[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 53 (Monday, March 30, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E809]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     THE WORLD'S WORST PERSECUTORS

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                           HON. FRANK R. WOLF

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 30, 2009

  Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, the right to worship according to the 
dictates of your conscience is among the most precious freedoms.
  Tragically this basic freedom has not been realized for millions 
around the globe. On January 16, the State Department designated the 
annual ``Countries of Particular Concern.'' This notorious distinction 
is given to countries deemed particularly severe violators of religious 
freedom. This year the list included Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North 
Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Uzbekistan.
  Oftentimes the most powerful testimony of the repressive nature of 
these governments is found in the accounts of their own people.
  Take the words of a 23-year-old Burmese monk: ``We did not expect 
that the junta would crush down a peaceful demonstration but when they 
raided the monasteries, shot and arrested the monks. I was so surprised 
and unbelievable that I could not express how my feelings were. All my 
beliefs were also destroyed.''
  Or the reflections of a Chinese house church leader: ``First, when 
they arrest you, they try to convince you to give up your faith. And 
when you surrender to them they will offer you an office in a position 
such as community member or a position in the Three Self church. If you 
do not deny your faith and surrender to them, then they will attack 
you. First they put you into a small place, isolate you, and they let 
you starve to convince you.''
  Or these insights from North Korea: ``North Korea is a prison without 
bars. The reason why the North Korean system still exists is because of 
the strict surveillance system. When we provide the information like 
`this family believes in a religion from their grandfather's 
generation,' the National Security Agency will arrest each family 
member. That is why entire families are scared of one another. Everyone 
is supposed to be watching one another like this . . .''.
  With the 1998 passage of the International Religious Freedom Act, 
legislation which I authored, the promotion of religious freedom became 
official U.S. foreign policy. Sadly, 10 years later, the fight for this 
``first freedom'' has never been more necessary. We must commit 
ourselves anew to standing with persecuted people of faith around the 
world who against all odds, in the face of fear, intimidation, 
imprisonment, torture and worse gather secretly to worship as their 
conscience demands.

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