[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 128 (Tuesday, September 17, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10723-S10724]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    CONDEMNING HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES AND DENIALS OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate

[[Page S10724]]

proceed to the immediate consideration of Senate Concurrent Resolution 
71, submitted earlier today by Senator Nickles.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 71) condemning human 
     rights abuses and denials of religious liberty to Christians 
     around the world.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the immediate 
consideration of the concurrent resolution?
  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
concurrent resolution.
  Mr. McCAIN. I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent resolution be 
agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that 
any statements relating to the resolution be placed at the appropriate 
place in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Without objection, the preamble is agreed to.
  The concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 71) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The concurrent resolution, with its preamble, is as follows:

                            S. Con. Res. 71

       Whereas oppression and persecution of religious minorities 
     around the world has emerged as one of the most compelling 
     human rights issues of the day. In particular, the worldwide 
     persecution and martyrdom of Christians persists at alarming 
     levels. This is an affront to the international moral 
     community and to all people of conscience.
       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 in certain cases are 
     imprisoned, tortured, enslaved, or killed;
       Whereas severe persecution of Christians is also occurring 
     in such countries as Sudan, Cuba, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, 
     China, Pakistan, North Korea, Egypt, Laos, Vietnam, and 
     certain countries in the former Soviet Union, 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, U.S.A. 
     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. To this day, the United States 
     continues to guarantee freedom of worship in this country for 
     people of all faiths;
       Whereas as a part of its commitment to human rights around 
     the world, in the past the United States has used its 
     international leadership to vigorously take up the case of 
     other persecuted religious minorities. Unfortunately, the 
     United States has in many instances failed to raise 
     forcefully the issue of anti-Christian persecution at 
     international conventions and in bilateral relations with 
     offending countries; now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate, the House of Representatives 
     concurring--
       (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; and
       (2) strongly recommends that the President expand and 
     invigorate the United States' international advocacy on 
     behalf of persecuted Christians, and initiate a thorough 
     examination of all United States' policies that affect 
     persecuted Christians; and
       (3) encourages the President to proceed forward as 
     expeditiously as possible in appointing a White House Special 
     Advisor on religious persecution; and
       (4) recognizes and applauds a day of prayer on Sunday, 
     September 29, 1996, recognizing the plight of persecuted 
     Christians worldwide.

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