"The United States should not remain silent about the issue of human and religious rights in China."

(Clearwisdom.net)

Dear Ms. [name omitted]:

Thank you for your recent correspondence regarding the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China.á I share your thoughts on the importance of human and religious rights for all people, including the people of China.

I am deeply concerned about China's human and religious rights record. I have communicated my concerns over human and religious rights practices directly to the Chinese government on a number of occasions. The United States must develop a comprehensive Asian policy that takes into account human and religious rights and security concerns.

The United States should not remain silent about the issue of human and religious rights in China.á As a U.S. Senator, I have made clear on many occasions my concerns about repressive Chinese practices. I wrote an article on this subject that appeared in the Washington Times.á I concluded the article by stating that: "Above all, we cannot remain silent about the latest round of human rights abuses because our attention has been diverted or because we fear our commercial contacts will be jeopardized.á The President ... must continue to express our moral outrage and opposition to ... repression.á We must tell the leadership in Beijing that cooperation between our countries will proceed faster and farther if there is progress on human rights.á We should leave no doubt where the United States stands on the principle that has been so central to the American political culture and so important to the conduct of American foreign policy; our reverence for human rights and the rule of law, and our eagerness to cooperate with those countries that share our ideals."

I believe we must keep the pressure on the Chinese government to respect and adopt internationally recognized standards of human and religious rights.á We can only do this if we stay engaged.á Turning our back on China denies us the opportunity to shape their behavior. America should vigorously apply its talents and principles to make positive changes in China.

Attempting to isolate China will do nothing to change the actions and behavior of the Chinese government.á Instead, we would substantially limit any influence we have with Beijing and reduce our contacts with the Chinese people.á Recent history in Eastern Europe and other regions of the world provides evidence that open markets, human rights, and the rule of law are promoted by the presence of U.S. business, international exchanges, and enhanced communication because they serve to weaken state dominance and strengthen the desire for freedom.

I am pleased Congress supported the formation of a new bilateral human rights commission. The commission will monitor human rights developments and provide annual reports that will provide a forum for the consideration of policy recommendations and legislation to improve human rights in China.

Near the close of the 105th Congress, I joined with my Senate colleagues in a unanimous vote in favor of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.á The next day, the House of Representatives, by voice vote, also passed this bill unanimously. Several days later, President Clinton signed this bill into law.

My office took a lead role in the development of this legislation and, since that time, has worked closely with the office of Senator Don Nickles, who served as the bill's chief sponsor.á Many months of work were devoted to crafting this law with the goal of advancing the cause of religious freedom abroad in a most effective and responsible manner.á There can be no question that this law will significantly heighten the attention that our government devotes to protecting this most basic of human rights. I am hopeful that individuals who might otherwise face imprisonment, torture, or other forms of persecution will be aided by Congress' passage of this legislation.

Among the most prominent features of the International Religious Freedom Act is the establishment of a special U.S. Ambassador-at-Large, who will represent our nation, full-time, in addressing problems of persecution throughout the world.á Each year, the President will issue a special report on the state of religious freedom, covering every country in the world.á In nations where serious restrictions on religious freedom exist, our government will be required to take action to redress such problems.á In addition, a ten-member, independent Commission on International Religious Freedom will monitor cases of persecution and make recommendations on how our government might most effectively respond.

Close to half of the world's people live under laws that seriously restrict their religious liberties.á The problem of religious persecution has for many years been a strong emphasis in the work of my office.á In numerous cases around the world, I have worked to secure the release of persons imprisoned for their religious beliefs, while also pressing foreign governments to reverse policies that restrict basic religious practices and place people of faith in such jeopardy.

Ours is a nation founded on the principles of personal liberties, with freedom of religion at the core of those ideals. I strongly support the United States' efforts to address problems of religious persecution around the world, and I appreciate your concern that our government should remain vigilant in the protection of this most vital human freedom.

Thank you, again, for contacting me on this important issue. I will continue to monitor religious freedom around the world.

Sincerely,

Richard G. Lugar
United States Senator

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