[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 117 (Friday, August 2, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1478-E1479]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   TIME FOR CONGRESS TO SPEAK OUT ABOUT THE PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. FRANK R. WOLF

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, August 2, 1996

  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, in many countries of the world today, 
Christians live in fear. Fear for their lives and fear for their 
livelihood.
  Worldwide persecution and martyrdom of Christians has increased and 
intensified to such an extent that more Christians have died for their 
faith in the 20th century than in all prior 19 centuries combined.
  In some parts of the world, Christians are forbidden to practice 
their faith and are victimized by religious apartheid which subjects 
them to discrimination as well as inhumane and humiliating treatment. 
In several Islamic countries, converting to Christianity from Islam is 
punishable by death. In many countries today, Christians are 
imprisoned, enslaved, tortured, and killed simply because of their 
faith.
  The Government of Sudan is waging a jihad against the Christian 
southern part of the country, enforcing Sharia'--Islamic law--against 
non-Muslim African Sudanese--torturing, starving, killing, and 
displacing over 1 million people and enslaving tens of thousands of its 
women and children. Today in Sudan, a human being can be bought for as 
little as $15.
  Christians in China have experienced the worst persecution since the 
pre-Deng period in the 1970's. There are more documented cases of 
Christians in prison or in some form of detention in China than in any 
other country. Both Evangelical Protestant house church groups and 
Roman Catholics have been targeted and named ``a principal threat to 
political stability'' by the Central Committee of China's Communist 
Party. In recent months, in three separate incidents, three Chinese 
Christian leaders were beaten to death by Chinese authorities simply 
because of their religious activities.
  In Pakistan last year, a 13-year-old boy was forced to flee the 
country after he was convicted under Pakistan's blasphemy law. His 
uncle, who was also convicted, was shot dead by someone in the angry 
mob that swarmed outside the courtroom.
  In 1994, three Christians in Iran were kidnaped and murdered during 
1994 as part of a crackdown on the Iranian Christian community.
  In Vietnam and other countries, Catholic bishops and priests and 
Protestant pastors are routinely imprisoned, Bibles are confiscated and 
churches are raided.
  There is also severe persecution of Christians in North Korea, Cuba, 
and some countries in the Middle East.
  Leaders of the international Christian community have begun to speak 
out about this serious and growing problem. Pope John Paul II recently 
sounded a call against regimes that ``practice discrimination against 
Jews, Christians, and other religious groups, going even so far as to 
refuse the right to meet in private for prayer,'' declaring that ``this 
is an intolerable and unjustifiable violation not only of all the norms 
of current international law, but of the most fundamental human 
freedom, that of practicing one's faith openly.''
  The National Association of Evangelicals in January 1996 issued a 
``Statement of Conscience and Call to Action'' subsequently endorsed by 
the Southern Baptist Convention, the executive council of the Episcopal 
Church, and the general assembly of the Presbyterian Church, United 
States of America. It pledged to ``do what is in our power to the end 
that the Government of the United States will take appropriate action 
to combat the intolerable religious persecution now victimizing fellow 
believers and those of other faiths.''
  The World Evangelical Fellowship has declared September 29, 1996, and 
each annual last Sunday in September, as an international day of prayer 
on behalf of persecuted Christians. That day will be observed by 
numerous churches and human rights groups around the world.
   Mr. Speaker, its time for Congress to speak out. I am introducing a 
resolution that would condemn the human rights abuses and denials of 
religious liberty to Christians around the world; strongly recommend 
that the President expand and reinvigorate United States international 
advocacy on behalf of persecuted Christians; encourage a reexamination 
of all U.S. policies that affect persecuted Christians; encourage the 
President to appoint a White House special adviser on religious 
persecution; and applauds the actions of the World Evangelical 
Fellowship in designating an annual day of prayer on behalf of 
persecuted Christians.
  The United States has forcefully taken up the cause of other 
persecuted religious minorities. During the cold war, we repeatedly 
passed resolutions condemning the persecution of the Soviet Jews. In 
recent years, we have passed resolutions condemning the persecution of 
people of the Baha'i faith.
  We have the ability to intervene in a similar manner for persecuted 
Christians. I urge my colleagues to cosponsor this important 
resolution.

                               H. Res. --

       Whereas the worldwide persecution and martyrdom of 
     Christians has increased and intensified to such an extent 
     that more Christians have died for their faith in the 20th 
     century than in all prior 19 centuries combined;
       Whereas in many places throughout the world, Christians are 
     restricted in or forbidden from practicing their faith, 
     victimized by a ``religious apartheid'' that subjects them to 
     inhumane, humiliating treatment, and are imprisoned, 
     tortured, enslaved, and killed;
       Whereas in some countries proselytism is forbidden, and 
     extremist elements persist unchecked by the government in 
     their campaigns to eradicate Christians and force conversions 
     through intimidation, rape, and forced marriage;
       Whereas in several Islamic countries conversion to 
     Christianity from Islam is a crime punishable by death;
       Whereas the militant Muslim Government of Sudan is waging a 
     jihad (religious war) against the Christian southern part of 
     the country, enforcing Shari'a (Islamic law) against non-
     Muslim African Sudanese, torturing, starving, killing, and 
     displacing over 1,000,000 people, and enslaving tens of 
     thousands of women and children. Today in Sudan, a human 
     being can be bought for as little as $15;
       Whereas Christians in China have experienced the worst 
     persecution since the pre-Deng period in the 1970s. There are 
     more documented cases of Christians in prison or in

[[Page E1479]]

     some form of detention in China than in any other country. 
     Both Evangelical Protestant house church groups and Roman 
     Catholics have been targeted and named ``a principal threat 
     to political stability'' by the Central Committee of China's 
     Communist party. In recent months, in separate incidents 3 
     Chinese Christian leaders were beaten to death by Chinese 
     authorities simply for their religious activities;
       Whereas an Islamic court in Kuwait has denied religious 
     liberty to a convert from Islam to Christianity, and the 
     judge recommended that he be put to death;
       Whereas 3 Christian leaders in Iran were kidnapped and 
     murdered during 1994 as part of a crackdown on the Iranian 
     Christian community;
       Whereas severe persecution of Christians is also occurring 
     in North Korea, Cuba, Vietnam, and certain countries in the 
     Middle East, to name merely a few;
       Whereas religious liberty is a universal right explicitly 
     recognized in numerous international agreements, including 
     the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 
     International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;
       Whereas Pope John Paul II recently sounded a call against 
     regimes that ``practice discrimination against Jews, 
     Christians, and other religious groups, going even so far as 
     to refuse them the right to meet in private for prayer,'' 
     declaring that ``this is an intolerable and unjustifiable 
     violation not only of all the norms of current international 
     law, but of the most fundamental human freedom, that of 
     practicing one's faith openly,'' stating that this is for 
     human beings ``their reason for living'';
       Whereas the National Association of Evangelicals in January 
     1996 issued a ``Statement of Conscience and Call to Action,'' 
     subsequently commended or endorsed by the Southern Baptist 
     Convention, the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church, 
     and the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, United 
     States of America. They pledged to end their ``silence in the 
     face of the suffering of all those persecuted for their 
     religious faith'' and ``to do what is in our power to the end 
     that the Government of the United States will take 
     appropriate action to combat the intolerable religious 
     persecution now victimizing fellow believers and those of 
     other faiths'';
       Whereas the World Evangelical Fellowship has declared 
     September 29, 1996, and each annual last Sunday in September, 
     as an international day of prayer on behalf of persecuted 
     Christians. That day will be observed by numerous churches 
     and human rights groups around the world;
       Whereas the United States of America since its founding has 
     been a harbor of refuge and freedom to worship for believers 
     from John Winthrop to Roger Williams to William Penn, and a 
     haven for the oppressed, and has guaranteed freedom of 
     worship in this country for people of all faiths;
       Whereas, unfortunately, the United States has in many 
     instances failed to raise forcefully the issue of anti-
     Christian and other religious persecution and international 
     conventions and in bilateral relations with offending 
     countries; and
       Whereas, however, in the past the United States has 
     forcefully taken up the cause of other persecuted religious 
     minorities, and the United States has the ability to 
     intervene in a similar manner for persecuted Christians 
     throughout the world: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) unequivocally condemns the egregious human rights 
     abuses and denials of religious liberty to Christians around 
     the world, and calls upon the responsible regimes to cease 
     such abuses;
       (2) strongly recommends that the President expand and 
     invigorate United States international advocacy on behalf of 
     persecuted Christians, and initiate a thorough examination of 
     all United States policies that affect persecuted Christians;
       (3) encourages the President to proceed as expeditiously as 
     possible in appointing a White House special advisor on 
     religious persecution; and
       (4) applauds the actions of the World Evangelical 
     Fellowship in declaring an annual international day of prayer 
     on behalf of persecuted Christians.

                          ____________________