have 
        resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience 
        of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings 
        shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear 
        and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the 
        common people;

            Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to 
        have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny 
        and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the 
        rule of law;

            Whereas it is essential to promote the development of 
        friendly relations between nations;

            Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the 
        Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in 
        the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal 
        rights of men and women and have determined to promote social 
        progress and better standards of life in larger freedom;

            Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, 
        in co-operation with the United Nations, the promotion of 
        universal respect for and observance of human rights and 
        fundamental freedoms;

            Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms 
        is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this 
        pledge;

        Now, therefore, The General Assembly, proclaims this Universal 
        Declaration of Human Rights as a common standard of achievement 
        for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every 
        individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration 
        constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to 
        promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by 
        progressive measures, national and international, to secure 
        their universal and effective recognition and observance, both 
        among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the 
        peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.\1\

    \1\ Hundred and eighty-third plenary meeting; Resolution 
217(A)(III) of the United Nations General Assembly, December 10, 1948
    (This material is in the public domain and may be reprinted without 
permission; citation of this source is appreciated.)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

                               Article 1

      All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. 
They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one 
another in a spirit of brotherhood.

                               Article 2

      Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in 
this Declaration, without distinction of an kind, such as race, colour, 
sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social 
origin, property, birth or other status.
      Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the 
political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or 
territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, 
non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.

                               Article 3

      Everyone has the right to life, liberty and the security of 
person.

                               Article 4

      No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the 
slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.

                               Article 5

      No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or 
degrading treatment or punishment.
      Article 6
      Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person 
before the law.

                               Article 7

      All are equal before the law and are entitled without any 
discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to 
equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this 
Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.

                               Article 8

      Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent 
national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted 
him by the constitution or by law.

                               Article 9

      No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or 
exile.

                               Article 10

      Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public 
hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination 
of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.

                               Article 11

      1. Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be 
presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public 
trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defense.
      2. No one shall be held guilty without any limitation due to 
race, of any penal offence on account of nationality or religion, have 
the any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offence, under 
national or international law, at the time when it was committed

                               Article 12

      No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his 
privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour 
and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law 
against such interference or attacks.

                               Article 13

      1. Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence 
within the borders of each state.
      2. Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his 
own, and to return to his country.

                               Article 14

      1. Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries 
asylum from persecution.
      2. This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions 
genuinely arising from non-political crimes or from acts contrary to 
the purposes and principles of the United Nations.

                               Article 15

      1. Everyone has the right to a nationality.
      2. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor be 
denied the right to change his nationality.

                               Article 16

      1. Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, 
nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. 
They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and 
at its dissolution.
      2. Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full 
consent of the intending spouses.
      3. The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of 
society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.

                               Article 17

      1. Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in 
association with others.
      2. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.

                               Article 18

      Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and 
religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, 
and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or 
private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, 
worship and observance.

                               Article 19

      Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this 
right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to 
seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and 
regardless of frontiers.

                               Article 20

      1. Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and 
association.
      2. No one may be compelled to belong to an association.

                               Article 21

      1. Everyone has the right to take part in the Government of his 
country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.
      2. Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in 
his country.
      3. The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of 
government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine 
elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be 
held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.

                               Article 22

      1. Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social 
security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and 
international cooperation and in accordance with the organization and 
resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights 
indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his 
personality.

                               Article 23

      1. Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, 
to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against 
unemployment.
      2. Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal 
pay for equal work.
      3. Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable 
remuneration insuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of 
human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social 
protection.
      4. Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for 
the protection of his interests.

                               Article 24

      Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable 
limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.

                               Article 25

      1. Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for 
the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, 
clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and 
the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, 
disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in 
circumstances beyond his control.
      2. Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and 
assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall 
enjoy the same social protection.

                               Article 26

      1. Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, 
at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education 
shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made 
generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to 
all on the basis of merit.
      2. Education shall be directed to the full development of the 
human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights 
and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and 
friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall 
further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of 
peace.
      3. Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education 
that shall be given to their children.

                               Article 27

      1. Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural 
life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific 
advancement and its benefits.
      2. Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and 
material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic 
production of which he is the author.

                               Article 28

      Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which 
the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully 
realized.

                               Article 29

      1. Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free 
and full development of his personality is possible.
      2. In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be 
subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for 
the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and 
freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, 
public order and the general welfare in a democratic society.
      3. These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary 
to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.

                               Article 30

      Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for 
any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to 
perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and 
freedoms set forth herein.
                               APPENDIX B

                              ----------                              


          INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS

                                  and

 THE DECLARATION ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF INTOLERANCE AND OF 
               DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RELIGION OR BELIEF

                                 ______
                                 

          INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS

                                Preamble

            The States Parties to the present Covenant, \1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\ Adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by 
General Assembly resolution 2200A (XXI) of 16 December 1966.
    Entry into force 23 March 1976, in accordance with Article 49

            Considering that, in accordance with the principles 
        proclaimed in the Charter of the United Nations, recognition of 
        the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of 
        all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        justice and peace in the world;

            Recognizing that these rights derive from the inherent 
        dignity of the human person;

            Recognizing that, in accordance with the Universal 
        Declaration of Human Rights, the ideal of free human beings 
        enjoying civil and political freedom and freedom from fear and 
        want can only be achieved if conditions are created whereby 
        everyone may enjoy his civil and political rights, as well as 
        his economic, social and cultural rights;

            Considering the obligation of States under the Charter of 
        the United Nations to promote universal respect for, and 
        observance of, human rights and freedoms;

            Realizing that the individual, having duties to other 
        individuals and to the community to which he belongs, is under 
        a responsibility to strive for the promotion and observance of 
        the rights recognized in the present Covenant;

        Agree upon the following articles:

                                 PART I

                               Article 1

      1. All peoples have the right of self-determination. By virtue of 
that right they freely determine their political status and freely 
pursue their economic, social and cultural development.
      2. All peoples may, for their own ends, freely dispose of their 
natural wealth and resources without prejudice to any obligations 
arising out of international economic co-operation, based upon the 
principle of mutual benefit, and international law. In no case may a 
people be deprived of its own means of subsistence.
      3. The States Parties to the present Covenant, including those 
having responsibility for the administration of Non-Self-Governing and 
Trust Territories, shall promote the realization of the right of self-
determination, and shall respect that right, in conformity with the 
provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.

                                PART II

                               Article 2

      1. Each State Party to the present Covenant undertakes to respect 
and to ensure to all individuals within its territory and subject to 
its jurisdiction the rights recognized in the present Covenant, without 
distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, 
political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth 
or other status.
      2. Where not already provided for by existing legislative or 
other measures, each State Party to the present Covenant undertakes to 
take the necessary steps, in accordance with its constitutional 
processes and with the provisions of the present Covenant, to adopt 
such laws or other measures as may be necessary to give effect to the 
rights recognized in the present Covenant.
      3. Each State Party to the present Covenant undertakes:
            (a) To ensure that any person whose rights or freedoms as 
        herein recognized are violated shall have an effective remedy, 
        notwithstanding that the violation has been committed by 
        persons acting in an official capacity;
            (b) To ensure that any person claiming such a remedy shall 
        have his right thereto determined by competent judicial, 
        administrative or legislative authorities, or by any other 
        competent authority provided for by the legal system of the 
        State, and to develop the possibilities of judicial remedy;
            (c) To ensure that the competent authorities shall enforce 
        such remedies when granted.

                               Article 3

      The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to ensure 
the equal right of men and women to the enjoyment of all civil and 
political rights set forth in the present Covenant.

                               Article 4

      1. In time of public emergency which threatens the life of the 
nation and the existence of which is officially proclaimed, the States 
Parties to the present Covenant may take measures derogating from their 
obligations under the present Covenant to the extent strictly required 
by the exigencies of the situation, provided that such measures are not 
inconsistent with their other obligations under international law and 
do not involve discrimination solely on the ground of race, colour, 
sex, language, religion or social origin.
      2. No derogation from articles 6, 7, 8 (paragraphs I and 2), 11, 
15, 16 and 18 may be made under this provision.
      3. Any State Party to the present Covenant availing itself of the 
right of derogation shall immediately inform the other States Parties 
to the present Covenant, through the intermediary of the Secretary-
General of the United Nations, of the provisions from which it has 
derogated and of the reasons by which it was actuated. A further 
communication shall be made, through the same intermediary, on the date 
on which it terminates such derogation.

                               Article 5

      1. Nothing in the present Covenant may be interpreted as implying 
for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or 
perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and 
freedoms recognized herein or at their limitation to a greater extent 
than is provided for in the present Covenant.
      2. There shall be no restriction upon or derogation from any of 
the fundamental human rights recognized or existing in any State Party 
to the present Covenant pursuant to law, conventions, regulations or 
custom on the pretext that the present Covenant does not recognize such 
rights or that it recognizes them to a lesser extent.

                                PART III

                               Article 6

      1. Every human being has the inherent right to life. This right 
shall be protected by law. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his 
life.
      2. In countries which have not abolished the death penalty, 
sentence of death may be imposed only for the most serious crimes in 
accordance with the law in force at the time of the commission of the 
crime and not contrary to the provisions of the present Covenant and to 
the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of 
Genocide. This penalty can only be carried out pursuant to a final 
judgement rendered by a competent court.
      3. When deprivation of life constitutes the crime of genocide, it 
is understood that nothing in this article shall authorize any State 
Party to the present Covenant to derogate in any way from any 
obligation assumed under the provisions of the Convention on the 
Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
      4. Anyone sentenced to death shall have the right to seek pardon 
or commutation of the sentence. Amnesty, pardon or commutation of the 
sentence of death may be granted in all cases.
      5. Sentence of death shall not be imposed for crimes committed by 
persons below eighteen years of age and shall not be carried out on 
pregnant women.
      6. Nothing in this article shall be invoked to delay or to 
prevent the abolition of capital punishment by any State Party to the 
present Covenant.

                               Article 7

      No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or 
degrading treatment or punishment. In particular, no one shall be 
subjected without his free consent to medical or scientific 
experimentation.

                               Article 8

      1. No one shall be held in slavery; slavery and the slave-trade 
in all their forms shall be prohibited.
      2. No one shall be held in servitude.
      3.  (a) No one shall be required to perform forced or compulsory 
labour;
            (b) Paragraph 3 (a) shall not be held to preclude, in 
        countries where imprisonment with hard labour may be imposed as 
        a punishment for a crime, the performance of hard labour in 
        pursuance of a sentence to such punishment by a competent 
        court;
            (c) For the purpose of this paragraph the term ``forced or 
        compulsory labour'' shall not include:
                    (i) Any work or service, not referred to in 
                subparagraph (b), normally required of a person who is 
                under detention in consequence of a lawful order of a 
                court, or of a person during conditional release from 
                such detention;
                    (ii) Any service of a military character and, in 
                countries where conscientious objection is recognized, 
                any national service required by law of conscientious 
                objectors;
                    (iii) Any service exacted in cases of emergency or 
                calamity threatening the life or well-being of the 
                community;
                    (iv) Any work or service which forms part of normal 
                civil obligations.

                               Article 9

      1. Everyone has the right to liberty and security of person. No 
one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention. No one shall 
be deprived of his liberty except on such grounds and in accordance 
with such procedure as are established by law.
      2. Anyone who is arrested shall be informed, at the time of 
arrest, of the reasons for his arrest and shall be promptly informed of 
any charges against him.
      3. Anyone arrested or detained on a criminal charge shall be 
brought promptly before a judge or other officer authorized by law to 
exercise judicial power and shall be entitled to trial within a 
reasonable time or to release. It shall not be the general rule that 
persons awaiting trial shall be detained in custody, but release may be 
subject to guarantees to appear for trial, at any other stage of the 
judicial proceedings, and, should occasion arise, for execution of the 
judgement.
      4. Anyone who is deprived of his liberty by arrest or detention 
shall be entitled to take proceedings before a court, in order that 
court may decide without delay on the lawfulness of his detention and 
order his release if the detention is not lawful.
      5. Anyone who has been the victim of unlawful arrest or detention 
shall have an enforceable right to compensation.

                               Article 10

      1. All persons deprived of their liberty shall be treated with 
humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person.
      2.  (a) Accused persons shall, save in exceptional circumstances, 
be segregated from convicted persons and shall be subject to separate 
treatment appropriate to their status as unconvicted persons;
            (b) Accused juvenile persons shall be separated from adults 
        and brought as speedily as possible for adjudication. 3. The 
        penitentiary system shall comprise treatment of prisoners the 
        essential aim of which shall be their reformation and social 
        rehabilitation. Juvenile offenders shall be segregated from 
        adults and be accorded treatment appropriate to their age and 
        legal status.

                               Article 11

      No one shall be imprisoned merely on the ground of inability to 
fulfil a contractual obligation.

                               Article 12

      1. Everyone lawfully within the territory of a State shall, 
within that territory, have the right to liberty of movement and 
freedom to choose his residence.
      2. Everyone shall be free to leave any country, including his 
own.
      3. The above-mentioned rights shall not be subject to any 
restrictions except those which are provided by law, are necessary to 
protect national security, public order (ordre public), public health 
or morals or the rights and freedoms of others, and are consistent with 
the other rights recognized in the present Covenant.
      4. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of the right to enter his 
own country.

                               Article 13

      An alien lawfully in the territory of a State Party to the 
present Covenant may be expelled therefrom only in pursuance of a 
decision reached in accordance with law and shall, except where 
compelling reasons of national security otherwise require, be allowed 
to submit the reasons against his expulsion and to have his case 
reviewed by, and be represented for the purpose before, the competent 
authority or a person or persons especially designated by the competent 
authority.

                               Article 14

      1. All persons shall be equal before the courts and tribunals. In 
the determination of any criminal charge against him, or of his rights 
and obligations in a suit at law, everyone shall be entitled to a fair 
and public hearing by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal 
established by law. The press and the public may be excluded from all 
or part of a trial for reasons of morals, public order (ordre public) 
or national security in a democratic society, or when the interest of 
the private lives of the parties so requires, or to the extent strictly 
necessary in the opinion of the court in special circumstances where 
publicity would prejudice the interests of justice; but any judgement 
rendered in a criminal case or in a suit at law shall be made public 
except where the interest of juvenile persons otherwise requires or the 
proceedings concern matrimonial disputes or the guardianship of 
children.
      2. Everyone charged with a criminal offence shall have the right 
to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law.
      3. In the determination of any criminal charge against him, 
everyone shall be entitled to the following minimum guarantees, in full 
equality:
            (a) To be informed promptly and in detail in a language 
        which he understands of the nature and cause of the charge 
        against him;
            (b) To have adequate time and facilities for the 
        preparation of his defence and to communicate with counsel of 
        his own choosing;
            (c) To be tried without undue delay;
            (d) To be tried in his presence, and to defend himself in 
        person or through legal assistance of his own choosing; to be 
        informed, if he does not have legal assistance, of this right; 
        and to have legal assistance assigned to him, in any case where 
        the interests of justice so require, and without payment by him 
        in any such case if he does not have sufficient means to pay 
        for it;
            (e) To examine, or have examined, the witnesses against him 
        and to obtain the attendance and examination of witnesses on 
        his behalf under the same conditions as witnesses against him;
            (f) To have the free assistance of an interpreter if he 
        cannot understand or speak the language used in court;
            (g) Not to be compelled to testify against himself or to 
        confess guilt.
      4. In the case of juvenile persons, the procedure shall be such 
as will take account of their age and the desirability of promoting 
their rehabilitation.
      5. Everyone convicted of a crime shall have the right to his 
conviction and sentence being reviewed by a higher tribunal according 
to law.
      6. When a person has by a final decision been convicted of a 
criminal offence and when subsequently his conviction has been reversed 
or he has been pardoned on the ground that a new or newly discovered 
fact shows conclusively that there has been a miscarriage of justice, 
the person who has suffered punishment as a result of such conviction 
shall be compensated according to law, unless it is proved that the 
non-disclosure of the unknown fact in time is wholly or partly 
attributable to him.
      7. No one shall be liable to be tried or punished again for an 
offence for which he has already been finally convicted or acquitted in 
accordance with the law and penal procedure of each country.

                               Article 15

      1. No one shall be held guilty of any criminal offence on account 
of any act or omission which did not constitute a criminal offence, 
under national or international law, at the time when it was committed. 
Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable 
at the time when the criminal offence was committed. If, subsequent to 
the commission of the offence, provision is made by law for the 
imposition of the lighter penalty, the offender shall benefit thereby.
      2. Nothing in this article shall prejudice the trial and 
punishment of any person for any act or omission which, at the time 
when it was committed, was criminal according to the general principles 
of law recognized by the community of nations.

                               Article 16

      Everyone shall have the right to recognition everywhere as a 
person before the law.

                               Article 17

      1. No one shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful 
interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to 
unlawful attacks on his honour and reputation.
      2. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against 
such interference or attacks.

                               Article 18

      1. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, 
conscience and religion. This right shall include freedom to have or to 
adopt a religion or belief of his choice, and freedom, either 
individually or in community with others and in public or private, to 
manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and 
teaching.
      2. No one shall be subject to coercion which would impair his 
freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice.
      3. Freedom to manifest one's religion or beliefs may be subject 
only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary to 
protect public safety, order, health, or morals or the fundamental 
rights and freedoms of others.
      4. The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to have 
respect for the liberty of parents and, when applicable, legal 
guardians to ensure the religious and moral education of their children 
in conformity with their own convictions.

                               Article 19

      1. Everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without 
interference.
      2. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this 
right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and 
ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing 
or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his 
choice.
      3. The exercise of the rights provided for in paragraph 2 of this 
article carries with it special duties and responsibilities. It may 
therefore be subject to certain restrictions, but these shall only be 
such as are provided by law and are necessary:
            (a) For respect of the rights or reputations of others;
            (b) For the protection of national security or of public 
        order (ordre public), or of public health or morals.

                               Article 20

      1. Any propaganda for war shall be prohibited by law.
      2. Any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that 
constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence shall 
be prohibited by law.

                               Article 21

      The right of peaceful assembly shall be recognized. No 
restrictions may be placed on the exercise of this right other than 
those imposed in conformity with the law and which are necessary in a 
democratic society in the interests of national security or public 
safety, public order (ordre public), the protection of public health or 
morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.

                               Article 22

      1. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of association with 
others, including the right to form and join trade unions for the 
protection of his interests.
      2. No restrictions may be placed on the exercise of this right 
other than those which are prescribed by law and which are necessary in 
a democratic society in the interests of national security or public 
safety, public order (ordre public), the protection of public health or 
morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others. This 
article shall not prevent the imposition of lawful restrictions on 
members of the armed forces and of the police in their exercise of this 
right.
      3. Nothing in this article shall authorize States Parties to the 
International Labour Organization Convention of 1948 concerning Freedom 
of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize to take 
legislative measures which would prejudice, or to apply the law in such 
a manner as to prejudice, the guarantees provided for in that 
Convention.

                               Article 23

      1. The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of 
society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.
      2. The right of men and women of marriageable age to marry and to 
found a family shall be recognized.
      3. No marriage shall be entered into without the free and full 
consent of the intending spouses.
      4. States Parties to the present Covenant shall take appropriate 
steps to ensure equality of rights and responsibilities of spouses as 
to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution. In the case of 
dissolution, provision shall be made for the necessary protection of 
any children.

                               Article 24

      1. Every child shall have, without any discrimination as to race, 
colour, sex, language, religion, national or social origin, property or 
birth, the right to such measures of protection as are required by his 
status as a minor, on the part of his family, society and the State.
      2. Every child shall be registered immediately after birth and 
shall have a name.
      3. Every child has the right to acquire a nationality.

                               Article 25

      Every citizen shall have the right and the opportunity, without 
any of the distinctions mentioned in article 2 and without unreasonable 
restrictions:
            (a) To take part in the conduct of public affairs, directly 
        or through freely chosen representatives;
            (b) To vote and to be elected at genuine periodic elections 
        which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be 
        held by secret ballot, guaranteeing the free expression of the 
        will of the electors;
            (c) To have access, on general terms of equality, to public 
        service in his country.

                               Article 26

      All persons are equal before the law and are entitled without any 
discrimination to the equal protection of the law. In this respect, the 
law shall prohibit any discrimination and guarantee to all persons 
equal and effective protection against discrimination on any ground 
such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other 
opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.

                               Article 27

      In those States in which ethnic, religious or linguistic 
minorities exist, persons belonging to such minorities shall not be 
denied the right, in community with the other members of their group, 
to enjoy their own culture, to profess and practice their own religion, 
or to use their own language.

                                PART IV

                               Article 28

      1. There shall be established a Human Rights Committee (hereafter 
referred to in the present Covenant as the Committee). It shall consist 
of eighteen members and shall carry out the functions hereinafter 
provided.
      2. The Committee shall be composed of nationals of the States 
Parties to the present Covenant who shall be persons of high moral 
character and recognized competence in the field of human rights, 
consideration being given to the usefulness of the participation of 
some persons having legal experience.
      3. The members of the Committee shall be elected and shall serve 
in their personal capacity.

                               Article 29

      1. The members of the Committee shall be elected by secret ballot 
from a list of persons possessing the qualifications prescribed in 
article 28 and nominated for the purpose by the States Parties to the 
present Covenant.
      2. Each State Party to the present Covenant may nominate not more 
than two persons. These persons shall be nationals of the nominating 
State.
      3. A person shall be eligible for renomination.

                               Article 30

      1. The initial election shall be held no later than six months 
after the date of the entry into force of the present Covenant.
      2. At least four months before the date of each election to the 
Committee, other than an election to fill a vacancy declared in 
accordance with article 34, the Secretary-General of the United Nations 
shall address a written invitation to the States Parties to the present 
Covenant to submit their nominations for membership of the Committee 
within three months.
      3. The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall prepare a 
list in alphabetical order of all the persons thus nominated, with an 
indication of the States Parties which have nominated them, and shall 
submit it to the States Parties to the present Covenant no later than 
one month before the date of each election.
      4. Elections of the members of the Committee shall be held at a 
meeting of the States Parties to the present Covenant convened by the 
Secretary General of the United Nations at the Headquarters of the 
United Nations. At that meeting, for which two thirds of the States 
Parties to the present Covenant shall constitute a quorum, the persons 
elected to the Committee shall be those nominees who obtain the largest 
number of votes and an absolute majority of the votes of the 
representatives of States Parties present and voting.

                               Article 31

      1. The Committee may not include more than one national of the 
same State.
      2. In the election of the Committee, consideration shall be given 
to equitable geographical distribution of membership and to the 
representation of the different forms of civilization and of the 
principal legal systems.

                               Article 32

      1. The members of the Committee shall be elected for a term of 
four years. They shall be eligible for re-election if renominated. 
However, the terms of nine of the members elected at the first election 
shall expire at the end of two years; immediately after the first 
election, the names of these nine members shall be chosen by lot by the 
Chairman of the meeting referred to in article 30, paragraph 4.
      2. Elections at the expiry of office shall be held in accordance 
with the preceding articles of this part of the present Covenant.

                               Article 33

      1. If, in the unanimous opinion of the other members, a member of 
the Committee has ceased to carry out his functions for any cause other 
than absence of a temporary character, the Chairman of the Committee 
shall notify the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who shall 
then declare the seat of that member to be vacant.
      2. In the event of the death or the resignation of a member of 
the Committee, the Chairman shall immediately notify the Secretary-
General of the United Nations, who shall declare the seat vacant from 
the date of death or the date on which the resignation takes effect.

                               Article 34

      1. When a vacancy is declared in accordance with article 33 and 
if the term of office of the member to be replaced does not expire 
within six months of the declaration of the vacancy, the Secretary-
General of the United Nations shall notify each of the States Parties 
to the present Covenant, which may within two months submit nominations 
in accordance with article 29 for the purpose of filling the vacancy.
      2. The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall prepare a 
list in alphabetical order of the persons thus nominated and shall 
submit it to the States Parties to the present Covenant. The election 
to fill the vacancy shall then take place in accordance with the 
relevant provisions of this part of the present Covenant.
      3. A member of the Committee elected to fill a vacancy declared 
in accordance with article 33 shall hold office for the remainder of 
the term of the member who vacated the seat on the Committee under the 
provisions of that article.

                               Article 35

      The members of the Committee shall, with the approval of the 
General Assembly of the United Nations, receive emoluments from United 
Nations resources on such terms and conditions as the General Assembly 
may decide, having regard to the importance of the Committee's 
responsibilities.

                               Article 36

      The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall provide the 
necessary staff and facilities for the effective performance of the 
functions of the Committee under the present Covenant.

                               Article 37

      1. The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall convene the 
initial meeting of the Committee at the Headquarters of the United 
Nations.
      2. After its initial meeting, the Committee shall meet at such 
times as shall be provided in its rules of procedure.
      3. The Committee shall normally meet at the Headquarters of the 
United Nations or at the United Nations Office at Geneva.

                               Article 38

      Every member of the Committee shall, before taking up his duties, 
make a solemn declaration in open committee that he will perform his 
functions impartially and conscientiously.

                               Article 39

      1. The Committee shall elect its officers for a term of two 
years. They may be re-elected.
      2. The Committee shall establish its own rules of procedure, but 
these rules shall provide, inter alia, that:
            (a) Twelve members shall constitute a quorum;
            (b) Decisions of the Committee shall be made by a majority 
        vote of the members present.

                               Article 40

      1. The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to submit 
reports on the measures they have adopted which give effect to the 
rights recognized herein and on the progress made in the enjoyment of 
those rights:
            (a) Within one year of the entry into force of the present 
        Covenant for the States Parties concerned;
            (b) Thereafter whenever the Committee so requests.
      2. All reports shall be submitted to the Secretary-General of the 
United Nations, who shall transmit them to the Committee for 
consideration. Reports shall indicate the factors and difficulties, if 
any, affecting the implementation of the present Covenant.
      3. The Secretary-General of the United Nations may, after 
consultation with the Committee, transmit to the specialized agencies 
concerned copies of such parts of the reports as may fall within their 
field of competence.
      4. The Committee shall study the reports submitted by the States 
Parties to the present Covenant. It shall transmit its reports, and 
such general comments as it may consider appropriate, to the States 
Parties. The Committee may also transmit to the Economic and Social 
Council these comments along with the copies of the reports it has 
received from States Parties to the present Covenant.
      5. The States Parties to the present Covenant may submit to the 
Committee observations on any comments that may be made in accordance 
with paragraph 4 of this article.

                               Article 41

      1. A State Party to the present Covenant may at any time declare 
under this article that it recognizes the competence of the Committee 
to receive and consider communications to the effect that a State Party 
claims that another State Party is not fulfilling its obligations under 
the present Covenant. Communications under this article may be received 
and considered only if submitted by a State Party which has made a 
declaration recognizing in regard to itself the competence of the 
Committee. No communication shall be received by the Committee if it 
concerns a State Party which has not made such a declaration. 
Communications received under this article shall be dealt with in 
accordance with the following procedure:
            (a) If a State Party to the present Covenant considers that 
        another State Party is not giving effect to the provisions of 
        the present Covenant, it may, by written communication, bring 
        the matter to the attention of that State Party. Within three 
        months after the receipt of the communication the receiving 
        State shall afford the State which sent the communication an 
        explanation, or any other statement in writing clarifying the 
        matter which should include, to the extent possible and 
        pertinent, reference to domestic procedures and remedies taken, 
        pending, or available in the matter;
            (b) If the matter is not adjusted to the satisfaction of 
        both States Parties concerned within six months after the 
        receipt by the receiving State of the initial communication, 
        either State shall have the right to refer the matter to the 
        Committee, by notice given to the Committee and to the other 
        State;
            (c) The Committee shall deal with a matter referred to it 
        only after it has ascertained that all available domestic 
        remedies have been invoked and exhausted in the matter, in 
        conformity with the generally recognized principles of 
        international law. This shall not be the rule where the 
        application of the remedies is unreasonably prolonged;
            (d) The Committee shall hold closed meetings when examining 
        communications under this article;
            (e) Subject to the provisions of subparagraph (c), the 
        Committee shall make available its good offices to the States 
        Parties concerned with a view to a friendly solution of the 
        matter on the basis of respect for human rights and fundamental 
        freedoms as recognized in the present Covenant;
            (f) In any matter referred to it, the Committee may call 
        upon the States Parties concerned, referred to in subparagraph 
        (b), to supply any relevant information;
            (g) The States Parties concerned, referred to in 
        subparagraph (b), shall have the right to be represented when 
        the matter is being considered in the Committee and to make 
        submissions orally and/or in writing;
            (h) The Committee shall, within twelve months after the 
        date of receipt of notice under subparagraph (b), submit a 
        report:
                    (i) If a solution within the terms of subparagraph 
                (e) is reached, the Committee shall confine its report 
                to a brief statement of the facts and of the solution 
                reached;
                    (ii) If a solution within the terms of subparagraph 
                (e) is not reached, the Committee shall confine its 
                report to a brief statement of the facts; the written 
                submissions and record of the oral submissions made by 
                the States Parties concerned shall be attached to the 
                report. In every matter, the report shall be 
                communicated to the States Parties concerned.
      2. The provisions of this article shall come into force when ten 
States Parties to the present Covenant have made declarations under 
paragraph I of this article. Such declarations shall be deposited by 
the States Parties with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, 
who shall transmit copies thereof to the other States Parties. A 
declaration may be withdrawn at any time by notification to the 
Secretary-General. Such a withdrawal shall not prejudice the 
consideration of any matter which is the subject of a communication 
already transmitted under this article; no further communication by any 
State Party shall be received after the notification of withdrawal of 
the declaration has been received by the Secretary-General, unless the 
State Party concerned has made a new declaration.

                               Article 42

      1.  (a) If a matter referred to the Committee in accordance with 
article 41 is not resolved to the satisfaction of the States Parties 
concerned, the Committee may, with the prior consent of the States 
Parties concerned, appoint an ad hoc Conciliation Commission 
(hereinafter referred to as the Commission). The good offices of the 
Commission shall be made available to the States Parties concerned with 
a view to an amicable solution of the matter on the basis of respect 
for the present Covenant;
            (b) The Commission shall consist of five persons acceptable 
        to the States Parties concerned. If the States Parties 
        concerned fail to reach agreement within three months on all or 
        part of the composition of the Commission, the members of the 
        Commission concerning whom no agreement has been reached shall 
        be elected by secret ballot by a two-thirds majority vote of 
        the Committee from among its members.
      2. The members of the Commission shall serve in their personal 
capacity. They shall not be nationals of the States Parties concerned, 
or of a State not Party to the present Covenant, or of a State Party 
which has not made a declaration under article 41.
      3. The Commission shall elect its own Chairman and adopt its own 
rules of procedure.
      4. The meetings of the Commission shall normally be held at the 
Headquarters of the United Nations or at the United Nations Office at 
Geneva. However, they may be held at such other convenient places as 
the Commission may determine in consultation with the Secretary-General 
of the United Nations and the States Parties concerned.
      5. The secretariat provided in accordance with article 36 shall 
also service the commissions appointed under this article.
      6. The information received and collated by the Committee shall 
be made available to the Commission and the Commission may call upon 
the States Parties concerned to supply any other relevant information. 
7. When the Commission has fully considered the matter, but in any 
event not later than twelve months after having been seized of the 
matter, it shall submit to the Chairman of the Committee a report for 
communication to the States Parties concerned:
            (a) If the Commission is unable to complete its 
        consideration of the matter within twelve months, it shall 
        confine its report to a brief statement of the status of its 
        consideration of the matter;
            (b) If an amicable solution to the matter on tie basis of 
        respect for human rights as recognized in the present Covenant 
        is reached, the Commission shall confine its report to a brief 
        statement of the facts and of the solution reached;
            (c) If a solution within the terms of subparagraph (b) is 
        not reached, the Commission's report shall embody its findings 
        on all questions of fact relevant to the issues between the 
        States Parties concerned, and its views on the possibilities of 
        an amicable solution of the matter. This report shall also 
        contain the written submissions and a record of the oral 
        submissions made by the States Parties concerned;
            (d) If the Commission's report is submitted under 
        subparagraph (c), the States Parties concerned shall, within 
        three months of the receipt of the report, notify the Chairman 
        of the Committee whether or not they accept the contents of the 
        report of the Commission.
      8. The provisions of this article are without prejudice to the 
responsibilities of the Committee under article 41.
      9. The States Parties concerned shall share equally all the 
expenses of the members of the Commission in accordance with estimates 
to be provided by the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
      10. The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall be 
empowered to pay the expenses of the members of the Commission, if 
necessary, before reimbursement by the States Parties concerned, in 
accordance with paragraph 9 of this article.

                               Article 43

      The members of the Committee, and of the ad hoc conciliation 
commissions which may be appointed under article 42, shall be entitled 
to the facilities, privileges and immunities of experts on mission for 
the United Nations as laid down in the relevant sections of the 
Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations.

                               Article 44

      The provisions for the implementation of the present Covenant 
shall apply without prejudice to the procedures prescribed in the field 
of human rights by or under the constituent instruments and the 
conventions of the United Nations and of the specialized agencies and 
shall not prevent the States Parties to the present Covenant from 
having recourse to other procedures for settling a dispute in 
accordance with general or special international agreements in force 
between them.

                               Article 45

      The Committee shall submit to the General Assembly of the United 
Nations, through the Economic and Social Council, an annual report on 
its activities.

                                 PART V

                               Article 46

      Nothing in the present Covenant shall be interpreted as impairing 
the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations and of the 
constitutions of the specialized agencies which define the respective 
responsibilities of the various organs of the United Nations and of the 
specialized agencies in regard to the matters dealt with in the present 
Covenant.

                               Article 47

      Nothing in the present Covenant shall be interpreted as impairing 
the inherent right of all peoples to enjoy and utilize fully and freely 
their natural wealth and resources.

                                PART VI

                               Article 48

      1. The present Covenant is open for signature by any State Member 
of the United Nations or member of any of its specialized agencies, by 
any State Party to the Statute of the International Court of Justice, 
and by any other State which has been invited by the General Assembly 
of the United Nations to become a Party to the present Covenant.
      2. The present Covenant is subject to ratification. Instruments 
of ratification shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the 
United Nations.
      3. The present Covenant shall be open to accession by any State 
referred to in paragraph 1 of this article.
      4. Accession shall be effected by the deposit of an instrument of 
accession with the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
      5. The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall inform all 
States which have signed this Covenant or acceded to it of the deposit 
of each instrument of ratification or accession.

                               Article 49

      1. The present Covenant shall enter into force three months after 
the date of the deposit with the Secretary-General of the United 
Nations of the thirty-fifth instrument of ratification or instrument of 
accession.
      2. For each State ratifying the present Covenant or acceding to 
it after the deposit of the thirty-fifth instrument of ratification or 
instrument of accession, the present Covenant shall enter into force 
three months after the date of the deposit of its own instrument of 
ratification or instrument of accession.

                               Article 50

      The provisions of the present Covenant shall extend to all parts 
of federal States without any limitations or exceptions.

                               Article 51

      1. Any State Party to the present Covenant may propose an 
amendment and file it with the Secretary-General of the United Nations. 
The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall thereupon communicate 
any proposed amendments to the States Parties to the present Covenant 
with a request that they notify him whether they favour a conference of 
States Parties for the purpose of considering and voting upon the 
proposals. In the event that at least one third of the States Parties 
favours such a conference, the Secretary-General shall convene the 
conference under the auspices of the United Nations. Any amendment 
adopted by a majority of the States Parties present and voting at the 
conference shall be submitted to the General Assembly of the United 
Nations for approval.
      2. Amendments shall come into force when they have been approved 
by the General Assembly of the United Nations and accepted by a two-
thirds majority of the States Parties to the present Covenant in 
accordance with their respective constitutional processes. 3. When 
amendments come into force, they shall be binding on those States 
Parties which have accepted them, other States Parties still being 
bound by the provisions of the present Covenant and any earlier 
amendment which they have accepted.

                               Article 52

      Irrespective of the notifications made under article 48, 
paragraph 5, the Secretary-General of the United Nations shall inform 
all States referred to in paragraph I of the same article of the 
following particulars:
            (a) Signatures, ratifications and accessions under article 
        48;
            (b) The date of the entry into force of the present 
        Covenant under article 49 and the date of the entry into force 
        of any amendments under article 51.

                               Article 53

      1. The present Covenant, of which the Chinese, English, French, 
Russian and Spanish texts are equally authentic, shall be deposited in 
the archives of the United Nations.
      2. The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall transmit 
certified copies of the present Covenant to all States referred to in 
article 48.

                                 ______
                                 

   DECLARATION ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF INTOLERANCE AND OF 
               DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RELIGION OR BELIEF

            The General Assembly \1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\ Proclaimed by General Assembly resolution 36/55 of 25 November 
1981.

            Considering that one of the basic principles of the Charter 
        of the United Nations is that of the dignity and equality 
        inherent in all human beings, and that all Member States have 
        pledged themselves to take joint and separate action in co-
        operation with the Organization to promote and encourage 
        universal respect for and observance of human rights and 
        fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction as to race, 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        sex, language or religion;

            Considering that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 
        and the International Covenants on Human Rights proclaim the 
        principles of nondiscrimination and equality before the law and 
        the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion and 
        belief;

            Considering that the disregard and infringement of human 
        rights and fundamental freedoms, in particular of the right to 
        freedom of thought, conscience, religion or whatever belief, 
        have brought, directly or indirectly, wars and great suffering 
        to mankind, especially where they serve as a means of foreign 
        interference in the internal affairs of other States and amount 
        to kindling hatred between peoples and nations;

            Considering that religion or belief, for anyone who 
        professes either, is one of the fundamental elements in his 
        conception of life and that freedom of religion or belief 
        should be fully respected and guaranteed;

            Considering that it is essential to promote understanding, 
        tolerance and respect in matters relating to freedom of 
        religion and belief and to ensure that the use of religion or 
        belief for ends inconsistent with the Charter of the United 
        Nations, other relevant instruments of the United Nations and 
        the purposes and principles of the present Declaration is 
        inadmissible;

            Convinced that freedom of religion and belief should also 
        contribute to the attainment of the goals of world peace, 
        social justice and friendship among peoples and to the 
        elimination of ideologies or practices of colonialism and 
        racial discrimination;

            Noting with satisfaction the adoption of several, and the 
        coming into force of some, conventions, under the aegis of the 
        United Nations and of the specialized agencies, for the 
        elimination of various forms of discrimination;

            Concerned by manifestations of intolerance and by the 
        existence of discrimination in matters of religion or belief 
        still in evidence in some areas of the world;

            Resolved to adopt all necessary measures for the speedy 
        elimination of such intolerance in all its forms and 
        manifestations and to prevent and combat discrimination on the 
        ground of religion or belief,

            Proclaims this Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms 
        of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or 
        Belief:

                               Article 1

      1. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, 
conscience and religion. This right shall include freedom to have a 
religion or whatever belief of his choice, and freedom, either 
individually or in community with others and in public or private, to 
manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and 
teaching.
      2. No one shall be subject to coercion which would impair his 
freedom to have a religion or belief of his choice.
      3. Freedom to manifest one's religion or belief may be subject 
only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary to 
protect public safety, order, health or morals or the fundamental 
rights and freedoms of others.

                               Article 2

      1. No one shall be subject to discrimination by any State, 
institution, group of persons, or person on the grounds of religion or 
other belief.
      2. For the purposes of the present Declaration, the expression 
``intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief'' means 
any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on religion 
or belief and having as its purpose or as its effect nullification or 
impairment of the recognition, enjoyment or exercise of human rights 
and fundamental freedoms on an equal basis.

                               Article 3

      Discrimination between human being on the grounds of religion or 
belief constitutes an affront to human dignity and a disavowal of the 
principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and shall be condemned 
as a violation of the human rights and fundamental freedoms proclaimed 
in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and enunciated in detail 
in the International Covenants on Human Rights, and as an obstacle to 
friendly and peaceful relations between nations.

                               Article 4

      1. All States shall take effective measures to prevent and 
eliminate discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief in the 
recognition, exercise and enjoyment of human rights and fundamental 
freedoms in all fields of civil, economic, political, social and 
cultural life.
      2. All States shall make all efforts to enact or rescind 
legislation where necessary to prohibit any such discrimination, and to 
take all appropriate measures to combat intolerance on the grounds of 
religion or other beliefs in this matter.

                               Article 5

      1. The parents or, as the case may be, the legal guardians of the 
child have the right to organize the life within the family in 
accordance with their religion or belief and bearing in mind the moral 
education in which they believe the child should be brought up.
      2. Every child shall enjoy the right to have access to education 
in the matter of religion or belief in accordance with the wishes of 
his parents or, as the case may be, legal guardians, and shall not be 
compelled to receive teaching on religion or belief against the wishes 
of his parents or legal guardians, the best interests of the child 
being the guiding principle.
      3. The child shall be protected from any form of discrimination 
on the ground of religion or belief. He shall be brought up in a spirit 
of understanding, tolerance, friendship among peoples, peace and 
universal brotherhood, respect for freedom of religion or belief of 
others, and in full consciousness that his energy and talents should be 
devoted to the service of his fellow men.
      4. In the case of a child who is not under the care either of his 
parents or of legal guardians, due account shall be taken of their 
expressed wishes or of any other proof of their wishes in the matter of 
religion or belief, the best interests of the child being the guiding 
principle. 5. Practices of a religion or belief in which a child is 
brought up must not be injurious to his physical or mental health or to 
his full development, taking into account article 1, paragraph 3, of 
the present Declaration.

                               Article 6

      In accordance with article I of the present Declaration, and 
subject to the provisions of article 1, paragraph 3, the right to 
freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief shall include, inter 
alia, the following freedoms:
            (a) To worship or assemble in connection with a religion or 
        belief, and to establish and maintain places for these 
        purposes;
            (b) To establish and maintain appropriate charitable or 
        humanitarian institutions;
            (c) To make, acquire and use to an adequate extent the 
        necessary articles and materials related to the rites or 
        customs of a religion or belief;
            (d) To write, issue and disseminate relevant publications 
        in these areas;
            (e) To teach a religion or belief in places suitable for 
        these purposes;
            (f) To solicit and receive voluntary financial and other 
        contributions from individuals and institutions;
            (g) To train, appoint, elect or designate by succession 
        appropriate leaders called for by the requirements and 
        standards of any religion or belief;
            (h) To observe days of rest and to celebrate holidays and 
        ceremonies in accordance with the precepts of one's religion or 
        belief;
            (i) To establish and maintain communications with 
        individuals and communities in matters of religion and belief 
        at the national and international levels.

                               Article 7

      The rights and freedoms set forth in the present Declaration 
shall be accorded in national legislation in such a manner that 
everyone shall be able to avail himself of such rights and freedoms in 
practice.

                               Article 8

      Nothing in the present Declaration shall be construed as 
restricting or derogating from any right defined in the Universal 
Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenants on Human 
Rights.
                               APPENDIX C

                              ----------                              


TRAINING AT THE FOREIGN SERVICE INSTITUTE RELATED TO THE INTERNATIONAL 
                         RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ACT

                    I. Summary of Major Developments

    Since the first report on International Religious Freedom was 
issued in September 1999, the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) has 
worked continuously with the Office of International Religious Freedom 
(Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor) in implementing H.R. 
2431. The result of this cooperation has been the further integration 
of religious freedom issues into the regular curriculum at FSI. During 
the period covered by this report, members of the FSI training staff 
took part in numerous conferences dealing with religious freedom, 
persecution, conflict, and reconciliation hosted by academic 
institutions, think tanks and nongovernmental organizations. In 
addition, the Director of FSI's Political Training Division has worked 
with the staff of the U.S. Commission on International Religious 
Freedom to ensure that their insights are reflected in FSI's course 
offerings. In all these ways, the staff at FSI have sought to bolster 
their own skills on religious freedom issues.

                          II. Courses Offered

    The School of Professional and Area Studies (SPAS) at FSI offers 
training relevant to the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 
(IRFA) in a variety of courses. Following are brief descriptions of 
courses offered by the divisions of Political Training, Orientation, 
Consular Training, and Area Studies:

              Foreign Service Officer Orientation (A-100)

    Every new Foreign Service Officer takes a 7-week orientation course 
to prepare for an initial assignment overseas and to obtain the 
grounding needed for a successful foreign service career. For a wide 
range of emerging policy issues the students are broken down into 
groups of about five to six students to engage in research on the topic 
and then make an hour-long presentation to classmates, which includes a 
question and answer session. The Political Training Division briefs the 
students who are selected to work on religious freedom issues, 
identifies initial contacts for them to make, and provides them with 
the research materials described in Section III below. These students 
routinely visit the office of International Religious Freedom to 
discuss its work, and the issue of religious freedom as an element of 
U.S. foreign policy. The Political Training staff monitors the work of 
the religious freedom group to ensure that key points related to IRFA 
are covered appropriately.

  Political Tradecraft (PP-202) and Political Economic Tradecraft (PG-
                                  140)

    Each of these two basic 3-week-long courses is offered three times 
per year. The students are full time government employees (mostly State 
Department Foreign Service officers) being assigned for the first time 
to work in an embassy's or consulate's political, economic, or combined 
political/economic section overseas. These are essentially required 
courses, in that State Department officers are assigned to take these 
courses by the personnel system and exceptions are rare. The State 
Department expects that a large proportion of these officers/students 
during their careers will be directly responsible for preparing their 
post's human rights and religious freedom reports. Therefore, these two 
courses provide training to one of the major classes of officers 
identified in the IRFA.
    In these courses, each student is provided with a course notebook 
that contains the items listed in Section III. In addition the Bureau 
of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor provides at least a halfday 
session during which religious freedom issues are featured prominently, 
together with other important human rights issues in a discussion led 
by the office of International Religious Freedom. There is also usually 
a segment that includes a discussion of religious persecution, 
religious identity, and religious reconciliation as important factors 
in contemporary international conflicts. Religious freedom issues also 
are covered in a major segment of the course related to doing contact 
work overseas.

                         Global Issues (PP-510)

    This 3-day course is given twice a year and is geared toward mid-
level foreign affairs and national security professionals working for 
the Department of State and other agencies. In the fall, this course is 
combined with a separate module on human rights.
    In these courses students are provided with a course notebook that 
contains the items listed in Section III. As in the Tradecraft courses, 
the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor provides a fullday 
session during which Religious freedom issues are prominently featured 
in a discussion led by the office of International Religious Freedom, 
together with other aspects of U.S. human rights policy. The importance 
of religious issues in the modern world also is raised in several of 
the other segments, including one devoted to U.S. foreign policy 
priorities and strategic planning.

               International Conflict--Diplomacy (PP-517)

    This 3-day course focuses on various aspects of international 
conflict, especially the enhancement of skills needed to analyze the 
causes of conflict and develop a plan for preventive diplomacy. This 
course trains up to 25 mid-level foreign affairs and national security 
professionals working for the Department of State and other agencies.
    The students are provided with a course notebook that contains most 
of the key documents listed in Section III. Multiple segments in this 
course deal with religious persecution and identity as a factor in 
ethnic conflict, and reconciliation as a potential preventive step.

                     Basic Consular Course (PC-530)

    PC-530 serves as the prerequisite for obtaining a consular 
commission. It is aimed at junior foreign services officers preparing 
to go overseas to fill consular positions, dependents of U. S. 
government employees who will work as consular associates overseas, and 
domestic employees of the Bureau of Consular Affairs in order that they 
may serve temporary duty as consular officers should the need arise.
    The PC-530 schedule includes a lecture related to the U.S. 
Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), ``Working with INS,'' 
that incorporates discussion of refugee and asylum issues as these 
pertain to consular officers. The subject also is covered in further 
detail in the Self-Instructional Guide (SIG) on immigrant visa 
processing, which includes a chapter on ``Refugees, Asylum, Walk-ins, 
and Parole.'' This chapter describes the United Nations High 
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) refugee criteria, the U.S. refugee 
program, and processing requirements for refugees. Scenarios involving 
religious minorities have been incorporated into the ``role play'' 
portion of the training on consular prison visits.

                   Advanced Consular Course (PC-532)

    The Advanced Consular Course is a 3-week course aimed at mid-level 
consular officers being assigned to overseas posts as first-time 
managers, as well as Civil Service employees of the Bureau of Consular 
Affairs.
    This course continues routinely to include a session, organized by 
the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), on refugee 
processing and policy and religious persecution; and a second session, 
organized by representatives of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, 
and Labor's office of Country Reports and Asylum (DRL/CRA) on U.S. 
asylum law and processing. Emphasis is given to the role of a consular 
officer in these areas, to include processing of refugee- and asylee-
following to join cases (based on approved I-730 petitions).

                              Area Studies

    The Foreign Service Institute and the Appeal of Conscience 
Foundation annually sponsor a major symposium focused on religious 
freedom and the role of U.S. diplomats overseas. Following keynote 
addresses, officers at FSI in language training and area studies 
courses take part in day-long sessions together with outside experts on 
religious issues in their region, to permit in depth exchanges and 
discussions.
    Throughout the year, the course chairs in the Area Studies 
Division, in cooperation with the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, 
and Labor, take steps to ensure that their courses address both 
regional and country specific issues of religion, religious freedom and 
human rights. Participants receive substantial information encompassing 
the full range of issues affecting particular regions, including 
religious freedom and human rights, religious history and religious 
traditions. Students also receive reading lists (and World Wide Web 
guidance) that direct them to even more detailed material.

           Ambassadorial and Deputy Chief of Mission Training

    In these courses, students are provided with a course notebook that 
contains the items listed in Section III. When possible the Under 
Secretary of State for Global Affairs and/or the Assistant Secretary 
for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor provide oral briefings on 
religious freedom and related human rights issues to these senior 
officials.

             III. Background Material on Religious Freedom

    The following background materials related to religious freedom are 
made available to FSI students:

   Remarks by the President to Religious Leaders (June 18, 
        1998)

   Universal Declaration of Human Rights

   International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

   United States Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Declaration 
        of Independence

   Text of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998

   Department Telegram explaining the International Religious 
        Freedom Act of 1998

   Most current Department of State telegrams on how to 
        implement IRFA and prepare the Annual Report.

   Text of briefing by Ambassador Robert Seiple and Assistant 
        Secretary Harold Koh on the 1999 Report on International 
        Religious Freedom, September 9, 1999

   Appendix on Diplomatic Steps taken to implement IRFA

   State Magazine article on U.S. Commission on International 
        Religious Freedom

   Highlights from the text of the 1999 report, plus World Wide 
        Web site address for the entire report.

   Current and planned actions related to outreach to the 
        domestic and worldwide Islamic community.
                               APPENDIX D

                              ----------                              


                  INS AND THE INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS
                              FREEDOM ACT

    The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) is committed to 
ensuring that all claims for refugee and asylum protection are treated 
with fairness, respect, and dignity. Shortly after passage of the 
International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA), the INS began to assess 
existing asylum and refugee training programs in order to address the 
specific training topics required under IRFA. In 1999 the INS formed a 
working group to coordinate compliance under the law, including 
training, development of guidelines relating to potential hostile 
biases, and enforcement of the new inadmissibility provision relating 
to foreign government officials who have committed particularly severe 
violations of religious freedom. This appendix summarizes the agency's 
actions during FY 2000, as required under Section 102 (b)(1)(E) of 
IRFA.

          I. Section 602(a): Training of Refugee Adjudicators

    Section 602(a)(1) of IRFA amends Section 207 of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act by requiring the Attorney General, in consultation with 
the Secretary of State, to provide ``all United States officials 
adjudicating refugee cases under this section with the same training as 
that provided to officers adjudicating asylum cases under section 
208.'' This training must include ``country-specific conditions, 
instruction on the internationally recognized right to freedom of 
religion, instruction on methods of religious persecution practiced in 
foreign countries, and applicable distinctions within a country between 
the nature of and treatment of various religious practices and 
believers.''
    Prior to the passage of IRFA, no specific statute or regulation 
governed the training of officers adjudicating refugee cases in the 
overseas refugee program. Refugee adjudications traditionally have been 
done by Immigration Officers stationed overseas who receive, in 
addition to basic immigration law training, specialized training 
consisting of a survey of refugee law and procedure, as well as in-
country training. In recent years, the majority of officers detailed 
for specific short-term refugee-processing work have been Asylum 
Officers, who receive approximately 5 weeks of specialized training 
related to international human rights law, nonadversarial interview 
techniques, and other relevant national and international refugee laws 
and principles. \1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\ Asylum Officers complete an initial 5-week Immigration Officer 
Basic Training Course, and 5 additional weeks of the Asylum Officer 
Basic Training Course (AOBTC). The AOBTC, which is held approximately 
twice per year, includes international human rights law, asylum and 
refugee law, interviewing techniques, decision-making and decision-
writing skills, effective country conditions research skills, and 
computer skills. Compulsory in-service training for all asylum officers 
is held weekly.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    In FY 2000, the Office of International Affairs, Asylum Division, 
modified the 5-week AOBTC curriculum to accommodate the IRFA training 
requirements for overseas officers processing refugee claims. The 
Asylum Division conducted two AOBTC sessions, attended by 47 new Asylum 
Officers and 20 overseas Immigration Officers. The overseas officers 
received the same training and took the same exams required of Asylum 
Officer with respect to asylum eligibility, fraud, credibility, and 
interviewing. Asylum Division and Refugee Branch personnel conducted 
separate trainings on job-specific aspects of asylum adjudication and 
refugee processing. The course also included a specific lesson devoted 
to IRFA and throughout the course additional emphasis was placed on 
religious persecution issues.
    All persons who adjudicate refugee requests will continue to 
receive country conditions training provided primarily by the INS 
Resource Information Center (RIC) in the Office of International 
Affairs, as well as copies of the annual Department of State report on 
religious freedom mandated by Section 102 of IRFA.

  II. Section 603(b): Training of Asylum Officers Adjudicating Asylum 
Cases, and Immigration Officers Performing Duties under Section 235(b) 
                     of the INA (Expedited Removal)

                                 Asylum

    Asylum Officers have received focused training on claims involving 
religious issues since the Asylum Division*s inception in 1991, and 
this was augmented during the last year both with basic asylum training 
and continuing training in the field offices. Two AOBTC classes were 
conducted during FY2000 in which a total of 47 new Asylum Officers and 
20 overseas Immigration Officers were trained.
    Local Asylum Office trainers continue to follow the current policy 
of including a discussion of religious persecution whenever relevant 
during training on country conditions. In addition all offices in FY 
2000 had training specifically on religious persecution, and many of 
these sessions were presented by outside experts. During FY 2000 the 
Asylum Division continued to promote online research. Each officer now 
has access to the public Internet and to supplemental legal and country 
conditions information databases. Training in the use of these 
resources has been given in all offices, and examples of religious 
groups and religious persecution in different countries were used as 
exercises to conduct online research.
    The RIC has published an online guide to web research on the INS 
Intranet, and an area was created for and devoted to government and 
non-government links to religious persecution websites.
    The RIC in the INS Office of International Affairs serves both the 
Asylum Division and the Refugee Unit, and is responsible for the 
collection and/or production and distribution of materials regarding 
human rights conditions around the world. During FY 2000 the RIC has 
catalogued separately religious freedom periodicals and coded 
separately RIC responses to field queries that involve religious 
issues. A list of documents focused specifically on religious 
persecution and distributed to the asylum field offices is attached. 
There are also numerous reports distributed by the RIC that are 
country- or region-specific that do not focus on religion but which 
contain some information on religious persecution in that country or 
region.

                    Expedited Removal/Credible Fear

    Approximately 4,500 Immigration Inspectors and 2,500 Detention and 
Deportation Officers may at some time be involved in the expedited 
removal/credible fear process and therefore are subject to the training 
provisions of Section 603(b). During FY 2001, the INS will conduct 
training on religious persecution for these officers through a 
combination of direct, video-taped, and computer-based instruction. The 
working group is conducting negotiations with a media services company 
to produce an IRFA training video.
    During FY 2000, the INS also has presented information on IRFA and 
religious persecution claims to outside agencies. The Asylum Division 
cohosted a panel on understanding religious claims at the June 2000 
national Immigration Judge conference, and provided instructional 
materials on IRFA and useful religious persecution website addresses. 
As part of that presentation, the INS presented an analysis of FY 1998 
and FY 1999 statistics on new asylum requests in light of the country 
of origin and whether there was a religious component to these cases. 
This data has been used to develop additional training materials and 
was shared with the Department of State and the Office of the Chief 
Immigration Judge. The INS Office of General Counsel also has provided 
training at the Department of State's Foreign Service Institute. This 
training included an overview of asylum and refugee policy and legal 
issues, and specifically addressed religious persecution issues and 
IRFA.

                      Agency-Wide Training on IRFA

    During FY 2000 all employees were notified of IRFA and its effect 
on operations within the INS. The new inadmissibility provision of INA 
Sec. 212(a)(2)(G) relating to foreign government officials who have 
committed particularly severe violations of religious freedom was 
explained, and website addresses for more IRFA information were 
provided. All employees will continue to be notified concerning agency 
implementation of IRFA and updates to procedures and regulations.
    The INS IRFA working group has advised that the best approach for 
providing initial training on religious freedom and persecution issues 
is through the expansion of basic training on asylum and human rights 
issues included in the officer basic training courses. Work continues 
to be done with the Immigration Officer Academy and the Border Patrol 
Academy to incorporate additional asylum and refugee training 
materials, including information on religious persecution, into the 
basic curriculum.

       Section 602(c): Guidelines for Addressing Hostile Biases:
                         Employees Hired Abroad

    Preliminary guidelines have been drafted for the hiring of 
personnel abroad who work in refugee-related situations, and revisions 
to these drafts are under discussion within the INS working group. The 
INS has initiated discussions with the Department of State (DOS) 
regarding inclusion of IRFA obligations in the standard DOS contract 
entered into with non-governmental agencies involved in refugee 
processing. We anticipate developing the guidelines more fully through 
consultation with overseas personnel officers and the relevant DOS 
components in the course of the following fiscal year.

 Section 603(a): Guidelines for Addressing Hostile Biases: Interpreters

    Guidelines for interpreters of conversations between aliens and 
Immigration Inspectors/Asylum Officers are to be developed jointly by 
the Department of State and the Department of Justice. In the asylum 
field offices, applicants for asylum currently provide their own 
interpreters. In the expedited removal/credible fear process, the INS 
provides interpreters through the use of contracted services. Officers 
at ports-of-entry currently employ various means of interpretation. The 
ports may use an Immigration Officer or the INS Interpreters' Unit in 
New York, if available, or they may use one of several commercial 
services, if funding permits. All ports-of-entry employees have been 
notified of the provisions of IRFA relating to use of interpreters with 
hostile biases, and have been advised to avoid the use of any airline 
interpreters whenever possible for secondary inspection. During FY 2000 
officials at major ports-of-entry were queried by the INS IRFA working 
group, and additional queries are being developed in order to complete 
work on the guidelines.
    A master contract between Language Services Associates and the INS 
was approved in July 1999, and while it currently is used only by 
Asylum Officers in the Asylum Pre-Screening program, the interpreter 
services it provides are available to other INS components. The 
contract has special provisions to ensure the security and 
confidentiality of the credible fear process, and it can be modified to 
include specific antibias provisions. In FY 2000 the INS procurement 
office has aided the Asylum Division in developing a list of language 
service providers contracted by the General Services Administration. 
This list of contractors now may be used by any division of the INS to 
obtain language translation and interpretation services.

    Religious Persecution Articles Distributed by the INS Resource 
                           Information Center

    Below is a comprehensive, chronological list of the specialized 
documents on abuses of religious freedom distributed by the INS 
Resource Information Center (RIC) to the asylum offices and the Refugee 
Branch since 1992. They were distributed at the time they came to the 
attention of the RIC, which, in some cases, was one or more years after 
the date of publication. This list does not include hundreds of 
articles the RIC makes available to asylum field offices in the 
biweekly News Summary for Asylum Adjudicators.

Immigration and Refugee Board Documentation Centre. Mohajirs: Issue 
        Paper (Ottawa: IRBDC, September 1990), 24 p.

Immigration and Refugee Board Documentation Centre. Ghana: Freedom of 
        Religion (Ottawa: IRBDC, May 1991), 9 p.

Immigration and Refugee Board Documentation Centre. The Ahmadiyya 
        (Ottawa: IRBDC, June 1991), 31 p.

Amnesty International. Pakistan: Violations of Human Rights of Ahmadis 
        (London: AI, ASA 33/15/91, September 1991), 11 p.

Asia Watch. Freedom of Religion in China (New York: Human Rights Watch, 
        January 1992), 77 p.

Immigration and Refugee Board Documentation Centre. Pakistan: Treatment 
        of Ahmadis Who Return (Ottawa, IRBDC, February 1992), 16 p.

Immigration and Refugee Board, Documentation, Information, and Research 
        Branch, CIS, Baltic States and Georgia: Situation of Jews 
        (Ottawa: IRB DIRB, July 1992), 35 p.

Immigration and Refugee Board, Documentation, Information, and Research 
        Branch, Pakistan: The Mohajirs (Ottawa: IRB DIRB, September 
        1992).

U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, Resource Information 
        Center. Information Packet Series. Syria: Syrian Jews: 
        Historical Perspective and Current Events (Washington, DC: INS 
        RIC, IP/SYR/92.001, August 1992).

Immigration and Refugee Board, Documentation, Information, and Research 
        Branch, Israel: Jews from the Former Soviet Union (Ottawa: IRB 
        DIRB, February 1993).

Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, Syria, Persecution of Syrian Jews, 
        distributed by US Immigration and Naturalization Service, 
        Resource Information Center, Master Exhibit Series, 
        (Washington, DC: HIAS, ME/SYR/93.001, 1993)

Immigration and Refugee Board, Documentation, Information, and Research 
        Branch, Nigeria: Religion and Conflict (Ottawa: IRB DIRB, March 
        1993).

Baha'i International Community, The Baha'i Question: Iran's Secret 
        Blueprint for the Destruction of a Religious Community (New 
        York: BIC Publications, 1993), 55 p.

Kenvin, Helene. Civil War, Ethnic Strife, and the Disintegration of 
        Jewish Life in Georgia January 1992 through March 1993 (Esopus, 
        NY: Caucasus Network, April 2, 1993), 15 p.

Amnesty International. Persecution of Christians in China: Appeal for 
        Zhang Lezhi, Yan Peizhi and Xu Zhihe (London: AI, ASA 17/23/93, 
        June 1993), 3 p.

Kenvin, Helene. Anti-Semitic Violence in Georgia (Esopus, NY: Caucasus 
        Network, July 22, 1993), 3 p.

Kenvin, Helene. Brutalization of Georgia's Jewish Community (Esopus, 
        NY: Caucasus Network, September 19, 1993), 4 p.

U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, Resource Information 
        Center, Nigeria: Christians in Kano, Query Response 
        (Washington, DC: INS RIC, NGA94-01.ZHN, October 8, 1993), 8 p.

U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, Resource Information 
        Center, Georgia: Treatment of Jews, Query Response (Washington, 
        DC: INS RIC, GEO94-01.ZNK, December 30, 1993), 8 p.

Immigration and Refugee Board, Documentation, Information, and Research 
        Branch, Ahmadis in Pakistan: Update December 1991 to October 
        1993, Question and Answer Series (Ottawa, Canada: IRB DIRB, 
        January 1994), 27 p.

U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, Resource Information 
        Center, Egypt: Coptic Christians, Query Response (Washington, 
        DC: INS RIC, EGY94-01.ZNK, February 10, 1994), 4 p.

U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, Resource Information 
        Center, Profile Series, Russia: The Status of Jews in the Post-
        Soviet Era (Washington, DC, INS RIC, PR/RUS/94.001, September 
        1994), 39 p.

U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, Resource Information 
        Center, Lebanon: Status of Jews, Query Response (Washington, 
        DC: INS RIC, LBN94-01.ZNK, 7 March 7, 1994), 10 p.

U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, Resource Information 
        Center, Pakistan: Muslims Who Convert to Christianity, Query 
        Response (Washington, DC: INS RIC, PAK94-03.ZHN, March 10, 
        1994), 16 p.

Human Rights Watch/Middle East. Egypt: Violations of Freedom of 
        Religious Belief and Expression of the Christian Minority (New 
        York: HRW/Middle East, Vol.6, No. 2, November 1994), 36 p.

U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, Resource Information 
        Center, Russia: Jews, Query Response (Washington, DC: INS RIC, 
        RUS94-01.ZSF, April 14, 1994), 16 p.

U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, Resource Information 
        Center, Armenia: Baptists/Evangelicals, Query Response 
        (Washington, DC: INS RIC, ARM94-01.ZLA, April 19, 1994), 3 p.

Immigration and Refugee Board, Documentation, Information, and Research 
        Branch, Anti-Semitism in Latvia: The Current Situation, 
        Question and Answer Series (Ottawa, Canada: IRB DIRB, September 
        1994), 13 p.

Lambert, Anthony, P.B., What is the Size of the Chinese Church? Special 
        Report (Santa Ana, CA: News Network International Syndicate, 
        September 19, 1994), 23 p.

Immigration and Refugee Board, Documentation, Information, and Research 
        Branch, Anti-Semitism in Estonia: The Current Situation, 
        Question and Answer Series (Ottawa, Canada: IRB DIRB, November 
        1994), 9 p.

Immigration and Refugee Board, Documentation, Information, and Research 
        Branch, Jews in Russia and the Soviet Union: Chronology 1727 to 
        1 January 1992, Question and Answer Series (Ottawa, Canada: IRB 
        DIRB, November 1994), 23 p.

UNHCR, RE: Asylum Claim by Christian Woman from Syria, Letter from 
        Scott Busby, Associate Legal Counselor, United Nations High 
        Commissioner for Refugees, with attachments (Washington, DC: 
        UNHCR, November 15, 1994), 16 p.

Gauhar, Altaf, ed., ``Letter from Gujranwala: A Short Course in 
        Blasphemy'', Index on Censorship (London, UK: Writers & 
        Scholars International Ltd, Vol. 24, No. 3, May 1995), p. 99-
        105.

U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, Resource Information 
        Center, China: Christians, Query Response (Washington, DC: INS 
        RIC, CHN95-01.ALL, March 8, 1995) 3 p.

Spiegel, Mickey. ``Religion in China'', China Rights Forum (New York: 
        Human Rights in China, Spring 1995), p. 14-17.

U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, Resource Information 
        Center, Armenia: Pentecostals, Query Response (Washington, DC: 
        INS RIC, ARM95-02.ZLA, March 31, 1995) 5 p.

Amnesty International. China: Christians Arrested during Easter and 
        Others Serving Sentences (London: AI, May 12, 1995), 3 p.

Immigration and Refugee Board, Documentation, Information and Research 
        Branch, India: Sikhs in Punjab 1994-95, Question and Answer 
        Series (Ottawa: IRB DIRB, February 1996), 31 p.

U.N. Commission on Human Rights. Implementation of the Declaration on 
        the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of 
        Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief: Report Submitted by 
        Mr. Abdelfattah Amor, Special Rapporteur: Addendum: Visit by 
        the Special Rapporteur to the Islamic Republic of Iran (Geneva: 
        UN, E/CN.4/1996/95, February 9, 1996), 24 p.

Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society. On the Persecution of Jews around the 
        World: Hearing before the U.S. House of Representative 
        Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights 
        (Washington, DC: HIAS, February 27, 1996), 1 v. (various 
        pagings).

Immigration and Refugee Board, Documentation, Information and Research 
        Branch. Pakistan: Update on the Situation of Ahmadis, October 
        1993-June 1996 Question and Answer Series (Ottawa: IRB DIRB, 
        November 1996), 27 p.

Shea, Nina. In the Lion's Den (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman 
        Publishers, 1997), p. 27-84

Boyle, Kevin/Sheen, Juliet. Freedom of Religion and Belief : A World 
        Report (London: Routledge, 1997), 462 p.

The Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (Oxford, England: Oxford 
        University Press, 1997), 1,111 p.

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                               APPENDIX E

                              ----------                              


                    OVERVIEW OF U.S. REFUGEE POLICY

    The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates 
the world's refugee population to be 11.5 million persons. Millions 
more are displaced within their own countries by war, famine, and civil 
unrest. The United States works with other governments and 
international and nongovernmental organizations to protect refugees, 
internally displaced persons, and conflict victims, and strives to 
ensure that survival needs for food, health care, and shelter are met. 
The United States has been instrumental in mobilizing a community of 
nations to work through these organizations to alleviate the misery and 
suffering of refugees throughout the world. During FY 2000, the United 
States has supported major relief and repatriation programs throughout 
the world.
    In seeking durable long-term solutions for most refugees, the 
United States gives priority to the safe, voluntary return of refugees 
to their homelands. This policy, recognized in the Refugee Act of 1980, 
is also the preference of the United Nations High Commissioner for 
Refugees and the international community of nations that support 
refugees. If safe, voluntary repatriation is not feasible other durable 
solutions are sought, including resettlement in countries of asylum 
within the region and in other regions. Resettlement in other 
countries, including the United States, is appropriate for refugees in 
urgent need of protection and refugees for whom other durable solutions 
are inappropriate or unavailable.
    The United States considers for admission as refugees persons of 
special humanitarian concern who can establish persecution or a well-
founded fear of persecution in their home country on account of race, 
religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or 
political opinion. The legal basis of the refugee admissions program is 
the Refugee Act of 1980, which embodies the American tradition of 
granting refuge to diverse groups suffering or fearing persecution. The 
act adopted the definition of ``refugee'' contained in the 1951 United 
Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 
Protocol.
     Over the past decade, the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program has been 
adjusting its focus away from the large refugee admissions programs 
that had developed during the Cold War for nationals of Communist 
countries and toward more diverse refugee groups that require 
protection for a variety of reasons, including religious belief. The 
following describes the program's efforts, by region, in meeting the 
needs of refugees worldwide who have faced religious persecution.

                                 Africa

    For the majority of countries in sub-Saharan Africa, religious 
freedom and peaceful coexistence are the rule, even where other 
conflicts hold sway. The primary exception to the rule is Sudan, where 
the long ongoing civil war has a religious dimension. Islam is the 
state religion and Muslims dominate the Government. The Government 
continues to restrict the activities of Christians, practitioners of 
traditional indigenous religions and other non-Muslims. Security forces 
reportedly harass and use violence regularly against persons based on 
their religious beliefs. In areas controlled by the Government, access 
to education as well as other social services, is far easier for 
Muslims than for Christians and non-Muslims. The Government has 
conducted or tolerated attacks on civilians, indiscriminate bombing 
raids, and slave raids on the south, all with a religious as well as an 
ethnic dimension.
    The U.S. admissions program has in recent years increased its focus 
in Egypt, Ethiopia, and Kenya on these Sudanese victims of religious 
discrimination and repression. The refugee processing program in Cairo 
was expanded in 1999 with Sudanese refugees as the primary 
beneficiaries. Plans are well-developed to resettle in FY 2001 several 
thousand young Sudanese refugees now in camps in Kenya, including over 
100 unaccompanied minors.

                               East Asia

    Most countries in the region permit freedom of worship. However, 
the religious freedom situation in China is worsening. The Government 
actively suppresses those groups that it cannot control directly, most 
notably the Vatican-affiliated (underground) Catholic Church, 
Protestant ``house churches,'' some Muslim groups, followers of the 
Dalai Lama in Tibet, and members of the Falun Gong spiritual movement. 
The Vietnamese constitution provides for freedom of worship; however, 
the Government restricts those organized activities of religious 
organizations that it defines as being at variance with state laws and 
policies. Most independent religious activities either are prohibited 
or restricted severely. For example, Buddhist monks are required to 
work under a party-controlled umbrella organization. The situation for 
some religious groups in Laos is similar. In Burma, the Government 
actively suppresses most non-Buddhist religions (particular in the case 
of minority ethnic groups such as the Karen and Chin). The religious 
freedom situation in North Korea is particularly hard to gauge given 
the extreme lack of access provided by the Government; however, most 
indications are that religious freedom is circumscribed severely.
    The U.S. admissions program for East Asia accepts refugee cases 
referred by the UNHCR and U.S. embassies. Over the past several years, 
we have worked closely with the UNHCR to strengthen the referral 
process so those individuals in need of resettlement can have access to 
the program.

                             Eastern Europe

    Following the breakup of the Soviet Union, freedom of religion 
varies widely in the countries of the Newly Independent States and the 
Baltics. Most states regulate religious groups and activities, 
specifying a set of ``traditional'' religions with certain privileges 
denied to other groups. Following the example of Russia in 1997, many 
states responded with more restrictive legislation to govern the 
activities of foreign missionaries. Registration in many cases is 
required not only to establish a group as a legal entity, which allows 
it to rent or own space, but even in some cases, to ensure a group's 
right to hold services. In most countries, obstruction or delay of 
registration, usually by local officials, continues to frustrate some 
denominations perceived as ``foreign'' or as ``cults.'' In some 
countries, one's faith may be associated with ethnicity, patriotism, 
nationalism, or even with terrorism; in some cases authorities are 
suspicious of religious groups perceived as having political agendas 
and organizations.
    The U.S. refugee admissions program provides resettlement 
opportunities to religious minority members (as identified in the 
Lautenberg Amendment) with close family ties to the United States. In 
addition, UNHCR has recently increased the number of referrals to the 
program.
    Refugee admissions on religious grounds have been significant 
factors in both the Bosnia and Kosovo resettlement efforts. The U.S. 
refugee admissions program has provided protection to Muslims, 
Catholics, and Orthodox Christians, as well as individuals of other 
religious minorities. We will continue to work with the UNHCR, faith-
based nongovernmental organizations, human rights groups, and U.S. 
missions to identify persons who qualify under the 1980 act on 
religious grounds for whom resettlement is appropriate.

                        Latin America/Caribbean

    In Latin America generally, religious freedom is widely recognized 
and enjoyed. The key exception is Cuba, where the Government engages in 
active efforts to monitor and control religious institutions, including 
surveillance, infiltration, and harassment of clergy and members; 
evictions from and confiscation of places of worship; and preventive 
detention of religious activists. It also uses registration as a 
mechanism of control; by refusing to register new denominations, it 
makes them vulnerable to charges of illegal association. However, 
despite these obstacles to religious expression, church attendance has 
grown in recent years.
    The U.S. refugee admissions program specifically includes religious 
minorities and other human rights activists among the list of eligible 
groups.

                        Near East and South Asia

    Repression of religious minorities is common in some countries in 
the Middle East and South Asia. In Pakistan discriminatory legislation 
has encouraged an atmosphere of violence, which has led to acts by 
extremists against religious minorities, including Christians, Hindus, 
Ahmadis, and Zikris. In India state and local authorities' responses to 
extremist violence were often inadequate. In Saudi Arabia public non-
Muslim worship is a criminal offense, as is conversion of a Muslim to 
another religion. In Iran members of minority religions continue to 
face arrest, harassment, and discrimination.
    Iranian refugees who belong to religious minorities (Baha'is, Jews, 
Zorastrians, Christians) are able to apply directly for U.S. 
resettlement. In addition, the UNHCR and U.S. embassies in the region 
facilitate access to the admissions program for individuals of other 
nationalities who may qualify on religious grounds. We will continue 
efforts to improve access to refugee processing through dialogue with 
faith-based nongovernmental organizations and human rights groups who 
may identify victims with valid claims based on grounds of religious 
persecution. The UNHCR also has addressed religious persecution issues 
in several regional workshops to increase the sensitivity of protection 
and resettlement officers to victims of religious persecution.